Antonia Pantoja: A Heroine of El Barrio

East Harlem’s colorful murals celebrate the vibrant culture of the Latino community and give life to the vivid imaginations of their creators. The latest addition to this community’s vibrant landscape is a dazzling mosaic of Dr. Antonia Pantoja at the Corsi Houses Senior Center on East 116th Street created by Manny Vega.

Dr. Pantoja, an activist, educator, and social worker who devoted her life to empowering Puerto Ricans and the larger Latino community, founded a non-profit advocacy organization, ASPIRA, which went on to win a lawsuit that established bilingual education in New York City, and would later become the mandate for bilingual education throughout the United States. In 1996, Dr. Pantoja became the first Puerto Rican woman to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Mr. Vega, who was born and raised in public housing, has created murals that adorn the 110th Street subway station as well as a portrait of the late poet and educator Julia de Burgos as a stunning permanent tribute on East 106th Street. He said that this project is important because it came at the request of the community.

“Public art is something that we don’t have enough of. It enriches people’s individual lives and the community. This image of Dr. Pantoja came from the memory and passion people had for her,” he explained. “She was an activist back in the Sixties, almost like a godmother to the community, and she lived a life of service. With this mosaic, I’m presenting the notion that there’s permanence, that her story can be told for another couple of hundred years.”

Residents, NYCHA staff, and NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye were joined by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Mr. Vega, and other members of the community in late November to unveil the mural at the Corsi Senior Center.

“I had the privilege of getting to know Dr. Pantoja,” Speaker Mark-Viverito said. “She believed in ethical leadership and that’s something that continues to inspire me.” The Speaker also credited Dr. Pantoja with teaching her that everyone must work together to move the community forward. She noted that murals are an indelible way to tell the story of a community.

NYCHA Chair and CEO Olatoye said, “Public art is important to all neighborhoods. Not only does it add beauty, but it helps establish a sense of belonging and togetherness in communities. At NYCHA, we want residents to be proud of where they come from and where they live. Our strategic plan, NextGeneration NYCHA, envisions communities that are safe, clean, and connected. Public art is a meaningful and expressive way to create those connections.”