The National Museum of Mexican Art, located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, isn't like other museums. It's a safe haven for ex-gang members, local high school students, and kids of working class moms and dads. It's more a gathering place than an institution of art. The community needs it, and not just because its local economic impact is huge. When I drive through the streets of Pilsen, I stop and stare at the murals. I know I'm in Pilsen when I see store fronts and apartment walls on 19th street covered in paint. The murals are the collaborative efforts of local latino artists commissioned by the NMMA and neighborhood kids. They create relationships that last. The NMMA takes art to the public, beautifying the city, and it gives young kids especially something to aspire to.
I want to profile this place because I believe in what they've done and what they do, and I want to share that with people outside of Chicago, and outside of Pilsen.
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