Rosario Dawson featured on comic book cover with first Afro-Latina superhero

The release of La Borinqueña is timed to raise funds to purchase and ship FDA-certified KN95 masks to healthcare workers across the United States and Puerto Rico

DeMicia Inman

Apr 22, 2020

Rosario Dawson is among other Latinx celebrities and activists depicted as protesters on the La Borinqueña cover, which also commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Puerto Rican flag.

Graphic novelist, philanthropist, and activist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez recently shared the cover for the highly anticipated third issue of his graphic novel series La Borinqueña. Drawn by artist Ana Teresa Rivera Fuentes as her comic book cover debut, the sketch depicts La Borinqueña hovering above a group of protesters, a few with familiar faces.

Sharing artwork on social media, Rosario acknowledges her peers also vibrantly colored into the scenery. The actress calls-out the faces of Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and more proudly protesting as La Borinqueña carries the flag of Puerto Rico.

That's me marching alongside @LaBorinqueña_GN on her new cover with @SanBenito and @Residente! #Ricanstruction https://t.co/APvIKgunYD https://t.co/H05R4FjiKh

— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) April 15, 2020

Miranda-Rodriguez has intentionally tied the third release of La Borinqueña to a timely charitable cause. The independently published author aims to raise funds to purchase and ship FDA-certified KN95 masks to healthcare workers across The United States and Puerto Rico.

Together with Masks For America, Miranda-Rodriguez launched a digital fundraising campaign on GoFundMe set at a $250,000 goal. Near the 6-figure goal, the campaign sees hefty donations from ActBlue via Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for $50,000 and the organization Be A Hero for $20,000.

“We have found and partnered with an FDA-certified manufacturer selling N95 equivalent masks at only $2/mask — a fraction of what hospitals and governments have been paying for N95 masks” details the campaign’s landing page.

Edgargo and Masks For America are not alone in their endeavor. The ‘Masks For America: Protect our Frontline Heroes’ campaign has a team including Dr. Sanjeev Sriram the Senior Advisor at Social Security Works, including fashion designer and Women’s March co-founder Bob Bland, and school-teacher and activist Kristin Mink.

34,000 FDA-certified KN95 masks have already been delivered to healthcare workers on the frontline throughout New York City. In addition, Miranda-Rodriguez shipped 6,000 masks to Puerto Rico to be distributed by Mayor Carmen Yulín Crúz and a team of doctors on the island inspired by La Borinqueña nicknaming themselves ‘Doctorxs Borinqueña’.

In celebration of AOC’s donation, comic book artist Bill Sienkiewicz created an illustration along with La Borinqueña of the two Puerto Rican women side-by-side digitally colored by Chris Sotomayor.