After 44 years, Maria decided that it's time to stop fixing things in 'Sesame Street.'
Since 1971, Sonia Manzano, played the character of Maria, owner of the Fix- It shop along with her husband Luis, played by Emilio Delgado. For 44 years she has been part of the educational, longtime favorite program 'Sesame Street.' But early this week, the veteran actress revealed that she won't be appearing in the next season.
During the American Library Association Annual Conference forum which was held in San Francisco, where she appeared as a speaker of the conference, the 65 year old actress announced the sad news.
Sesame workshop already confirmed her exit. NPR released a news along with the management's statement to confirm her retirement, "she will always be a part of the fabric of our neighborhood. During her 44-year career as the iconic "Maria," and the first leading Latina woman on television, she was a "role model for young girls and women for generations."
Manzano has been part of the program's success, aside from playing the role of Maria, she is also a writer behind the camera and won 15 of the awards as a scriptwriter.
She is also one of the first Latinas who appeared in TV teaching children and adult some words in Spanish by including a speaking muppets that can speak Spanish language.
During her interview on 2012 in NBC for the release of her first novel "The Evolution of Evelyn Serrano," Manzano said that "Latinos were invisible in American culture" in 1969. As long as she can remember Latino's and their culture were not featured on television and in books.
Then she uses her talent to spread her "cultural ideas."
"My personal evolution included bringing cultural ideas to Sesame Street and eventually writing bits myself; writing, writing, writing always with Hispanic culture in mind."
