Nathalia Fernandez is a New York state senator for District 34, representing the Bronx and Westchester. She is chair of the Senate Alcoholism & Substance Use Disorders Committee and is a leading voice in the fight against the opioid crisis. A daughter of immigrants, her father from Cuba, and her mother from Colombia, Fernandez has always had a love for her community and a desire to serve.
She began her career in public service as executive coordinator and then chief of staff for Mark Gjonaj, former representative of the 80th Assembly District in the Bronx. In 2017, Fernandez joined the staff of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as the representative of his office to the Bronx. In 2018, she was elected to represent the 80th District in the New York State Assembly, becoming the first person of Colombian descent to serve in the Legislature.
During her time in the Assembly, Fernandez led numerous projects and initiatives, including expanding access to affordable healthcare, protecting the environment, and creating good-paying jobs. She is also a strong advocate for Latina suicide awareness, mental health access, minority- and women-owned business enterprise services, education, social justice, and women’s rights.
In 2022, Fernandez was elected to the New York State Senate, becoming the first Latina to represent the 34th Senate District and the first person of Cuban descent to serve in the Senate. As a senator, she is committed to fighting for the people of her district and an advocate for working families, seniors, youth, and marginalized communities.
Words of Wisdom: “We gotta keep showing up…just in life…you gotta keep showing up. Until they give you all those accolades you think you deserve, until they call you a chairman, until they call you a genius, until they call you the greatest of all time.” – Jay-Z
