Lucy G. Acosta

Lucy G. Acosta (; October 4, 1926 – March 8, 2008) The Lucy G. Acosta Humanitarian Awards were named in her honor, and have been presented every year since 1993.

Early years Lucy Acosta was born as Maria Angela Socorro Grijalva on October 4, 1926, in Miami, Arizona. Her father, Apolonio Grijalva, died while working in a copper mine three years after her birth. Her mother, Maria Socorro, received a pension from the mining company and moved to El Paso, then married David Peña, a local bricklayer. Lucy attended local public schools, while participating in athletics and joining the Bowie High School student council before graduating in the top ten of her class in 1943. She graduated from the International Business School in 1945.

Career Acosta started her LULAC membership in 1957 and reconstituted a Ladies’ Council for the organization, #335. The council delivered food to senior women and sponsored scholarships for local students.

Acosta co-founded Project Amistad in 1976, a flagship social service program that assisted the elderly and disabled in the El Paso community. She also served as its executive director for two and a half decades. In 1982, United Way honored her with the first Annual Volunteer Service Award. Her other service included organizations focused on aging, child welfare, education, and food security.

Personal life In 1948, Lucy married Alejandro Acosta, a World War II veteran and a fellow alumnus from Bowie High School. He also served in the Korean War. She bore two sons, Alejandro, Jr. and Daniel. and named for Acosta since 1993.