Georgina Falú

Georgina Falú Pesante (born April 23, 1939) is an Afro–Puerto Rican university executive, community organizer, professor, and Pan-Africanist.

Early life and education Falú was born on April 23, 1939 in Puerto Rico to María Magdalena “Malen” Pesante Santana and Juan “Juanín” Falú Zarzuela. Juanin Falú was a civil servant who founded the League to Promote the Advancement of Blacks in Puerto Rico. Juanin's father, Pedro Falú, was the first Afro-Puerto Rican Santurce Municipal Assembly president. In 2009, Falú traced her lineage to Senegal’s Falú clan.

Falú attended Pedro Gerónimo Goyco Elementary and Central High School, graduating in 1957. In 1961, she graduated from University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP) with her BA in accounting, and went on to get an MBA from UC Berkeley (1964).

In 1969, Falú married Roy A. Hollingsworth., with whom she had one son, Rey Hollingsworth Falú.

Community and Pan-Africanist work In 1984, Falú met kemetaphysician Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan, who encouraged her to explore her African heritage.

In 1988, Falú sold her home in El Señoral, Puerto Rico and founded the Universal Business and Media School in Spanish Harlem. She was the first Afro-Puerto Rican woman to own an accredited US business school. The school ran through 2001, when it was closed as the state Department of Education was investigating it for violations.

In 1988, Falú also founded the Falú Foundation to serve low-income communities and engage in African diaspora history. The Falú Foundation also translates popular titles into Spanish and runs technology program for the community.

In 1994, she organized the first annual Silicon Barrio conference. This conference focused on bringing more Hispanic workers into the information technology industries.

Awards

1974: Woman of the Year in Education, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce 2014: Woman of Distinction, New York State Senate