Living the Immigrant Dream

Despite never having previously held an elected position, Colombian born Rafael "Ralph" Moreno has been a leader in his community of Jackson Heights, Queens for decades. Born in Bogotá, Colombia in 1937, Moreno immigrated to New York City in 1954 and settled on West End Avenue in the Upper West Side while he worked for Bulova, a prominent American watch and clock company.

As a 17 year old immigrant in New York, Moreno aspired to attend nearby Columbia University because he knew of its reputation in the Ivy League, but he knew that his English was not as strong as it should be, and that he did not he have the resources or connections to get in. Not one to be deterred, Moreno enrolled in CUNY to earn his degree.

Soon after, Moreno met his wife, Lilia, at school. Upon meeting her, he was faced with the decision of going back to Colombia after his visa expired or establishing citizenship in the United States. Moreno chose to stay in New York and he and Lilia moved to Jackson Heights - where he has been active within his community for the past forty-eight years.

His Colombian past remains important to him today and it propels his community involvement in a number of ways. Moreno is concerned with preserving a positive Colombian image, challenging stereotypes that portray Colombians as drug dealers and prostitutes. To this end, he has served on the Citizen Advisory Committee of his local police precinct. Aspiring to represent his neighbors and important issues in his community, Moreno also ran for City Council twice. Having lost the first race to now Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, and after being kicked off the ballot the second time around, Moreno persevered and used his status and reputation in Jackson Heights to lobby for needed community services.

Moreno now serves as president of the Jackson Heights Action Group, a thirty-year old non-profit organization whose mission is to provide services to East Elmhurst, Corona, and Jackson Heights residents. Moreno is also a longtime member of Community Board 3 and is now the Chair of the Public Safety Committee. In 2006, Moreno learned about the vacancies in Queens Democratic County Committee seats during a presentation by Grassroots Initiative at a Community Board meeting and decided to run for office. After being wrongfully removed from the ballot by the New York City Board of Elections, Moreno was not discouraged. With the help of Grassroots Initiative, he challenged the Board of Elections in the New York State Supreme Court and won his case to keep his name on the ballot. On September 12, 2006, Rafael Moreno was elected to office. He is the first member of his family to be elected and is one of very few elected Columbians.

Moreno hopes to use his position as a County Committee Member to promote immigrant services, to ensure the safety of Jackson Heights, and to continue his advocacy for the people of the neighborhood that has been his home for close to fifty years.

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