Activist
In 1998, Mateo founded the New York State Federation Of Taxi Drivers, a lobbying group and union of sorts composed primarily of livery cab drivers. He states his intention was to solve the persistent problem of what had become an increasing number of, and escalation in brutality of, attacks on its membership. The history of the organization's founding, and how Mateo came to be the chairman and spokesperson is unclear. The organization deals mainly with New York City driver-related issues, rather than New York State as a whole.
Through his connections, he was able to become a regular on the news, speaking on behalf of drivers in a wide variety of venues, even as other taxi workers organizations working in the trenches with drivers received more limited attention. He has branched out into many other issues, but Mateo is chiefly known as a spokesperson for livery cab drivers lobbying elected officials, staging highly-publicized press conferences, and speaking with mainstream media outlets whenever a livery cab driver is murdered or assaulted in a particularly brutal manner. He garnered the attention of top Republican officians, and been appointed to various commissions.
Another signature issue for Mateo is his Toys for Guns drive, which Mateo began in 1993 at the behest of his son. Started in Washington Heights-where his family lived before moving to Westchester County-the premise behind the program was that taking guns off the streets through gun exchanges would gradually, but inexorably, reduce crime.
He then established a not-for-profit organization, Goods For Guns Inc., which attempts to expand upon Mateo's original idea by offering peer conflict resolution, establishing national gun exchanges, and formulating ideas aimed at preventing crimes involving handguns, especially those used by urban youth.
Read more about this topic: Fernando Mateo
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