Valuable Recognition as an Icon to Celia Cruz in the American Quarter Coin
On February 1st, thanks to the 'American Women Quarters Program', it was announced that Celia Cruz, will be part of the 25-cent coin of the United States.
The Woman Post | Nibeth Adriana Duarte Camacho
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The Afro-Latino and Spanish-speaking community welcomes this decision by this program that honors women in the United States who have contributed socially and culturally.
Celia Cruz or rather Úrsula Hilaria Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on October 21, 1925, in Havana, Cuba, "She was a Cuban-American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular artists of the twentieth century", according to the Mint, the U.S. Mint. In addition to this, she was recognized for her participation in Sonora Matancera, which made her a figure in the golden age of salsa in the United States and the world in general.
Different generations have vibrated with his songs and collaborations from ska, ranchera, and bolero, which are some of the genres that today continue to sound on the radio with his voice and in the company of artists such as Marc Anthony, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, and Gloria Estefan. Hits such as "La negra tiene tumbao", "Quimbara" or "La vida es un carnaval" are still played all over the world, but especially in the Spanish-speaking world.
In addition to their cultural contribution to American culture, this is a recognition for the more than 62 million Americans, 18.7% of the country's total population, who are of Hispanic origin.
According to the Census Bureau in 2020, 71% of Hispanics use Spanish in the family environment. Data is not strange at all since Spanish is the second language with more members in the USA.
It is now common to go to New York and feel like you are somewhere in Latin America or Central America. Entire neighborhoods in the city, from Queens to northern Manhattan, live, feel and enjoy themselves in Spanish.
According to the newspaper el país, Spanish is spoken in 62% of U.S. households (62%), 12 times more than the next four most common languages (Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic), according to the Census Bureau report. The difference between Spanish and the other four languages is sidereal: the second most common, Chinese, accounts for just 5.2% of households, compared to an overwhelming 62% Hispanic.
The 'American Women Quarters Program' is a program "that celebrates the achievements and contributions of America's women," The Celia Cruz coin that will circulate in mid-2023 will last for four years: it began in 2022 and will continue through 2025.
In addition to music legend Celia Cruz, the 2024 generation of the program also includes the following women:
Patsy Takemoto Mink, "the first woman of color to sit in Congress."
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, "Civil War surgeon, women's rights advocate, and abolitionist".
Pauli Murray is, a "poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priestess, as well as a strong advocate for civil rights, fighting racial and sexual discrimination."
Zitkala-Ša, "also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a writer, composer, educator, and political activist who championed the right of Native Americans to U.S. citizenship and other civil rights that had long been denied them."
The women were pioneers of change, never giving in to the status quo imparted during their lifetimes. By honoring these pioneering women, the Mint continues to connect America through coins that are like small works of art in your pocket," said Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson in a statement. Gibson, in a statement.
