NEW YORK – National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the United States.
The month-long celebration begins each year on September 15, the anniversary of independence for some Latin American countries, and ends on October 15.
PIX11 celebrated Hispanic Heritage all month by highlighting one of New York’s own Hispanic icons each week.
CELIA CRUZ
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-born singer who helped popularize salsa music in the U.S. After her arrival in New York during the 1960s, Cruz went on to become one of the few women, at the time, to succeed in the dominated world from men. salsa music. Her catchphrase “¡Azúcar!” (“Sugar!”) has become one of the most popular symbols of salsa music.
Often referred to as the “Queen of Salsa,” her celebration of Cuban culture throughout her career helped many Afro-Latin Americans learn to embrace their heritage.
EAST FRANCISCO
Puerto Rican professional baseball player Francisco Miguel Lindor Serrano is currently the shortstop for the New York Mets.
Nicknamed “Mr. Smile,” he has broken records for most postseason hits by a player under 23 years old. During his time with the Cleveland Indians, he was the youngest player to have six World Series hits.
People in his hometown of Caguas, PR know him as “Paquito”.
ROSIE PEREZ
Rosie Perez of New York’s Very Own is a Puerto Rican actress, choreographer, dancer and activist.
Born in Bushwick, Brooklyn, she was discovered by Spike Lee for her first major acting role in Do The Right Thing. She was later nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Fearless. Perez is an ardent activist for Puerto Rican rights, which is documented in her directorial debut “Yo soy Boricua, pa’que tu lo sepas!”
TITUS BRIDGE
Ernesto Antonio Puente, Jr., better known as Tito Puente, was a musical pioneer, fusing Latin music with jazz.
Puente grew up in New York’s Spanish Harlem and became a professional musician at the age of 13. Crowned the “King of Latin Jazz”, Puente was known for creating a large body of traditional Latin music. In 1948, he formed the sensational Latin music group that became known as the Tito Puente Orchestra. The music pioneer received numerous awards for his work, including five Grammys.
LIN MANUEL MIRANDA
Lin-Manuel Miranda is an actor, composer, songwriter and writer born in New York. Miranda developed a commitment to musical theater and hip-hop at a young age, which led to his work writing and starring in the Tony-winning Broadway musicals “In the Heights” and “Hamilton.”
Miranda, the son of Puerto Rican parents, grew up in an upstate Manhattan neighborhood in a musically oriented Hispanic American family. His work blending modern music forms with classical musical theater earned him a Pulitzer Prize and other awards.
JULIA BURGOS
Julia de Burgos was a Puerto Rican poet, educator, and activist for women’s rights and Puerto Rican independence. De Burgos was also a civil rights activist for Afro-Caribbean women and writers.
She received her teaching degree from the University of Puerto Rico and lived periodically in New York, writing for the Spanish newspaper, Pueblos Hispanos. She is best known for her poem “Rio Grande de Loiza” and published several books. The University of Puerto Rico reportedly awarded de Burgos an honorary doctorate in 1987. There are also public schools in Puerto Rico, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago named after her.
