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CU-Boulder Presents Photo Exhibit On Colorado Hispanic Legislators

A photo exhibition featuring Colorado's Hispanic lawmakers opens at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Aug. 24.

The presentation, "Shaping the Law of the Land: Hispanos in the Colorado Legislature 1845-1995," will be held in the University Memorial Center Fine Arts Gallery Annex.

"The goal of the exhibit is to educate different communities about Hispanic contributions to the State of Colorado," said Ofelia Miramontes, interim associate vice chancellor for diversity and equity at CU-Boulder.

"The photographs paint a visual portrait of Hispanic participation in the political process which we hope will be interesting to people of all backgrounds and generations," she said.

The Office of Diversity and Equity and the Museo de las Americas joined with other sponsors to bring the exhibition to CU-Boulder. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 24 and is free and open to the public, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at the UMC Fine Arts Gallery Annex.

Creators of the exhibit identified five divisions into which Hispanic history can be grouped:

* Transition, 1846-1861. This section focuses on the significance and impact of the Mexican-American War on Hispanics who became U.S. citizens through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.

* Territory, 1861-1876. Territorial politics was an answer to cultural preservation and at one time about 25 percent of the legislators were Hispanic.

* Rebirth, 1876-1920. The changing economy caused shifts in the Hispanic population as the need for workers in the mining, railroad and agriculture industries increased.

* Reaction, 1920-1950. Racism and political oppression was prevalent and Hispanic political strength declined.

* Acculturation, 1950-2000. In the mid-‘60s the first Hispanic political party was created by academic and political leaders and later the Chicano movement began to redefine the nature of Colorado politics as Hispanic legislators participated in the struggle for equality.

For more information call Sharon Vieyra at (303) 735-1332.