[5] Amaya-Bonilla went to the United States in May 1964 from Honduras originally going to Fort Worth, Texas, where she worked as a housekeeper until moving to New York City.
[2][9] In January 1989, Amaya-Bonilla, Mirtha Sabio, and Lydia Sacasa-Hill, and others founded an organization called MUGAMA, to recognize the contributions of Garifunan women's accomplishments.
[6] MUGAMA held conferences and provided recognition within the community, gained non-profit status, and worked to help people get their General Equivalency Diploma and English as a second or foreign language, and U.S. citizenship.
[9] In 1991, MUGAMA was a sponsor of the First Intercontinental Garifuna Summit Meeting conference that was held at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York.
The event was the first of its kind to bring Garifuna people from the United States together to have a political and cultural exchange of resources and establish a large community gathering.