Sonia Manzano, Sesame Street's 'Maria'

Sonia Manzano, who portrayed Maria on TV’s “Sesame Street” for 44 years, will speak at Ohio Wesleyan University as part of the Summit of Ohio Latinx (SOL) Conference.

Manzano will speak at 7 p.m. April 21 in the atrium of Schimmel/Conrades Science Center, 90 S. Henry St., Delaware. Her presentation is free and open to the public.

Manzano will share her life story, growing up in a poor Puerto Rican family and becoming one of the most influential Latinas in television through her role on PBS’s “Sesame Street.” After her presentation, she will sign copies of her autobiography, “Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx,” and her children’s books, which will be available for purchase at the event.

Throughout the years, Manzano has earned 15 Emmy awards for writing television scripts and received other awards including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Award, the Hispanic Heritage Award for Education, and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Daytime Emmy Awards.

The Summit of Ohio Latinx (SOL) Conference was created in 2016 to bring together Latinx college students and their allies from around the state to discuss academic, social, economic, educational, and political topics impacting the Latinx population. Learn more at www.owu.edu/SOLconference.