Jovita Idar was an activist who fought for Mexican Americans during the time of segregation. Decades later, she’s set to be the first Tejana to be featured on U.S. Currency.

On September 14, UTSA will host a ceremonial quarter release to honor Idar’s legacy. The celebration will feature two events that are free to the public at UTSA’s downtown campus.

SAN ANTONIO – After leaving her job as a teacher, Mexican-American journalist Jovita Idar used her father’s weekly newspaper to advocate for women’s rights. Through her writing for La Cronica – and against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution - Idar urged women to educate themselves so they wouldn’t have to rely on men. Her motto – “When you educate a woman, you educate a family.”Idar joined the first Mexican congress in Laredo, and then founded the League of Mexican Women, becoming its first president. When the Texas Rangers arrived to shut down the paper because of her article, Idar stood in front of the door, refusing to allow them to enter. In 1921, she moved from Laredo to San Antonio, where she continued to be a voice for women and established a free kindergarten.