Helen Rodriguez-Trias
Personal Information
Born: 1929
Died: 2001
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Education
University of Puerto Rico BA 1957 MD 1960
Professional Life
Field of Study: Pediatrics; Public Health
Institution/Corporation: Lincoln Hospital Bronx NY; NYS Dept of Health AIDS Institute; Pacific Institute for Women's Health
Degrees & Memberships: Member: American Public Health Association (APHA 1971) Women's Caucus of APHA Hispanic Caucus of APHA Committee to End Sterilization Abuse Committee for Abortion Rights & Against Sterilization Abuse NY Latino Commission on AIDS Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Board of National Women's Health Network Board of Boston Women's Health Book Collective Pacific Institute for Women's Health
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2001 President's Citizen Medal; 2018 Google Doodle
Achievements: 1st Latina president of American Public Health Association (APHA);
Was a public health expert & women's rights activist
1st Latina Director of the American Public Health Association
Fought for reproductive rights, worked with women with HIV, & joined the effort to stop sterilization abuse
Experienced racism & discrimination after moving to NY at age 10; placed in a class for children with learning disabilities until she participated in a poem recital & was then transferred to a gifted class
Began her academic education in Puerto Rico in 1948; received her MD in 1960 at age 31
while at University, became involved with the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, campaigning for freedom of speech & Puerto Rican independence
Established the 1st center for the care of newborns in Puerto Rico; decreased the death rate for newborns by 50% within 3 years
Was an advocate for free abortions, widely available birth control for poor women, & the stoppage of non-consensual abortions