Historical artifacts from the 1869 Transcontinental Railroad and posters of the women’s suffrage that date back to 1832 that are on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington. Among these historical and important artifacts is the costume of La Borinqueña, an Afro-Puerto Rican superhero.

The costume of La Borinqueña, created by comic book writer Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, is featured in the “Superheroes” exhibition at the Smithsonian.

This significant addition to the exhibit comes just three years since Miranda-Rodriguez debuted La Borinqueña in the first graphic novel.

“La Borinqueña debuted in 2016 at the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City,” Miranda-Rodriguez said in a statement. “Throughout the last three years, her overwhelmingly positive reception has provided me the platform to address the humanitarian crisis that grew out of the island of Puerto Rico’s economic crisis. For a year and a half, La Borinqueña became recognized and celebrated by mainstream media outlets and cultural institutions positioning me as a prominent voice for Puerto Ricans.”

Miranda-Rodriguez said that after Hurricane Maria, La Borinqueña became an example of pride and determination.

Miranda-Rodriguez adds that through the La Borinqueña brand, they’ve been able to raise a quarter of a million dollars from the sales of Ricanstruction and La Borinqueña Grants Program.

“Via this program, we have awarded grants to local grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico, further showing the world that our hero truly embodies a heroic ideal,” Miranda-Rodriguez said. “Fight for justice, work for justice. In a time where popular culture centers around superhero storylines that take characters to fight in intergalactic wars, La Borinqueña shines a light on the battles that we all need to fight here in our country.”

The costume of La Borinqueña is featured right next to Wonder Woman.

“The fact that both of these costumes were worn by Latinas (Wonder Woman’s Linda Carter is Mexican American) is fitting with the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Initiative, #BecauseOfHerStory in which we are highlighting the many ways women play a role in our culture,” Melinda Machado, director of the Smithsonian’s Office of Communications and Marketing, told NBC News.

The exhibition can be seen now through Nov. 12, and people are praising the addition of La Borinqueña.

“Having ‘La Borinqueña,’ a Puerto Rican superhero, at the Smithsonian is a source of pride,” Flavio Cumpiano said. “It’s a proven fact that children feel empowered to shoot for greatness when they see real-life people who look like themselves achieve greatness, whether it is a Barack Obama or a Sonia Sotomayor. The same is true for superheroes or action figures or characters.”

Click here for more information on the show.

READ: ‘La Borinqueña’ Is The Afro-Latina Superhero The Comic Book World Has Been Missing

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Comic book icon Stan Lee is not spending the last years of his life peacefully. The 95-year-old, who’s career as a comic-book writer, editor, film executive producer and publisher spans since the late 1930s, is facing a gamut of issues. Lee is dealing with fraud and financial issues, so much so that director Kevin Smith said Lee could come live with him. There’s family drama too. And matters are just getting worse.

A Latina masseuse who worked on Stan Lee during a comic con is suing him over claims of inappropriate sexual misconduct.

Twitter/@STARLORDSGF

Massage therapist Maria Carballo alleges that on the weekend of April 21-23, 2017, she performed two massage therapy sessions for Lee in his hotel room at a Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

According to court documents given to mitu: “During her first massage session, Lee began to fondle himself while lying face down; later, while Ms. Carballo was massaging his quadriceps, Lee began to moan and groan. Feeling uncomfortable, Ms. Carballo ended the massage early and left the hotel room.”

Carballo was then asked to return the following day to give Lee another massage. She alleges that he apologized to her, and she agreed to conduct the massage mostly out of fear of losing her job.

The suit alleges that one hour into the massage, “Lee, again, began moaning. In order to create distance from Lee, Ms. Carballo performed a Shiatsu massage, in which hands are replaced by feet. Within minutes, Lee took her foot and moved it against his genitals. Once Ms. Carballo freed herself from his grip, she promptly gathered her belongings and left.”

Carballo’s complaint contains five counts, including assault, battery, violation of the Illinois Gender Violence Act, emotional distress and civil conspiracy.

Massage therapist accuses Stan Lee of Marvel Comics of inappropriate sexual behavior during arranged massages at Chicago hotel in 2017, according to lawsuit filed in Cook County circuit court https://t.co/aACVSg0YH0 pic.twitter.com/MgfzzbTttt

— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) April 24, 2018

The suit also shows that records prove Lee was in Chicago that weekend as he was attending the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo at the McCormick Place convention center.

Carballo is also suing Lee’s assistant Mac Anderson, and is asking for more than $50,000.

“He is a high-profile public figure and I think it’s a shakedown,” Jonathan Freund, an attorney for Lee, told The Chicago Tribune, in response to the claim. “The guy is 95, I don’t think he would do that.”

Lee has been accused of similar actions before. Earlier this year, an unnamed source said that Lee had behaved sexually inappropriately.

“The report states a company that once provided Lee with professional nurses who gave him 24/7 home care terminated their business with Lee late last year, and that the parting of ways came after multiple nurses complained Lee allegedly propositioned them for sex, touched them inappropriately, and exposed himself to them,” Gizmodo reports.

Carballo says she didn’t come forward with her claims earlier because she was afraid.

Stan Lee is suing his ex-business manager, alleging fraud and elder abuse https://t.co/wwL4Tmvdyd pic.twitter.com/kNYaGMPh8K

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) April 16, 2018

“For a long time, I was afraid to ask anyone to help me hold Mr. Lee accountable for how he treated me,” Carbello said in a released statement. “He is rich and famous. I am not. After seeing other women fight to be treated with dignity and respect, I decided, me too. I am still nervous and afraid, but not as much as I was before because I have other people helping me.”

Carballo’s attorney, Alexandra Lopez of Cunningham Lopez LLP, also released the following statement: “Women all over the country, especially women in the hotel and service industry, have experienced the pain and embarrassment of being treated like chattel. Whether the men are powerful and influential like Stan Lee, Donald Trump or Bill Cosby, or just everyday businessmen, women deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Maria knows that she is in for the fight of her life, and we intend to battle with her every step of the way.”

The allegations against Lee dropped on the same day that he attended “Avengers: Infinity War” movie premiere.

Stan Lee making his way down the #InfinityWarPremiere carpet. pic.twitter.com/N5TlRVDo65

— Karen Civil (@KarenCivil) April 24, 2018

Lee’s appearance at the red carpet premiere of “Avengers: Infinity War” caught fans’ attention. The comic legend attended the event in a motorized wheelchair on the same day sexual assault allegations went public.

READ: In Front Of Nearly 20,000 Fans At La Conque, Stan Lee Announced That He’s Developing A New Latino Superhero

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