I had the great pleasure of sitting across the table from Betsy Codero at her apartment in the Bronx several weeks ago. Betsy had just celebrated her 100th birthday—in the middle of the pandemic. Betsy left Puerto Rico in 1948 to visit her sister Beda in Manhattan and never left. I wanted to know her story.
Betsy and I sat in her two-room apartment, very close together so she could hear me. Betsy wore a pretty turquoise blouse and turquoise earrings. She offered me coffee, or soda, or cookies, and filled a glass bowl with ginger candies. Though we are both fluent in English, the conversation always returned to Spanish.
Here’s Betsy’s story.
MIGRATION
Betsy, why did you leave Puerto Rico when you did?
I arrived in New York in 1948. By plane, not by boat--that was very new then. I was young.
I’d just finished my secretarial course at Colegio Santa Rosa. My town—Bayamón—was about to have elections. My grandparents had always been Republicanos, and I’d been offered a job as secretary at the town court. But the Partido Popular won. I lost the job.
Betsy and her sister Beda in Puerto Rico.
“Why don’t you take a little trip to New York if you are doing nothing…?” My sister Beda was visiting. She was married and a seamstress and lived in Riverside. On 144th and Broadway in Manhattan. I decided I’d try it.
It was January. Tears would freeze right on your face.
My sister had everything for me. We were only two in our family, and she adored me. She wanted me to be entertained all the time. I arrived on Friday. By Monday I was working as secretary at an electronics company.
A year later my father had an accident and died. Era policía, a cop. I went to get Mami who was alone now. I remember it was March 11. Mami moved into my sister’s apartment. I helped however I could.
DANCING
I joined una sociedad de baile, a dance society. There was a dance every month—we had to wear long dresses. There were chaperonas—very strict. The girls were all good girls. Virgencitas. De familias Latinas nacidas aquí. And there I met this young man. Mingo—for Domingo. I’d never before had a regular boyfriend. I was una monjita, a little nun really.
Later we would go dancing at all the clubs in New York. The Latin Quarter, the Copacabana, China Doll, Gloria Palace…. No drugs. Women drank sodita--at least I never saw them drinking. Ese fué un tiempo muy sano. It was a wholesome time.
Did Spanish cause you problems when you arrived?
It wasn’t hard for me. I had my school base in English. In Puerto Rico, in those times, English was taught in schools. Only history of Spain and Puerto Rico in Spanish. The others, chemistry, geology, geometry, algebra—they were all taught in English.
Our teachers came from here. The Governor of Puerto Rico was from here, appointed by the President.
The system changed right after I left. A new governor, Luís Muñoz Marin was elected by the people of Puerto Rico, for the first time. He made many important changes. Spanish was returned to the schools.
Mingo and I had three children and then four grandchildren. I now have two great grandchildren. Gracias al Señor.
Mingo took me to El Barrio so I could buy foods to make sancocho, alcapurrias, pasteles. My husband was chef de cocina, a cook at a restaurant. At home I was la jefe. I kept our money. “Give me the money, that’s it.” To pay our bills. We had a car. Our kids studied at the catholic school until cuarto año--that’s sophomore year in high school.
WORK
My next job was at a book bindery in New Jersey and after that another bindery. For 18 years. I worked in the sewing department. They had to train us first. I worked a machine of eight needles and three pedals: cut, glue, and speed. I liked it very much.
Do you remember how much they paid you?
$200 plus a week—that was a lot then. I got to earn $240. After that, I worked at a hospital with the dietician, cutting up Jello into cubes, arranging food on trays. I retired early at 62 so I could take care of Mingo. He had kidney problems and diabetes. He was a little chubby, but his heart was good. He liked to work but he couldn’t any more. He died at 58. Very young. He was six years younger than me.
Mingo belonged to a union, but he made a mistake, he didn’t pay the dues. When he died, there was nothing. No social security either. He’d worked so hard. But things are like that….
After I was widowed, I took a course for a year at Family Court then worked as mediator and arbitrator. I had the bi-lingual cases. By law mediators would be paid $100 per case, but as retired part time workers we got $25 for the same work. But I loved the work. I like to deal with people.
I also helped Latinos who could not speak English at doctors’ offices, with lawyers, with applications to my building.
Betsy at 99 voting. “I am a citizen of the United States and Puertoriqueña by culture. And in my heart.”
Betsy, on the wall I see this printed post card from Bill Clinton and one of Hillary and Obama…
Bill Clinton and I have the same birthday. I used to send him a birthday card every year. Here in the building there are many organized activities. I worked during elections as inspector, attending to people. A Democract, of course. I wore a badge. We worked from 5 in the morning until 10 at night.
We now have a Puerto Rican Supreme Court Judge, Sonia Sotomayor. And you know Lin Manuel? …who created Hamilton. He studied at my grandson’s school. Very intelligent.
Do you see the picture of the two grandchildren? Crié a esos nenes. I raised those babies while the parents were working.
LA GITANA
Can you tell me about this building?
It’s run by HUD [US Department of Housing and Urban Planning]. There are several buildings. Two have housing for people with disabilities and seniors who need assistance. I pay a third of my income from my social security. The rest is paid by the government. The neighborhood is expensive. People who lived nearby didn’t want HUD to build here. They thought the buildings would be filled with boys taking drugs—but they were for older people. Thank goodness we haven’t had that here.
I volunteered at the nursing home nearby for a small stipend. I requested an old patient who had no visitors. Her mind was not too well. I visited her for four years. I would put pretty bathrobes on her, take her outside, read, paint her nails…. She’d tell me her things. She’d say go, go, take care of the babies.
An Italian woman and I organized trips to Atlantic City by guagua. People interested would sign up, pay, and leave with permission from the office, since they have the responsibility for the older folk. They called me la gitana—we say Romani, now—because I was always out.
PUERTORIQUEÑA
Betsy, what aspects of your cultura did you hold on to after 73 years in New York?
Soy Católica—my religious faith, my faith in Los Santos. Midnight mass on Noche Buena.. Los Tres Reyes on January 6. I sent my children to Puerto Rico in the summers so they could sink their roots. I used herbal remedies for every sickness--my grandmother taught me. I was close to my grandmother before I left home.
Betsy sat up in bed that night jotting down names of the famous who had populated her world. A mutual contact sent me the scribbled chart.
In my time, you could come to the US and share your culture and remain a pure Puerto Rican, and even become famous. Rita Moreno, Jose Ferrer, Roberto Clemente, Tito Puente, Machito. This was the place to come to. I am a citizen of the United States and Puertoriqueña by culture, by language—first Spanish, then English. And in my heart.
What a beautiful way to end our conversation.
100TH BIRTHDAY
Betsy, your 100th birthday is really an achievement—how you’ve lived a giving life, full, and rich with family, a core value of our Latino cultures. You have left a legacy of three generations.
Now tell me about the party!
Betsy celebrating her 100th birthday with family and friends. Happy Birthday Betsy!
It was a surprise. It really was. Here on the garden of the building, everything beautiful! My children wanted to have a gala at a very exclusive place, but Covid changed everything. It turned out to be the perfect solution because here all my friends are seniors and could attend without problems of walking far or taking a guagua, or a car. We’ve been so inside oriented. Sometimes I can’t breathe normally. I’m always feeling mi fatiguita.
I feel blessed. Gracias al Señor.
Querida Betsy, ha sido un placer conocerte!
It’s been such a pleasure getting to know you.
As I was leaving, Betsy filled my hands with ginger candies.
Discover other Soy/Somos stories. From the Heart of a Cuban, Diego-Navigating Identity, and many others.
Susbcribe to the Breathing in Spanish blog to receive future stories. I’d love to hear from you.