The mayor of Perth Amboy is celebrating her heritage and the heritage of the people she serves.

About 80% of Perth Amboy's population is Hispanic - a statistic that makes Mayor Wilda Diaz proud.

"It's such an honor for me to represent a community so diverse within the Hispanic community," Diaz says.

Diaz is the Garden State's first Latina mayor and Perth Amboy's first female mayor.

The mayor of 12 years moved to Perth Amboy from Puerto Rico with her parents and five sisters.

Diaz went to Perth Amboy High School and says she is "always a panther."

She says she was in public housing for most of her life up until the age of 14, which is when her father purchased a home on Stockton Street.

"Our families come here with a dream, to give back and to work," Diaz says. "And to make things better for their children."