Dineia Sylvia
Dedicated library assistant Dineia Maria (Amaral) Sylvia (1948-2003) was the welcoming face of New Bedford’s Casa da Saudade branch library from its 1971 opening.
Sylvia Finger
A longtime member of the Sisterhood of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, Sylvia (Levy) Finger (1895-1982) worked hard to keep the Jewish community flourishing by building on Jewish rituals, values and customs.
Zoe Alysse Washington Fabio
A groundbreaking leader in employment counseling and civil rights, Zoe Alysse Washington Fabio (1925-2009) was an agent for change as both civil servant and activist.
Eloise Solomon Pina
Community activist, club woman, church leader and educator, Eloise Solomon Pina (1928-2013) became the epitome of what her mentor Elizabeth Carter Brooks described as “a service to God and humanity.”
Mary Santos Barros
A New Bedford City Councilor who represented Ward 4 for two terms, Mary Santos Barros (1923-2018) was a strong advocate for all, most notably Cape Verdeans. Recognizing that diversity is our strength, Mary taught us that we can build an inclusive community that treats all people with respect and dignity.
Lena Britto
Born and raised in Rochester, entrepreneur and activist Lena Britto (1921-2007) owned and operated Van-Lee Beauty Salon in East Wareham for over 18 years.
Tryne Costa
New Bedford social worker Tryne G. Costa (1922-2018) lived by a poem that she learned as a young girl, “Let me live in my house by the side of the road / And be a friend to man.”
Rita Lopes
From Wareham’s cranberry bogs to New Bedford’s Aerovox assembly line, Rita Alice Lopes (1915?-1999) emerged as a community activist who advocated for children, the elderly and Cape Verdeans.
Louise E. Strongman
Optimistic that, as she insisted, “The world isn’t going to hell in a handbasket,” lifelong volunteer Louise Endicott Strongman (1912-2004) made sure that services were available for Dartmouth residents to become their best.
Mary Schwartz
As first chair of the Holocaust Education and Memorial Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Bedford, Mary Schwartz (1920-2015) led efforts that created the Holocaust Monument at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford in 1998.