Sonia Chang-Díaz
Sonia Rosa Chang-Díaz is an American politician who represents the 2nd Suffolk District in the Massachusetts Senate.Background
Chang-Díaz has both Costa Rican and Chinese heritage through her father Franklin Chang Díaz, a Costa Rican American physicist and former NASA astronaut. Sonia Chang-Díaz was born shortly after her father earned his Doctor of Science degree from MIT. Chang-Díaz grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, where her mother was a social worker and both her parents were active volunteers in the community.
Before seeking election Chang-Díaz was a teacher in the Lynn school system, a teacher in the Boston Public Schools system and an outreach director for the . She lives in Jamaica Plain. She is married.
On January 16, 2014, Chang-Diaz became one of the first elected officials in Massachusetts to endorse Don Berwick for Governor of Massachusetts. She has since served as Chair of Berwick's campaign.Massachusetts Senate campaigns
In 2006, incumbent state senator Dianne Wilkerson failed to submit nomination papers with enough signatures for certification on the Democratic primary election, requiring her to run a write-in campaign for the party's nomination. Chang-Díaz entered the race as write-in as well, challenging Wilkerson in a minority-majority district covering a number of the inner-city neighborhoods of Boston. Wilkerson won the nomination and was re-elected.
In 2008, Chang-Díaz challenged Wilkerson again for the party's nomination, with both candidates appearing on the ballot. In the September 2008 primary election, Chang-Diaz was offered free social media marketing and campaign promotions by Boston activist and radio host Amir "M.C. Spice" Shakir. Chang-Díaz won the Democratic nomination. Chang-Díaz won the general election on November 4, 2008 and was sworn into office in January 2009.
