United Bronx Parents, Inc. Records

United Bronx Parents Inc. was founded in 1965 in the midst of the civil rights and student movements. Its founder, Evelina López Antonetty, was a vocal activist in the city-wide struggles for quality education. Frustrated with the lack of responsiveness of the public school system toward the needs of Puerto Rican and other minority children, she joined forces with other parents to create an organization to advocate on their behalf. United Bronx Parents began as a grass-root, voluntary organization whose activities centered around educational reform and whose principal objective was to train parents to participate and take leadership roles in issues pertaining to local education. Beginning with training programs and workshops for public school parents, the programs expanded to include parochial school parents, educational workers, teachers, and students.

Under the dynamic leadership of López Antonetty, whose reputation is legendary, United Bronx Parents flourished, broadening its mission and adding new projects and constituencies that extended well beyond its Bronx headquarters. United Bronx Parents has served as a model for and provided technical assistance in parent training to diverse groups in New York and other cities. With simply written, bilingual instructional materials parents were kept informed and actively engaged. These materials were also widely distributed for use by other groups. As of 1970, the organization expanded its program activities to related areas, establishing a bilingual/bicultural day care center, an adult education program targeting literacy and preparation for the GED, a youth enrichment and leadership program, and a citywide summer lunch program.

Like most community-based organizations, United Bronx Parents has evolved in different directions through the years. The programs and the agenda grow, change or diminish depending on community needs as well as the vicissitudes of funding. Recently, for example, a shelter for homeless women with children was opened and an AIDS outreach and education program instituted.

Currently, United Bronx Parents, Inc. maintains three sites in the South Bronx. Its mission is defined in new terms "to provide the basic human services necessary for families to obtain self-sufficiency through dignity in their struggle to participate as the functioning and valuable citizens that they are." While this clearly represents a move away from the original focus of direct action in school reform, there still remains a strong commitment to issues in education judging from the existing programs that continue to include the bilingual day care center and various adult education components. General policy continues to be determined by an Executive Director and a Board of Trustees made up of people from the community as well as prominent individuals representing different areas of expertise.

The individual most responsible for shaping and guiding the organization's development was the founder, Evelina López Antonetty who served as executive director until her death in 1984. She was a forceful, articulate, and persuasive woman, often referred to as the "hell lady of the Bronx," who was widely respected for her ability to work with different groups throughout the city and for her organizing skills. Her political savvy and energetic efforts kept United Bronx Parents strong and effective even in the most difficult times. Her influence was felt throughout the Puerto Rican community, and she has been an inspiration and a model for the young Puerto Rican leadership in New York City.

After López Antonetty's death, United Bronx Parents survived a difficult transition period. There was some internal strife which led to changes in the administration and staffing of the organization. Lorraine Montenegro, López Antonetty's daughter, emerged as the new Executive Director. She and her staff have succeeded in keeping the agency intact, initiating new projects, and at the same time attempting to strengthen existing programs within the severe financial constraints faced by all community organizations in New York City.