Stories of Latino struggles from past and present on display at Holocaust Museum

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Holocaust Museum Houston will be hosting several Latino artists along with its current "Withstand: Latinx Art in Times of Conflict" display.

This is the first in-person Hispanic Heritage Month event the museum has held. Last year, it was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Dr. Michelle Tovar, the director of public engagement.

Tovar told ABC13 the museum has three events featuring different Latino artists from the country.

"We're going to have three amazing events this month that are going to focus on spoken word, on the arts and onstage performance," Tovar said.

Poets Jose Olivares and Lupe Mendez will be at the museum discussing their poetry and will also have a stage performance from TEATRX.

"We have paintings. We have visuals from a video that was created by films, made by the artists," Tovar said. "We also have installations of different light pieces, sculptures. It's a very amazing exhibit that features so many different genres."

Tovar said the museum has had the Latino initiatives for six years and among that time they've featured exhibitions from The Smithsonian. The museum has been able to create representation in a space that hasn't been open for Black and brown communities.

"Now, we're hoping to include representation. Not only in the exhibits, but in programming and in the staff that's here at the museum," Tovar said.

Along with the artists coming to the museum, the exhibit focuses on different themes varying from social justice to human rights and issues at the border.

"We want folks to understand that is a part of our Latino community," she said.

The exhibit has "spaces" that have different themes, one of them focusing on the immigrant experience.

"Some of these pieces do show us the trauma they've had or also the beauty that came from their experience," Tovar said. "Visitors can connect to that experience either through their own personal history or someone that they know."

The exhibition is open throughout Hispanic Heritage Month and ends on Oct. 17. The museum requires its guests to purchase tickets online in advance and guests must wear a mask.

For more information visit the museum's website.