LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Dolores Prida, distin-
guished citizen and devoted member of her community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Cuban-born playwright, journalist, and poet Dolores Prida
died on Sunday, January 20, 2013, at the age of 69; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida was born on September 5, 1943, in Caibarien,
Cuba; in 1961, she, her mother and her two siblings reunited in Miami
with her father, who had left the island-nation shortly after the
triumph of the Cuban Revolution; and
WHEREAS, The family settled in New York City, where Dolores Prida took
a job at a bakery and attended night classes at Hunter College for a few
years before making an inroad into the publishing industry and launching
her career as a journalist; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida distinguished herself in her profession and by
her sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of
her community; and
WHEREAS, During the 1970s and 1980s, Dolores Prida was director of
information services for the National Puerto Rican Forum, managing
editor of the Spanish-language daily EL TIEMPO, New York correspondent
for VISION magazine, senior editor of NUESTRO magazine, literary manager
for the theatrical organization International Arts Relations (INTAR),
and publications director for the Association of Hispanic Arts (AHA);
and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida began writing short stories and poetry while
still a teenager in Cuba; in the United States she published her first
book, the collection of poems, 37 POEMAS (1967), but it was as a play-
wright that she would establish her literary reputation; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida was one of the most active, as well as one of
the first, female playwrights that nourished the New York Latino stage
during the 1980s and 1990s; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida's first play, "Beautiful Senoritas," premiered
in 1977; it was followed by "The Beggars Soap Opera"; "Coser y cantar
(1981)"; "Pantallas (1986)"; "Botanica (1991)"; "Casa Propia" (A House
of Her Own, 1999); and "Four Guys Named Jose ... and Una Mujer Named
Maria" (2000); and
WHEREAS, In addition to her weekly column for EL DIARIO LA PRENSA,
Dolores Prida was a long-time contributor to the DAILY NEWS and LATINA
MAGAZINE, where she was in charge of one of its most popular columns,
"Dolores Dice" (Dolores Says, in Spanish); and
WHEREAS, Dolores Prida's commitment to excellence, and her spirit of
humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Dolores Prida received several
distinctions: the Cintas Fellowship Award for Literature, the Creative
Artistic Public Service Award for Playwriting (1976) and the Excellence
in Arts Award, given by Manhattan Borough President (1987); in 1989, she
was granted a Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Mount Holyoke College;
and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Dolores Prida leaves behind a legacy which will long endure
the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all she
served and befriended; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Dolores Prida, distinguished citizen and devoted
member of her community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Dolores Prida.