Before Sofia Vergara was considered la mera-mera, Sonia Manzano was making history on Sesame Street as the first leading Latina on TV. Maria, as she’s been known since 1971, announced earlier this week that she will not be returning to the children’s show. Instead of being super sad about it (jk it’s sad), this is a good time to look back at the amazing things she has done. The Boricua was on the show since she was 21 years-old, and she made many Latina girls proud she was one of them. On screen, Maria picked up tools and got shit done. Off the show, she used her words to help shape minds and was part of an Emmy-winning team.
But perhaps her most mind-boggling achievement is defying the laws of time by not aging a drop since we were watching her as kids. We want in on whatever time-defying, brujereia anti-aging secrets she passed down to J Lo.
Sesame Workshop highlighted some of her best moments on the show. Watch ’em and relive your childhood below.