WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:04.640 I think someone we know isn't here. 2 00:00:04.680 --> 00:00:06.920 Oh yeah, and we know this person, I think pretty well. 3 00:00:07.560 --> 00:00:11.600 It's a Wednesday morning in June. The Smithsonian's National Museum 4 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:15.960 of American History in Washington, DC is mostly empty right now. 5 00:00:16.520 --> 00:00:19.040 Its doors won't open to the public for another hour 6 00:00:19.079 --> 00:00:22.439 and a half. But my colleague Alexandra Salasard and I 7 00:00:22.520 --> 00:00:26.360 cut early access today, so we're here, and so is 8 00:00:26.360 --> 00:00:29.960 our boss. Well kind of yeah, that's Maria. 9 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:30.640 That's fun. 10 00:00:31.720 --> 00:00:34.400 She's standing there with hoop earrings and her red lipstick. 11 00:00:35.680 --> 00:00:39.479 Okay, so she isn't actually here here, but she's on 12 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:41.720 a screen in front of us, dressed in a black 13 00:00:41.800 --> 00:00:45.840 jump student heels, welcoming us to a groundbreaking new exhibition 14 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.879 called Presente a Latino History of the United States. And 15 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:52.559 now I'm standing here with Ray, my colleague. You just 16 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:56.240 heard from Renaldo Lanos Junior, and we're face to face 17 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:58.800 with the life size video of Marie no Josa. 18 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:02.200 Hey, Maria. 19 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.160 Maria is one of about a dozen Latinos and Latinas 20 00:01:05.240 --> 00:01:09.160 featured in this exhibition for their work in the Latino community. 21 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:14.800 I'm she pops up on screens in the center of 22 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:19.480 the gallery space, along with others a nurse, an immigration activist. 23 00:01:19.720 --> 00:01:21.080 Other journalists like her. 24 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.000 It's kind of funny. We usually don't have Maria watching 25 00:01:25.080 --> 00:01:28.280 us while we're out working as producers for Latino USA. 26 00:01:29.080 --> 00:01:32.959 Vicente's house in the Molina Latino Family Gallery. It's in 27 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.360 the Museum of American History, and it's the Smithsonian's first 28 00:01:36.360 --> 00:01:40.920 permanent space dedicated to the Latino experience in the United States. 29 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.760 That alone is something remarkable. But we're here to cover 30 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.440 the opening of the show mainly because it's a precursor 31 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:50.080 of something big to come. 32 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:52.760 Thank you all for being here today and helping us 33 00:01:52.800 --> 00:01:55.880 celebrate this moment. To stay today, we celebrate this new gallery, 34 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:59.600 and soon we'll celebrate an entire museum dedicate to the 35 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:02.400 rich and vibrant history of the American Latino. 36 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:07.400 That's Corges Amnillo. He's the inaugural director of the upcoming museum. 37 00:02:07.440 --> 00:02:11.959 He's talking about the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino, 38 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:16.760 and Presente is a major step towards that museum. 39 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:19.320 Like our democracy, we're all part of this new museum. 40 00:02:19.600 --> 00:02:21.480 I hope you enjoy the exhibit, and due course, I 41 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.760 look forward to seeing you all at the new National 42 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.639 Museum of the American Latino. Thank you. 43 00:02:33.880 --> 00:02:38.040 Fro Fudro Media and RX It's Latino USA. I'm Maria 44 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.480 jo Jrosa. Today we trace the origins of the National 45 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:44.880 Museum of the American Latino and how it's starting to 46 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:54.480 take shape. Museums are political spaces. They carry a big 47 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:59.920 responsibility to decide which stories and artifacts to preserve across generation. 48 00:03:00.880 --> 00:03:04.480 Over time, they helped define our social and cultural identities. 49 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:08.480 The Smithsonian Institution is no exception, home to some of 50 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:13.120 our biggest national museums. The Smithsonian strives to capture the 51 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:17.760 history and culture of the entire United States, but that's 52 00:03:18.040 --> 00:03:23.240 easier said than done. The institution has repeatedly failed to 53 00:03:23.320 --> 00:03:26.639 fulfill its mission in the past, especially when it comes 54 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:32.120 to honoring and spotlighting black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous people. Now, 55 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:37.720 nearly two centuries after the Smithsonian was founded, its roster 56 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:42.120 is expanding to include the National Museum of the American Latino. 57 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:49.600 Getting here was decades in the making. In nineteen ninety four, 58 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:54.080 the Smithsonian released a report called Willful Neglect, which found 59 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:57.640 that Latinos and Latinas were left out in nearly every 60 00:03:57.880 --> 00:04:02.720 aspect of the Smithsonian's operation. The report made waves, and 61 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:06.320 it sparked a campaign to create a national museum for 62 00:04:06.440 --> 00:04:11.360 Latinos and Latinas. After two decades, in late twenty twenty, 63 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:15.800 Congress finally approved the creation of the National Museum of 64 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:20.679 the American Latino. The National Museum of the American Latino 65 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:24.840 doesn't even have a building yet, and it's not expected 66 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:27.760 to open to the public for at least another decade. 67 00:04:28.320 --> 00:04:32.040 But the museum is already making moves. A founding director, 68 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:36.440 a board, and some core staff have been hired, and 69 00:04:36.640 --> 00:04:41.279 it's even debuted its first show. It's already creating a 70 00:04:41.320 --> 00:04:44.479 foundation that the rest of the institution will be built 71 00:04:44.520 --> 00:04:48.200 off of, and that calls for some scrutiny. 72 00:04:49.080 --> 00:04:50.080 Full disclosure. 73 00:04:50.440 --> 00:04:54.600 Yes, I was interviewed and featured in the museum's latest show, Precente, 74 00:04:54.880 --> 00:04:58.240 because of my work as a Latina journalist, but I 75 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:00.680 haven't been involved with the project in any other way, 76 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.640 and neither has my team, and I haven't been involved 77 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:09.320 in reporting out this story. So with that said, how 78 00:05:09.400 --> 00:05:14.840 do you create a National Latino Museum? Latino USA producers 79 00:05:14.880 --> 00:05:20.560 Alexandra Salasad and Reinaldo Junior trace how years of advocacy 80 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:23.279 led us to this moment. And they're going to explore 81 00:05:23.320 --> 00:05:29.680 how the museum takes its first steps towards becoming a reality. 82 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:34.640 We walk into the Smithsonian's Museum of American History and 83 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.720 we're welcomed by the word Precente. It's in all caps, 84 00:05:37.960 --> 00:05:40.080 cut out of a large black panel at the entrance 85 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:44.760 of Molina Gallery. Precenta's mission is to showcase how Latino 86 00:05:44.880 --> 00:05:49.760 history is American history. That's a significant challenge, and the 87 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:53.719 show's ambition becomes even clearer when we go inside because 88 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:58.000 the gallery isn't that big. It's basically one large room, 89 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.800 a modest size for a gallery meant to tell centries 90 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:06.839 of LATINX narratives. Colorful artifacts hang on the wall. The 91 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:10.039 first piece that greets us is this bright red dance 92 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.839 outfit from New Mexico used in ceremonies honoring Native people 93 00:06:13.880 --> 00:06:14.520 from the region. 94 00:06:14.640 --> 00:06:18.719 And this is like this really beautiful dress with fringe 95 00:06:19.200 --> 00:06:20.440 and feathers. 96 00:06:20.080 --> 00:06:22.880 And beadwork behind it. There's like, you know, there's a 97 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:27.440 videoplane of people who are you know, who are dancing 98 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:30.880 and playing with some of their music as well. 99 00:06:31.080 --> 00:06:31.240 More. 100 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:34.640 Items, over two hundred of them placed around the gallery 101 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:40.120 tell stories of migration, colonialism, political movements and LATINX culture. 102 00:06:40.520 --> 00:06:44.040 There's a registration form from eighteen sixty seven for Enslaved 103 00:06:44.080 --> 00:06:48.360 Persons in Puerto Rico. A nineteenth century printing press evoking 104 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:52.120 the work of LATINX journalists and writers who documented historic 105 00:06:52.200 --> 00:06:56.200 moments like the Mexican American War. Tiny makeshift raft made 106 00:06:56.200 --> 00:07:00.400 of found materials like wood and styrofoam. Cuban refugee used 107 00:07:00.440 --> 00:07:02.680 it to make a two hundred and fifteen mile journey 108 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:06.320 to the US back in the nineties. An old skateboard 109 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:09.800 and vintage punk music records. A backpack and sneakers worn 110 00:07:09.840 --> 00:07:14.480 by migrants, construction hats and graduation caps, protest signs, and 111 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:18.600 statuettes of Catholic saints. In other settings, these pieces might 112 00:07:18.640 --> 00:07:23.040 be dismissed as small everyday items. Now they sit under 113 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:26.720 spotlights in a national gallery space, each offering a small 114 00:07:26.760 --> 00:07:31.000 gateway to another person's life. Ray and I walk up 115 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:33.280 to a sculpture. As we take in the piece, we 116 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:35.800 get to speak with Henry Munos, the chairman of the 117 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.400 board for the National Museum of the American Latino. 118 00:07:39.400 --> 00:07:43.120 If you made me pick one thing in this entire gallery, 119 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:48.520 I would pick the Tree of Life by Mayestra Edonica Castillo. 120 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:51.520 I just think it's beautiful. 121 00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:54.720 The Tree of Life arbol de la vida in Spanish 122 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:58.880 Lada is a popular kind of sculpture found throughout Mexico 123 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:02.880 and inspired by the Biblical Tree of Life. Betonica's version 124 00:08:02.880 --> 00:08:05.600 here looks like a multi colored skeleton of a tree 125 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:09.760 made of clay. Small figurines of LATINX icon's rest on 126 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:14.240 its branches, like labor organizers the Lorees Wuerta and Emmatena Yuka, 127 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:19.120 Supreme Court Justice Sonya Soto, major baseball player Mariano Rivera, 128 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:21.280 artist Anna Mendieta. 129 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:26.360 I just think it's fantastic. It's got the LGBTQ community. 130 00:08:26.440 --> 00:08:30.320 Look at the astronauts. The storytelling is just fantastic. 131 00:08:30.760 --> 00:08:33.400 Henry has been involved with public efforts to create a 132 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:38.040 national LATINX museum for close to thirty years, basically since 133 00:08:38.040 --> 00:08:41.320 the Wilful Neglect Report revealed the lack of Latinx representation 134 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:42.439 within the Smithsonian. 135 00:08:43.160 --> 00:08:46.640 I'm one of those people who's been waiting five hundred 136 00:08:46.679 --> 00:08:48.280 years for this to happen. 137 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.240 Henri's frustration over the slow moving process of making a 138 00:08:52.280 --> 00:09:02.880 new museum echoes across the Smithsonian's history for example, the 139 00:09:02.920 --> 00:09:06.520 creation of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian 140 00:09:06.920 --> 00:09:14.160 wasn't approved until November nineteen eighty nine, Yes, nineteen eighty nine. 141 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:16.880 For more than a decade prior, Native American tribes and 142 00:09:16.920 --> 00:09:20.640 activists were publicly calling out museums across the country for 143 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:24.800 stealing the bones and artifacts of their ancestors. At the 144 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:27.880 center of it all was the Smithsonian, which was holding 145 00:09:27.920 --> 00:09:32.840 the skeletal remains of approximately eighteen thousand Native Americans. In 146 00:09:32.880 --> 00:09:37.120 September nineteen eighty nine, the Smithsonian finally agreed to repatriat 147 00:09:37.160 --> 00:09:41.679 remains to their respective tribes, a process that's still ongoing today. 148 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.920 That same year, legislation to create a National Museum of 149 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.880 the American Indian under the Smithsonian was introduced and passed 150 00:09:48.920 --> 00:09:52.040 in Congress. Fifteen years later, in two thousand and four, 151 00:09:52.520 --> 00:09:55.480 the museum in Washington, d c. Finally opened its doors. 152 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.360 Following generations of exclusion and theft from Native Americans, it 153 00:10:00.400 --> 00:10:03.480 took the institution about one hundred and fifty years to 154 00:10:03.640 --> 00:10:06.800 highlight the people whose land its museums stand on to 155 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:14.280 begin with. Another example is the most recent Smithsonian museum, 156 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:19.000 the National Museum of African American history and culture literally 157 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:22.439 took a century to become a reality. Black Civil War 158 00:10:22.520 --> 00:10:25.600 veterans proposed the idea for a monument or memorial for 159 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.880 African Americans in nineteen fifteen, and a bill was introduced 160 00:10:29.880 --> 00:10:32.559 to Congress a year later, but the idea would take 161 00:10:32.640 --> 00:10:35.640 years to garner political support, and even when it looked 162 00:10:35.640 --> 00:10:38.840 like it might happen every few decades or so, Congress 163 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:42.040 wouldn't allot enough funding to the project. An iteration of 164 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:46.400 that legislation with partial funding was finally approved by Congress 165 00:10:46.400 --> 00:10:48.599 in two thousand and three, and the museum opened to 166 00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:54.440 the public over a decade later in twenty sixteen. Like 167 00:10:54.520 --> 00:10:58.000 these other museums, Henry believes a National Latino Museum is 168 00:10:58.040 --> 00:11:02.319 a chance to capture the very and varied roles Latinos 169 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:04.200 have played in shaping this country. 170 00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:06.480 Our people have been here since before there was a 171 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:11.040 United States of America, and so this gallery has an 172 00:11:11.040 --> 00:11:14.800 opportunity to create cultural understanding at a moment in our 173 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:16.800 country's history where we really need it. 174 00:11:17.520 --> 00:11:21.079 Henry has spent decades working with the Smithsonian. He served 175 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:23.800 on its national Board, and he eventually became the chairman 176 00:11:23.880 --> 00:11:27.600 of the Latino Center. The Smithsonian's response to its infamous report. 177 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.080 Henry's a big donor too. His name is on the 178 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:34.640 wall at the entrance of the Precenta exhibition. It represents 179 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.480 what he's been advocating for all these years. 180 00:11:38.040 --> 00:11:41.280 So the fact that it took, you know, thirty years 181 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:45.200 of educating not just the members of Congress but the 182 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:51.400 public about the importance of this museum is that's just 183 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:54.360 the way it is. And I'm glad that we're here today, 184 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:56.200 and I hope I'm here long enough to see the 185 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:00.000 opening of the doors of the National Museum of American. 186 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:05.719 Henry mentions Congress because way before the creation of a 187 00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:09.760 Latino museum was even a possibility, the battle to try 188 00:12:09.800 --> 00:12:12.400 to make that happen took place on Capitol Hill. 189 00:12:13.160 --> 00:12:16.880 My name is Ileana Ross Clayton, and and I was 190 00:12:16.920 --> 00:12:21.840 a member of Congress for almost thirty years representing South Florida. 191 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:24.360 Ileana was born in Cuba and then moved to the 192 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:27.400 US when she was just eight years old. She was 193 00:12:27.400 --> 00:12:30.520 elected to Congress over thirty years ago as a Republican. 194 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:34.520 As a congresswoman, Ilana says she formerly started pushing for 195 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:38.000 a Latino museum back in two thousand and four, but 196 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:41.440 she admits she saw the need for this much much sooner. 197 00:12:41.920 --> 00:12:44.960 But when I got elected in nineteen eighty nine, my 198 00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:48.200 children were very young, and I would take them to 199 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:52.559 these beautiful museums that we have here in Washington, d c. 200 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:57.160 And part of the Smithsonian Collage of museums, and I 201 00:12:57.200 --> 00:13:00.439 would always be amazed that there was never any any 202 00:13:00.520 --> 00:13:05.720 section or any museum devoted to the growing impact of 203 00:13:06.160 --> 00:13:09.640 Hispanic communities throughout the United States. And I said, Wow, 204 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.840 that's really missing. You know, maybe we should do something 205 00:13:12.880 --> 00:13:14.920 about that. There's a real void. 206 00:13:18.760 --> 00:13:22.840 To understand why Ileanna, a congresswoman, needed to get involved 207 00:13:22.880 --> 00:13:25.440 in this issue, we have to first understand that the 208 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:29.520 Smithsonian is actually part of the federal government. It's granted 209 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:33.480 authority over its own grounds and buildings, but it depends 210 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:37.480 on Congress for some funding and the authorization of major 211 00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:42.479 projects projects like a National Latino Museum, and the Smithsonian 212 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:47.040 is in part funded by US US taxpayers. In twenty 213 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:50.360 twenty one, more than sixty percent of the institution's funding 214 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:56.120 came from the federal government. Creating a National Latino Museum 215 00:13:56.360 --> 00:14:00.760 became a legislative priority for Ileana and started working on 216 00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:05.880 it with former Congressman Jose Serrano, a Democrat from New York. First, 217 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:08.240 they needed to figure out what to call it. 218 00:14:08.640 --> 00:14:11.880 We fussed about whether it should be called Hispanic, American, 219 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.720 or Latino, I mean, Jos, all kinds of words that 220 00:14:14.760 --> 00:14:17.760 you could throw out as to who we were. And 221 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.680 finally it was settled on the National Museum of the 222 00:14:20.760 --> 00:14:22.080 American Latino. 223 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:25.360 Then it was time to draft some legislation. 224 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:30.680 Jose and I filed a bill that would create a 225 00:14:30.800 --> 00:14:37.440 commission to study whether we could have such a museum. 226 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:42.040 They couldn't introduce legislation to create a National Latino Museum 227 00:14:42.400 --> 00:14:46.320 without formally exploring the possibility first. After several years of 228 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:49.280 pushing for it, the creation of the commission was approved 229 00:14:49.280 --> 00:14:51.680 at the tail end of George W. Bush's time in 230 00:14:51.760 --> 00:14:55.000 office in two thousand and eight. The commission wouldn't actually 231 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:58.480 be formed until a year later under the Obama administration. 232 00:14:59.600 --> 00:15:03.120 Remember Henry Munos, now the chairman of the National Museum 233 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:06.840 of the American Latino. He was also the person chosen 234 00:15:06.920 --> 00:15:09.840 to lead this commission. This is Henry talking at a 235 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.440 two thousand and nine press conference about the work ahead. 236 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:15.760 I want to say that at this moment in our 237 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:19.720 nation's history, the appointment of a commission that is composed 238 00:15:19.800 --> 00:15:23.440 of citizen members of people who will volunteer their time 239 00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:25.640 over the course of the next year to look at 240 00:15:25.640 --> 00:15:30.400 the location, the concepts, the collections, and the fundraising to 241 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:33.720 create a National Museum of the American Latino is historic. 242 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:36.640 The group wrapped up and presented its findings to the 243 00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:40.640 President in twenty eleven. The result was what Ileana and 244 00:15:40.680 --> 00:15:45.000 supporting colleagues were hoping for. Building a museum for Latinos 245 00:15:45.040 --> 00:15:49.360 on the National Mall was possible and vital. Anything less 246 00:15:49.520 --> 00:15:50.440 would fall short. 247 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.120 Once we had that, then we wanted to actually build 248 00:15:54.160 --> 00:15:58.240 the museum. Oh boy, it's a task worthy of hercules. 249 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:03.960 But in twenty seven we introduced the National Museum of 250 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.320 the American Latino Act. And I'm sorry to give you 251 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:10.880 such a chronology, but it's been quite a struggle. 252 00:16:11.160 --> 00:16:14.560 The bill had a surprising amount of bipartisans support behind it, 253 00:16:14.920 --> 00:16:18.840 especially from Senators and House members who represented areas with 254 00:16:19.040 --> 00:16:23.480 large LATINX populations. The National Latino Museum was backed by 255 00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:28.200 people like then California Congressman Javiert Becera. Today he's President 256 00:16:28.280 --> 00:16:31.480 Biden's Secretary of Health and Human Services. 257 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.840 If you walk through the mall of the nation's capital, 258 00:16:34.280 --> 00:16:38.160 you can come out understanding better than any place also 259 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:40.120 the world, what it means to be an American. But 260 00:16:40.760 --> 00:16:43.880 once you finish that walk through all those museums along 261 00:16:43.920 --> 00:16:46.080 the mall, you don't have a complete picture. 262 00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:49.880 Former Senator Ken Salas out of Colorado and Senator Bob 263 00:16:49.920 --> 00:16:54.160 Menendez of New Jersey, both Democrats, supported the museum, and 264 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:58.000 some Republican heavyweights also through their support behind it. The 265 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.240 late Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah was an early proponent, 266 00:17:01.760 --> 00:17:06.040 and Texas Senator John Cornyn helped introduce the final legislation 267 00:17:06.119 --> 00:17:09.200 that would make the museum official. But it wasn't all 268 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:09.959 smooth sailing. 269 00:17:10.320 --> 00:17:13.600 There were many moments where we thought, oh my goodness, 270 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.480 this is just never going to get off the ground. 271 00:17:19.280 --> 00:17:23.120 There were many arguments against creating a National Latino Museum, 272 00:17:23.560 --> 00:17:27.119 things like it was too expensive or too political. There 273 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:30.760 were also objections to building on the National Mall. One 274 00:17:30.800 --> 00:17:34.440 line of thinking from several people in Congress was that, oh, 275 00:17:34.560 --> 00:17:37.760 if we give Latinos a museum, then every quote unquote 276 00:17:37.760 --> 00:17:41.520 minority group is going to want one. Another popular suggestion 277 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:45.480 among those not in favor was instead of a Latino museum, 278 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.200 Why not a national immigration museum. Wouldn't that be more 279 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:53.520 inclusive of other communities. Here's Utah Senator Mike Lee, who 280 00:17:53.560 --> 00:17:57.440 at one point blocked legislation to create a National Latino Museum. 281 00:17:57.760 --> 00:17:59.920 But the last thing we need is to further do 282 00:18:00.560 --> 00:18:04.840 an already divided nation with an array of segregated, separate, 283 00:18:04.840 --> 00:18:08.320 but equal museums for hyphenated identity groups. 284 00:18:08.520 --> 00:18:10.760 It was an ongoing tug of war, and the bill 285 00:18:10.840 --> 00:18:13.600 kept getting bogged down and kicked off the floor for 286 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:18.000 many years. Then December twenty twenty came along. We were 287 00:18:18.040 --> 00:18:21.920 in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, and political tensions 288 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:25.800 in the US were reaching all time highs. Congress was 289 00:18:25.800 --> 00:18:30.359 on the verge of passing COVID nineteen relief legislation. So 290 00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:34.080 Iliana and her colleagues decided to attach their bill for 291 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:38.320 a National Latino Museum to this larger package. It was 292 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:41.800 a tactical move, she says. They knew the COVID legislation 293 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:46.639 had to pass, and it finally did on December twenty seven, 294 00:18:46.920 --> 00:18:50.800 twenty twenty. The National Latino Museum was wrapped up in 295 00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:55.080 a nearly nine hundred billion dollars COVID nineteen relief package 296 00:18:55.440 --> 00:18:59.400 like a trojan horse. Ilana says, the Trump administration took 297 00:18:59.440 --> 00:18:59.920 it in strike. 298 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:03.480 I guess some people would think that it was ironic, 299 00:19:03.800 --> 00:19:07.359 but actually the Trump administration did not fight this bill 300 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:07.720 at all. 301 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:15.800 The President's signature greenlit the creation of the National Museum 302 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:19.200 of the American Latino. It also approved its funding model. 303 00:19:19.560 --> 00:19:21.920 Half of the money would come from Congress and half 304 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:25.080 would need to be fundraised from private donors. It's the 305 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:28.280 same funding model the National Museum of African American History 306 00:19:28.280 --> 00:19:31.880 and Culture used. The cost of the National Latino Museum 307 00:19:32.040 --> 00:19:34.479 is projected to be anywhere between six hundred to eight 308 00:19:34.560 --> 00:19:38.800 hundred million dollars, though that's subject to change. The museum 309 00:19:38.840 --> 00:19:41.760 is going to need some big funders, which often means 310 00:19:41.760 --> 00:19:47.399 big companies. Walmart, Microsoft, Wells, Fargo, Bank of America, and 311 00:19:47.520 --> 00:19:50.960 Coca Cola are among those that have already pledged some millions. 312 00:19:51.800 --> 00:19:54.560 Along with securing its funding, the museum also needs to 313 00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:57.960 find its home. The location is highly contested right now, 314 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:00.720 either to be on the National Mall from the National 315 00:20:00.760 --> 00:20:03.960 Museum of African American History and Culture or on a 316 00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:08.240 different site. And then there's the question of staffing and curation, 317 00:20:08.560 --> 00:20:11.960 and along that process building an institution for the future 318 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:17.639 that is representative of everyone in the LATINX community, cross generations, race, gender, 319 00:20:17.800 --> 00:20:27.600 and nationality. Easy, right, Yeah. Brecente started to give life 320 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:31.280 to the National Museum of the American Latino, and as 321 00:20:31.320 --> 00:20:35.639 this space becomes more and more tangible, more real, people 322 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:39.280 within the community are starting to ask whose stories are 323 00:20:39.280 --> 00:20:41.880 going to be on its walls and floors and who 324 00:20:42.560 --> 00:20:45.879 might be left out. Here's Henry Munos, the chairman of 325 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:47.360 the board for the Latino Museum. 326 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:51.280 Again, well it's a queer brown chairman of the National 327 00:20:51.320 --> 00:20:54.520 Museum of the American Latino. I would say that museums 328 00:20:54.520 --> 00:21:00.720 have always their strongest when there are places of conversation, 329 00:21:01.280 --> 00:21:05.040 and those conversations are not always easy. And this is 330 00:21:05.080 --> 00:21:08.800 the beginning of this process. So I would say, come 331 00:21:08.840 --> 00:21:09.160 on in. 332 00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:14.439 Who gets to be part of the National Museum of 333 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.960 the American Latino, both behind the scenes and on display. 334 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:24.040 That question hangs in the balance as this institution begins 335 00:21:24.080 --> 00:22:01.720 to take shape. Stay with us, Yes, hey, we're back. 336 00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:04.520 When we left off, we heard from some of the 337 00:22:04.600 --> 00:22:07.639 people that were trying to make the National Museum of 338 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.840 the American Latino a reality now as efforts to build 339 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:15.800 it are underway. We're going to dive behind the scenes 340 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:19.439 to try to understand the vision of this museum and 341 00:22:19.560 --> 00:22:23.080 how crucial it is to include different voices in the process. 342 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:27.879 At Wadalodas is giving us a tour of some of 343 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:29.800 its favorite spots in Presente. 344 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:32.560 This has been seven years of a lot of hard work. 345 00:22:32.600 --> 00:22:35.720 We started from nothing. We had no project manager, we 346 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:38.720 had no space, we had no money, you know, but 347 00:22:38.800 --> 00:22:42.040 it was built on a desire to you know, plant 348 00:22:42.040 --> 00:22:42.520 the flag. 349 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:46.320 Until recently, at Watado was the director of the Smithsonian 350 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:50.119 Latino Center. The center has been around since nineteen ninety seven. 351 00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:54.000 It was the Smithsonian's response to its report about Latinos. 352 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.560 At Wadado let the center from two thousand and eight 353 00:22:56.840 --> 00:22:59.360 until it got absorbed into the Museum of the American 354 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:02.840 Latino in the last two years. Eduardo is now the 355 00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:05.320 Museum's acting deputy director. 356 00:23:05.800 --> 00:23:07.600 You know, and I love very much that we're able 357 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:09.560 to tell stories that people don't know about. 358 00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:12.679 Stories like so Theo Figaroa's. 359 00:23:13.760 --> 00:23:16.040 You know, he is the Afro Puerto Rican guy, and 360 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:19.200 of course, you know, we know that Afro Puerto Ricans 361 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.760 didn't have the same access generally speaking to resources, including 362 00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:27.000 quality education on the island. So one of the things 363 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:32.199 that made too Figoa so literate, so committed was he 364 00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:34.960 was a typeesetter. So that's the way he learned and 365 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:36.840 enhances his literacy. 366 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:39.600 So Thato later moved to New York where he founded 367 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:42.960 in Brena America. It was a print shop in Lower 368 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:47.280 Manhattan that produced the Cuban Revolutionary Parties newspaper. He also 369 00:23:47.320 --> 00:23:51.960 contributed to other local Spanish language publications. The hidden histories 370 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:54.920 continue now on the West coast. 371 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:58.639 You see to Puttin the San Gabrielle over here. She 372 00:23:58.920 --> 00:24:03.520 was a stream fighter from the Sungavria Mission, Tongva woman 373 00:24:03.800 --> 00:24:08.800 who was resisting the Spanish imposition of the mission systems 374 00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:12.639 which were essentially it was enslavement. As basically as we 375 00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:16.720 don't know about Purina, right, and there's so many other characters. 376 00:24:16.760 --> 00:24:19.640 So who was the Stevan Nico, right, the first African 377 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:22.360 person to come out to the American continent, Right, it's 378 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:25.520 a slave, a Berber Muslim. And then there's prope that 379 00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:28.359 the Bublo were bolted sixteen eighty that Budha the Spaniards 380 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:30.000 out of what is not Santa Fin. 381 00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:34.359 Eduardo says that a sculpture of Pueblo revolutionary leader Pope 382 00:24:34.840 --> 00:24:38.480 will be the museum's first acquisition in honor of Latino's 383 00:24:38.520 --> 00:24:41.720 indigenous roots. The black and gree piece was made in 384 00:24:41.760 --> 00:24:47.639 twenty eighteen by Pueblo artists Virgil Ortiz. Along with Edwaddo's 385 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:50.359 personal tour, we noticed some more things in the show. 386 00:24:50.840 --> 00:24:54.520 There were artifacts and stories about US expansionism and the 387 00:24:54.560 --> 00:24:58.280 Puerto Rican independence movement. A few steps ahead, there were 388 00:24:58.320 --> 00:25:02.120 displays about Cuban immigration and the history of Texas and Mexico. 389 00:25:02.760 --> 00:25:06.120 There were still some things missing. Latinos hail from more 390 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:09.560 than thirty different countries, and not all of them and 391 00:25:09.600 --> 00:25:13.439 their histories were visible. There also weren't a lot of 392 00:25:13.520 --> 00:25:18.760 prominent stories about children, Asian Latinos and the LGBTQ community 393 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:22.440 out front and center. One of the acknowledges they had 394 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:23.560 to make some tough calls. 395 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:28.119 For example, Brazilians are not reflected here, and you know, 396 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.919 the Brazilian community is a tricky one because you know, 397 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:34.199 they're from a Portuguese speaking country. And this is not 398 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:39.359 a Hispanic gallery, that's not an Hispanic museum. It's American Latino. 399 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:42.480 As far as I'm concerned, they're part of our community, 400 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.240 and so I think as they grow as a community, 401 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:48.120