Albert “Al” Quinones Way (Bronx)
Present name:None
Location:At the intersection of Avenue St. John and Kelly Street
Honoree: Albert Quinones (d. 2019) was born on Avenue St. John in the South Bronx. He attended St. Anselm’s Grammar School, Rice High School in Harlem, and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. He was a community and cultural activist who kept Playground 52 and Latin Jazz alive in the South Bronx. The late 1970s was a pivotal time for Alberto as he witnessed his childhood neighborhood burning and suffering neglect. In May 1980, he and three others founded 52 People for Progress, Inc. Now, 39 years later, over 250,000 hours of volunteer work, 52 People for Progress have created one of the best playgrounds in the South Bronx. Playground 52 is a living testament to Al’s vision through a philosophy of community service, leadership development, empowerment, brotherhood, and caring, while providing access to world class music, culture and the arts. His other accomplishments in the South Bronx include the opening of Rainey Garden in 1984, and in 1989, the opening of Demera/Santiago Garden on Avenue St. John and Kelly Street. In 1990, the Miranda Theater was inaugurated and gave life to the 52 Latin Jazz Concert Series. Since then, over 200 concerts have been performed there, showcasing the talents of Johnny Pacheco, Conjunto Clasico, Tito Nieves, Manny Oquendo and Libre, and nine-time Grammy-award winner, Eddie Palmieri, among others. The success of 52 People for Progress, Inc. has to do with the many partners involved in realizing the dream. It has taken the effort of city-wide agencies, the community at large and the city with the leadership, passion and tenacity of Mr. Quinones. (Salamanca)
LL:2021/14