Local Street Renamed For Harlem Activist

HARLEM, NY — West Harlem has a new street name.

The street corner at West 138th Street and Riverside Drive has been officially renamed Jenny Benitez Way for a West Harlem activist who transformed a neglected stretch of Riverside Park into a community garden.

Benitez, from Puerto Rico, raised her children across the street from a section of the park that was filled with abandoned cars, trash, and debris, which she and her husband began clearing by hand back in the 1970s to give children a safe place to play.

Over the six decades she lived in the area, she organized volunteers and spurred the creation of the Riverside Valley Community Garden, which was later renamed Jenny’s Garden.

"Jenny Benitez saw a forgotten piece of land and turned it into something beautiful for her neighborhood," Councilmember Shaun Abreu, who represents West Harlem in City Council, said. "She spent decades pouring her love into this community, and I am honored to help dedicate this corner in her name."

In the garden, Benitez and her volunteers grew vegetables and fruit trees, which were donated to food pantries, and built a butterfly garden, which still flourishes to this day.

In 2017, the Parks Department recognized Jenny with a lifetime achievement award for her work. She passed away at age 86 in 2019.

"Jenny’s legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched and the land she helped care for," Abreu said.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.