Board of Education member and Vice-Chair of the Democratic Committee, Victoria Fisher, referred to the first Latina to serve on the Township's Planning board as a "white woman with no relevant experience".  She said that such an appointment "is insulting to me as a taxpayer".

Creating a litmus test on who was brown enough to be considered Latino is illegal and violates the shared goals Democrats have always embraced.   These comments, made during public comment of a Township Council meeting (without identifying that she was speaking as an individual board member as is required by law) are deplorable and cannot be met with silence.

Fisher was referring to Desiree Ramos-Reiner, an eminently qualified Latina with experience in both government and the private sector.

Desiree has fought against adversity her entire life.  A graduate of Columbia University, Ms. Ramos-Reiner has served in appointments by the Governor of the State of New Jersey, Congressman and then Senator Menendez and worked for major organizations such as the PANYNJ and Civil Rights orgs, such as the Brennan Center for Justice.

Ms. Ramos-Reiner is now an External Affairs Officer for a major disaster relief organization, where she also sits on a National Latino Advisory Board, which operates to ensure more inclusivity to her organization.

In short, Mrs. Ramos-Reiner is not "a white woman with no relevant experience".

After her parents escaped oppression in Cuba (where her father was in a work camp until the day he was able to flee), they came to this country and raised two wonderful independent daughters.  Desiree went on to graduate from Columbia University and gave back to her community working with Congressman Menendez's office, then Senator Menendez's office where she was the Communications director.  From there she worked for major organizations like the PANYNJ and the Brennan Center for Justice and now she is the Chief External Affairs Officer for the a major disaster relief organization where she also sits on a national Latino advisory board to make the organization more inclusive.   

In Desiree's own words on the topic:

"I am the proud daughter of Cuban immigrants who came to this country seeking freedom for their family. Born and raised in Hudson County (#UC, #NB) my friends and classmates were all mostly first generation kids, too. We didn’t have much, but had each other and lots of love and encouragement. Wherever I have traveled I have always carried with me the pride of being Latina. To be referred to as “a white woman” by someone trying to diminish my appointment as the FIRST LATINA appointed to the Teaneck Planning board has left me with a deeper commitment to FIGHT for more Latinx representation at all levels of government."

"Please join me. If you aren't registered to vote, sign up today. If you haven't filled out your Census form, do it now. Submit your resume to your local mayor to join a board. Volunteer on a campaign. Join your school’s PTA. Help your neighbors. Stay informed. Don’t be a crab. Be kind. ¡DALE!"

Even to call her unqualified means that Ms. Fisher didn't even look at her resume, this an appalling lack of respect for the Latino community and one which shows her privilege.

Latinx neighbors come in all shades, and as the Latino community tries to achieve the equality we deserve, we must be mindful of the roadblocks that still exist.  There are record levels of dissemination in this Country against Latinos.  We cannot remain silent in the face of those like BOE and Vice-Chair Fisher dismissing hard fought accomplishments.

Don't let Victoria Fisher determine what the litmus test is, as to who is brown enough to be counted.  One simply cannot feel this way about kids in the school district, while determining the policy they live under.
She must be removed from the Board of Education and the Teaneck Democratic Committee.