MAKE THE CALL TO PASS OUR BILL

After years of hard work and dedicated support from across the country, we have arrived at a critical moment for our campaign. On July 27th, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed our legislation to create a National Museum of the American Latino! 

However, we still have work to do. We must pass this legislation in the US Senate!

The time is now – we’ve never been closer to seeing this museum become a reality. Will you call your Senator and urge them to cosponsor S1267 to create a #LatinoMuseumNow?

Thanks to your phone calls, letters, and messages across social media, the National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R. 2420 / S. 1267) was unanimously passed in the House and has over 40 bipartisan co-sponsors in the Senate. Make the call today to ensure YOUR Senator supports legislation so we can make our vision a reality.

Pick up the phone and call your Senator by following these three easy steps:

  1. Enter your zip code or address into the form on the right.
  2. If your Senator’s phone number is not provided, call the U.S. Senate switchboard operator at (202) 224-3121 to get transferred to your designated office.
  3. Ask your Senator to support the National American Latino Museum Act (script below):

“Hello my name is (______) and as your constituent, I urge you to support the National American Latino Museum Act. I believe the creation of this museum is long overdue, and I believe it can educate, inspire, and encourage understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. (insert what an American Latino Museum would mean to you).

I hope I can count on you to co-sponsor and support the passage of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum Act, S. 1267, and make this museum a reality.”

2

Locate Your State Representatives

ex: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20500

First-Ever National Latino Museum Congressional Hearing

Latinos are the most underrepresented ethnic group in the entire Smithsonian institution counted as both staff and collections. By its own admission, its 1994 Willful Willful Neglect report showed that the Smithsonian Institution has drastically left out the contributions of American Latinos, and 25 years later, the UCLA report Invisible No More showed that very little progress has been made.

After 25 years of fighting for this museum, we are now closer than ever to making it a reality. As of October 13th, the bill has 242 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House and 25 in the Senate– the highest numbers ever.

On Thursday, October 17, we celebrated a historic milestone in our campaign for a museum: the first-ever Congressional hearing on a Smithsonian National American Latino Museum on our National Mall.

The hearing was a major step forward and if our bill was up to a vote today, our museum would pass the House easily as we now have 242 bipartisan cosponsors, and things look good in the Senate with 25 bipartisan cosponsors and growing.

Our mission is simple: to tell the stories of the American Latino community, and ensure that those stories have a permanent home for every American to better understand the diversity that exists at the root of our founding. This year, we are closer than ever to our goal of creating a National American Latino Museum to preserve and celebrate our heritage, but we need your help.

Quotes from the standing-room only hearing:

“Latinos have been a part of the United States for generations. The only way we can erase racism is through understanding and through knowledge. That is what Latino Museum would create.”

~ Dolores Huerta, President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation

“The Smithsonian’s failure to include Latinos perpetuates an inaccurate belief that the American Latino community has not contributed to our country.”

~ Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM)

“Latino history is treated like a scavenger hunt in our educational system and in our Smithsonian system.”

~ Representative Tony Cardenas (D-CA)

“I’m worried about the time factor now, I’d like to see it finished before I go.”

~ Representative Don Young (R-AK)

THE RESEARCH SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE & THE NEED

The contributions of American Latinos to this nation date back to even before its creation, and we are committed to rightfully honoring those stories with a national institution.

Currently there are over 50.5 million Americans of Latino descent in this country, representing more than 16% of the U.S. population. The passing of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum is vital for the development of this growing population that is estimated to total 25% of the U.S. population by 2050.

WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE
TRACK THE BILL at CONGRESS.GOV

We are next: It has already been over 7 years since our commission completed its work. The time is now.

We must be on the National Mall: The National Mall is America’s front yard, welcoming more than 24 million visitors each year. This is the place that landmark museums such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture currently call home, showing these visitors the contributions of all the peoples that built this great nation. It is where we belong.

We must have the same funding structure as all other Smithsonians: Like all Smithsonian museums before it, this museum will utilize public funds, but not without significant private investment. Private gifts are currently projected to be 50% of the construction costs for our Museum.