To Mexico With Love in Chicago

The National Museum of Mexican Art www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org is one of our favorite Chicago Museums. It’s a treasure of art and history of Mexico and the Chicago-Mexican experience and is the only accredited museum of Mexican art in the United States. While many people think of the Mexican-American Community as being in California and Texas, Chicago is also home to a large Mexican community some of whom have been here for over 100 years. Thus, it is not surprising that Chicago would be home to such a wonderful museum. Located at 1852 W. 19^th Street, it is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10AM to 5PM and the admission is always free.

Currently, the museum is celebrating being open for thirty years. We enjoyed seeing pieces from many of their previous and permanent collections. Their Day of the Dead exhibit as well the one Nuestra Historia (Our History) are especially notable. It is worth seeing how the artists have progressed and how political much of it is. The anguish felt about their precariousness in the world is palpable and creatively expressed.

The Resistance of the Hybrid Cacti

Pilsen, the neighborhood where the Museum is located, is home to many outdoor murals. We were there on a nice day and walked around to see them.

Walking worked up an appetite and we were in luck. The area is home to many good Mexican restaurants. At this time, when the entire Mexican-American community seems to feel threatened by our current President’s threats to deport everyone, they can use the support. Many in the community including those with Greencards and those who are citizens have been afraid to be out and about and this is hurting their businesses. What better and more delicious way to help than by patronizing a local restaurant. That day we decided to stop at 5 Rabanitos. The food was great and the prices were very reasonable. They’re located at 1758 W 18^th Street right near the 18^th Street Stop on the Pink Line. How easy is that!

Unfortunately, since we’ve been to Pilsen, the Mexican and Puerto Rican communities have both been ravaged by natural disasters – three major earthquakes in Mexico and a hurricane in Puerto Rico that has devastated the entire island. The two communities are jointly raising funds to aid victims in both communities through the Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund. Money raised will be distributed through the Mexican and Puerto Rico Red Cross Chapters. You can donate online or send donations to this group through the National Museum of Mexican Art earmarked for the Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund.