Bank of America will support the Museum’s goal to represent Latino/a/x communities in an ongoing, sustained way. Specifically, the funding will fuel the Museum’s youth workforce development opportunities for Chicago’s Latino/a/x communities and its commitment to elevating overlooked history.
Sparked by a protest in 2019 led by students from the Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy / Instituto Justice and Leadership Academy (IJLA), “Aquí en Chicago” is an upcoming exhibition at the Chicago History Museum (CHM) on the Latino/a/x resistance to white supremacy and colonialism in Chicago over the last 100+ years. “Aquí en Chicago” is a community-driven initiative that shares the diverse historical narratives of Latino/a/x people and is only one part of the museum’s effort to redress a long history of omitting Chicago’s communities of color from its central narrative.
To honor students from IJLA who started this initiative, a paid summer internship program for Latino/a/x high school aged youth has become the cornerstone of “Aquí en Chicago.” A primary goal of the program is to increase youth involvement in the City’s history and CHM is inviting youth all over Chicago to apply.
CHM Curator of Civic Engagement & Social Justice Elena Gonzales said, “Thanks to Bank of America, for supporting the preparation for ‘Aquí en Chicago.’ Time and again, partners and community members have shared how vital they feel it is for the Museum to build its inclusiveness and representation of the Latino/a/x community in our city, and Bank of America is helping us with this crucial work.”
Starting in Spring 2023, interested students can apply to the project and become paid interns who will learn about curation and research skills, how to record community histories as well as plan public programs. Additionally, they will set personal achievement goals during their internship and learn from a cross-section of museum professionals. Their work will culminate in the 2025 exhibition which will explore the diverse experiences of Chicago’s Latino/a/x communities.
This work is made possible through a Bank of America Chicago Market grant. Through direct action and investment, Bank of America is focused on creating opportunities in the areas of basic needs, education and workforce development. These grants are aligned with Bank of America’s five-year, $1.25 billion commitment to help advance racial equality and social justice through a focus on health, jobs and reskilling, affordable housing and small businesses.
###
ABOUT BANK OF AMERICA
Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance
At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for email news alerts.