Hispanic Heritage Month

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring one of our rich treasures of the Midwest, El Museo Latino, on the occasion of its 25th year of operation in Omaha, Nebraska.

El Museo Latino opened its doors in the historic Livestock Exchange Building on May 5, 1993, as the first Latino art and history museum and cultural center in the Midwest. Today, it is one of only 17 Latino museums in the United States.

Since opening, El Museo Latino has been a nonprofit organization with a mission to collect, exhibit, and interpret Latino arts of the Americas. It is committed to strengthening the artistic and creative culture of the greater Omaha area. It accomplishes this by providing direct support to local artists, increasing the visibility of Latino art forms, and fostering an appreciation of art for the benefit of a diverse audience.

El Museo Latino creates and presents exhibitions year-round that feature local, national, and international Latino arts. The exhibits range from pre-Columbian to contemporary arts through both temporary and permanent displays.

Central to El Museo Latino's programming are the educational programs that are created for each of the exhibitions, including bilingual guided visits, lectures, presentations, films, workshops, demonstrations, and classes. The educational programs are designed for children, teens, and adults and focus on the visual and performing arts. The art classes offered throughout the year include traditional art forms and those featured in the museum's active exhibits.

El Museo Latino also highlights special traditional celebrations and community events throughout the year, including Cinco de Mayo, Family Days, Dia del Nino, Hispanic Heritage Month, and many other holiday celebrations. Other special community events include the presentation of films throughout the year as well as summer outdoor free screenings of Latino films.

As the founder and executive director of El Museo Latino, Magdalena Garcia is passionate about the arts. Prior to creating El Museo Latino, she volunteered at a number of museums, including the Joslyn Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, New York.

After completing her master's of arts degree at Syracuse University, Magdalena returned to Omaha and shared her dream to create a museum for Latino culture in Omaha with the support of community leaders, including activist-educator Jim Ramirez.

Through years of hard work, perseverance, and passion, her dream became a reality. The museum officially opened on May 5, 1993, with the help of many community leaders and volunteers.

Ms. Garcia has received numerous honors and recognitions for her hard work and achievements. Most notably, in 2015, the Mexican Government honored her lifetime of achievement in the arts with the Ohtli Award.

Over the past 25 years, El Museo Latino has presented more than 150 exhibitions. Without this special treasure, much of the local Hispanic culture and history would be lost.

Thanks to the proven leadership of Ms. Garcia and her board and the many contributions to the community over the past 25 years, we look forward to many more years of Hispanic heritage and Latino culture on display at El Museo Latino. Breast Cancer Awareness

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my mom and my sister during this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which will be in October. While my mother survived this terrible disease, my sister lost her battle at the young age of 39.

I also want to recognize the millions of people every year who are affected by cancer.

Breast cancer, along with ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, endometrial, colon, gastric, and melanoma cancers are all hereditary cancers that can be passed down from parents to children through their genes. Thankfully, there is testing that can make a significant and positive impact in identifying hereditary cancers before they emerge.

Last month, I took a genetic test to determine if I have the genetic mutations that could develop into any of these hereditary cancers. While genetic mutations are thought to play a role in 5 to 10 percent of all cancers, the chance of inheriting the cancer-causing mutation is 50 percent if one of the parents has it.

Because my mom and sister had breast cancer, I decided to be tested to see if I have that mutation; because it is not only women who are victims of breast cancer, but men as well. While only 1 in 1,000 men will get breast cancer, it is still not something to ignore.

The genetic markers I was tested for are called BRCA 1 and 2, and the chances of developing cancer if you have one of these genetic mutations skyrocket by as much as 87 percent.

The test was simple. The staff drew my blood and collected information about cancer, my family history, including my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins on both sides of the family, my mom and dad. That family history also included the types of cancer, treatment given, and the age of diagnosis, or as close as known.

There are many organizations out there that offer information about genetic testing and cancer, including the American Cancer Society, and in my home district the Kamie K. Preston Hereditary Cancer Foundation. In fact, the founder of this organization, Brandi Preston, joined me during this test to offer support and guidance. The foundation not only provides emotional support but financial support for those whose testing may not be covered.

In going public with my test, I hope to encourage others who have a history of cancers in their family to go get tested. Knowledge and early detection are two of the many tools in the fight against cancer.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source