Artistas del Pueblo: In Conversation with Manny Vega and Sonia Manzano

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from two iconic voices as we celebrate the close of Byzantine Bembé with a live conversation featuring exhibiting artist Manny Vega, whose vibrant works reflect the deep cultural narratives of community, led by acclaimed actress and author Sonia Manzano. The program will delve into Vega’s inspirations and contributions, celebrating his enduring impact as an artist of the people. 

Part of our series Up Close with Manny Vega. 



About the Speakers:
Manny Vega (born 1956; Bronx, New York) is a visual artist who works in various mediums including graphic design, illustration, printmaking, set and costume design, public art murals, and mosaics. 
Throughout the years, Mr. Vega's artistic message has been a consistent recognition of the human spirit in our daily lives. Manny's depictions of historical figures, such as Julia de Burgos and Dr. Antonia Pantoja, and his spiritual and cultural references provide a rich and accurate account of the legacy of Latinos and the diaspora at-large in this country. 
Mr. Vega was a student at the High School of Art and Design, graduating in 1974, when he was enrolled in the art workshops of El Museo del Barrio, Taller Boricua, and the Printmaking Workshop, NYC. Later, Manny was an apprentice to the muralist, Hank Prussing, who painted ''The Spirit of East Harlem.” This experience led to more mural commissions for CITYarts, United Bronx Parents, and the Bronx Council on the Arts. In 1997, he was awarded a commission from the MTA to design artwork for the 110th Street train station in East Harlem. 
Mr. Vega has worked as a consultant for Paul Simon, Shelly Rubin, and Lincoln Center Out of Doors. He has exhibited extensively in the U.S. and overseas in Brazil. His mosaic portrait of Dr. Antonia Pantoja has been included in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. His next commission will be a life-size portrait statue of ''Tito Puente'' that will be installed on 5th Avenue in East Harlem. 

Sonia Manzano - When you think of Sonia Manzano, you immediately think of children and television.  Manzano’s most recent accomplishment was creating a children’s program, Alma’s Way, for PBS KIDs. It has won two Imagen Awards for Best Youth Programing, a 2022 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program and a 2023 NAACP nomination for an Image Award. But what Ms. Manzano is best known for is performing the role of “Maria” on Sesame Street for 44 seasons, where her work affected the lives of millions of children and parents and garnered her two Emmy Award nominations, in addition to the National Academy of Arts and Science’s Lifetime Achievement Daytime Emmy in 2016.  As a writer for Sesame Street, she took home 15 Emmys. In 2022 Manzano received the Beacon Award from PBS, and the Latino Spirit Award from the California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation.  

She is also the author of four picture books and three Young Adult novels. Her Scholastic Young adult novels include Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx and The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano. Her most recent novel, Coming Up Cuban, is set in1959, and follows the lives of four children who represent different intersections of race and class during the Cuban Revolution. Proud to have been raised in the South Bronx, she attended the High School of Performing Arts in New York City before attending Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Event Logistics:

• This event will take place in our Ronay Menschel Hall (Ground Floor).  
• Please contact programs@mcny.org with any questions or ticketing issues.
• All sales are final; refunds not permitted. Exchanges and credit for future programs only. Programs and dates may be subject to change.