Contacts:
National Women’s History Museum - Jennifer Herrera, [email protected]

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises - Krystyna Hall, [email protected]

Alexandria, VA—Today, the National Women’s History Museum and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises launched a new virtual exhibit, Representation with a Hyphen: Latinas in the Fight for Women’s Suffrage. The virtual exhibit, hosted on the Museum’s website, tells the story of the bicultural political engagement, experience, and role of Latinas in the fight for women’s right to vote.

The cultural background of Latina suffragists shaped their notions of civic duty and U.S. citizenship. Their fight for representation was multifaceted, combining both their belief in women’s equal rights and their dedication to preserving their cultural heritage. The exhibit shares the history of Latina activism in the United States and explores the stories of leading Latina suffragists and activists, including Adelina “Nina” Otero-Warren, Jovita Idár, Maria Guadalupe Evangelina de Lopez, and Luisa Capetillo. From translating suffrage materials to Spanish to writing op-eds about the unfair treatment of Mexican-Americans in newspapers, these histories demonstrate the critical role of Latina women in American history.

“This exhibit and our partnership with Telemundo further strengthen our commitment to amplifying the voices of Latina women and their impact throughout history,” said Holly Hotchner, the Museum’s President and CEO. “With this exhibit, we recount the remarkable legacies of Latinas in the women’s suffrage movement, doing justice to the work of past and present generations of Latinas, all while inspiring future ones.”

The new exhibit, available in both English and Spanish, was developed as part of a continuing collaboration between the Museum and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises’ Unstoppable Women initiative, which is dedicated to celebrating the diverse achievements of women and championing their advancement in every sector. Earlier this fall, the Museum and Telemundo partnered to deliver voting resources in Spanish as part of Women Vote, Women Win, the Museum’s non-partisan campaign to encourage women’s political participation.

“We joined forces with the museum to highlight the important contributions of Latinas in every sector across our nation,” said Mónica Gil, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer for NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, and also a member of the Museum’s Board of Directors. “Our hope is that through these stories, we can continue to show a complete and representative picture of our Latina community, one that illustrates our shared history and reflects the strength—and resilience—that have always powered us forward.” 

On Sunday, December 13, 2020, the Museum will host a free virtual walk through of the exhibit, hosted by exhibit curator Mariana Brazão, as part of their NWHM Presents! Sundays@Home programming. Registration for that event is available here.