DOÑA FELA'S DREAM

An affectionate tribute to the first alcaldesa (female mayor) of San Juan, Puerto Rico…or any other capital city in the Americas.

Standing tall and often a little larger than the sanjuaneros and country jíbaros around her in Ibarra’s warmly colored tropical scenes and always (as Brown repeatedly mentions) wearing flowers in her hair, Felisa Rincón de Gautier (1897-1994) cuts a strong and confident figure in this loving remembrance. That strength of character is evident throughout her history: She defied her father to become only the fifth woman on the island to register to vote and once broke into a school to provide a shelter for families displaced by a hurricane. Starting in 1947, through five terms in office, she went on to bring her constituents health clinics and better public services. She also opened the first preschools on the island—an initiative that inspired, the author notes, the U.S.’ Head Start program. Her empathy for her constituency is palpable; readers learn that she invited people into city hall on a weekly basis to hear their problems. Though a photo of her in the afterword actually kissing a baby looks staged, her sense of fun and her regard for children come through clearly as well.

A loving salute to a powerful woman who dedicated herself to helping others.