As the NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into the night sky from the Kennedy Space Center on November 26, 1985, Latinx Rodolfo Neri Vela was among the crew. Neri is a Mexican scientist and astronaut who served as Payload Specialist for the mission. (A Payload Specialist is the technical expert on the carrying capacity of an… Continue reading Latinx on NASA Space Shuttle Atlantis 1985
Tag: 1985
Xavier Louis Suarez, Mayor of Miami 1985
After persevering through a number of campaigns, Xavier Louis Suarez was finally elected as Mayor of the city of Miami. He was sworn in on November 13, 1985, and was the first Cuban born citizen to win this office. Suarez was born in Las Villas, Cuba, and immigrated to the US in 1962. He graduated… Continue reading Xavier Louis Suarez, Mayor of Miami 1985
First Bilingual Radio Station in Denver 1985
The mile high airwaves of Denver, Colorado, were rocked with a new sound, as the first bilingual radio station in Denver made its debut on August 29, 1985. The station was the fulfilled dream of Florence Hernández-Ramos , the first Latina female president and general manager of a public radio station. The station has a jazz format;… Continue reading First Bilingual Radio Station in Denver 1985
Mary Joe Fernandez wins a Main Draw Match 1985
On August 27, 1985, audiences cheered as 14 year old Mary Joe Fernandez won a main draw match at the women’s US Open in the first round. Fernandez was born in the Dominican Republic, and immigrated to the US as a child with her family. Fernandez continued this dazzling start to her career, placing as… Continue reading Mary Joe Fernandez wins a Main Draw Match 1985
Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu, Miss Universe 1985
On July 15, 1985, to cheers, tears and applause, Puerto Rican actress and TV host Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu was crowned as the 34th Miss Universe. Carthy-Deu was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and is the second Puerto Rican woman to achieve this title. She graduated with high honors from the University of Puerto Rico with a… Continue reading Deborah Fátima Carthy-Deu, Miss Universe 1985
Latinx stars at First Night of the Live-Aid Concert 1985
To cheers and applause across the globe, the Live-Aid Concert began on July 13, 1985. The dual-venue concert was held in London, England and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to raise money for the human beings impacted by a terrible famine in Ethiopia. The event was one of the largest-scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts to date:… Continue reading Latinx stars at First Night of the Live-Aid Concert 1985
Nancy Lopez wins The 31st LPGA Championship 1985
On June 2, 1985, Mexican-American Nancy Lopez won the 31st LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Championship. Among her stellar accomplishments, Lopez is able to balance work and home life. In an interview with the New York Times, she stated, “I like being a wife and mother more than I like professional golf.” Lopez and her… Continue reading Nancy Lopez wins The 31st LPGA Championship 1985
First Latina Miss USA 1985
On May 13, 1985, beautiful, talented Laura Elena Martinez-Herring was crowned as Miss USA, the first Latina to win the honor. Martinez was born in Los Mochis, a city in western Mexico. Her family later settled in Texas, the state that she represented in the Miss USA competition. Martinez studied at Aiglon College, a Swiss… Continue reading First Latina Miss USA 1985
“Fernandomania” 1985
With the whisper whip of a speeding baseball cutting through the air on April 28, 1985, Mexican American Fernando Valenzeula pitched the conclusion of five shutouts during an eight-game winning streak to start the season. “Fernandomania” became a national epidemic. The 20-year old Valenzeula is left-handed, with an incredible screwball pitch that confounded the pros… Continue reading “Fernandomania” 1985