2 Essex County Residents Honored At Latino Heritage Celebration – Bloomfield, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A pair of Essex County residents recently earned awards for boosting the local community as part of the county’s annual Latino Heritage Celebration.

Last week – amid a backdrop of colorful flags representing 22 Latino nations – county officials held an event to pay tribute to the heritage of local residents from the Spanish-speaking nations of Europe, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

During the program, a pair of residents were honored with Star of Essex County awards: Essex County Freeholder Carlos Pomares and longtime Newark government worker Carmen Mosca.

The Latino Heritage Month Celebration is the part of a year-long cultural series created by County Executive DiVincenzo to highlight Essex County’s diversity. Other cultural heritage celebrations include African American History Month, Irish Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Italian Heritage Month, Jewish Heritage and Portuguese Heritage.

“I am humbled to be here,” said Pomares, a Bloomfield resident. “This recognition is really a reflection of the people who work with you and support you.”

Mosca, who is married to retired Newark Deputy Police Chief John Mosca, also said she was “overwhelmed” by the award.

“Thank you for such a great honor,” Mosca said. “There are really no words that can describe how I feel. I enjoy helping people and it’s an honor to serve.”

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. offered thanks to this year’s award-winners.

“We are honored to recognize Carmen Mosca and Carlos Pomares for their commitment to improving the lives of all residents, their leadership, and their dedication to public service,” DiVincenzo said.

Essex County officials provided the following biographical information for Pomares and Mosca.

CARLOS POMRARES

“A resident of Bloomfield, Mr. Pomares was elected District 5 Freeholder in November 2017. He previously served as Councilman At-Large in Bloomfield having been elected in 2013 and 2016. Pomares has been a strong advocate for arts & culture and historic preservation, and was instrumental in the creation of the Morris Canal Greenway in Bloomfield, notably with the creation of Canal Park at Oak Tree Lane, the restoration of the historic Collins House, the development of the Morris Canal Greenway way finder signs and the Greenway mobile app.

“Freeholder Pomares currently serves as the Executive Director of the Cuban Artists Fund and is a history and political science lecturer at William Paterson University and Hudson County Community College. Pomares has worked with several museums, including the President Grover Cleveland Birthplace, King Manor Museum, Waterloo Foundation for the Arts, the NYC Police Museum, and the Montclair Historical Society. He has also provided executive and development expertise for nonprofit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity. Aside from his professional experiences, Freeholder Pomares is the Founder/President of the Bloomfield Cruisers, a non-profit, vintage automobile organization. The club supports a variety of local charitable endeavors such as an annual academic scholarship, spring bicycle giveaway, and annual toy drive. He also volunteers as Chairman of the Bloomfield Morris Canal Greenway, the Cub Scouts Pack 22, and the Boy Scouts Troop 22.

“Freeholder Pomares has received several awards, including the Essex County Latino-American Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Public Servant of the Year, Bloomfield Police Benevolent Association’s Man of the Year, Caldwell University’s Veritas Award for Cultural Excellence, HudsonCounty Community College’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award and the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders Hispanic Heritage Award.

“He graduated from Caldwell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and received awards for his public speaking and museum work. He also holds a Master of Arts degree from Seton Hall University. He is married to Glen Ridge native Natasha Pomares, and together they have three children: Carlos (12), Felicita (11), and Mario (8). They reside in the Bloomfield Historic District where they have embarked on the restoration of an 1874 Victorian.”

CARMEN MOSCA

“M. Carmen Mosca has served as Chief of Staff for Newark Council Vice President Luis A. Quintana since 1994. In this capacity, she works diligently to ensure the smooth operation of the Councilman’s office, and is responsible for his staff, his special events, and his non-profit corporation events. For over 25 years, she managed Quintana’s biggest Little Christmas (children’s event) called the Newark 3 Kings which is celebrated yearly on or around January 6, Halloween Event and Easter Egg Hunt in the City of Newark where thousands of children receive toys and participate in a variety of festive activities. She also worked on the Councilman’s program for feeding the homeless, Thanksgiving turkey distribution for seniors and families, and a coat drive for those in need. From 2013 to 2014, Ms. Mosca also served as Deputy Chief of Staff when Luis A. Quintana served as Mayor of Newark. In that role, her responsibilities included all of the Mayor’s special events, correspondence, special meetings and supervision of his immediate staff.

“Ms. Mosca is no stranger to the City of Newark. Prior to working with Councilman Quintana, she served as a Community Planner for the Mayor’s Office from 1975 to 1994. She served under former Mayors Kenneth A. Gibson and Sharpe James, assisting the Office of the Deputy Mayor to ensure that all citizen concerns were heard and properly handled. While serving in this capacity, she hosted a television show called “Hispanic Perspective” from 1984 to 1987, where she interviewed political figures, doctors, judges and community leaders. Bringing important issues to the Hispanic Audience of Newark, New York City and Connecticut.

“Ms. Mosca is the proud wife of John G. Mosca, retired Deputy Police Chief from the city of Newark and they have two adult children, Ted and Daniel, two daughters in law, Damaris and Laura, and four grandchildren, Nina (8), Jake (8), Gwen (6) and Olivia (5).”

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