Roberto Clemente, Pittsburg (Posthumous recognition)

Roberto Clemente Walker, born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, rose from humble beginnings to become a Hall of Fame baseball icon and humanitarian. A Pittsburgh Pirate for 18 seasons, he earned 12 Gold Gloves, four batting titles, and the 1971 World Series MVP. Clemente died in 1972 delivering earthquake aid to Nicaragua, cementing his legacy as a champion of justice and compassion. The Roberto Clemente Award honors MLB players for exceptional community service in his name. 

Sonia Manzano, New York

Sonia Manzano, born in the South Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, became a cultural trailblazer as ‘Maria’ on Sesame Street, earning 15 Emmy Awards as a writer and two acting nominations. A Carnegie Mellon graduate, she broke barriers for Latino representation, later creating PBS Kids’ Alma’s Way. Also an acclaimed author and theater actress, Manzano has championed education, race, and gender equity, using storytelling to guide children through complex issues and inspire future generations.

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, New York

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the first Puerto Rican and first person of color to serve as Chancellor of CUNY, overseeing 25 campuses and 240,000 students. A Yale and Columbia graduate, he previously led Hostos Community College and Queens College, driving record student success and national recognition. His leadership centers on equity, eliminating $100 million in student debt, expanding access for low-income and undocumented students, and championing social mobility in higher education.

Marta Moreno Vega, Puerto Rico 

Marta Moreno Vega, born in East Harlem to Puerto Rican parents, is a pioneering advocate for Afro-Latino culture. She founded the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute and led El Museo del Barrio, expanding cultural representation and equity. Holding a doctorate from Temple University, she created initiatives like the Creative Justice Initiative and Corredor Afro, uplifting marginalized voices. Through scholarship, institution-building, and activism, she has preserved Afro-Latino heritage and empowered generations to embrace their cultural identities. 

Hipólito ‘Paul’ Roldán, Chicago

Hipólito “Paul” Roldán, a MacArthur Fellow, transformed Chicago housing as founder of Hispanic Housing Development Corporation, building 4,600 affordable homes and pioneering the Pedro Albizu Campos Apartments to fight displacement. A Vietnam veteran and Bronze Star recipient, he also launched Tropic Construction and Affordable Community Energy, empowering Latino contractors and families. Roldán developed 86,000 square feet of retail space and created a scholarship fund for Latino youth, leaving an enduring legacy of equity-driven urban development.

Carmen Arroyo, New York

Born in Corozal, Puerto Rico, Ms. Arroyo is a trailblazing leader known for her work as an activist, poet, and legislator. She became a prominent community organizer after moving to New York in 1964 to provide a better life for her seven children. In 1966, she founded the South Bronx Action Group, which expanded tenant advocacy to include services like employment, health and adult education.

Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Boston

Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, a native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, grew up immersed in the island’s vibrant culture and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico. With a drive to impact public policy, she pursued her doctoral studies at UMass Boston, later receiving an honorary doctorate from Cambridge College in recognition of her outstanding contributions to community development.

Luis V. Gutiérrez, Chicago

Luis Vicente Gutiérrez, born in Chicago to Puerto Rican parents, launched his political career as an activist on the Chicago City Council, where he represented the 26th Ward from 1986 until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993, where he represented Illinois’s 4th congressional district for over 25 years.

Lolita Lebrón, Puerto Rico (Posthumous recognition)

Lolita Lebrón was born in 1919, in Lares Puerto Rico. In 1941, she moved to New York City, where she became an active member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and eventually rose to a position of influence within the organization.

Ángel Luis Ortiz Rivera, Philadelphia

Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, in 1941, to Ramona Rivera Santos, a strong and independent single mother. In 1951, his family moved to NYC, settling on Attorney Street, known as “Banana Street,” by the local Boricua community. Elected as Councilman At Large in 1982, he served until 2004 and fought for the equitable legislative representation and increased support for Puerto Rican and Latino communities.

José Rivera, New York

José Rivera, born on July 30, 1936, had a distinguished political career. He started in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 1987, then served on the NYC Council from 1987 to 2000. He later represented the Bronx’s Fordham-Bedford, Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford Park, and Belmont sections in the New York State Assembly from 2000 to 2022.

Lourdes Ramos-Rivas, Los Angeles

Lourdes I. Ramos-Rivas, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Museum of Latin American Art or MOLAA. Dr. Lourdes Ramos-Rivas, the first Puerto Rican and Latina president and CEO of MOLAA has initiated ambitious plans to grow the museum into a first-class institution with international clout. A native of Puerto Rico, Dr. Ramos has led the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in San Juan, one of the largest and most prominent Latin American cultural institutions.

Billy Ocasio, Chicago

Billy Ocasio has served as the President and CEO of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture for the past nine years. A former politician who served as 26th Ward Alderman for 15 years. He left the Chicago City Council in 2009, appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to serve as an advisor on social justice issues.

Ramon Figueroa Sorrentini and Irmgard Iglesias, Puerto Rico

Ramon and Irmgard, both retired educators, have organized the Comité de Trabajo y Apoyo a Vieques and the Festival Reyes Magos de Vieques for the past 25 years. The Festival has benefitted thousands of Vieques, Puerto Rico, schoolchildren by raising money for school supplies and a children’s festival.

Olga Méndez, New York (Posthumous recognition)

Olga Aran Méndez (February 5, 1925 — July 29, 2009) was the first Puerto Rican woman elected to a state legislature in the United States when, in 1978, she became a member of the New York State Senate.

Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, New York (Posthumous recognition)

Schomburg was a historian, writer, collector, and activist who was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico and moved to the United States in 1891. He researched and raised awareness of the contributions that Afro-Latin Americans and African Americans have made to society. An important intellectual figure in the Harlem Renaissance, his collection became the basis of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, in Harlem.

José E. López, Chicago

José E. López, born in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico has written and lectured extensively on the political and social reality of Puerto Ricans in the United States. He co-founded The Puerto Rican Cultural Center Juan Antonio Corretjer in Chicago, in 1973.

Rev. Luis Cortés, Philadelphia

The Reverend Cortés is the Founder, President and CEO of Esperanza, one of the leading voices for Latinos in America and the premiere Hispanic faith-based Evangelical network in the United States. Rev. Cortés founded Esperanza in 1986.

Rep. Minnie González, Connecticut

González was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives inl 988, serving the 3rd district in Hartford. She has been the Deputy Majority Leader since 2017.

Rep. Nydia Velázquez, New York

Nydia Margarita Velázquez has served in the United States House of Representatives since 1993. A Democrat from New York, Velázquez is the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in the United States Congress.