Carmen V. Cruz

Founder of Silent Procession NYC4PR

I was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx from the age of five and a half. Politics was already in my DNA because my father, Victor Cruz Cruz, was mayor of Juana Diaz, P.R. I began my political activism by joining Mayor Lindsay's campaign, that led to my involvement in the war against poverty and community activism throughout New York City. My community activism was focused on advocating and ensuring that Puerto Rican communities receive equal rights as U.S. citizens, as well as, their right to preserve its culture and heritage.

In 2017 when Hurricane Maria devoured the island of Puerto Rico and paper towels were thrown instead of words of compassion and recovery assistance, I was enraged as most were. I reached out to colleagues, organizations, friends and communities to organize a non- violent response against the blatant disrespect and unequal treatment of Puerto Rican American Citizens, resulting in the creation of the "Silent Procession nyc4pr."

 

Steering & Planning Committee

  • Carmen Cruz

    Carmen Cruz

    Founder

  • A young man wearing glasses and a dark suit with a white shirt, smiling indoors.

    John-Carlo Bautista

    Analyst at Morgan Stanley

  • Portrait of a man with glasses, wearing a blue shirt and blazer, against a blue background.

    Jose Betancourt

    Educator – DOE Middle School

  • Ismael Betancourt

    Ismael Betancourt

    Bronx Transformation Project

  • Providencia Casado

    Providencia Casado

    Community Leader

  • A smiling woman with short gray hair, wearing glasses, a black top, and a pearl necklace.

    Maria Cruz

    Exec. Dir. Arco Mgmt. Taino Towers

  • A young man with short dark hair, light skin, smiling, wearing a light-colored shirt against a plain light background.

    Miguel David

    #CancelTheDebt Co Founder Community Leader

  • Elizabeth Figueroa Dir. Community Relations at N.Y. Botanical Garden

    Elizabeth Figueroa

    Dir. Community Relations

    N.Y. Botanical Garden

  • A smiling older man wearing black glasses and a black suit, sitting indoors near a door with a brass handle.

    Howard Hershaft

    Retired

  • A woman with shoulder-length dark hair sitting indoors, with a cityscape view through a window in the background.

    Hanna Hong

    CEO of Born Star Training Center in NYC

  • Denys Kapush - Founder & Director of Digital Marketing Strategy at WinWin Strategy LLC

    Denys Kapush

    Senior Associate Director, Digital Marketing at Columbia Business School and Founder of WinWin Strategy LLC

  • Portrait of a smiling man in a suit and tie at an indoor event.

    Andrew LaSalle

    Exec. Dir. at Equal Opportunity in Construction Initiative

  • Debra Martinez

    Debra Martinez

    President Grand Council of Hispanic Societies

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing earrings, a colorful scarf, and a red top, in an indoor setting with cream-colored walls and decorative paneling.

    Peggy Morales

    District Leader AD 68

  • Raquel Olmo

    Raquel Olmo

    Masters Occupational Therapy

    Play4Promise President

  • Older man with gray hair and mustache wearing glasses, a light gray suit, and a colorful tie, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

    George Siberon

    Executive Director Hempstead Hispanic Civic Assoc. Inc

  • A smiling man with short salt-and-pepper hair and a beard, wearing a white collared shirt, in a room with a brick wall and wooden shelves in the background.

    Vincent Torres

    Executive Director at Positive Workforce

  • A man with short hair and a beard, wearing a dark suit and blue shirt, standing in front of a bookshelf.

    Eli Valentin

    Lecturer & contributing columnist for Gotham Gazette

  • A person with curly dark hair and a beard smiling outdoors, surrounded by green tropical plants, wearing a colorful sleeveless top and a green shirt underneath.

    Christian Andres Aponte

    Educator, Poet, Dancer & Urban Farmer

    Elu - Lecturer at Union Theological Seminary

Collaborators

 
 

Latino Commission on Aids

El Puente

100 Hispanic Men

Born Star Performing Arts Center

Hempstead Hispanic Civic Assoc., Inc.,

La Reina del Barrio, Inc.,

ASPIRA NY

El Barrio Artspace 109

 

Media Partners

 
 

Get Involved

There is no better time than now to join us!

We welcome all collaboration opportunities with volunteers and sponsors to help ensure that Puerto Rican communities receive equal rights as U.S. citizens, as well as their right to preserve culture and heritage.