Elba Cabrera

My Titi Elba was an amazing person. Her and my mom´s friendship was so full of love, love that passed on to my sister, dad, and I. She was always there for me during my biggest moments and I tried my best (even at 7) to show up for her. I remember going to a community event honoring Lillian and Evelina when I was younger. There, I learned three things: a) Titi Elba knows 90% of The Bronx and is most likely famous, b) her service to her community was so, so impactful, and c) her and her sister´s story, which at that point I had never learned. She taught me to fight for what I believe in, to take on my community to make a change. She introduced me to real reading at very young age. Books that ranged from the "Who Was?" Series to Wuthering Heights by Jane Austen that taught me so many new ideas and open my imagination. She was such a constant in my life and I am going to miss her so, so much. I am so privileged to call her my Titi Elba and that I got to experience this part of my life with her! I love you so much Titi, I promise to live out what you taught me every single day <3

I met Elba at DFTA and BCA. She was a delightful person who will be greatly missed. May her memory be for a blessing. Rest in peace Elba.
With deepest sympathy,
Shereen Margolis Briggs

Elba was my Madrina and Mentor (my M&M) for 25 years. I met her in my early career when I had lost faith in female leaders becoming mentors of young professionals. She was light. She always took folks into her circle and made them family. She was a kind, generous, tough, classy lady who had big dreams and hopes for those she loved. She was a connector. Someone who always created bonds between the most unlikely individuals to make things happen on behalf of the community.

Elba was my champion. She was there at my wedding, had my girls, changed jobs, and pivoted in my career. There was nothing she asked that I was not willing to do. Which, in turn, opened my network and experiences and deepened my engagement in the community. She also showed up. Showed up to major milestones in my career and life. She even became a mentor to a young Latina HS student at 81 for one of my program partners, SSP NYC, which she found impressive. And that was just one of many she mentored throughout her life. She was a doer.

Elba was family. She was a part of my world and someone I turned to when life gave me lemons or when I was lucky enough to make lemonade. My girls were blessed to have a Titi Elba. My oldest, around the age of 5, witnessed Elba get one of the numerous, well-deserved recognitions for her legacy in the arts and activism in the community and later came to me to inform me, "You know, Titi Elba is famous!" And she was right. For me, she was a star, and I have been blessed to have known her and have her in my life.

Elba was my friend. Once she retired for the second time you would find us once a month at 3 pm having a late lunch in the Upper East Side at Tony DiNapoli´s. For 3 hours, we would catch up. Sometimes, we laughed. Sometimes, we cried. Others, we shared our deepest secrets and, at times, our hopes and dreams. All over our favorite Tony´s famous Dirty Martini´s with Gorgonzola cheese stuffed olives. I treasure these moments and became a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend because of them.

I will miss her every day. Thank you to Paul, Anthony, Karina, and Quearis Inara for generously sharing their mother and grandmother with me and my family. I hope her legacy, love, hope, and dreams she had for each of you will bring you comfort.

Rest in Peace, my friend, my forever M&M.

I Miss You like the Deserts Miss the Rain