Nydia Velázquez

Nydia Margarita Velázquez (born 1953) is a Puerto Rican politician who has represented New York's 7th and 12th congressional districts since 1993. Born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, she was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Velázquez has used her position to advocate for Puerto Rico's interests in Congress, including pushing for adequate hurricane relief, opposing the fiscal control board's austerity measures, and introducing legislation to address Puerto Rico's colonial status.

She has served as the ranking member and chair of the House Small Business Committee. Her career demonstrates both the potential and the limitations of diaspora political representation: she can advocate for Puerto Rico in Congress, but she represents a New York district, not Puerto Rican residents who have no voting representation.