In the heart of Norris Square in North Philadelphia, a larger-than-life mural subject beckons to the community: La Borinqueña, the Afro-Boricua environmental science student turned superhero of Puerto Rican graphic novels.
That image on the side of the building at 148 W. Norris St. was created by New York–based writer and artist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Painted in 2022 with Mural Arts Philadelphia, it is both a celebration of Puerto Rican heritage and a call to action.
“Superhero narratives since Superman’s introduction in 1938 have always centered on champions for social justice,” Miranda-Rodriguez explains of the female character. “Murals remind us of the beauty in a neighborhood and the talented artists that live there.
“When people walk to school, come home from work, or go for a run, they’re greeted by my superhero, who reflects their own super power to be an active contributor to their neighborhood and the world.”
The choice of Norris Square was deliberate: Puerto Rican history in Philadelphia goes back more than 150 years.
In 1870, Francil Aguilar became one of the first Puerto Ricans to settle in the city. Migration grew after the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917 granted U.S. citizenship, with many Puerto Ricans drawn to the tobacco and industrial markets.
By the 1970s, Puerto Rican activism was thriving, led locally by the Young Lords Party and community organizers like Gloria Rodriguez, who created initiatives like food programs, clothing drives and other social justice efforts.
After Hurricane Maria struck their country and caused more than 3,000 deaths in 2017, another wave of Puerto Rican families found their way to Philadelphia.
New York–based writer and artist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez brings focus to inspirational Puerto Rican women through his La Borinqueña, the Afro-Boricua environmental science student-turned-superhero.
“Having the opportunity to bring La Borinqueña into this community affirmed that this community, historically and presently, is part of the fabric of this great city,” Miranda-Rodriguez notes.
The mural project began in June 2018, when Miranda-Rodriguez spoke at Taller Puertorriqueño in North Philly. After his talk, Julia Lopez of Mural Arts approached him with a question: “Would he like to see La Borinqueña on a wall in the community?”
The answer came easily: yes.
What followed was five years of persistence, including planning meetings, classes with art students and the disruptions of a global pandemic. The project nearly collapsed when the original site changed ownership, but new partnerships with the Norris Square Community Alliance and Norris Square Senior Center saved it.
A community paint day invited neighbors to take part in creating the mural. It was finally dedicated on Sept. 23, 2023, with live music by Los Bomberos de la Calle. The date carried deep meaning as the 155th anniversary of El Grito de Lares, Puerto Rico’s 1868 uprising against Spanish colonial rule.
Unlike many earlier murals in North Philadelphia that focused on men, this one centers around Puerto Rican women who inspired the creation of La Borinqueña. Alongside the superhero are:
● Lola Rodríguez de Tió, poet and author of Puerto Rico’s first national anthem
● Pura Belpré, the first Afro-Latina librarian in the U.S.
● Julia de Burgos, Afro-Puerto Rican poet and nationalist
● Celestina and Gregoria Cordero, sisters who founded Puerto Rico’s first public school.
● Mariana Bracetti, leader of El Grito de Lares and creator of Puerto Rico’s first national flag.
“I felt it would be transformational to recognize a diverse group of Puerto Rican women who inspired me to create my superhero,” Miranda-Rodriguez pointed out. “These women reflect the impact made in Puerto Rico and in the United States.”
La Borinqueña has grown in popularity beyond the panels of a graphic novel. Her alter ego, Marisol, is an environmental science student who composts, bikes to school and studies biodiversity.
Through her, Miranda-Rodriguez speaks to issues of social justice, climate justice and cultural identity in a way that resonates across ages and backgrounds.
“The familiarity and popularity of superheroes afford La Borinqueña the perfect medium to be an accessible icon for social justice and cultural pride,” the artist says. “Readers of all backgrounds study her stories from primary school through graduate school internationally.”
The Philadelphia mural was followed in 2023 by another in Lares, Puerto Rico, connecting the superhero to the birthplace of revolution. For Miranda-Rodriguez, these projects show how far La Borinqueña has come in less than a decade.
“I’m optimistic and open to what the future of La Borinqueña is and my role as her storyteller takes me,” he emphasizes. “I hope my stories continue to be introduced to new readers, that I continue to produce more stories, and that my art – whether in galleries or public spaces like our mural in Philadelphia – continues to inspire new communities and generations.”
And as he imagines the next mural, Miranda-Rodriguez sees more opportunities in the City of Brotherly Love.
“There are other parts of the city, especially Center City, where a mural that celebrates my superhero should prominently be displayed,” he asserts. “Being super is not exclusive to one group, but inclusive to all of us.
“La Borinqueña has come to save our planet, and in doing so, she is saving all of us.”
