The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund was founded in 1972 as a non-profit organization[REF] by three lawyers, Jorge Batista, Victor Marrero, and Cesar A. Perales,[REF][REF] with Perales the fund's first president [REF].
The fund's first lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Hispanic educational improvement organization ASPIRA in an action against the New York City Board of Education [REF].