Cárdenas, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Send Letter Urging President Biden to Publicly Support Building the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall
Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the White House tomorrow, Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) joined all 36 Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to send a letter to President Biden urging him to publicly support building the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. The museum's site has yet to be determined, and due to bureaucratic restrictions, it’s unclear if the museum will sit on the National Mall alongside other prominent museums.
The letter can be found here. In the letter, Members wrote:
“The Congressional Hispanic Caucus celebrates the strides that your Administration has made to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are pillars of your Administration. As you graciously host Members of Congress and the CHC for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration this Friday, September 30th, the CHC respectfully asks that you publicly state the importance of building the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. The CHC strongly believes that a public statement voicing your support would solidify that the National Museum of the American Latino will have its rightful place on the National Mall, holding true that the over 62 million Latino Americans in the U.S. should have their stories told in America’s most visited national park.”
CHC Chair Dr. Ruiz issued the following statement:
“President Biden has shown time and time again that he delivers for Latino communities. Our ask today is that once again, during Hispanic Heritage Month, he stands in solidarity with us as we ask that the National Museum of the American Latino has its rightful place on the National Mall.”
CHC Vice Chair of Member Engagement Rep. Tony Cárdenas issued the following statement:
“President Biden has long celebrated the countless contributions and successes of Latinos to the United States. As we work to create a museum for, by and about our community, we have a real opportunity to tell our stories at the heart of our nation’s capital alongside countless prominent Smithsonian museums. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we ask President Biden to stand with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and support building the National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall, where it rightfully belongs.”
Senator Menendez issued the following statement:
“After over two decades of fighting to establish the National Museum of the American Latino, Congress finally passed a bill in 2020 paving the way for such an endeavor. Our intent was clear – any museum must be built on the National Mall, at the very heart and center of Washington, D.C. Now, as the Smithsonian Institute makes a final decision about where the museum will ultimately be built, we need President Biden to stand firmly with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the 62 million members of our community. We must ensure that the museum not only celebrates and reflects the immense contributions of the Latino community, but that it also centers our stories on the Mall. Anything less would be a slap in the face to a community that is an integral part of the fabric of American society.”
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