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Maria Eugenia Maury is  a philanthropist originally from Caracas, Venezuela and grew up splitting her time between Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the US. She finally moved to New York City in 1991 and grew a strong appreciation for New York life and culture. She is now taking the city by storm, and her dedication to improving the quality of life in the Latinx community is remarkable. She has been the President of the Board of Directors at El Museo del Barrio for the last five years and has served as part of the Board for sixteen years altogether. She has also served on the board of AID for AIDS, an organization committed to supporting communities at high risk for HIV in many different countries, and works closely with the immigrant population in New York City.

“Embrace. Extend. Do. & Connect.”

Embrace your current reality and everything that is going on around you.

When Maury moved to New York, her former husband was appointed Venezuelan Ambassador to the United Nations and it was a very busy and social lifestyle. She was surrounded by many different people at a high level, which allowed her to create diverse groups of friends. She still enjoys socializing, opening her home to others, hosting events for El Museo and for smaller institutions relating to the arts and music. This is a fun and exciting way to support others and exercise philanthropy.

Extend yourself and expand your perspective. 

As she moved around in different circles, Maury became involved in organizations that aligned with her values, such as AID for AIDS and El Museo del Barrio. Both of these organizations go above and beyond in helping and uplifting the Latinx community. Part of Maury’s mission in life is to help others, and figuring out ways to connect people with the resources they need in order to achieve their goals.

Do whatever it is that you believe in & Connect with others to create a support system.

Maury gives a lot of credit to Tony Bechara, who was president of El Museo for 16 years, for bringing her into El Museo and for guiding her through every step as she transitioned into her role as president. Maury was hesitant to accept the nomination and after much consideration, she became vice president.  When the new president stepped down from his position, she was ready and willing to step up and assume the responsibility. She ran the show and took charge of everything that goes on behind the scenes alongside Carlos Galvéz (Deputy Director), whose immense support has been unmatched throughout years.

“The Arts is so important. It should be in everyone’s life, it should be a privilege for everyone to be able to enjoy, and it should be accessible to everyone”

Maury believes that art and culture are a wonderful way of connecting, broadening horizons, and strengthening relationships. El Museo del Barrio is a cultural institution that was founded by educators and grew out of the community’s necessity to be represented. The purpose was to extend the art and culture of their countries to their children and families. El Museo embraces the community fully; helping seniors living with dementia as well as children with autism.  It also provides aid and support to the community through its educational programs for all ages.

El Museo pays close attention to those who are usually forgotten, giving a voice to those who want to be heard. Exhibiting work of Latinx artists, some of which are now emerging in the art world and may not have the support that more well known artists do. El Museo also has a women’s series which includes the amazing work of Belkis Ayon and its current exhibition La Trienal,  which highlights Latinx contemporary art and features more than 40 artists from the US and Puerto Rico.

Although El Museo has been doing amazing things for the community for over fifty years, it has had its difficult years, has been under appreciated, and underfunded. Maury’s hope is for New York City to strengthen and expand children’s educational programs, because in many cases, this is the only way that some children will be exposed to the arts. El Museo is a hidden gem that brings so much value to the community and will continue to share its brilliance as it grows.

“Believe in yourself, in what you want to do, and in your dream. Then work from there out.”

Maury’s message to the youth is one of self belief, determination, and kindness. If you believe in something, prepare to be the best at it, remain focused and put effort into it. Maury believes the American Dream means that anything is possible, as the United States is the land of opportunities and the possibilities are endless. “Believe in yourself, in what you want to do, and in your dream. Then work from there out, and immediately look for support! We all need support.” Maury emphasizes that we all need one another, and that’s why kindness is so important.

Support comes in many ways and it may look different than you imagine, but it’s up to us to search for it. Being kind is just as important as the effort you put into yourself and your goals. As Maury tells her daughters: “Be nice to everyone, smile to everyone – it doesn’t cost a thing, and it can bring so many wonderful things.” 

References

El Museo del Barrio – https://www.elmuseo.org/

AID for AIDS – https://aidforaids.org/

Seeger, A. (2013). Latina Philanthropist Maria Eugenia Maury: Saving Lives One By One.

Abaroa, P. (2015). The Philanthropic Spirit of Maria Eugenia Maury.

Our Interview, on May 14th, 2021.

Prepared by Stephanie Ferreyra