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Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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The Iconic Rita Moreno Takes the Conversation to Lehman College
Cordelia González (left) speaks with Rita Moreno (Photo: Nicolas Manassi/HITN Media)
October 21, 2026
Legendary actor Rita Moreno visited Lehman College’s Lovinger Theatre on October 20 for “Iconic Dialogues with Rita Moreno,” hosted by actor Cordelia González. The event was a highlight of Hispanic Heritage Month at Lehman—and kicked off the eighth annual La Feria Internacional del Libro de la Ciudad de Nueva York/ International Book Fair of New York City (FILNYC), an initiative of CUNY’s Mexican Studies Institute, based at the College.
Keeping with the theme of the FILNYC Book festival, which celebrates Spanish language writers, the lively conversation was conducted almost entirely in Spanish. The discussion delved into Moreno’s impact on Puerto Rican and Latin American arts and culture and her experiences throughout her more than 80-year career: migrating to the states, her earliest roles ("So Young, So Bad"; "West Side Story"), and navigating discrimination and stereotypes in Hollywood as a Latina from Puerto Rico. Reflecting on a clip of her Oscar win for playing Anita in "West Side Story," Moreno said she never expected to win.
That early recognition was just the beginning for Moreno, who is among a handful of EGOT-winners, having earned an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy award, along with numerous honors recognizing her contributions to American culture at large.
The public event was presented by HITN Media, the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute, and the Office of the President at Lehman.