Monica Garay has 43 different bosses as part of her job wrangling members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) as it seeks to serve as a foil to the Trump administration.
It’s a busy time for the caucus, which is positioning itself to combat President Trump both on his immigration policies and other issues they say affect the quality of life for Latinos.
Garay, 31, describes the group as raising the voices of Latinos “from south Bronx to South Texas.”
“We’re going to continue to express how there is strength in our diversity, how we don’t just represent over 62 million Americans,” Garay said, pointing to estimates of the Hispanic population in the U.S., “but a growing pillar of democracy — how we cannot achieve economic well-being in America without Latinos. National security, infrastructure — we are so woven into the fabric of America.”
“The CHC moving forward is going to continue to emphasize that, but also defend those very values, because right now, there seems to be a sense of erasure of our community.”
Garay said she learned a lot about how to operate in Congress from her first boss and neighborhood representative, Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.).
“I think it really set the tone for what to expect here, and, most importantly, how to assert dominance in spaces where you know that not only does your academic and career experience matter, but your lived experience is an asset,” Garay said.
For Garay, that lived experience has included the struggles of a working-class Nuyorican family in developing Brooklyn, when a buyer of their apartment building raised the rent, forcing her family to relocate.
She later put herself through college while working an overnight shift at Gap, getting off work only to head to class, and getting through the day with the occasional nap at the library.
Garay said those experiences motivate her now as the caucus fights back against Trump’s effort to limit Medicaid and food stamps, programs she said were the difference during her childhood from her parents choosing between paying rent and putting food on the table.
“Those programs do help individuals achieve self-sufficiency, and I know because I am living proof of that,” she said.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), chair of the caucus, said he’s proud of her.
“She’s sharp as a knife, she’s relentless, and she does it with a smile on her face,” he said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
