An Auckland-based gay man has become the first Latin American to run for New Zealand Parliament after being selected as the Green Party candidate for the Mount Roskill electorate. Ricardo Menéndez March has become the first Latin American to run for New Zealand Parliament Ricardo Menéndez March who is originally from Tijuana, México, has been based in Auckland since 2006 and was selected last night during a meeting at the Green Party offices in Auckland. Menéndez March says it is an “incredible privilege” to be the first Latin American to run for Parliament. “We have a small but fast growing Latin American population in New Zealand,” he says. “I have been inspired by the people in México who have recently taken to the streets to protest against the 'gasolinazo' and the government's neoliberal policies. I hope to use this platform to encourage other Latin Americans in New Zealand and overseas to participate in activism and politics.” Passionate about “Migrant rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, indigenous rights and access to tertiary education”, he says “Racism within our rainbow communities is another issue I'm interested in having a conversation on. “I want to use my experience with issues on immigration, LGBTQIA+ rights, access to Tertiary Education and anti-racism activism to make politics a much more accessible space for our communities to participate. Mt Roskill is a great place to have these conversations, being one of the most ethnically diverse electorates in the country.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 24th January 2017 - 3:55pm