Praising Mayor Vincent Gray’s selection of Beatriz “BB” Otero as deputy mayor for health and human services would be easy. After all, she comes with an impressive resume and has been a vital contributor to the richness of District life for more than two decades. I personally credit her with enhancing my understanding of the District’s Latino community. During my days as a daily reporter, when a colleague and I wanted to write a series of stories about the tensions that existed between blacks and Latinos, Otero introduced us to key Hispanic leaders. When she ran for a seat on the D.C. Board of Education, I endorsed her candidacy. Though she lost, she became even more involved in public education, co-founding CentroNia and the D.C. Bilingual Charter School. Her participation on various boards — Center for the Study of Social Policy and the Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness — further underscores her knowledge and expertise.
Still, I cannot support Otero’s selection.
