GROWING NEED
The Latino community is growing across the US. Nationally, Latinos are the largest ethnic minority, approx. 69 million people. By 2060, the US Census estimates 1 in 4 Americans will be Latino.
In Minnesota, Latinos are the lowest-funded demographic in arts and culture. There is no museum or cultural center focused on our community.
Over the last decade, we have received input from hundreds of artists, community participants, cultural leaders, and allies. The number-one request has been to open a permanent cultural space where we can share our arts, cultural heritage, and history.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Arts and culture have been central to the story of Latino migration to Minnesota from the very beginning. The first documented migration of an individual from Latin America to Minnesota was an artist — the Mexican immigrant Luis Garzón, starting in 1886
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, incoming groups of Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and other Latino migrants would seek employment in three main industries: the agricultural beet farms, the railroad, and the meatpacking plants. Many of these migrants were seasonal workers at first, but eventually chose to stay and raise their families right here in Minnesota.
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OUR ORGANIZATION
(Neo)Muralismos de México is leading the Latino Museum effort. We will build on our success and partnerships:
We are active members of the MN Latino Leadership Alliance (MiLLA). Through MiLLA, we collaborate with a multitude of Latino organizations, including the MN Council of Latino Affairs, HACER MN, COPAL, MN Immigrant Movement, LatinoLEAD, and LEDC.
Growing Connections
In 2020, we co-founded the Mexican Cultural Arts Alliance (MCAA), the only national coalition of Mexican-led cultural organizations. Through MCAA, we receive weekly support from established institutions, including the National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago, IL), the first Latino museum in the US, as well as Arte Américas (Fresno, CA), Latino Cultural Arts Center (Denver, CO), etc.
In 2022, we led the creation of the first-ever Day of the Dead Altar (Ofrenda) at the State Capitol. Governor Walz issued a state proclamation celebrating our work and recognizing Day of the Dead in Minnesota. Through our leadership, MN became the first state in the US to officially recognize Day of the Dead.