Rita Mendes is an Americanstate legislator serving in theMassachusetts House of Representatives. She is aBrockton, Massachusetts resident and a member of theDemocratic Party.^[1]

Mendes was born in Brazil and immigrated to the United States when she was 12 years old.^[2] She graduated fromBrockton High School and later attendedMassasoit Community College where she earned herAssociates degree. She went on to receive her Bachelor's degree from theUniversity of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and herJuris Doctor from theNew England School of Law.^[1]

Mendes was elected to the Brockton City Council in 2019. She became the firstBrazilian-American to hold office in Brockton.^[2] In 2022, after United States PresidentJoe Biden namedClaire Croninambassador to Ireland, Mendes announced her run for the vacantMassachusetts House of Representatives' 11th Plymouth district. She won the Democratic primary with 67.6% of the vote.^[3] Mendes faced no opposition in the general election, winning with over 90% of the vote.^[4]

• Living people
• 21st-century members of the Massachusetts General Court
• Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Massachusetts
• Brockton High School alumni
• Politicians from Brockton, Massachusetts
• Massasoit Community College alumni
• University of Massachusetts Dartmouth alumni
• New England Law Boston alumni
• Brazilian emigrants to the United States
• American politicians of Brazilian descent
• Women city councillors in Massachusetts
• 21st-century American women politicians
• Women state legislators in Massachusetts
• Democratic Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
• Hispanic and Latino American women in politics

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Year of birth missing (living people)