Dionisia Amaya

Dionisia Amaya-Bonilla, also known as Mama Nicha, (February 8, 1933 – February 3, 2014) was a teacher and Honduran Garifuna community activist who was the co-founder of Garifuna non-profit organization, MUGAMA, Inc., a support, education, and outreach organization that ran the Mugama Advocacy Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Early life Amaya-Bonilla was born in La Ceiba, Honduras, in 1933. Amaya-Bonilla went to the United States in May 1964 from Honduras originally going to Fort Worth, Texas, where she worked as a housekeeper until moving to New York City. She first lived on Longfellow in the Bronx until moving to East New York.

After getting her General Equivalency Diploma, in 1979, Amaya-Bonilla received a B.A. with high honors in Education from Medgar Evers College in New York City. She also has a M.A. and Advanced Certificate in Guidance and Counseling from Brooklyn College. In 1991, the Mugama organization created a scholarship fund in honor of a Garifuna who died in the fire.

In January 1989, Amaya-Bonilla, Mirtha Sabio, and Lydia Sacasa-Hill, and others founded an organization called MUGAMA, to recognize the contributions of Garifunan women's accomplishments. The organization was inspired by International Women's Day, in an effort to honor women in the Garifuna community. 2009: Garifuna Coalition Award given to MUGAMA

Personal life Amaya-Bonilla was married to Alejandro Bonilla.

Amaya-Bonilla died in 2014 in La Ceiba, Honduras, from a stroke.