On September 16, Wanda Diaz became the first Latina postmaster of Manhattan, entering the position before the historical James A. Farley Post Office Building.

Before becoming postmaster, Diaz had spent over 25 years working for the USPS, working her way up from the position of Letter Carrier when she began working in the Bronx in 1996.

As she worked her way up the ranks, she has served as supervisor and manager for the Morningside Heights and Throggs Neck Post Offices.

The position of postmaster has existed since 1659, back when the city was under Dutch rule. Diaz will be serving as the 46th postmaster and just the third woman in its 363-year history.

“As a carrier I said — one day I’m going to be a postmaster, but it’s real far away, right? But working hard, people recognize me, and yes, I am,” said Diaz during Friday’s ceremony.

Latinos are the largest minority group in Manhattan, making up approximately 23.8% of the population at 2.49 million Hispanics across the area, of which Diaz and her family joined from Puerto Rico in 1975.

“She is an example of what many single women or women or people that come from difficult neighborhoods, what they can do when you have courage and you press on,” said Jeanette Diaz-Hernandez, Diaz’s sister-in-law, during the ceremony.

USPS spokesperson Xavier Hernandez made a statement on the historic nature of the position Diaz was taking on and the long legacy it holds.

“The person is responsible for all the deliveries to every single address in their given area and all of the postal operations that happen inside a post office,” he added.

In her new role, Diaz will be supported by 4,000 employees working in 66 offices and 55 retail locations across the 22.83 square mile area. She will oversee the handling of the post office’s 7-days a week deliveries of mail, ballots, checks, and packages for the area’s 8.8 million customers.