The American Latino Museum Needs You! Call your Senator!

from Jonathan Yorba, Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino

Thank you for your support of the American Latino Museum. We are reaching out to you today because we urgently need your help to secure the location for the museum. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote before year-end! Senator Menendez, and other leaders supporting our effort, need you to call your Senator quickly. Your Senator needs to know you want their vote to support the legislation that will designate a building for the National Latino Museum on the National Mall. This is your opportunity to actively help create the national American Latino Museum.

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has introduced the Smithsonian American Latino Museum Act, S. 1868, which designates a location for the future American Latino Museum. If this bill passes, the Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall will be set aside as the future home of this long overdue museum. This location is perfect because it is close to public transportation and close to other museums and landmarks, so many people will have access to the countless stories of American Latino contributions to American history.

But we can’t pass this bill on our own. We need you to let your Senators know TODAY how much this museum means to you. We need you to share the disappointment you feel with existing national museums for leaving out American Latino history. Urge your Senators to pass this bill because it is the first, vital step on the journey that will lead us to completing the picture of American heritage for future generations.

Call: 1-877-429-0678 and ask for your Senators or Representative by name. Tell your members of Congress that you support the creation of the American Latino Museum and that they should vote to pass the Smithsonian American Latino Museum Act, S.1868.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Majority Leader Reid (D-NV), U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation in the Senate and House of Representatives to authorize the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries building on the National Mall as the designated location of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum. The authorization of the museum follows the recommendations of the May 2011 report of the bipartisan Commission to Study the Potential Creation of the National Museum of American Latino, a Commission that was established by law in 2008.

In order to keep the momentum going, contact your U.S. Senator TODAY and ask them to support the Smithsonian American Latino Museum Act.

Sincerly,

Jonathan Yorba

Chair

Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino