A Bronx actress says voting is especially important this year as women celebrate the 100th anniversary of gaining the right to vote.

Maria Aponte says she struggled breaking into theater as a Latina woman in the 1970s.

"There was really no place for me," Aponte says. "The battle in the arts has always been about artists of color, women of colors, always fighting for our authentic identity."

She says she found her voice by creating a one-woman show and eventually founding the organization called "Latina 50 Plus."

The group honors Latinas 50 and up who dedicate their lives to career fields like the arts, law and education.

Aponte says people need to be doing more than listening as the 2020 election approaches.

"We have a lot to do out here and it's not going to happen if we're silent," Aponte says.

She says she first voted at 18 years old and felt like she had a voice and became part of a bigger community.

She says women of color have come a long way, but still have a lot to change.