Caridad Asensio Explained
Caridad G. Asensio (1931– October 31, 2011) was a Cuban-American migrant worker advocate.
Early life
Asensio was born in Cuba alongside two sisters.[1] She was raised and married in Cuba until Fidel Castro took power, which is when she emigrated to New York and then Boca Raton, Florida with her family.[2]
Career
After Asensio and her family moved to Florida in 1960, she worked at Hagen Road Elementary School as a social worker and health educator. While there, she met her future co-founder Connie Berry who was a teacher at the school.[3] Asensio soon began volunteering at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Mission in Delray Beach[4] and eventually founded the Migrant Association in a trailer to provide low-cost housing to migrant workers.[2] Two years later, Asensio and Berry co-founded the Caridad Health Clinic which operated with the assistance of volunteer doctors and dentists.[3] The Clinic was the first in South Florida to provide free health care to farm workers and their families.[5] By 1992, the Migrant Association moved 79 families into stable livable trailers.[6]
As a result of its early success, the association moved to a $2.5 million clinic dubbed the Caridad Center within its first five years of operation.[7] In 1995, Asensio was awarded the JCPenney Golden Rule Award for her migrant worker advocacy[8] and the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition President's Award.[9] On December 3, 2001, Asensio was hit by a car while crossing the street and went into a coma.[10] Although she regained her ability to speak, she had difficulty walking.[11] In 2005, Asensio was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame.[12] Caridad died on October 31, 2011, after experiencing a seizure.[7]
Personal life
Asensio and her husband have two children together. Her son Manuel P. Asensio was the proprietor of a small brokerage firm.[13]
Notes and References
- Web site: Hispanic Heritage Month Caridad Asensio (1931-2011) . pbchistoryonline.org . April 7, 2020.
- News: Huriash . Lisa J. . ANGELS OF THE FIELDS . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . November 12, 1997.
- News: Streeter . Angel . Co-founder of Caridad Center west of Boynton Beach dies . April 7, 2020 . The Sun Sentinel . October 31, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200407122300/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2011-10-31-fl-caridad-clinic-founder-dies-20111031-story.html . April 7, 2020.
- News: Nancy L. OthM-sn . WOMAN HELPED MANY, NOW THEY PRAY FOR HER . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . December 5, 2001.
- Web site: Caridad Asensio . flwomenshalloffame.com . April 7, 2020.
- News: Harakas . Margo . FAITH, HOPE AND CARIDAD A CHAMPION OF MIGRANT FAMILIES PUSHES AND PERSUADES UNTIL SHE GETS WHAT SHE WANTS -- A CLINIC FOR THE KIDS. . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . August 22, 1992 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200407122256/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1992-08-22-9201170068-story.html . April 7, 2020.
- Web site: Roldan . Cynthia . Caridad Asensio, migrant worker advocate, dies at 79 . gm5-lkweb.newscyclecloud.com . April 7, 2020 . October 31, 2011.
- News: Simon . Laura . GOLDEN RULE AWARD HONORS MIGRANT ASSOCIATION FOUNDER . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . November 10, 1995.
- News: Simon . Laura . LITERACY GROUP, VOLUNTEERS ANNOUNCE AWARD RECIPIENTS . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . June 2, 1995.
- News: Holidays gloomier at clinic where founder hospitalized. December 25, 2001. Northwest Florida Daily News. Florida.
- News: Pensa . Patty . Migrant Clinic Founder Finalist For Award . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . December 3, 2004.
- News: DIGEST . April 7, 2020 . The Sun-Sentinel . January 7, 2005.
- News: Eaton . Leslie . A Stock Crusader In a Short-Seller Suit; He Says Blunt Talk Fights Fraud, But Critics Say He Talks Too Much . April 7, 2020 . The New York Times . March 11, 1998 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180422193300/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/11/business/markets-market-place-stock-crusader-short-seller-suit-he-says-blunt-talk-fights.html . April 22, 2018.
