Donate

About Miguel Meléndez

My name is Miguel Meléndez, a lifelong Rochester native, a husband, father of three, community organizer, advocate, and current member of Rochester City Council. I have dedicated my entire career to building bridges and seeking solutions to complex problems. I have advocated for many investments, pushed community engagement processes to a higher standard, and increased awareness around pressing issues such as the opioid crisis. I have a registered track record of advancing and lifting the voices of residents and doing the work with people.

No Mas Event

Experience

  • Supported the creation of the El Camino Revitalization Area Charrette & Vision Plan with residents and stakeholders.
  • Partnered with Residents and the City of Rochester to create the new vision for “La Marketa at the International Plaza” project on North Clinton Avenue. This project has conceptually been talked about for 40+ years and was moved due to collective leadership and collaboration between neighbors, the City of Rochester administration, and other stakeholders utilizing the El Camino vision plan.
  • Supported the development of new affordable housing through El Camino Estates I & II and Pueblo Nuevo I & II (Currently under construction).
  • Organized coalition efforts and committees ranging improving play, safety, beautification, public health, and overall quality of life.
  • Led Project HOPE (Healthy Outcomes through Participation, Education & Empowerment) to improve the social determinants of health in the El Camino Neighborhood
  • Project HOPE led or contributed to creating neighborhood farm stands, curbside market with Foodlink, development of conkey corner park playground, El Camino trail, El Camino Estates, El Camino vision plan, etc.
  • Provides executive oversight to Ibero’s ASPIRA mentoring program, Family Service Assistants program and the Stability, Education & Employment Services division; creating opportunities for mentorship and case management services in schools and the community setting.
  • 2016 Father Laurence Tracy Leadership Award recipient (Puerto Rican Parade, Inc.)
  • 2018 St. John Fisher College Ten Under 10 Award recipient

Community Involvement

Healthi Kids Coalition member
Play Rocs campaign member
Trillium CARES Coalition member (syringe cleanup effort)
My Brother’s Keeper Advisory Board member
Mayor’s Reinvention & Reform Committee (Coordinating response to E.O. 203 – includes UCLM, RASE Commission, and Police accountability board)

Chief Community Engagement Officer (Ibero-American Action League, Inc.) w/ executive oversight over:

  • Family Service Assistants in RCSD / EMHCS
  • ASPIRA mentors in RCSD / EMHCS
  • Stability, Education, & Employment Services (SEES) division


At Ibero-American Development Corporation, I provide oversight to:

  • El Camino Model Parks Initiative
  • Project CLEAN (Focused on Opioid Epidemic Response in the North Clinton Avenue area)
  • Site Manager, International Plaza
Miguel Meléndez at a community cleanup