LATINO SOLIDARITY AND SURVIVAL: 'NUESTRA HUELLA' EXHIBITION CELEBRATES 150 YEARS OF HERITAGE AT THE ANCHORAGE MUSEUM

On view Sept. 13, 2024 through April 13, 2025

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Life for the first Latinos in Alaska was not easy. Strong bonds of solidarity helped them survive. Berta Preciado, who arrived from Mexico in 1979, shares that in the early 1980s, when fewer Latinos lived in Anchorage, she often received calls from the airport with people asking, “Here is a lady who speaks Spanish. Can you pick her up?” She would invite them to sleep at her house and help them find jobs. A sense of community helped new arrivals adjust to life in Alaska and thrive. Preciado reflects: “Whenever a family arrived, we all gathered coats to help them get the proper gear for the winter. We learned together to lend each other a hand.”

Alaska’s Latino community has roots stretching back almost 150 years, and an exhibition opening Sept. 13 at the Anchorage Museum called Nuestra Huella (Our Footprint) invites visitors to explore and celebrate Alaska’s Latino heritage. Organized by Enlaces Alaska,

Nuestra Huella presents photographs, community stories, archival research, artworks, and cultural belongings that together offer a comprehensive look at the traditions, beliefs, and histories that shape Latinx communities across Alaska. Nuestra Huella programs include hands-on learning opportunities focused on Latinx foodways, culture, dance, and craft traditions offered throughout the exhibition’s run.

Nuestra Huella is on view Sept. 13, 2024, to April 13, 2025, in two locations within the museum: the First Floor, East Wing Education Hallway, and the Second Floor, West Wing.

Press Preview
Members of the media are invited to attend a press preview at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. During this event, representatives from Enlaces Alaska and the Anchorage Museum will be available for interviews, offering insights into the creation of the exhibition and the stories behind the objects and artworks on display.

Public Event: Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Join us on Oct. 4, 2024, for a special celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with live performances, workshops, and other activities reflecting the richness and diversity of Latinx culture.

About Enlaces Alaska:
Enlaces Alaska is an organization dedicated to connecting and celebrating Latinx communities in Alaska, promoting cultural understanding, and preserving the heritage and traditions of Latinx peoples across the state.

About the Anchorage Museum 
Creatively reflecting a sustainable and equitable North, the Anchorage Museum focuses on people, place, planet and potential. The museum sits on the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina Eklutna. Learn more at www.anchoragemuseum.org.