played by actress sonya manzano.en she was just 21 years old ♪ well who are the people in your neighborhood ♪ ♪ the people that you meet each day ♪ >> say, i got a riddle for you. what has four wheels and flags. >> i know that old joke. what has four wheels and flies is a garbage truck. >> that's right. but what else? >> i don't know. >> me, i'm an airport pilot. i fly planes. >> but you don't have four wheels. >> i just said that to make it hard. >> one of the first latinas to appear on national tv, manzano was a role model for millions of kids who saw her as someone who looked like them. and understood their culture. ♪ hello not good-bye ♪ why everywhere you go ♪ the girls say hola ♪ because hola means hello >> she taught kids the importance of reading and writing, but she also helped teach kids the importance of friendship and love. >> grover, you forgot something. >> what? something else? >> yeah. >> what's that? >> oh, it can kiss. oh, maria. >> recently sonya manzano announced she was retiring from "sesame stre