1969
1969
1969: Brooklyn Museum holds first exhibition of Contemporary Puerto Rican Artists in New York; Raphael Montanez Ortiz founds El Museo Del Barrio, Formation of Puerto Rican Art Workers Coalition.
January 1969 – Marcos Dimas, Adrian Garcia, Martin Rubio and Armando Soto participate in Contemporary Puerto Rican Artists, a groundbreaking exhibition of emerging Nuyorican artists organized by the Brooklyn Museum. (Jan. 12 -Feb, 1969)
January 1969 – A cross-section of socially engaged artists form The Art Workers Coalition (AWC) to protest The Viet Nam War, racism, sexism, and discriminatory practices in New York museums and galleries.
Spring 1969
The Society of Friends of Puerto Rico establish a cultural center in a defunct catholic school that provided studios for musicians and artists. Dimas, Garcia, Rubio and Soto participate in the center’s inaugural art exhibition. 
Summer 1969
Dimas, Garcia, Rubio and Soto join the AWC and begin collaborating with Rafael Montanez Ortiz, co-chair of the Art Workers Coalition Decentralization Committee and founder of El Museo del Barrio.
Fall 1969 –
Dimas, Garcia, Rubio, Soto and Ortiz join struggle for Puerto Rican Empowerment in East Harlem waged by Young Lords Organization and The Real Great Society Uptown Urban Planning Studio (RGS/UPS). The artists become friendly with RGS/UPS staff members Harry Quintana and Manuel Neco Otero.
Winter 1969
Dimas, Garcia, Soto, Ortiz, Quintana and Otero form Puerto Rican branch of the Art Workers Coalition.
December 1969 — Young Lords Takeover of first spansih Methodist church
Rafael M Ortiz at AWC Meeting
