Rev. Aimee García Cortese
Pentecostal Pioneer | Church Planter | Multicultural Ministry Trailblazer

Born on May 26, 1929, in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Aimee García Cortese was named after the famed Pentecostal evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson—perhaps a prophetic nod to the bold ministry she would one day embody. Raised in a culturally rich and spiritually vibrant household, her father, a Pentecostal minister, was a constant source of encouragement and support in her spiritual journey.

At the young age of fifteen, Aimee discerned a call to ministry. When she shared her calling with a local minister, he dismissed her by saying, “Las mujeres no predican” (Women do not preach). But the fire within her could not be extinguished. With her father’s unwavering support, she pursued theological education at the Hispanic American Bible School in New York City and later at Central Bible College (CBC) of the Assemblies of God.

She was licensed to preach in 1951, making her one of the early Latina Pentecostal women to be officially recognized in ministry. Undeterred by institutional barriers, she would go on to receive ordination through the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1964 and again through the Assemblies of God in 1974—an extraordinary feat at a time when few women, especially women of color, were granted such positions.

In 1983, Rev. Cortese founded Crossroads Tabernacle Church of the Assemblies of God in the South Bronx—an area marked by poverty, systemic neglect, and spiritual hunger. What began as a modest gathering of faithful believers grew into a thriving, multicultural church with over 1,500 members by the 1990s. Under her pastoral leadership, Crossroads became a beacon of hope, healing, and empowerment, especially for marginalized communities. She was known not only for her dynamic preaching but also for her fierce commitment to racial reconciliation, women’s leadership, and holistic urban ministry.

Rev. Aimee García Cortese broke barriers in every season of her life. She discipled generations of leaders, provided pastoral care to thousands, and boldly lived out her call at a time when the church often failed to affirm women in leadership—especially Latinas. Her life is a testament to what it means to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction in the face of cultural resistance and institutional exclusion.

She transitioned to her heavenly reward on December 12, 2021, leaving behind a rich legacy of faith, justice, and Pentecostal fire. Her story, once hidden, is now being unearthed as part of this holy work of remembrance and restoration.