cardonaalice

Alice Cardona was born and raised in New York City and reared in a large and loving family. Known for her leadership and commitment to the city’s Puerto Rican community, Cardona worked alongside her brother to research and write The Coming of the Puerto Ricans, which was self-published in 1974. In the 1960s Cardona worked as a program coordinator for the United Bronx Parents. Cardona developed knowledge and expertise about the public schools, encouraged parental involvement, and worked with summer youth employment programs. All of this prepared her for a counselor’s position with Aspira in the 1970s and later, she directed its Parent Student Guidance program. As was the case with many Puerto Rican and Latino leaders during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cardona was an experience-based activist without the academic credentials that would later become requisite for employment once these organizations became institutionalized or received government funding. She was a charter member of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW), cofounder of the Hispanic Women’s Center (HACER), a mediator, a policy maker, and an advocate for numerous community programs. Cardona was appointed program associate director of the New York State Division for Women in 1983. After a lifetime of grassroots and organized activism, Cardona has received countless recognitions and awards, and the gratitude of her community.