Alba Nidia "Miss Pupa" Encarnación Ayala (2 February 1956 – 11 March 2012) was a sixth-grade public school teacher and community leader in Vieques, Puerto Rico. A devoted Catholic, she always put God first; and that was her foundation, passion and strength for living a life of service to others. She advocated for the rights of the people of Vieques and Puerto Rico in general. She was the voice for better Maritime Transportation and health services which are crucial for the people of Vieques, Women's rights, the poor and the outcast; fought against prejudice, racism and injustice. She also helped lead the movement to end U.S. Navy bombings in the island-municipality and have the lands expropriated by the Navy in the 1940s returned to civilian use. She died on 11 March 2012 in the hospital del Maestro in Vieques, due to complications of

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

. Contrary to most leaders in the fight against the use of Vieques lands as a target range and amphibious landing training grounds for Naval and

U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

forces, Encarnación was a supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico, and was highly respected by Puerto Ricans from all political ideologies. In 2008, during a visit by

Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Victoria Clinton (born February 27, 1980) is an American writer and global health advocate. She is the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ...

to Vieques, Encarnación, along with then mayor Dámaso Serrano endorsed

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

for president and was instrumental in the New York senator's 66% to 34% win over

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in Vieques. Puerto Rican Independence Party President

Rubén Berríos Rubén Ángel Berríos Martínez (born June 21, 1939) is a Puerto Rican politician, international law attorney, writer, and current president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). A former three-time senator, Berríos is a perennial PI ...

stated that "Puerto Rico lost one of the most prominent leaders and spokespersons in the fight against the Navy on the island of Vieques" In her honor, Governor

Luis G. Fortuño Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...

ordered all United States and Puerto Rico flags to fly at half-staff at all public facilities in Puerto Rico on the day of her burial. House Speaker

Jenniffer González Jenniffer Aydin González Colón (born August 5, 1976) is a Puerto Rican politician who serves as the 20th Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. González has served in leadership positions in the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) and in ...

announced that one of the Maritime Transportation Authority vessels would be named after the late community leader.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Encarnacion, Alba 2012 deaths Puerto Rican activists Puerto Rican Roman Catholics Puerto Rican women activists 1956 births People from Vieques, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican educators Women educators