Barbara Medina Bio

Barbara Medina was born in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn to parents from the Island of Puerto Rico. Ms. Medina is single mother of three wonderful children and has spent fourteen successful years as an Executive in the Marketing business. Ms. Medina’s career allowed her to travel to different parts of the United States developing new businesses and venturing with other companies. The experience has helped her become a voice amongst the voiceless and the value of being an independent woman.

In her spare time she became an advocate for neglected and abused children and found countless allies in meeting others that have dedicated their lives fighting for the abused children. In 2006 Ms. Medina took her advocacy a step further and joined forces with a nonprofit organization named “Emergency Rights.”  She began lobbying for legislation, which today is known as “The Nixzmary Brown Law”. Being a part of the process allowed Ms. Medina reevaluate her career path.

She began working in the fight against drunk driving after a horrific traffic accident on the Tonic highway took the life of three young innocent children. Just three months later on the Henry Hudson highway another fatal accident involving drinking and driving took the life of and eleven year-old girl, Leandra Rosado. Immediately, Ms. Medina, without hesitation, lent her support to become an advocate to Lenny Rosado, Leandra’s father.  Ms. Medina, along with Lenny Rosado and the Fulton Youth Association, MADD, numerous local elected and appointed officials and legislators, with Senator’s Martin M. Dilan and Charles J. Fuschillo, lobbied for over one month. It was a glorious day when Governor David Patterson signed the “Leandra” bill [10] into law on November 18, 2009 followed by Governor Patterson signing of the “Nixzmary Brown Law” on November 19, 2009.

Ms. Medina has assisted several Williamsburg residents, who were displaced do to the lack of affordable housing. She personally advocated placing over twenty-five families in Section 8 affordable housing units. Ms. Medina is a well known advocate in the Williamsburg and Bushwick communities. She is dedicated to improving the lives of children by working closely with their parents, in the fight for a better educational system.

Ms. Medina once said her greatest community accomplishment has been for the last three years collaborating with community merchants, NYPD, FDNY and the Federal Bureau of Immigration to collect much needed school supplies for underserved children. Ms. Medina also conducts a toy drive where thousands of toys are collected and donated each year to needy organizations and families in need.

Barbara Medina, considers it an honor to continue to be the voice of these children and their families.