He was born in Puerto Rico but lived in New York City since the age of seven. He served as Senior Attorney with the American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law, was director of the New York State Assembly Task Force on Persons with Disabilities, and directed programs for persons with disabilities in New York and California. In another life, Mr.. Arocho received a Masters Degree from Columbia University in New York City and taught Spanish to high school students who had little interest in the subject.