Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15) welcomed Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) back to The Bronx and to the New York Botanical Garden for a fireside chat on Sunday, March 1, to mark the beginning of Women’s History Month, and to recognize various women in public service.

 

His team said the event brought together local leaders and residents from across the borough for a discussion about leadership at the highest levels of government. They said it focused on Pelosi’s tenure as the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and on her journey to breaking one of the highest glass ceilings in American politics. 

 

The conversation covered Pelosi’s path to Congress, including her decision to run at age 47 after raising five children, and her rise to the speakership. It also covered what it takes to lead a closely divided House, where margins are tight and every vote matters. Pelosi discussed the realities of building support for major legislation, managing negotiations that can shift by the hour, and on maintaining caucus unity under pressure.

 

“Speaker Pelosi’s leadership of House Democrats marked a historic and consequential moment in the history of this nation,” said Torres. “As the first woman to serve as speaker, she assumed a role no woman had previously held and did so with the authority and command of the institution. She led through closely divided majorities and significant legislative fights, such as the painstaking negotiations over the Affordable Care Act.”

 

He added, “She secured votes when the margin for error was slim and moved legislation during moments of national consequence. Her tenure set a new precedent for leadership in the House, and she will be remembered for the immense good she delivered for the American people.”

The program also included recognition of various Bronx women whose careers, Torres said, reflect long-term public service. Randi Martos, a lifelong Bronxite who grew up in Riverdale and attended local public schools, was honored for decades of civic and political leadership. She previously served as chief of staff to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81).

 

Organizers said she served as female Democratic district leader for the 81st assembly district from 2006 to 2022 and held senior roles in state government overseeing legislative and district operations. They said she helped lead the effort that resulted in the creation of The Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy and later became the longest-serving Parents Association President in the school’s history.

 

Torres’ team said Miguelina Camilo was recognized for a legal and public service career “rooted in The Bronx and the Dominican community.” They said, and as we reported when Camilo ran for State Senate in 2022, that she is the first in her family to graduate from college and become a lawyer.

 

They said she has also held senior positions in City and State government, including serving as counsel to the speaker of the State Assembly, Carl Heastie (A.D. 83) and as an NYC Board of Elections commissioner. As reported, she currently serves as chief of staff to City Council Speaker Julie Menin (C.D. 5), becoming the first woman and first Latina to hold that position.

 

Torres’ team said Simone A. Jones was also honored “for her leadership in city government and political strategy.” As reported, she is currently deputy chief of staff and chief equity officer to Menin and supports legislative operations and governance. Earlier in her career, Jones served as chief of staff and land use director to City Council Member Kevin Riley (C.D. 12) and has advised elected officials across New York.

 

When Pelosi announced in November 2025 that she would not seek reelection and would retire in January 2027, House Minority Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) who succeeded her, said she was “the greatest speaker of all time” and that the country was a much better nation because of her dedication to serving it, its children, and the climate.

 

He praised her leadership which he said ensured Democrats passed “meaningful legislation that has made life better for the American people, including the Affordable Care Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and the American Rescue Plan.”

 

He added, “During her 20 years leading House Democrats, she fiercely navigated many trials and tribulations, including a once-in-a-century pandemic and a horrific attack on the United States Capitol. Through it all, she led with strength and dignity.”

 

He concluded, “Speaker Pelosi has been an incredible mentor, trusted friend and awesome colleague who has profoundly blessed me with her insights, perspectives and leadership values. As Speaker Pelosi embarks on this new chapter, my prayers and gratitude are with her and her family. Keep the faith.”

As reported, Pelosi was previously invited to The Bronx by former Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) in March 2022 for a community town hall held at the College of Mount Saint Vincent Athletic Center in Riverdale. Among other topics, on that occasion, she discussed the American Rescue Plan and U.S. support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

 

On that occasion, when asked about her leadership style, addressing the women in the room in particular, the speaker said that politics was not for the faint of heart. “When you get into that arena, you have to be able to take a punch, right? But you have to be able to give a punch too,” she said, gesturing with her fist, and later adding with her trademark wide smile and her now famous, raised, index finger “for the children.”