San Diego, CA – December 25, 2020 – The Heartwarming annual Museum Gala goes virtual this year in response to the covid 19 restrictions. New Americans Museum/NAM will present its virtual Resilience Gathering for the Community, featuring awards and performances in a lively online format. This community event features messages from San Diego’s new Mayor Todd Gloria, and congratulatory messages to the Museum from celebrities like Grammy winner Paula Abdul, Emmy winning Queer eye for the Straight Guy’s, Carson Kressley, Latin singers Paulina Rubio, Frankie Negron and others.
The Community Broadcast will feature an entertainment-show format to present the museum’s many immigrant testimonies, awards, and arts educational programs including the current museum immigrant vets exhibit, NEAR/FAR; stories of local vets where County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher delivers a heartfelt and personal message about the heroism and sacrifice of immigrant servicemen and women that the exhibit captured on print and images by award winning photojournalist David Maung. All at a time when the country has seen the peril of the pandemic with non profits suffering and closures of museums, the New Americans Museum remains standing and committed to bridging understanding and build tolerance among our diverse communities. During a turbulent time for our country when we have witnessed social unrest and attacks on our democratic institutions and values. “Our museum was founded to celebrate and honor the contributions of immigrants throughout our history to the success of our nation” said Museum Founder and chair emeritus the indefatigable 98 year old, Deborah Szekely, “we are more relevant than ever” she concluded.
The New Americans Museum & Immigrant Learning Center [NAM] galleries and offices are located in San Diego’s historic Liberty Station. The museum is rich with compelling archived stories, and commissions new works and presents original exhibitions and travelling shows from the Smithsonian and others. With over 10,000 visitors per year [pre-covid], through its gala fundraiser, the New Americans Museum will continue its plans for compelling digital and virtual programming into 2021 engaging BIPOC artists, curators, collaborators and community partners to serve the public and elevate the profile of positive immigrant storytelling. “Since the beginning, immigrants have been welcomed to America seeking opportunity, freedom and to build a better life and nation. We cannot turn our backs on our rich multiethnic immigrant heritage whose efforts, sacrifice and hard work has built America into the world power that it is”, expressed Linda Sotelo, NAM Exec Director & Chief Curator, ‘…and our work is not done if we are falling short of shining a light to eradicate bias, bigotry, discrimination and intolerance for future generations of American children and families, just like yours, and mine”, she concluded. The Museum hopes to be able to once again present its annual gala next year in person but for the time being and to remain safe, programming will remain via digital formats and channels.
The mission of New Americans Museum (NAM) is to celebrate, document, preserve & disseminate the contributions of multi generational immigrants post WWII and include them in our national American narrative. NAM is located at the historic NTC/Liberty Station Arts District in Point Loma at 2825 Dewey Road, San Diego, CA 92106. When the Museum is allowed to reopen sometime in early 2021, admission & parking will continue to be FREE to the public. The Near/FAR Immigrant vets exhibition will be on view by appointment [as allowed by local County Covid-19 ordinance] through February 2021.
For more information, as staff is working remotely, please reach email: Contactus@namuseum.org or visit: www.newamericansmuseum.org
Media Contact
Company Name: New Americans Museum
Contact Person: Linda Caballero Sotelo
Phone: (619) 756-7707
City: San Diego
State: California
Country: United States
Website: www.newamericansmuseum.org
