ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando leaders along with community activists from the organization “Alianza for Progress” gathered on Wednesday to unveil the new street sign for Roberto Clemente Road.
The city council approved the renaming of the road from Stonewall Jackson Road to Roberto Clemente Road in an effort to “make the city a more welcoming, inclusive place for all.”
“It was the people who aimed for change,” Commissioner Tony Ortiz said.
[TRENDING: No tuna DNA in Subway sandwich? | Video shows machete attack | Here’s when to see last supermoon of 2021]
Clemente’s son, Luis Roberto Clemente, spoke about his father and the legacy he left behind. His father, a native of Puerto Rico, was a Hall of Fame baseball star and a humanitarian who died in 1972 in a plane crash while bringing supplies to earthquake survivors in Nicaragua, according to the city.
“What General Stonewall Jackson stood for and what’s being replaced today with my father’s legacy and name, is really significant, really significant for this neighborhood, for this county, for this city,” Clemente said.
A BIG DAY for the City of Orlando. Leaders gathering this morning for the official name change of Stonewall Jackson Road to Roberto Clemente Road - Hall of Famer & Humanitarian. @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/p4zFeHqY5y
— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) June 23, 2021
Clemente, who lives in Pittsburgh, said he plans to celebrate his father’s 1971 World Series MVP win later this year.
“Roberto Clemente will always represent the hope, always represent the fight and overcoming the struggles to make sure at least people are treated equally,” Clemente said.
Local artist Neysa Millan, who painted a mural of Roberto Clemente at Roberto Clemente Middle School, was also honored on Wednesday by the City of Orlando.