Women’s History Month is not over yet! It’s our last Wednesday of the month, and we have another fabulous feature highlighting an amazing woman and her work! This week we are highlighting actress, dancer, singer, and no stranger to the entertainment industry, Rita Moreno.
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican-born American actress who started her career at the young age of nine, working as a professional dancer in New York City nightclubs. Moreno had the determination to make it big in the industry, but was continuously doubted, and dropped by studios and by the press after being stereotyped as “sex and innocence” by Life Magazine.
The label that had been cast over her did not stop her determination or fire for achieving success. Moreno knew she needed to attain more credible roles and eventually obtained her goals that landed her roles in Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and The King and I (1956). With her success in both shows, Moreno created a new image for herself, embracing who she is and her looks.
With her new image and branding of herself being out in the world, Director Robert Wise took notice of 
Moreno and casted her in West Side Story as leading actress Maria. With the success of the show, Moreno landed an Oscar award for best-supporting actress and became the first Latina woman to win an Oscar award. This was not the end to her success, as she continued winning the three other major North American entertainment awards, including Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards. Moreno is one of the very few individuals to have received all four awards in the industry.
Moreno’s determination and self-worth lead her to the fame and success she dreamed of when she began her journey at nine years old. Rita Moreno today, at the age of 90 years old, is still chasing her dreams and is starring in roles that she rightfully deserves. Moreno is currently starring in the Netflix hit series One Day at a Time and was casted to play a leading role again in West Side Story, the remake.
Rita Moreno truly paved the way for not only Latina women but women everywhere to take their destiny into their own hands and create the image they want for themselves rather than letting society dictate it for them. Moreno’s drive and determination is absolutely inspiring and is exactly why she is our #WCW!
Although Women’s History Month and #WCW may be coming to a close, we don’t need the month of March to celebrate women and their success! Take some time to embrace and praise the fabulous women around you to show them the love and support they deserve! Make sure to follow us on our social media to stay up-to-date with the driven women within PPRG and our success as we try to be just like all of our Women Crush Wednesdays each and every day!
