Ana Irma Rivera Lassén facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén
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Rivera Lassén in 2021
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| Member of Puerto Rico Senate from at-large district |
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| In office January 2, 2021 – January 2, 2025 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | March 13, 1955 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Citizens' Victory Movement |
| Education | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (BA, JD) |
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén (born March 13, 1955) is an Afro-Puerto Rican attorney and politician. She is currently a member of the Puerto Rico Senate. She was elected on November 3, 2020. Before that, she led the Bar Association of Puerto Rico from 2012 to 2014. She was the first Black woman to hold this important position.
Rivera Lassén is known for her work as a feminist and human rights activist. She has received many awards for her efforts. These include the Capetillo-Roqué Medal from the Puerto Rican Senate. She also received the Martin Luther King/Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Prize. Another honor is the Nilita Vientós Gastón Medal. She works as a lawyer and teaches at universities in Puerto Rico. She helps advise the Puerto Rican Judicial Branch on how to make justice fair for everyone.
Early Life and Education
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén was born on March 13, 1955, in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her parents, Ana Irma Lassén and Eladio Rivera Quiñones, were both teachers.
When she was sixteen, she became interested in helping women. She joined a group called the Puerto Rican Women's Committee. In 1972, she helped start another group called Mujer Integrate Ahora (MIA). This name means "Women Integrate Now."
She went to high school in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1971, she started studying Hispanic subjects at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She later changed her studies to general humanities and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also helped start a poetry workshop at the university. Later, she earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from the same university.
Her Work as a Lawyer and Activist
In 1974, Ana Irma Rivera Lassén helped create a feminist newspaper called El tacón de la chancleta. This means "The heel of the flip-flop". It started as part of another magazine but soon became its own independent publication. She has written many articles, poems, and essays for different newspapers and magazines.
Her legal career has mostly focused on human rights law. This includes fighting against unfair treatment, violence against women, and working for social and economic fairness. She believes in protecting others from discrimination.
In 1993, she spoke at the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights. She talked about how rights were being violated in Puerto Rico. She also wrote a book about the history of the feminist movement in Puerto Rico. The book is called Documentos del Feminismo en Puerto Rico: Facsímiles de la Historia.
In 2012, Rivera Lassén was elected to lead the Bar Association of Puerto Rico. She was the third woman and the first Afro-Puerto Rican to hold this position. She served for two years. After her term, she went back to her private law practice and teaching.
In 2015, she worked on a new law. This law aimed to combine several government offices into one. The new department would protect human rights in six areas. These areas included civil rights, gender equality, and rights for people with disabilities and veterans. In 2016, she joined a committee that helps make sure everyone has fair access to justice. In March 2024, she was chosen to run for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington D.C. for the Citizen Victory Movement.
Awards and Honors
Ana Irma Rivera Lassén is recognized as an expert on gender, race, and human rights. The United Nations has honored her for her knowledge. She is also a member of a Latin American committee that defends women's rights.
In 2003, the Puerto Rican Senate gave her the "Medalla Senatorial Capetillo-Roqué." This was for her important work for women's rights in Puerto Rico. In 2006, she received the "Martin Luther King/Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Prize." This award honored her work against discrimination and for civil rights. The next year, she received the Nilita Vientós Gastón Medal from the Puerto Rican Bar Association for her legal skills. In 2009, she was named "Collegiate of the Year."
In 2023, USA Today named her one of their Women of the Year. This award recognizes women who have made a big difference across the country.
See also
In Spanish: Ana Irma Rivera Lassén para niños
