Reyna Noriega is a proud Miamian on a mission to reflect the joy and authentic journeys of marginalized populations through visual art and writing. Noriega grew up loving art but was always struck by the fact that women artists, and especially women of color, were noticeably absent. So, she decided to do something about it. “I'm inspired by people who break the rules,” she says. And it’s that spirit that led to creating the artwork for PayPal’s inaugural Maggie Lena Walker Award. The award recognizes the achievements of underrepresented women who are transforming their communities and the world through economic empowerment. And its namesake was a history-making rulebreaker herself.
Maggie Lena Walker was the first Black woman to charter and serve as the president of a U.S. bank, St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. Among her many accomplishments, she also established the department store St. Luke’s Emporium, a launchpad for Black-owned businesses and a precursor to today’s “Buy Black” movement. Today, her great-great granddaughter, Liza Mickens, co-founder of Vote Equality, is committed to sharing Walker’s legacy while also continuing in her footsteps of uplifting Black women. “We have to ensure that we are getting our flowers while we are here,” she says. “Celebrating others warms our hearts, but it’s also what allows us to continue to do the work.”
