'I'm Very Proud Of The Opportunity' Says First Latino Elected Mayor Of Mesquite

MESQUITE, Texas - Residents in Mesquite made history last week when they elected Daniel Aleman as their city's first-ever Latino Mayor. "I'm very proud of the opportunity. I feel like it's a door that God has opened for us. I would hope that it sends a message to our culture to let them know it's open for all, it's open for everyone."

Aleman, a pastor at Creek Crossing Harvest Church, who has also served on the city council for the past five and a half years, will be sworn-in on November 15 at the beginning of the council meeting.

He said his victory was emotional and exciting. "It was even hard for me to fall asleep that night. I really didn't fall asleep until 3:30 in the morning. I was going on adrenaline."

We met with Aleman Tuesday in the new Iron Horse development going up.

It's one of 12 new residential developments that will create about 10,000 homes in the next ten to 12 years.

They will help the city grow from 150,000 to 180,000 residents during that time.

While walking in one of the new neighborhoods under construction, Aleman said, "I'm thinking about the futures of the families who will be here. They will be able to grow up in this city where my children grew up."

As part of the Iron Horse development, the city is in the process of approving new restaurants and entertainment venues to attract visitors to the city's convention center and to the Mesquite Rodeo which both sit across the street.

Aleman said he wants to keep attracting businesses to the city and pointed to a new logistics center being built at the city's airport.

With that growth, he said he wants the city to focus on public safety.

Aleman credited his fellow council members present and past. "We're really riding on a wave in our city."

He said he's determined to keep that wave going.

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