Community Corner
Dominican Activist Mirabal Sisters Honored In Washington Heights
Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal, known as Las Mariposas, were killed for resisting the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic.
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A trio of Dominican sisters who were killed for organizing an underground resistance against the dictator Rafael Trujillo were honored in Washington Heights with a street co-naming.
The corner of West 168th Street and Amsterdam Avenue was dedicated "Mirabal Sisters Way" in remembrance of Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal, City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who sponsored the co-naming, announced. The Mirabal Sisters — also known by their underground alias Las Mariposas (The Butterflies) — formed a resistance group called the "Movement of the Fourteenth of June" that organized against Trujillo, spread word of his abuses and even plotted an attempt on the dictator's life.
"The Mirabal sisters are honored today for their noble efforts as leaders and advocates for social justice against tyranny and oppressive conditions. They serve as an inspiration to women, and to us all. They stand as a constant reminder that we must continue to fight against all types of persecution and oppression," Rodriguez said in a statement.
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After the failed assassination attempt was discovered in 1960, Trujillo ordered the Mirabal sisters to be killed. The actions of the Mirabal sisters have been documented in songs, books, poems and documentary and dramatic film. Every year, the anniversary of their deaths is commemorated with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The sisters' legacy is also felt in New York City. A nonprofit organization called the Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center runs community empowerment and social justice programs from its office on West 142nd Street in Harlem.
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"From this corner, the spirit of the Butterflies calls for the unity of all Dominicans in New York to continue fighting for social justice and achieve the American dream," Luis Tejada, Executive Director of the Mirabal Sisters Cultural and Community Center, said in a statement.
Photo courtesy City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez's office
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