Hispanic Figures

Gianna Marie Montesclaros: Julia de Burgos

Julia de Burgos was a Puerto Rican poet, writer, and activist whose work and legacy made her one of the most important voices in Hispanic literature. Born on February 17, 1914, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, she grew up in poverty as the eldest of thirteen children. She excelled academically, later attending the University of Puerto Rico, where she studied education. Julia’s poetry explored themes of love, identity, feminism, and the struggles of Puerto Rican people, often challenging the social norms of her time. She was also politically active, supporting Puerto Rican independence and advocating for social justice and women’s rights. Sadly, Julia de Burgos’s life was cut short at the age of 39 when she died in New York City on July 6, 1953, due to pneumonia complicated by alcoholism. Despite these hardships, her poetry continues to resonate with young people of today due to its raw emotion and powerful messages. Today, Julia de Burgos is celebrated as an important Hispanic figure because she gave a strong voice to issues of race, gender, and colonialism, paving the way for future generations of Latina writers and activists. Monuments, schools, and cultural institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico honor her legacy, solidifying her role as a trailblazer in both literature and social movements.

Leann Gabrielle Vergara: Rosario Dawson

With a mix of Afro-Cuban, Puerto Rican, Irish, and Native American backgrounds, Rosario Dawson has used her influence as an actress to bring awareness to Hispanic and Latino activism. Rosario was born in New York City on May 9, 1979, and raised by her mother, Isabel Celeste, and her boyfriend at the time, Greg Dawson, as she didn’t have any contact with her biological father, Patrick C. Harris. Dawson entered the entertainment industry at 15 when she was cast for a controversial movie called Kids (1995). From there, she avoided Hollywood typecasting by training at the Lee Strasberg Institute. She booked her next role in He Got Game (1998) and accumulated over 100 movie and show roles, such as Sin City, Rent, the animated Wonder Woman, and the voice of Batgirl in The LEGO Batman Movie. She was nominated for more than 40 awards and has won 11, including “Rising Star” in 2004, “Community Service Award” in 2013, and “Special Achievement in Film” in 2014. Dawson utilizes her fame to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and assist a variety of charities that help the Latino youth, such as the Lower East Side Girls Club in her hometown and Voto Latino, to encourage Latino youth to vote. She also spreads awareness about and raises funds for women’s anti-violence groups, such as V-day, a global non-profit organization. Dawson has used her influence to pave the way for the discussion of important issues about societal problems, politics, and her own culture.

Khoi Crow: Gabriela Mistral (Lucila Godoy Alcayaga) 

During her life, Gabriela - whose real name was Lucila - was a Chilean poet-diplomat and educator. She was denied most formal education to become a teacher, causing her to get a job as teachers assistant before being promoted to a high school teacher and later director of a prestigious girls’ school. She was very prominent in the government of Chile, helping pass laws to improve the education system within Chile. She wrote articles for publications such as the New York Times; her works are targeted towards helping educate women and girls both in Chile and the States. Gabriela served as a government representative until the end of her life, assisting in the protection of citizens within Chile and other Hispanic countries. She was given a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945 for her journalistic and poetic contributions in Chile and New York. 

Kaia Matsubara: Ana Mendieta

Cuban-American performer and sculptor Ana Mendieta was an inspiring feminist Hispanic figure who left her mark as a Cuban-American artist of the 20th-century post-World War II era. She is prominent for her earth-body artwork. Born on November 18, 1948, in Havana, Cuba, she was born to two parents with very different careers. Her mother was a chemist, while her father was a lawyer who was formally involved in WWII, so her family background was mainly surrounded by the political issues that were occurring revolving around Fidel Castro. By that time, the Cuban Revolution was happening, so her parents decided it wasn’t safe for their children to stay, thus sending Ana and her sister to the U.S. when she was 12 through the U.S. Department of State, and Operation Peter Pan, an operation that led masses of Cuban children to Miami. She stayed in the U.S. for the remainder of her life to pursue art. After enrolling in a painting program in Iowa, she went on to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in painting from the University of Iowa, and she then registered in that university’s fine arts program. Fascinated with Caribbean and Indigenous Central American rituals, she was inspired to use cultural and historical art, such as incorporating her body as part of the earth in her pieces. Throughout her early to mid-career, she created about 200 Silueta (silhouette) pieces in Mexico. She often used things from nature, such as mud, grass, or blood, and also used red paint to cover her body as her own form of art, acting as an “Earth Mother.” Going on to showcase her work internationally, she moved to New York, thus earning her a grant and fellowship from a school of the arts there. She made abstract art, usually by using carvings of female figures and embedding them into nature. She used animal blood many times in her artwork, such as her Moffitt Building Piece, which used cow’s blood that she poured and smeared over the sidewalk to display a scene or message to those who walked by. Ana was a feminist and advocate for women’s rights, and most of her artworks reflected this by raising awareness on addressing violence against women, as she was a supporter of feminism, but all of her artworks in general served a purpose to make people stop to question and think. Later on, she also made sculptures and more abstract carvings, often using absurd materials from nature, which made her masterpieces so creative that they earned her prizes such as the Rome Prize in 1983. Sadly, she fell off her apartment building in 1985, leading to her death. The reason for her fall is unknown. Nonetheless, she was an inspiring artist, and her works proved her to be one of the most influential voices of feminist activism in her time. 

Mahlani Tanap: Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta is a pioneering labour leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) alongside Cesar Chavez to fight for better wages and working conditions for farmworkers. Born in 1930 in New Mexico, she was inspired by her experience as a teacher to advocate for the rights of poor, working-class families. Huerta played a key role in organizing the 1965 Delano grape strike and coined the iconic slogan “Si, se puede” (“Yes, we can”), which became a rallying cry for social justice movements. Her activism extended beyond farmworkers’ rights to include civil rights, women’s rights, and immigration reform. Dolores Huerta's work is celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month for her efforts that have uplifted the Hispanic and Latino communities and inspired generations to fight for fairness and equality. Even in her 90s, she continues to be a powerful voice for justice, leaving a legacy that reminds us all of the importance of standing up for what’s right. 

Sara Gamini: Sandra Cisneros

Novelist Sandra Cisneros was born on December 20, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois. She has written many groundbreaking novels that highlight Mexican-American life and culture.  Being the only daughter in a family of 9, Cisneros was subject to much of her father’s scorn and his traditional views of women. Most of her works are influenced by her childhood and follow predominantly female protagonists as they find their way in the world. She also communicates her experiences growing up as a Hispanic woman in a predominantly white culture. Sandra’s first book was a volume of poetry titled Bad Boys, which follows the lives of working-class characters in a Chicago neighborhood. Her second book, The House on Mango Street, is arguably one of her most well-known books, detailing the life of a young girl growing up in Chicago. She has gone on to write many other books, including Woman Hollering Creek, Loose Woman, My Wicked, Wicked Ways, and The Rodrigo Poems. All of these works are poetry, but she also wrote a children’s book titled Hairs. In 2015, she released the memoir A House of My Own: Stories from My Life. That same year, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Barack Obama. She was also awarded the Ruth Lily Poetry Prize in 2022 and the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. Not only did she use her voice to empower young women, but she also started the Macando Foundation and the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation for writers. 

Michelle Chambers: Sylvia Rivera

 Sylvia Rivera was born on July 2, 1951, in New York City to a Puerto Rican father and a Venezuelan mother. Rivera became homeless at the age of ten and was taken in by the local LGBTQ+ community. Here, she befriended Marsha P. Johnson, who became her companion and partner in activism. Rivera was an advocate for queer youth and ministered through the Metropolitan Community Church of New York to support youth who were homeless. Rivera’s activism began when she joined the Gay Activists Alliance at 18 years old, and she played an important role in the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which catapulted the modern gay rights movement. She was also involved in co-founding the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, which offered services to homeless queer youth. Throughout her life, Rivera spoke out against injustices within the LGBTQ+ movement itself, especially when transgender people were excluded. Her work contributed to establishing transgender rights as a fundamental part of the broader fight for equality. 

Myles Cline: Isabela Merced

Isabela Merced was born July 10, 2001, in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mom, Katerine, is a Peruvian nurse, and her father, Patrick, is a firefighter from Louisiana. She also has two brothers. Her first language was Spanish, and she struggled to learn English in grade school. She spent most of her early education close to her family members, but at a young age, her home in Cleveland was burned down in a fire. After that, her family encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming an actor. Her first job was for a Claritin advertisement, and she made her debut on Broadway in a production of Evita at 10 years old. At age 15, she was accepted into college and studied psychology for two  years until her acting career took off. Her first starring role was on the little screen as CJ Martin, the lead character of the Nickelodeon television series 100 Things to Do Before High School. Since then, she has been in many larger productions, such as Transformers: The Last Knight (for which she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award), Instant Family, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and Sweet Girl, while starring in the latter two. More recently, she’s starred in Turtles All the Way Down and Alien: Romulus, played Dina in season 2 of The Last of Us, and as Hawk Girl in both Superman (2025) and Peacemaker. All in all, Isabela Merced is an important Hispanic up-and-coming actor who’s made contributions to some very highly acclaimed films and shows.

Conner Chinn: Jose Andres

Born in Spain on July 13, 1969, José Andrés is an influential Spanish chef and restaurateur. As a child, Andres would prepare food alongside his dad in Northern Spain, igniting his passion for cooking. He left school at the age of 15, instead enrolling in a culinary school, before meeting his idol, Ferran Adria, the creator of Modernist Cuisine. Andres would soon be enlisted in the Spanish navy as a cook, cooking for sailors. After his time with the Navy, he moved to America in hopes of opening his own restaurant. From 1989 to 2001, he worked at several different restaurants, gaining the experience he needed to start his own. He opened his first restaurant, Zaytinya, which featured Mediterranean cuisine, in 2002. His restaurant became massively successful, and he would open a minibar and an additional restaurant in the following year. Andres would continue opening up restaurants, amassing forty across the world. In 2011, he was awarded the James Beard Award for best chef in the country, showcasing his talent as a cook. Andres is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides meals to people in the face of crisis all over the world. He was also awarded a National Humanities Medal in 2015, recognizing his service to the common people. Additionally, Andres was given two Michelin stars, giving Hispanics the inspiration to cook. 

Jacob Cuares: Ralph Lazo

Ralph Lazo was born in Los Angeles on November 3, 1924. At the young age of 17, Ralph learned that his Japanese neighbors were being seized from their homes as part of the Japanese internment during WW2. Ralph was understandably infuriated as his friends, classmates, and teachers, whom he had known for his whole life, were  forcibly taken away, and he might never see them again. In protest, Ralph voluntarily imprisoned himself, joining friends on a train that led to Manzanar, one of the Japanese internment camps. In his time at the camp, he attended school, entertaining orphaned children who had been incarcerated at Manzanar. His impact doesn’t end with the camps, however; he was drafted into the army, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for his help in liberating the Philippines. After the war, Ralph graduated from UCLA, spending his time teaching disabled students and encouraging Latinos to attend college and vote. He also assisted in a lawsuit to win reparations for Japanese Americans who were affected by the war. Overall, Ralph Lazo was an important Hispanic figure who helped dismantle racial prejudice and violations against natural rights.

LiLi Tanap: Felisa Rincon de Gautier

Felisa Rincon de Gautier was born on January 9, 1897, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. She was the first woman to be elected mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital, serving from 1946 to 1968. She was a leader who helped improve healthcare, education, and housing for many people, especially children and low-income families. Felisa started programs that promoted free school lunches and better health services for pregnant women and kids. She was known as “Dona Fela”, she was called “Dona Fela” because “Dona” is a Portuguese title of respect, similar to “Madam,” and “Fela” is a shortened, affectionate version of her name, so the nickname meant “Lady Fela”. Also showed both respect and familiarity from the people who knew her, and was loved for her strength and care for the community. Felisa also fought for women’s right to vote before becoming mayor. Her work helped open doors for women in politics across Latin America and demonstrated that they can lead and make big changes. She died on September 16, 1994, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 97 years old. She passed from a heart attack followed by a stroke.  Even today, her impact on San Juan’s public services is still felt.

Kian De Alwis: Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor was born on June 25, 1954, in New York City. As a child, she was raised in a humble household as her family didn’t make a lot of money. Of Puerto Rican descent, she had to mature much faster than other children as her father tragically passed away due to a heart attack when she was only nine years old. Her mother worked hard for Sonia to get a good education. By the time she was in elementary school, she already knew what she wanted to do when she grew up after watching an episode of Perry Mason. Sonia Sotomayor was going to be a judge. She graduated from Princeton University, earning the Pyne Prize, which is the highest academic award possible for Princeton undergraduates. After attending Yale Law School, she immediately started working as a trial lawyer under District Attorney Robert Morgenthau in Manhattan. After becoming the youngest judge in the Southern District, the first Hispanic federal judge in New York history, and the first Puerto Rican woman to serve as a judge in the federal judiciary, her career was seemingly at its peak. This was true until May 26, 2009, when President Barack Obama nominated her for the Supreme Court. A few months later, her position was confirmed, and she became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the country. To this day, she brings justice to the nation and serves as living proof of yet another amazingly influential Hispanic figure in history.

Emily Chang: Ellen Ochoa

Born on May 10, 1958, in Los Angeles, California, Ellen Ochoa is an influential and underappreciated Hispanic figure in modern history. She has received numerous accolades related to space exploration and research. As a first-generation college student, Ochoa earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and later a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University. She applied for NASA’s astronaut training program three times; once in 1985, then in 1987, and finally being accepted in 1990. Her perseverance was not in vain–aboard the space shuttle Discovery, Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to travel through space in 1993 and would go on to embark on four space missions, studying the impact of the sun on Earth’s climate and atmosphere. In addition to this impressive achievement, Ochoa later became the first Latina and second woman to be the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. While she is in the Astronaut Hall of Fame, has various schools named after her, and has received the Distinguished Service Medal from NASA, Ochoa is still often underrecognized and underwhelmingly acknowledged for her accomplishments by the general public. Retired from NASA in 2018, Ellen Ochoa continues to make a difference in the world of space exploration, not only as a member of multiple boards and committees for education and research, but also as an advocate for young women and minorities entering into fields of science.

Sophia Rasson: Felipe Luciano

Felipe Luciano is a Puerto Rican-American activist, poet, and co-founder of the Young Lords Party. Luciano was born in Harlem, New York, in 1947. At the young age of twelve, he spent his free time with disregard for the rules around him, involving himself with the wrong crowds. Continuing down this path, Luciano got into a fight with another gang, resulting in the sudden death of an opposing gang member. Facing time in jail for two years, he realized that he had to make a change. Upon release, he decided to attend a college and studied political science. Bettering his education and well-being, he had an array of successful careers throughout his life, such as being a journalist and a radio show host. In September of 1968, the Young Lords Party was created, providing support for Puerto Ricans and creating community programs such as free breakfast events, childcare, and health clinics. Famously known for taking over the Lincoln Hospital, they pointed out the unsafe conditions of the hospital and strived for better medical conditions. They pushed the importance of self-determination and expressed battles of oppression, displaying it through different types of media. Luciano’s poetry talked about identity, cultural pride, and social injustice. Though much of his work involved political topics, it also expressed the deep meaning of being human and living life with a strong community. Luciano is thought to represent many different groups at once, which is a key factor to his popularity. Struggling financially growing up, he knew what it felt like to rise from a difficult beginning. He challenged many types of oppression through his words and actions, and his legacy continues to relate to many different groups of people. Luciano can be seen as a key figure to those who are going through a challenging time, showing that you are able to turn your life around for the better.