Â鶹APP

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen official photo-by United States Congress-

Top 10 Facts About Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is an important political icon well known as the first Cuban American elected to the US Congress. Her role in politics has been a groundbreaking one, from being a powerful voice for her community to being a strong advocate of human rights and a remarkable congresswoman. “Today’s 1st Women’s History Month “she-ro” is Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,” wrote United States Representative Donald. Payne Jr. While many chapters remain unwritten, we honor the women whose accomplishments changed and are still changing history like Ros-Lehtinen. This article discusses some of the things to know about Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Read also; Top 10 Famous Cuban people

1. She was born in Cuba and raised in Miami

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (7023723393)-by State Library and Archives of Florida-

Ros-Lehtinen was born on July 15, 1952, in Havana, Cuba, to Enrique Emilio Ros, a certified public accountant, and Amanda Adato Ros. A year after political leader Fidel Castro’s revolution rocked that little island nation, she and her family, including her parents and a brother, fled to Miami. Almost immediately, Ros-Lehtinen’s parents joined forces with other recent refugees to bring down the Castro regime. However, with the collapse of an anti-Castro invasion effort at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs in 1961, the prospect of returning to Cuba grew increasingly unlikely, and Ros resolved to raise his children as devoted Americans.

2. She is Episcopalian

Ros-Lehtinen was raised Catholic like most other Cubans but converted to Episcopalian. However, her parents were Jewish. Ros-Lehtinen’s maternal ancestors were Sephardic Jews from the Ottoman Empire who were engaged in the Jewish community in Cuba. In 1913, her maternal grandfather fled Krklareli for Cuba, fleeing the devastation and economic collapse caused by the First Balkan War. Her mother then became a Catholic in order to marry her father.

3. She is the first Cuban-American woman to serve in the U.S. congress

Florida House of Representatives members conferring-by Donn (Donald Gregory) Dughi-

Following the death of Democratic U.S. Congressman Claude Pepper on May 30, 1989, Ros-Lehtinen ran for his South Florida House seat and defeated Democrat Gerald Richman by a vote of 53% to 47% thus becoming the first Cuban-American elected to Congress and the first Republican woman elected from Florida. Speaking in one of her interviews she stated, “What really drove me to Congress, even though I loved the Florida house and I loved the Florida senate even more, was because I missed that international aspect of what I wanted to do, to help people who are oppressed and repressed and who have no human rights.”

4. She is a strong advocate of human rights

Ros-Lehtinen won the respect of her Cuban-American voters for her tenacity in dealing with the Castro regime and her overall commitment to human rights. “Cuba is more than just my birthplace on my passport.” “It defines me,” she declared. “However, many people don’t realize that much of what I do is unrelated to Cuba. I enjoy working to advance Cuba’s liberation cause.” Ros-Lehtinen expanded her legislative interests and brought attention to the genocides in Rwanda and Burundi as well as egregious human rights violations in nations like China, Belarus, Iran, and Sudan while serving as the chairperson of several Foreign Affairs subcommittees, including those for Africa, International Economic Policy and Trade, International Operations and Human Rights, Middle East, and Central Asia.

Read also; 15 Most Famous Women Rights Activists in History

5. Being first has been something Ros-Lehtinen excels at

Ileanarossie-by Online Guide to House Members and Senators-

Ros-Lehtinen broke gender barriers frequently and accomplished many historic firsts during her political career. One such occasion included the Congressional Baseball Game, a long-standing institution tradition in which only males had participated for many years. Shen became the first member of Congress to participate in the yearly competition in 1993, together with Blanche Lambert of Arkansas and Maria Cantwell of Washington. Ros-Lehtinen became the first Cuban-born woman elected to the Florida state legislature and the first Cuban American and Hispanic woman ever elected to the United States Congress.

6. She has spent her entire career in Foreign Affairs and Government Reform

The National Journal assessed Ros-Lehtinen as 57% conservative and 43% liberal on foreign policy issues. She played a huge role in President George W. Bush’s surge strategy in Iraq, Israel, and the continuation of sanctions against Cuba and also backed Honduras’ de facto administration, led by Roberto Micheletti, which was established following the military coup against President Manuel Zelaya.

7. Ros-Lehtinen has been a prominent Republican supporter of LGBT rights

LGBT flag by Alexander Grey-

Despite voting for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, Ros-Lehtinen began to support LGBT rights during the next decade. (due in part to her district, which includes large LGBT populations in South Beach Miami Beach, and in the Florida Keys, as well as her son Rodrigo coming out) She stated in a Winter 2013 interview with the Human Rights Campaign that her support for same-sex marriage stemmed from coming from Cuba, losing her homeland to communism, and seeing the state control everything.

8. She is married to Dexter Lehtinen

Ros-Lehtinen married Dexter Lehtinen, a former attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, in 1984, and they have two children, Rodrigo, a transgender LGBT rights activist, and Patricia Marie. Katherine and Douglas Lehtinen are her stepchildren.

9. She is the first Republican in the United States Congress to support the Respect for Marriage Act

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen 2-by Miamikid531-

Ros-Lehtinen was the first Republican member of the United States Congress to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, and she signed a letter to IRS Commissioner Schulman demanding that the IRS provide clear guidance for LGBT taxpayers. The letter requested that the IRS guarantee that tax law be enforced equitably to all individuals.

Read also; 30 Most Influential US Female Politicians

10.  She has worked as a teacher

After earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in education from Florida International University, as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Miami, Ros-Lehtinen went ahead and co-founded a private elementary school with her parents, where she worked as both a teacher and the school’s principal. It was at this time that Ros-Lehtine developed an interest in politics as an inspiration from her parents and students.

Ros-Lehtinen has worked tirelessly to assist women in the military and victims of domestic violence. She serves as an inspiration to many young women around the world who have political ambitions.