As Hispanic Heritage Month gets underway, News 12 is highlighting a young New Jersey leader who is making history in Belleville.

Frank Velez became mayor at age 24, making him the state’s youngest mayor and the first Latino elected to lead the township.

But his involvement in public service began years before he took office.

At 19, Velez ran for the Board of Education. He says having a younger sister with special needs motivated him to get involved and advocate for the school district’s special-needs population.

Velez was later elected to the Township Council at 22. He also worked at the federal level for the late U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., an experience he says gave him different perspectives on public service that he now brings to the mayor’s office.

Velez, who comes from a large Puerto Rican family, says being Belleville’s first Latino mayor carries special meaning.

But he says his focus is not on the title or his age. It is on the people he serves.

“For me, public service is about dedication,” Velez said. “It’s about understanding that when you’re dealing with all these situations, it’s about serving the public. It’s about putting people first.”

Now, Velez is looking ahead to his time in office and working to make a difference in the community that inspired him to serve in the first place.