THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Zenaida Mendez

“Education is the key. Making education affordable, and that the public school be high quality education. That’s critical for women.” – Zenaida Mendez, president of NY State NOW

A social justice champion. The first Dominican Woman to serve on the inaugural Bias Crime Taskforce at the NYC Commission of Human Rights. Founder and Board President of the National Dominican Women’s Caucus. First Director of the Racial Diversity Program for the National Organization for Women (NOW). First Woman of Color to serve as President of the New York State Chapter of NOW. Director of Manhattan Neighbor Network at El Barrio Firehouse. 

Interviewed by Noreen Connell, February 2024

Photo. Zenaida Mendez, Manhattan Neighbor Network Director of External Affairs and President of the National Organization for Women, March 2014.