Conservancy Staff Take Part in Latino Preservation Initiative
Conservancy staff Ann-Isabel Friedman, Andrea Goldwyn and Alex Herrera joined Latino leaders and heritage experts, along with other preservation organizations in the kick-off meeting of the Latino Historic Preservation Initiative on September 22.
Dubbed the New York Conversación, The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the New York Community Trust sponsored the gathering, which is the first in a series of meetings taking place across the country. The New York session examined the Latino influence on the City’s cultural landscape and promoted the preservation of Latino architectural and cultural heritage.
Friedman, Goldwyn and Herrera briefed the group on the Conservancy’s advocacy role as well as its financial and technical programs.
Other participants relayed that buildings have already been lost in their neighborhoods and that they are looking for ways to work with the preservation community to ensure that remaining significant sites are preserved and maintained.
The dialogue revealed that many Latinos present felt that their history had been neglected and that their contributions to the City had not received rightful recognition.
The Conversación took place at El Museo del Barrio, which just opened an extensive exhibition titled Nueva York (1613-1945). This powerful exhibition examines the significant role that Latinos and Spanish-speaking countries have played across four centuries to help shape New York into the most culturally vibrant City in the world.
The Conservancy will report back with the findings of the nationwide series of discussions.
