What better time to celebrate amazing women from the Bronx than March–Women’s History Month! In this post you’ll find a few book recs of women we can be proud to call fellow Bronxites and the location of several amazing homages to ladies of the Bronx in the form of murals and street art. So…let’s get started!
First, the books:
There is, of course, the amazing Sonia Sotomayor, who became the first Hispanic and Latina member of the U.S. Supreme Court just a little over a decade ago. There are several ways you can read about her. Personally, I really like Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Edel Rodriguez.
It begins in Sonia’s childhood, growing up in the South Bronx, and really helps kids relate to her. I also really appreciate that it touches on the alienation she felt as she entered settings (university, the courts) where she saw very little representation of her own community, and the way she realized this meant she brought something important and unique to the table.
Another great bio of Sotomayor’s life is the one she wrote herself. Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Lulu Delacre tells the story in Sonia’s own words.
She focuses on the important role books have played throughout her life, even helping her to overcome her fear of the needles which were a necessary part of her diabetes treatment from a young age. This would be a very inspiring read for young bookworms, who will very much identify with the feelings Sotomayor expresses about reading.
Finally, be sure to check out the recently published ABCs of AOC: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from A to Z by Jamia Wilson, illustrated by Krystal Quiles.
Krystal Quiles (also a brilliant Bronx woman!) brings this fun and informative ABC book to life with her lively, energetic illustrations, starting with the fabulously decorated endpapers which feature AOC’s signature red lipstick and gold hoops.
From “advocate” and “grassroots” to “underdog” and “zeal,” Jamia Wilson chooses great words to capture the ideas that fueled and the feelings which were inspired by AOC’s incredible journey to Congress.
And Wilson of course gave the Bronx a shout-out with the letter B, which young Bronxites will be excited and proud to discover.
Once you’ve read about these amazing Bronx-born women, you’ll want to get out in the neighborhood and see how the history of women in the Bronx is on display on the very walls of the borough.
Definitely check out the legendary Tats Cru‘s Soundview mural which features Sonia Sotomayor alongisde other Bronx icons like Afrika Bambaataa and, of course, the beloved piragua man.
Then, check out another awesome interpretation of Sotomayor underground at the 167th 
street stop of the B/D-trains. it is part of a mosaic art installation entitled “Beacons” made by artist Rico Gatson in 2018.
Decorating the entrance of the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education, you’ll find a mural honoring las Tres Hermanas, Evelina López Antonetty, Lillian López and Elba Cabrera, who were pioneers in Bronx parent educational activism.
While you’re there, be sure to check out super-heroine La Borinqueña. Sure, she’s fictional (and a Brooklynite!), but we won’t hold it against her. She’s pretty awesome, regardless 🙂
If your kids are intrigued by the history of las Tres Hermanas, they can learn more about the eldest sister, Evelina Lopez Antonetty, sometimes known as the “Mother of the Bronx,” by visiting her mural (also made by the Tats Cru!) near Prospect Ave and 156th street.
And don’t forget about the many amazing women living and doing important work in the in the Bronx today!
Make your way over to Jackson Ave and 145th street to check out Aída Miró, Jerom, and Twoflü, mural “Tribute to Women and Diversity.” Who knows? Maybe your young reader will be featured in just such a mural someday.
