2025 ENDANGERED LATINX LANDMARKS
Year Built:
Chicago, Illinois
Our Lady of Guadalupe Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Mural
1970
The Our Lady of Guadalupe Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Mural, painted in 1970 in South Chicago, is one of the nation's oldest murals dedicated to the Vietnam War. It honors 12 fallen parishioners from the church and is a powerful tribute from and for the Latinx community. The mural features individual portraits, a depiction of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a poem, embodying the deep connection between Mexican American culture and military sacrifice. Unfortunately, environmental exposure has severely damaged the mural. Preservation efforts are now underway to protect this historic and living testament to the community’s heritage and enduring legacy.
"The Our Lady of Guadalupe Vietnam Memorial Mural is more than paint on a wall—it is a sacred testament to sacrifice, resilience, and identity. For over fifty years, it has been the heart of The South Chicago community, where families gather to honor loved ones and veterans find healing." — Fred Carrizales, Member, South East Side Vietnam Veterans
The Abuelas
Project
The Abuelas Project collects, curates, and amplifies stories of important Latinx movements, sites, and people across the country.
This GIS project encourages intergenerational storytelling through Storymaps that focus on Braceros, abandoned Mexican cemeteries, Route 66, and more.
Latinx Preservation Toolkit
The Toolkit is a bilingual booklet that empowers Latinx communities by demystifying historic preservation. The Texas Toolkit highlights four Latinx heritage success stories across the state, defines preservation terms, and provides guidance on how students, community members, and youth can preserve their communities.
Our next Toolkit will feature diverse stories across the borderlands.
Nuestra Herencia
Grant Program
We launched Nuestra Herencia Grant Program in 2024, providing $600,000 annually for Latinx heritage and historic preservation projects. This funding initiative focuses on empowering grassroots, Latinx-centered nonprofits.
It is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in partnership with the Social Impact Fund, which has contributed $1.8 million over three years.