To order. The National Museum of the american latino act. Under Committee Role as they are limited to the chair and the ranking minority member. Therefore i ask unanimous consent that all other members be made part of a curing Record Record if they are submitted to the clerk 5 00 p. M. Today tiered hearing no objection so order. In addition to the broad interest in todays hearing i would like to ask unanimous consent that all interested members be allowed to join us and participate on the dais. Before we get started, i would like to take, i would like to take a point of personal privilege and have a moment of silence for our friends. Our colleague. Defender of justice and inequality. And humanity. Mr. Elisha cummings. Thank you all so much. Thank you for attending the subcommittee. Legislative hearing on the National Museum of the american latino act. A proposal i am proud to cosponsor along with over 200 of my colleagues. I would like to extend my gratitude to the representative as well as other members of congress joining us today to testify on behalf of thisou important legislation. I would also like to welcome our witnesses. Many of whom have traveled a long way to speak to the personal and National Significance of this proposal. Over 500 years, latinos have played an Important Role in shaping the history, culture ane art of this nation. My home state of new mexico, the influences of hispanic newti mexico, the influences of hispanic and latino culture can be found in everything from our food and festival into art and architecture. Thelargest ethnic group in nation. Innumerable constitutions to to American Culture and history are often ignored by our history books. Unfortunately, many heritage romaine untold or forgotten over time. Recognizing and honoring the contributions of latinos there are nations history and culture mby establishing the american latino with the Smithsonian Institution. Ensuring that the american latino p story is observed and shared. This bill presents us with an important opportunity to create a more inclusive and representative story of america by illuminating the diverse experiences of Latino Americans that have been overlooked for far too long. It is especially fitting that we consider this proposal today as this tuesday marked the end of National Hispanic heritage month. A time whenie we celebrate our country is proud hispanic heritage and tribute to the achievements ofri americans. The establishment of the First Permanent in 1565 to the millions of latinos who have served our nation the experiences of Latino Americans are woven into every aspect of american society. At the time that our national institutionsze elevate the stors of hispanic and Latino Americans and present a more conclusive and complete image of American History and society. Especially considering the increase in hateful rhetoric targeting the community in recent years. Ti as we have seen with the National Museum of africanAmerican History and culture and the National Museum of the andean, the establishment of a Museum Dedicated to the experiences of the latino willos provide americans and visitors from across the world with a deeper and richer understanding of the Diverse Voices that shake this nation. I would like to thank representative serrano again for championing this important legislation as well as a witnesses for being here today. We now recognize young for his opening statements. Thank you, madam chair. I had a written statement i like to submit for the record. I would like to thank mr. Ronald for launching this bill. Primarily because you are an honorary or lax in. He searched for two years in the coldest period of time. He came back safely and i complement him on that. Thank you, sir. Thank you, mr. Young. I would like to turn to our first panel on welcome the members of congress. Under our Committee Rules, they are limited to five minutes. You may submit a longer m statement for the record if you so choose. The lights in front of you will turn yellow when there is one minute left and read when time is expired. The chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. Ochairman ranking young and members of the subcommittee, many of us have fought with the project t. They testified on hr 2020. The chairman, thank you for reminding me. A great place to be. Starting 25 years ago. Recommendations to approve it. Its work has led to many exciting new exhibits and opportunities. Curators and researchers. However, we could not stop there into the first bill in congress to begin the establishment. President bush signed legislation forming a commission to his administration. President obama a Latino Museum was necessary and feasible. It laid out a roadmap. It has been over eight years since its release. Last year the ucla policy and Politics Initiative released a report. Only three of the 10 recommendations from the original report had been addressed. That is why passes of hr 2420 ir critical. Hr 2420 will finally authorize the process of the museum by establishing a board of trustees that will provide recommendations to the board of regions on a design, placement, placement, construction and establishment of a futureus museum. It will include the diverse forces to make sure that all parts of the Latino Community are representing. Hr 2420 authorizes a smithsonian to undertake a campaign to raise half of the funds necessary for this ambitious endeavor for private sources. Also authorizing authorizing federal appropriations for the rest. This is historically done for other museums. Hr 24200 also establishes Grant Programs to help go through the work of other museums across the country and provide Scholarship Opportunities for students studying in the field of Latino History. Art and culture to help train a pipeline of talent to keep this history alive well into the future passage of this bill. It will show that reputation and inclusion matter. Of making up almost one fifth of our population. We are the largest and secondfastest growing ethnic group. S we have made significant ldcontributions in the world of sports, music, yards, scientist and beyond. From the American Revolution to the fight for civil rights. Latinos have been on the front lines of history. These stories and heroes are often overlooked. To deny they are telling us is to deny a very important point of what made this country what it is today. This great nation that we have. The latino gallery will open at the American History museum. We thank l edvard out diaz and s leadership. It is a step hundreds of years of history cannot be contained in 4500 square feet. These stories deserve a dedicated space of their own on americas front arm to tell the full story of the American Experience with latinos. I also want to acknowledge and thank my colleague congresswoman will heard of texas. Here today. That leadership is read to a historic level of republican support this year. At 219 cosponsors and counting, this is truly a bipartisan effort. Thank you again. Have one of the latinoes museums as champions. We have the momentum to 116. The few seconds left here. Katie assembly. When i was elected, nixon was president. Its been a long time. But if you want to give me a going away present that i will cherish forever. [laughter] give me a masao. Tuesday when i think about military, coming from territory when i think of when i think of the mexicanamericans who have given so much to this country throughout our wars and the fact that the markers he exists and the latinos played a key role in keeping it alive and gave of themselves and their blood. Thank you soh much. Thank you so much for that moving testimony. We are so happy you are here. The chair organizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Castro. Thank you, chairwoman. Thank you to remember young into the chairman thank you for putting on this hearing today and most especially thanky you o my colleague for all his wonderful work over the years in helping bring this forward. Creating a standalone National Museum of the american latino will allow us to celebrate the immeasurable contributions latinos have made to American History and share these compliments with visitors from across the u. S. And around the world. This medium has been in the works for quite a long time and in 1994 is the zoning Institution Task force published a report recommending the creation of a museum on the latino experience including latinos at every level of leadership. While over 20 years have gone by since those regulations are made a ucla report earlier this year found that the institution at largely failed to meet the recommendations as congressman engined. Since 1994 only for only for hispanics has served in the institute leadership. Despite Congress Efforts for the last 15 years we still do not have Latino Museum. Latinos make up almost 20 of the population in the United States, nearly 60 million across all 50 states and territories including 11 million in my home state of texas. Latinos have defined decades of american music, art, sports and culture. Latinos has served our country in uniform across all ranges of military. Latinos of the organizers who fought for workers rights and for labor practices and latinos have a build americas siding economy as innovators and entrepreneurs but our stories, our experiences in country contusions have often been erased and left out of the writings of American Estate histories. This erasure is silencing and validates the importance of our communities. We can change that by establishing the National Museum by the american latino. In the last 20 years this is uninteresting steps to increase representation diversity. On the nationaly. Mall are natie american and African American communities, thankfully, has been sown in museums marking their history their suffering in their Country Visions to our nation. These museums are examples of successful dems and noticeable act of representation here in washington can bring pride to millions of americans of color. Now its time for the Latino Community to the same honor and recognition in the heart of our Nations Capital unfortunately we are living at a time when many hispanic families are living in the shadows and in fear because of the antiimmigrant environment that is also affected u. S. Citizensin of latino heritage. Now, more than ever its critical that we tell these ministries and celebrate hispanic culture. My family like so many is the family of immigrants and everything i have today is because of the sacrifices of my grandmother who came to texas as a young orphan from mexico. Latinos are committee with a rich history in the united at. Tes and we stand strong and patriotic and stand up for the country. Latinos contribute every day to our nations economy, culture and art and communities are intermodal tour nations history and character and as the congress and said i would ask for the committees in congress support on this legislation. I yield back, chairwoman. B take you so much. I like to know yelled to chairman of the committee. Thank you. I very briefly thank you for the opportunity to thank my colleagues and mr. Sereno, my dear dear friend, someone whom i will miss four his wife wise counsel and his leadership and he still calls me. [speaking in native tongue] when he does that but i want to knowledge that and extend him my deep appreciation in terms of four legacies that would be a nice gift. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I think the sponsoring is for the members of congress for their valuable testimony and now invite the panel to mac to take their places at the witness places. Thank you for being here. [inaudible conversations] i invite panel to mac to take their places at the witness table. As with the first panel oral statements are limited to five minutes but your entire statement will be part of the hearing record. The license interview will turn yellow when there is one minute left and read when time has expired. After the witnesses haveel i testified, members will be given the opportunity to ask questions. The chair now recognizes mr. Edward o diaz, director of this with sony and Latino Center. Mr. Diaz, you have five minutes. Thank you very much. I predict the opportunity. Thank you so much for the opportunity to testify today. Im aware that he is, director of the Smithsonian Center since 2008 in the center was graded in 1997 to promote latino presence within the society in. Federal works cleverly. Federal works cleverly with institutions museum, Research Center and record label and traveling exhibitions and showing that the conditions of Latino Committee are explored, presented, is elevated and preserved. If the smithsonian is to fully serve 21stcentury global audiences will have to be more inclusive, more accessible accessible and more diverse. Critical part of this work is to include traditionally underrepresented in sources. I predate the paternity to justify before you on hror 2420a bill to create the latino. Based on the success of the National American indian and african American History and culture we note the public is best served when a female ministry, art, culture and Scientific Achievement through different lenses. Congress deems it in the Public Interest to great latino medium this mazzoni and would build a museum for the national and International Recognition and i should add any additions to the sony family must take into consideration the existing priorities in consideration for the museum will need better funds for both accretion and longterm operation. In the meantime, we we will continue to work diligently to tell a broader and more complete narrative with the resources at our disposal and the commitment to securewowo and expand his stories. Do the work of the Latino Center we are expressing an unprecedented increases the number of research projects, collections, public parents and Digital Content about the conditions of the Latino Community. Currently we are preparing to avail the firstever Latino Museum on the National Mall and the latinono gallery which willl open in the National Museum of American History in the fall of 2021. This 4500 ft. 2 gallery will present exhibitions detailing the complexity of the latino experience in the available to the visitors to the museum. They will present stories of discovery, identity, migration, innovation, entrepreneurship and success for intergenerational audiences and i have a couple sites here to show this is the entrance of the gallery and the next slide is the forum and photo of the gallery and the next site is the cases telling the history and the fourth slide is a dedicated educational space in the back of the gallery. These are renderings at 10 . Next week we will be at 35 and in april over the we will be at 65 so those are the percentages that it takes to get to the 90 of the design so you will see a little difference but i wanted to show these to you to get you an idea where headed. Through the pool established the federal funds in 1995 p thes center makes possible a diverse array of research exhibitions, Public Programs for official government and fy 2019 supported 20 products across 24 to sony and museums and offices. In total we supported overr 70 worth of latino projects and we think argus for its continued support of these programs. In 2010 this missoni and established the latino territorial initiative which enables the sony into how content expertsts and which take in a presentation to whole new level and fired 12 since 2012 and last year we won the prestigious award for our work from the American Alliance museum. In 1994 established the Latino Museum studies from which it somewhere bringing graduate students to an immersive experience in museum practice. Thirteen of those Alumni Network plants missoni and. Numbers of this committee, may i ask, how does where public ander Educational Program experience going collections in the gallery plus the pathway programs to repair this missoni and for the possibly of a new Latino Museum. Expanding latino presence institutionally we graded a base of content expertise, collections of public educational expertise and have established progra