She attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on a scholarship. Manzano attended the High School of Performing Arts, where she began her acting career. Her parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico. Manzano was born in New York City and was raised in South Bronx. She is best known for playing Maria on Sesame Street from 1971 until her retirement in 2015. Sonia Manzano (born June 12, 1950) is an American actress and writer.
