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Inductees had their names added to the Bronx Walk of Fame, a 23-block corridor along the Grand Concourse, with signs honoring the accomplishments of Bronxites
Induction Celebrated During Bronx Week
BRONX, NY (May 20, 2024) – On Saturday, May 18, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson joined the Bronx Economic Development Corporation to celebrate the 2024 Bronx Walk of Fame inductees. Actress Andrea Navedo, music producer Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson, and baseball legend Ozzie Virgil were recognized with a street sign along the Grand Concourse. Urban Health Plan CEO Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez was also inducted into the Walk of Fame as a People’s Choice
“Congratulations to our 2024 Bronx Walk of Fame Inductees, who are worthy of recognition for their contributions to our borough. They exemplify the best of the Bronx and are role models for our next generation of leaders. Thank you to the Bronx Economic Development Corporation, the Bronx Tourism Council, Juliet Papa, and all our sponsors and community partners for their support!” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
“The Bronx is the birthplace of and home to countless icons, and today we celebrated just a few by inducting them into the Bronx Walk of Fame,” said Robert Walsh, President of the Bronx Economic Development Corporation. “The Bronx Walk of Fame helps us showcase just some of the many people who make the Bronx a vibrant, booming place.”
Since 1997, the Bronx Walk of Fame has celebrated Bronx natives for their work and contributions to their respective industries Today, there are over 130 people recognized along the 23-block stretch of the Grand Concourse. Walk of Fame inductees are recognized via street signs from 138th Street to 165th Street.
About this year’s inductees:
Andrea Navedo is an actress, speaker, and published author who was born and raised in The Bronx. You may recognize her as a main character in the Golden Globe-nominated TV show “Jane the Virgin.” Navedo graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx before going on to SUNY Old Westbury College where she graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts. Because of the success of “Jane the Virgin”, she was invited to give the commencement speech to the class of 2019. There she shared some of the lessons she learned growing up in the Bronx. Inspired by the rave response that she received from the students at Clinton, she decided to continue sharing the messages from her speech in a book she penned, “Our Otherness is Our Strength: Wisdom from the Boogie Down Bronx,” which was released in July 2023.
Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson, Ph.D. — better known to his fans as Amadeus — is a multi-platinum music producer, music director, musician, and CEO of Platinum Boy Music. He has worked with more than 100 major recording artists, including Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, and 50 Cent.” Amadeus grew up on East 169th St. Washington Ave and attended Saint Augustine School of the Arts and Cardinal Hayes High School. He credits the school with shaping his love of music, along with playing drums in a band at the Cathedral of Greater Faith.
Ozzie Virgil Sr. was the first Dominican baseball player to play in the Major League. He was born in the Dominican Republic in 1932 but left in 1947 and spent the rest of his childhood in The Bronx. He went to DeWitt Clinton High School. After high school, Virgil served in the Marines, where he played baseball. Virgil was scouted to play for the New York Giants baseball team. He went on to play for the Detroit Tigers, the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the San Francisco Giants as well. Throughout his career, he played almost every position but was most well-known as a third baseman. He had five children, including Ozzie Virgil Jr., who had an 11-year career in the Major Leagues.
People’s Choice Inductee:
Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan (UHP), a network of community health centers located in the South Bronx, Central Harlem, and Northwestern Queens. Born and raised in The Bronx, Ms. Izquierdo-Hernandez is a champion for accessible, quality healthcare. Ms. Izquierdo-Hernandez has built Urban Health Plan from a one-site local community health center into an award-winning, first-class healthcare organization as well as one of the largest community health centers in New York State. Today, Urban Health Plan sees nearly 400,000 annual patient visits. Ms. Izquierdo-Hernandez has been recognized nationally for her continuous quality improvement work at UHP.
“Born and bred in The Bronx, I believed becoming an actor was an impossible goal for me until I realized that growing up in the Bronx — the Boogie Down, the burning borough of New York City — brought out my superpowers. The Bronx taught me how to survive and how to fight, both literally and figuratively. It conditioned me to strive and go the distance, to persevere, to be tenacious. It groomed me to read people, situations, and circumstances and gave me a strong intuition that keeps me safe. Best of all, growing up in the Bronx equipped me with the qualities I needed to chase that next-to-impossible career called acting,” said Andrea Navedo.
“I’M FROM THE BRONX!” This is the statement I’ve shouted all my life, loud & proud as I traveled the world living my dreams as a musician. I wanted the world to know which city birthed “Amadeus.” The Bronx taught me to love Hip-Hop, create Hip-Hop and to live my dreams and passion fearlessly allowing nothing and no one to stop me. BIG BRONX ENERGY!” said Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson, Ph.D.
“The crack of the bat and the sound of the ball hitting the glove kept me alive. It’s great to still be thought of after 77 years. I have a lot of memories about The Bronx; I was raised there and went to P.S. 55 on Washington Ave. I played baseball at Crotona Park. I made a lot of great friendships there,” said Ozzie Virgil Sr. (Mr. Virgil was represented at the induction ceremony by family members).
Following the induction ceremony, the 2024 Bronx Walk of Fame inductees joined elected officials, Bronx Week sponsors, and other prominent luminaries for the annual Bronx Ball gala held at the former Whitestone Multiplex Cinemas emceed by 1010 Wins News Anchor, Lynda Lopez. At the event, American Sports Commentator, John Sterling was presented the Key to the Borough, and The Bronx Zoo was awarded the Tourism Award for their 125 years of service to The Bronx community.