¡Orgullo Boricua! Roberto Maldonado Jr. Wins Manassas Park City Council Election, Celebrating Puerto Rican Heritage and Latino Representation
Virginia LULAC celebrates the election of Roberto Maldonado Jr., a proud Puerto Rican American, United States Air Force veteran, educator, and community advocate, whose victory marks an important milestone for Latino leadership in Manassas Park.
November 13, 2026 | Manassas Park, Virginia
The League of United Latin American Citizens of Virginia (Virginia LULAC) proudly congratulates our member, Roberto Maldonado Jr., on his victory in the November 3, 2026, election to the Manassas Park City Council.
Roberto's election represents an extraordinary achievement for Puerto Rican American representation, Latino civic leadership, and the continued advancement of diverse voices in local government throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Roberto's victory marks an important milestone for Latino representation in Manassas Park, reflecting the community's growing civic leadership and the importance of ensuring that its diverse voices are represented in local government.
His election is a testament to his lifelong commitment to public service, education, and community engagement, and an inspiration to future generations of Latino leaders throughout Virginia.
As a Puerto Rican American preparing to serve on the Manassas Park City Council, Roberto brings a perspective shaped by military service, education, community engagement, and a lifelong dedication to creating opportunities for others.
For Virginia LULAC, his election is a moment of tremendous pride and a reminder that Latino Americans continue to strengthen our democracy through leadership, service, and civic participation.
From the South Bronx to Manassas Park: A Lifetime of Service
Born in New York City and raised in the South Bronx in a proud Puerto Rican family, Roberto Maldonado Jr.'s journey is rooted in the values of family, perseverance, discipline, and service.
Throughout his childhood, Roberto maintained close ties to his Puerto Rican heritage, spending summers working on his grandfather's dairy farm in Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
These experiences helped shape his understanding of hard work, community, and the importance of remaining connected to one's cultural roots.
Roberto would go on to serve his country in the United States Air Force, beginning a lifelong commitment to public service.
Following his military service, he pursued a professional career that included information technology, government, higher education, and public administration.
His experience includes work with institutions such as George Washington University and the United States Senate, where he developed expertise in technology, organizational leadership, and the operation of complex institutions.
Eventually, Roberto brought his professional experience into the classroom, becoming a Career and Technical Education teacher in Prince William County.
As an educator, he has helped prepare young people for careers in technology, engineering, and emerging fields, including artificial intelligence.
His commitment to education reflects his belief that every young person deserves access to the knowledge, skills, and opportunities necessary to build a successful future.
Roberto's journey from the South Bronx to military service, education, community leadership, and now elected office demonstrates the extraordinary contributions Puerto Rican Americans continue to make to Virginia and the nation.
A Meaningful Victory for Latino Representation in Manassas Park
Roberto's election comes at an especially important moment for Manassas Park, where approximately 47.7% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to the United States Census Bureau.
With nearly half of the city's population identifying as Latino, Manassas Park stands as one of the Commonwealth's most significant communities for Latino representation and civic engagement.
For generations, Latino families have helped shape the city's neighborhoods, workforce, businesses, schools, and cultural identity. Their contributions have been instrumental in building the diverse and vibrant community that Manassas Park is today.
Roberto's election strengthens the presence of Latino leadership in a city where the experiences, contributions, and aspirations of Latino residents are essential to its identity and future.
He will join fellow Virginia LULAC member and trailblazer Yesy Amaya, the first Latino elected to the Manassas Park City Council, whose historic election in 2020 marked a groundbreaking achievement for Latino representation in the city's government.
A pioneer in her own right, Yesy helped pave the way for greater Latino civic participation and representation in Manassas Park. Her historic election and subsequent reelection in 2024 demonstrated the importance of ensuring that Latino residents have a meaningful voice in shaping the policies and decisions affecting their community.
Roberto's victory builds upon this legacy, bringing together two Virginia LULAC members whose leadership reflects the continued advancement of Latino representation in local government.
Together, their service represents an important opportunity to strengthen connections between the City Council and Manassas Park's diverse communities, champion the needs of their constituents, and ensure that the voices, concerns, and aspirations of Latino families are heard and considered in local decision-making.
For Virginia LULAC, representation is about more than ethnicity or heritage. It is about ensuring that government reflects the diversity of the people it serves and that every resident has an opportunity to participate meaningfully in civic life.
Roberto's election, alongside Yesy's pioneering leadership and continued service, demonstrates the importance of encouraging Latino Americans to seek public office, contribute their professional experiences, and become leaders in the communities they call home.
A Proud Puerto Rican American Serving His Community
Roberto Maldonado Jr.'s victory carries special significance for Puerto Rican Americans throughout Virginia, celebrating a community whose history is deeply intertwined with the story of the United States.
Puerto Ricans have a long and distinguished tradition of contributing to American society through military service, public education, government, entrepreneurship, and community leadership. As United States citizens by birth, Puerto Ricans have served in the nation's armed forces for generations, demonstrating an enduring commitment to the country and its democratic institutions.
Roberto embodies this tradition of service. His Puerto Rican heritage, combined with his experiences as a United States Air Force veteran, educator, and community leader, reflects the values of dedication, perseverance, and civic responsibility that strengthen communities across the Commonwealth.
Puerto Rican Americans also occupy a unique place within the broader Latino community. Their identity reflects the intersection of American citizenship and a rich cultural heritage deeply rooted in Latin American and Caribbean history, language, and traditions. This distinctive experience provides an opportunity to bridge two worlds, fostering greater understanding, solidarity, and unity among our communities.
With this unique position comes a profound responsibility. Puerto Rican Americans have an opportunity to use their voices, their citizenship, and their experiences to stand alongside fellow Latinos, advocate for their rights, defend their dignity, and ensure that their communities are heard, regardless of national origin or immigration status.
Roberto's election represents an opportunity to turn this responsibility into meaningful public service. As a proud Puerto Rican American preparing to serve on the Manassas Park City Council, he brings a lifetime of experience to a city where Latino families are an essential part of its cultural, economic, and civic identity.
His victory represents more than an achievement for Puerto Rican representation. It is an opportunity to build bridges among the diverse communities of Manassas Park, champion their shared aspirations, and ensure that those who have historically been underrepresented have a meaningful voice in local government.
For Virginia LULAC, Roberto's victory reinforces an important principle: our heritage may come from different nations and territories, but our commitment to one another must transcend borders. Whether Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran, Dominican, or from any of the many communities that make up our Latino population, our collective strength comes from recognizing that our futures are interconnected.
When one Latino community faces challenges, we all have a responsibility to stand together. Our differences in nationality, citizenship, and personal experience should never become barriers to solidarity, but instead serve as opportunities to understand, support, and uplift one another.
Roberto's journey reminds us that representation carries both opportunity and responsibility. Through his leadership, he has an opportunity to demonstrate how Puerto Rican Americans can serve as advocates not only for their own communities, but for the advancement, protection, and empowerment of the broader Latino community, while working to improve the lives of every resident they represent.
His achievement is therefore not simply a personal victory. It is a celebration of cultural pride, civic responsibility, and the extraordinary possibilities that emerge when individuals dedicate themselves to serving others.
We have the ability to build bridges, defend our communities, and uplift one another. We can, and we should.
Strengthening Education, Economic Opportunity, and Community Engagement
Throughout his career, Roberto has demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of life for families and creating pathways to economic opportunity.
As a member of the Manassas Park Economic Development Authority, he has contributed to efforts focused on supporting local businesses, encouraging responsible development, and strengthening the city's economic future.
His professional background has also given him firsthand experience with the importance of workforce development, career training, and educational opportunities.
As a Career and Technical Education teacher, Roberto understands that education is one of the most powerful tools available to help young people achieve economic mobility.
His priorities for Manassas Park include expanding access to vocational training and apprenticeships, strengthening public schools, supporting small businesses, promoting responsible fiscal management, and improving government transparency.
He has also emphasized the importance of inclusive leadership and ensuring that residents from every background have opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
These priorities are particularly meaningful in a diverse community such as Manassas Park, where working families, immigrants, veterans, students, and small-business owners all contribute to the city's future.
Roberto's experience demonstrates that effective leadership is built upon listening, collaboration, and a willingness to address the challenges facing everyday residents.
An Inspiration to Future Generations of Latino Leaders
Roberto's election sends an important message to Latino communities throughout Virginia: public service is an opportunity open to individuals from every background.
His journey demonstrates that leadership can emerge from many different paths, including military service, education, technology, community volunteerism, and local advocacy.
For young Latino Americans, particularly those who may not have previously envisioned themselves serving in elected office, Roberto's achievement offers a meaningful example of what is possible.
It also reminds us that the strength of our communities depends upon individuals who are willing to step forward, accept responsibility, and work toward a better future for their neighbors.
As Virginia's Latino population continues to grow, the importance of cultivating civic leadership and ensuring meaningful representation at every level of government becomes increasingly significant.
Roberto's victory represents another step toward building a Commonwealth where every community can see its contributions reflected in public institutions.
Virginia LULAC Celebrates Roberto Maldonado Jr.
Virginia LULAC is immensely proud to celebrate Roberto Maldonado Jr., a dedicated member of our organization whose commitment to military service, education, economic opportunity, and community advocacy has culminated in his election to the Manassas Park City Council.
His achievement reflects the principles that have guided LULAC for nearly a century: advancing educational opportunity, protecting civil rights, encouraging civic participation, and strengthening the economic and political influence of Latino communities.
We also recognize the importance of this victory for Manassas Park, a city whose diversity and strong Latino presence make inclusive leadership essential to its continued progress.
As Roberto prepares to begin his term on January 1, 2027, Virginia LULAC looks forward to his continued service and his commitment to ensuring that every resident has an opportunity to be heard.
His victory is a source of pride not only for Puerto Rican Americans, but for all who believe in the importance of representation, opportunity, and public service.
¡Felicitaciones, Roberto Maldonado Jr.!
Your election is a proud moment for Puerto Rican and Latino representation in Manassas Park, an inspiration to future generations, and a testament to a lifetime dedicated to serving others.
May your achievement inspire more Latino Americans to pursue public service, strengthen their communities, and help shape the future of our Commonwealth.
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About Virginia LULAC
Virginia LULAC is the state chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation’s oldest and largest Latino civil rights advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, housing, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.
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