LERON WELLINGTON
Staff Writer
Fame and accolades are pretty great, but the person behind them is usually the most interesting part. That is definitely the case with Rita Moreno, who delivered the annual Convocation Address last Wednesday. Her presentation, titled “If You Quit, You Can’t,” showed us the sharp and witty woman behind the fame.
Moreno’s story is one that takes place over 70 years and from the sunny beaches of Puerto Rico to the extravagant movie sets of Hollywood. She spoke about leaving her home and moving to New York City where she immediately faced hardships. Living in a cramped apartment and being called racial slurs was not what she expected from the land of opportunity.
She got her break working from MGM Studios, surrounded by Liz Taylor, Fred Astaire and other greats of the time. Her heart broke when she had to repeatedly take roles as stereotypical, inferior women of color simply to help support her and her mother.
Moreno is popularly known for her Oscar-winning performance in the 1961 “West Side Story” as Anita. She told the audience about how this role meant everything to her. Playing a Puerto Rican woman who was outspoken and proud of her heritage was something that was unheard of at the time.
It is clear how Moreno has broken down barriers, but one of her most important stories in the presentation happened decades after the success of “West Side Story” and “The Electric Company.” After a 10-year break from feature films, Moreno was finally ready to get back into performing on camera again. She had prepared for an audition only to be told that they had only wanted her for the character of a stereotypical Hispanic woman, whom only had two lines in Spanish. This story shows us how people may perceive us based on what we look like, rather than what we can do or who we are.
Senior acting major Nia Ferguson said, “Her story was so important because I can honestly relate and connect to her struggle as a woman of color. She has endured a lot since the beginning to now but never let that hinder her or what she wanted to do.”
Other than the amazing presentation, Wednesday was filled with a sense of community simply from her coming here. Moreno spoke to students on a more individual and intimate level by having meals with them throughout the day. Senior acting and psychology dual major Casterline Villar and junior international studies major Geraldo Celeste, who serves as the president of Latinos Unidos, introduced Moreno and explained to the audience what she has meant to them.
Willie Rosas, mayor of the city of Dunkirk, was also present at the speech. He presented Moreno with the key to the city and declared Sept. 21 “Rita Moreno Day” in the city, which has a large Hispanic population.
David Kinkela, the director of the Honors Program, said, “Rita Moreno represents a uniquely American story. It is an immigrant story. It is a story of hard work. It is a story of humor, love and compassion. It is a story of sadness and discrimination. It is a story of honesty. By telling her story, Rita Moreno challenged us to recognize, celebrate and reflect on the value of diversity within our campus and community.”
Moreno is the ultimate example of how one person can change the world and influence people. Laurie Detenbeck, Italian professor, said, “ It’s a chance for students to see someone who is among the best in her field and to hear her views. The Convocation lectures bring people to Fredonia whom students would not likely be able to see, let alone meet, unless they were in a city like New York.” This woman, who just wanted to perform, has now been able to motivate students and the entire Fredonia community to follow our dreams, no matter how crazy they may be.