Hidden Figures began as Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Ríos’s master’s project at Union Theological Seminary. A labor of love that sought to uncover and honor the overlooked spiritual matriarchs of the Pentecostal movement in the Northeast.

What started as an academic exploration has now evolved into a living, expanding storytelling and historical preservation project, dedicated to chronicling the lives of religious leaders, both women and men, whose faith bore callouses (“fe con callos”) because it worked, served, and struggled alongside the people.

Rooted in the legacy of Rev. Dr. Leoncia “Mama Leo” Rosado Rousseau, a towering yet often underacknowledged figure in urban Pentecostal history, Hidden Figures seeks to carry forward her spirit of justice, compassion, and prophetic presence. Mama Leo’s unwavering commitment to the poor, her leadership in the streets of New York, and her bold embodiment of faith and liberation inspired generations. Yet, like so many others, her story and the stories of so many others are seldom found in official church archives or theological textbooks.

This site exists to help change that a bit.

Hidden Figures honors the lives and ministries of religious Latiné leaders—pastors, evangelists, organizers, and community builders—whose faith transformed neighborhoods, challenged oppressive systems, and raised up new generations of leaders. Though many remain unknown to the academy, their impact continues to echo through the lives they touched and the communities they rebuilt.

It’s time their stories take center stage.