Current discourse in our politics and in the news today is full of negativity which may discourage community involvement. However, politics directly or indirectly impacts our lives, and we cannot close our eyes and let apathy win. The upcoming primary election in New Jersey is a prime example of the importance of community engagement. Three candidates with different backgrounds and political histories are vying to represent New Jersey in Washington, DC. 

Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina stands out for her unwavering dedication to advancing the rights of women and of workers. Her life story inspires hope and confidence in our community because they yearn for a role model to inspire our children to dream big and believe in their own talents and future. Her unique perspective as an immigrant and a woman of color, combined with her proven track record of accomplishment as a legislative advocate and educator, makes her a compelling choice for those who value diversity and social justice.

The 2024 election cycle has evoked both excitement and frustration among the American electorate, and New Jersey is no exception. High inflation, international conflicts, and the re-run of the 2020 election between Trump and Biden have heightened people’s anxiety. In New Jersey, attention has turned to the internal primary of the Democratic party, where the solid Senate seat held by Senator Robert Menendez is now contested due to a corruption case brought against him by the Southern District Court. Although Senator Menendez does not plan to resign in the near future, his political career is ending. Now it is the time for Latinos to invest in a new bench of political leaders and Patricia Campos-Medina, with her history of advocacy for women, workers, and Latina political leadership as President of Latina Civic Action, is the right choice to represent NJ. 

Dr. Patricia Campos Medina immigrated to the United States from El Salvador following her parents when the Central American country was submerged in a civil war. As Dr. Medina highlights in her public comments, her experience with family separation due to our broken immigration system has shaped her vision to fight for a real, just, and comprehensive immigration reform that both respects immigrant families’ humanity and addresses the concerns of American workers, whom she has spent 30 years representing in the manufacturing, service and care economy. 

When Patricia was accepted at the prestigious University of Cornell in upstate New York, she both excelled in her academics and engaged in student activism in support of workers’ rights at Cornell College campus when service workers in her campus were organizing their union. After graduation, she became a union organizer, acquiring a national reputation for being a fierce labor organizer who was able to connect with workers while also being a skillful strategist leading winning labor campaigns that improved the lives of thousands of workers.

I came to know Patricia Campos-Medina via the Cornell University Union Leadership Program (ULI) at The Worker Institute at Cornell University, where she was a Director and Faculty member, educating, and empowering leaders in the labor movement to become strategic thinkers in their approach to building workers’ power. 

I have witnessed Patricia’s commitment to elevating the voices of marginalized communities and her rigorous discipline in the academic and social justice worlds. She works tirelessly and humbly to ensure working-class communities are being heard. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit New Jersey and undocumented immigrant communities were excluded from federal assistance due to their immigration status, Dr. Patricia Campos Medina worked tirelessly with community organizations and elected officials to ensure that Governor Murphy signed the NJ Excluded Workers Fund and created protections to protect essential workers during the pandemic. 

Patricia Campos-Medina is the person low wage American workers want to have on their side because she knows how to build power from the grassroots level; she has a record of bringing workers and stakeholders together to build strategic campaigns that win victories for marginalized communities. The NJ Domestic Workers Bill of Rights is a prime example; this historic new legislation signed by Governor Murphy in January 2024 ensures the inclusion of domestic workers in the anti-discrimination laws of NJ, in health and safety protections and in wage-and-hour laws. 

Given the pressing economic issues of our time, including immigration reform and criminal justice reforms, increased economic opportunities, and enhanced access to healthcare, it is imperative to have a leader capable of uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds and inspiring workers to engage in politics. 

Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina is the individual best suited to effectively champion the interests of workers, and middle-class families and fight for an economy that works for all.  

Virgilio O Aran

Hunter College, CUNY

School of Labor and Urban Studies, CUNY

Cornell University, IRL, & The Worker Institute at Cornell

Labor and Community Organizer