Joseph Menendez
Joseph Randall Menendez (born July 15, 1985) is an Antillean community organizer, labor rights activist, and politician serving as a member of the United Commonwealth House of Representatives for Cuba's 13th congressional district since 2023 and previously served as a member of the New Charleston City Coucnil for the 10th Ward between 2017 and 2023. He is the son of Cuba Secretary of State Robert Menendez and is a member of the Civic Democratic Party and is a member of the party's progressive wing, backing socially and economically progressive policies from increasing wages to voting rights and is a member of the Antillean independence movement. He is an officer of the United Commonwealth Marine Corps and has been part of the marine corps since 2004, serving in the reserve.
Joseph Menendez | |
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 | |
| Member of the United Commonwealth House of Representatives from Cuba's 13th district | |
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Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Donald Williams |
| Member of the New Charleston City Council for the 10th Ward | |
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In office January 2, 2017 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 15, 1985 New Charleston, Cuba, Antilles |
| Political party |
 Civic Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Sara Murphy (m. 2016) |
| Relatives | Robert Menendez (father) |
| Education | University of New Charleston (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Antilles |
| Branch/service |
 Antillean Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 2004–present |
| Unit |
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Early life and education
Joseph Menendez was born and raised in New Charleston, Cuba on 15 July 1985. He is the son of Robert Menendez, current secretary of state of Cuba, and Mariana Menendez. He is of Hispanic descent and his family moved to New Charleston in the 1980s after the damage to the city from the Cuban insurgency had been fully rebuilt and finished. During the insurgency, the Menedez family fled the city before the battle for the city in 1964. He attended Hudson Valley High School and graduated in 2003 and would later attend the University of New Charleston in 2004. That same year, he joined the United Commonwealth Marine Corps reserve to fufil the service requirements to vote in federal elections, a law that he opposes and backs its abolition. He joined the reserve in order to fulfill the service requirements and to continue his education without active military deployment interfering with it. He also joined to get the scholarship benefits that the marines and the wider armed forces officer, to make his education more affordable for his both himself and to alleviate the cost of tuition on his family. While in college, Menendez completed the Marine Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NROTC) and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of the Marine Corps Reserve upon graduating.