She was considered by many to be the 'Rosa Parks of Puerto Rico' when she refused to enter the Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan through it's back entrance because she was a woman of color. The owners of the hotel stated that blacks had to enter through the rear of the building, but during one evening where she was set to perform at the hotel's ballroom, she marched into the hotel via it's front entrance. After this event, the hotel changed their policy.