Vice President Joe Biden ceremonially swears in Thomas Perez as Secretary of Labor, at the Department of Labor in Washington, DC, Sep. 4, 2013. Also pictured are (from left) Rafael Perez, Ann Staudenmaier, Amalia Perez, and Susana Perez. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)
On Wednesday, I had the great honor to attend the ceremonial swearing-in ceremony of Secretary Tom Pérez at the Department of Labor. Secretary Pérez will undoubtedly be a fierce advocate for working men and women across America, including Latinos who comprise 15% of the labor force in the US.
During his remarks, Secretary Pérez shared his own personal story and how he has “lived the American dream.” The son of Dominican immigrants, he was raised in a modest home in Buffalo, New York. The constant encouragement from his family and mentors and an unwavering commitment to working hard ultimately led him to pay his way through college by working as a garbage collector and working at a warehouse. He attended Brown University and Harvard Law School. After earning his law degree, Secretary Pérez has had an impressive career in both elected and appointed office, most recently as Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Fonte: White House