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Hispanic American Women Trailblazers 2022

In honor of Women's History Month 2022, Ms. Arteaga's AP Spanish students researched Hispanic American women who were trailblazers in their fields. Students wrote these biographies in both Spanish and English. 

Click photos below to read the complete bios!

Burgos

by Rachel Bibiu

Julia de Burgos was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico on February 17, 1914. She was a poet and wrote for the independence of Puerto Rico.

Cruz

by Donna Bohorquez

Úrsula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso, better known as Celia Cruz, was born in Havana, Cuba, on October 21, 1925. The life of the “Queen of Salsa”, she grew up on the poor side of Havana.

Sister Cruz

by Amanda Denney

Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz was born in 1651 (we think) in San Miguel de Nepantla, Mexico, with the name Juana Inés de Asbaje y Ramírez. She learned to read and write when she was only 3 years old.

Kahlo

by Elena Ursache

Frida Kahlo was an Mexican artist who is known for her life and her art. She was born in Mexico City on July 6, 1907, and grew up there. Her health problems started when she was a child and had polio.

Menchu

by Isabella Jimenez-Lara

Rigoberta Menchu was born in Laj Chimel, Guatemala, the 9th of January 1959. She is a Guatemalan activist of indian human rights and was awarded with the Nobel peace prize. She is part of the Quiché Maya group.

Peron

by Ms. Arteaga

Eva Duarte de Peron was born in Los Toldos, Province of Buenos Aires, on May 7, 1919. She was an actress until she met the General Juan Domingo Perón and married him. From that moment on she became a key person in the politics of  Argentina.

Quintanilla

by Annie Morales

Selena Quintanilla was born in Lake Jackson Texas, on April 16th 1971. She was a singer, the queen of Musica Tejana. She started her career with the help of her siblings. They created a band together the three of them. At 18, she decided she would form a solo career.

Rivera

by Kaya Krawiec

Sylvia Rivera was an activist for human rights in the United States, especially for LGBTQ+ rights. She was born on July 2nd, 1951, in New York City. Her father was Puerto Rican and her mother was Venezuelan, but Sylvia was raised entirely by her grandmother.