A new face in Nassau County Legislative District 5

Legislative aide hopes to address Hispanic community needs

Posted
During a meeting, District 5 County Legislator, Debra Mulé, left and legislative aide, Vanessa Herrera brainstorm ideas on how to improve communication with Latinos in District 5.
During a meeting, District 5 County Legislator, Debra Mulé, left and legislative aide, Vanessa Herrera brainstorm ideas on how to improve communication with Latinos in District 5.
Nadya Nataly/Herald

In the waning months of her first year in office, County Legislator Debra Mulé has hired a new legislative aide that will serve as a Hispanic community liaison in an effort to support and connect with the sizable Latino population that lives in District 5 — Baldwin, Freeport, Merrick, Oceanside and South Hempstead.

The role of the new aide, Vanessa Herrera, 29, from West Babylon, will be to provide Mulé with an innate understanding of the immediate needs of the Hispanic community to allow her to address issues and needs quicker.

“The Latino community has the same needs as anyone else,” Mulé said. “But people who are not native English speakers, I would imagine that the hurdles are higher… and [could be] intimidated when asking for services.”

One of Herrera’s first efforts, under Mulé’s direction, has been meeting with Latino community leaders and local nonprofit organizations like Central American Refugee Center, CARECEN and C.A.S.A., Coordinated Agency for Spanish Americans.

Considering the political climate at a national level, Herrera said, members of the Latino community might be skeptical of their elected officials. Mulé said her office’s initiative is still in its early phases, but she is hopeful that it will reach everyone in the District 5 community.

“Part of our initiative is to figure out from the people what exactly are their needs,” Herrera said.

Mule added that once their needs were identified, she would be more able to serve the Hispanic community.

With Herrera at the helm, the community outreach projects are well underway. During the first time homebuyers workshop held in Freeport on Sept. 21, she guided Spanish speakers by providing resources and points of contact. She also translated flyers into Spanish for the Aug. 7 National Night Out event at Cow Meadow Park in Freeport.

Another initiative has been to partner with CARECEN to talk about the legal service the organization provides and how the district’s undocumented population can access information and resources to change their immigration status and receive proper documentation. She also has plans to outreach to the district’s churches to build further rapport.

“We want them to feel represented,” Herrera said.

Ultimately, she and Mulé are working together to create a safe environment that Hispanic community members can feel comfortable to openly discuss their issues and concerns.

“I want them, [the Hispanic community] to know that they have a place at the table in our office,” Mulé said. “Every resident in District 5 has the ability to receive the services that they’re entitled to, and it is our job to do that.”

Herrera is a first-generation college graduate from El Salvador.. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Queens College and a student at Stonybrook University, wrapping up her last semester of a Master’s in Social Work.