Pedro Segarra
Encyclopedia
Pedro E. Segarra is an American
politician of Puerto Rican
origin and Mayor
of Hartford
, Connecticut
. Prior to becoming mayor, Segarra was president of Hartford's City Council. He succeeded former Mayor Eddie Perez
who resigned in disgrace after he was convicted by a state Superior Court jury of bribery and extortion in a political corruption case. Segarra, who was sworn in as mayor on June 25, 2010, is Hartford's second mayor of Puerto Rican ancestry and the first openly gay
mayor of the city. He is also the second openly gay mayor of an American state capital city (David Cicilline
of neighboring Providence, Rhode Island
was the first).
. At age seven his family relocated to the Bronx, New York
in search of better opportunities. At the age of fifteen , Segarra moved to Hartford seeking a better life than what he was experiencing in New York City
. A resident of Hartford since 1975, Segarra is an alum of Greater Hartford Community College
, where he was a founding member of the school's Latino Student Organization. He later earned a full scholarship to the University of Hartford
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science
.
Segarra was admitted to the University of Connecticut
's Graduate School of Social Work where he received a Master of Social Work
. After graduation, he attended the University of Connecticut School of Law
and graduated in 1985. He passed the Connecticut bar that same year. While in law school, Segarra was a founding member of the Latino Law Student Organization and became the organization’s first President. He is a member of Connecticut's state and federal bars (since 1986) and the Bar of the State of Florida
(since 2000).
In 1991, Segarra was appointed Corporation Counsel for the City of Hartford, the youngest person ever selected for the position at that time. and appointed for the position for three consecutive terms. He is also a founding member of Hartford's branch of Hogar CREA
, the Hispanic Health Council
(HHC), and Connecticut Latina/os Achieving Rights & Opportunities (CLARO).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
origin and Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Prior to becoming mayor, Segarra was president of Hartford's City Council. He succeeded former Mayor Eddie Perez
Eddie Pérez (politician)
Eduardo Alberto "Eddie" Perez is a politician of Puerto Rican origin and former Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. Prior to entering politics, Perez worked as a community activist...
who resigned in disgrace after he was convicted by a state Superior Court jury of bribery and extortion in a political corruption case. Segarra, who was sworn in as mayor on June 25, 2010, is Hartford's second mayor of Puerto Rican ancestry and the first openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
mayor of the city. He is also the second openly gay mayor of an American state capital city (David Cicilline
David Cicilline
David Nicola Cicilline is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is formerly the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, and was the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.-Early life, education, and career:...
of neighboring Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
was the first).
Early life and career
Segarra was born in the small rural town of Maricao, Puerto RicoMaricao, Puerto Rico
Maricao is the second-least populous municipality of Puerto Ricolocated at the western edge of the Cordillera Central. It is a small town set around a small plaza in hilly terrain, north of San Germán, Saban Grande and Yauco; south of Las Marías and Lares, southeast of Mayagüez, and west of Adjuntas...
. At age seven his family relocated to the Bronx, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in search of better opportunities. At the age of fifteen , Segarra moved to Hartford seeking a better life than what he was experiencing in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. A resident of Hartford since 1975, Segarra is an alum of Greater Hartford Community College
Capital Community College
Capital Community College is a community college in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. The only public undergraduate institution in the City of Hartford, Capital's roots date to 1967 with the founding of Greater Hartford Community College. In 1992 Capital merged with Hartford State Technical...
, where he was a founding member of the school's Latino Student Organization. He later earned a full scholarship to the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Segarra was admitted to the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
's Graduate School of Social Work where he received a Master of Social Work
Master of Social Work
The Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...
. After graduation, he attended the University of Connecticut School of Law
University of Connecticut School of Law
The University of Connecticut School of Law is the only public law school in Connecticut and one of only four in New England. The school was recently ranked forty-sixth out of the 190 American Bar Association-accredited law schools in the United States and is considered a Tier 1 school by U.S...
and graduated in 1985. He passed the Connecticut bar that same year. While in law school, Segarra was a founding member of the Latino Law Student Organization and became the organization’s first President. He is a member of Connecticut's state and federal bars (since 1986) and the Bar of the State of Florida
The Florida Bar
The Florida Bar is the integrated bar association for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar association in the United States. Its duties include the regulation and discipline of attorneys....
(since 2000).
In 1991, Segarra was appointed Corporation Counsel for the City of Hartford, the youngest person ever selected for the position at that time. and appointed for the position for three consecutive terms. He is also a founding member of Hartford's branch of Hogar CREA
Hogares Crea
Hogar Crea is an international institution, founded in Puerto Rico, that helps drug addicts break their habits.In 1968, Jose Juan Garcia founded "Hogar Crea". The word "Crea" means for the re-education of the addict and the community. Those who enter the program do not have to pay a fee, but must...
, the Hispanic Health Council
Hispanic Health Council
The Hispanic Health Council , was established in 1978 in response to the health care crisis in the Puerto Rican community. HHC is a nationally recognized community-based research, service, training, and advocacy organization, is committed to developing and providing a comprehensive approach to...
(HHC), and Connecticut Latina/os Achieving Rights & Opportunities (CLARO).
Personal life
Prior to becoming mayor, Segarra was a managing partner of the Law Office of Segarra & López, however after taking office he announced to his clients that he would be closing down his private practice to focus on his mayoral duties. An active member of the community, Segarra resides in the West End of Hartford with his husband, Charlie Ortiz.External links
- Office of the Mayor of Hartford
- City Council Profile
- Official Mayoral Re-Election Website
- Pedro Segarra on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...