LERON WELLINGTON
Staff Writer
Fredonia is starting off the new year with a Convocation speaker with flair and gusto that you don’t find just anywhere. She is one of the handful of people in the world who can call themselves a Grammy-, Tony-, Emmy- and Oscar-winner, and she is here to share her story.
She is Rita Moreno, a Puerto Rican-American actress, singer and dancer popularly known for her role as Anita in the 1961 musical film “West Side Story.” This legendary role earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Other than that, she has played numerous supporting and recurring roles in musicals, movies and television. Some of her more popular work includes performances in “The King and I,” “The Electric Company,” “Oz” and “The Ritz.”
“Moreno is a choice that will significantly benefit our students in the sense that she broke down barriers and is an idol for many different demographics,” said Zachary Beaudoin, a senior English and international studies double major who serves on the Convocation Committee. “She is the epitome of try or else you will fail.”
She has written a self-titled memoir, which she used to talk about the racism and sexism that she dealt with while in Hollywood in the 1950s and ‘60s. Moreno has also openly discussed what it was like living during that time in American history. Some of her more popular topics are dating heartthrobs Marlon Brando and Elvis, and witnessing Martin Luther King Jr. making his “I Have A Dream” speech. To this day, she is still known as a trailblazing performer that has become a role model for all minorities.
Cynthia Yochym, a reference librarian in Reed Library, has been looking forward to Moreno’s presentation since her arrival was announced. Yochym first heard of Moreno when she saw her in “West Side Story” and included her family’s record of the musical in the display dedicated to Moreno that is currently in the library. She said, “The personal challenges that Moreno has gone through to get to that level can really help anyone.”
Moreno openly talks about how being a Latina actress in the ‘60s was very difficult because of type-casting and the lack of roles offered to her. But as you can tell, she rose to fame and is now known for groundbreaking performances, often portraying Hispanic female characters. She has helped with changing the perceptions of Latinos in film and television from gangsters and sex symbols to real people with everyday problems.
Tom Loughlin, a theatre professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance said, “Moreno’s story as a Hispanic woman, and the challenges she faced because of her ethnicity and gender, will really let students see not only how far we’ve come, but also how much further we have to go.”
Casterline Villar, a senior acting and psychology major said, “I feel like there will always be stereotypes for actresses who are women of color, but I think that Moreno is a living representation of breaking down those walls and being more than what people may see you as.”
She is currently wrapping up shooting a Netflix series titled “One Day at a Time” and continues to travel around the country talking to students about the importance of the arts and never giving up on your goals.
Just in time for Latino History Month and as part of the convocation series “Creativity and Perseverance,” her presentation is titled “If You Quit, You Can’t.” It will take place in King Concert Hall on Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. Tickets are free and are available at the ticket office.