Chita Rivera (born January 23, 1933) was an American actress, dancer, and singer best known for her roles in musical theatre. She was the first Hispanic woman and the first Latino American[1] to receive a Kennedy Center Honors award (December 2002). She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Rivera was born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Katherine (Anderson), a government clerk, and Pedro Julio Figueroa del Rivero,[3][4] a clarinetist and saxophonist for the United States Navy Band. Read more on Last.fm