 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
>How the The Autry’s projects and their impacts on the Arroyo
Seco location of the Southwest Museum are
inter-related!
[ PDFdownload]
Councilmember Huizar invited the various organizations that comprise the Friends of the Southwest Museum Coalition to a meeting this past Wednesday evening so that he could hear directly from the leadership of each individual organization, their concerns, views, and vision concerning the future of the Southwest Museum.
The Coalition would like to acknowledge and thank the Councilmember for his leadership and for reaching out to see and hear first-hand the united stance our communities (both local and nationwide) have concerning this issue. I was humbled by the sheer presence of community and city leadership gathered in one place to which all the credit goes to the Councilmember and his hard working staff for orchestrating. Please take the time to thank the Councilmember!
Over 50 (fifty) organizations sent leaders to the meeting which certainly dispels any notion that this coalition might be a “paper tiger.” Each organization representative stood and gave their organization’s perspective for about 2 minutes. Support was unwavering for continued use as a museum to display and interpret the Southwest Collection. The Coalition’s positive vision for an historically sensitive rehabilitation/ expansion and better economic utilization of the Southwest Museum site was overwhelmingly preferred to Autry’s diminished, vague change-of-use plans that are currently unfunded. This Coalition vision, dubbed the “Alternative Plan,” is a win-win solution. Take a look at a new color illustration that was developed after the Alternative Plan was unanimously endorsed at our last public Coalition meeting ( http://www.friendsofthesouthwestmuseum.com/newsite/vision.html ).
Many organizations expressed their encouragement for the Councilmember and the Mayor to take an even more active and aggressive role in securing the goals articulated by this plan – creating an enhanced and viable museum destination for Los Angeles. The eloquence and support shown by each of the individual organizations was a powerful statement of what the collective Coalition represents.
The only point of departure was when individuals representing three of the organizations presented positions that appeared to be at odds with the currently adopted positions of their respective organizations. I am sure this situation will be clarified and corrected in the near future.
This confusion might be due to the nature of the conceptual plan. The Coalition has not changed our original and long-held position. We created a vision that would accommodate and address Autry’s stated needs for a cultural/education center merged with the uses that our Coalition members voiced overwhelming support for as a viable museum destination. It’s a starting point not the ending point for a proactive and positive solution.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Councilmember Huizar vowed to continue and increase his efforts on this high priority issue. He indicated that he will be meeting with the Autry in the next few weeks. The Councilmember’s meeting created a renewed energy of collaboration and support from each organization to working for a dynamic and vibrant Southwest Museum in Northeast Los Angeles. Charles Lummis’ vision for a museum of and for history, art and cultures of the diverse people’s of the Southwest is alive and well.
A few other major updates of note outside of this very productive meeting:
-- We’ve added a slew of new organizations in the recent weeks who are committed to the issue. We continue to grow as the story of the Southwest Museum’s peril gets out to a wider and wider audience.
-- The Los Angeles Conservancy sent a letter (dated June 12th) to Autry … “We have always seen room for additional development on the historic museum site and find that Garavaglia’s proposal [the Coalition’s] sensitively addresses many of the deficiencies found there today.”
-- Assemblymember Anthony Portantino’s June 7th letter to the Autry Board asks: “I respectfully urge your sincere consideration for the alternate expansion plans of the Southwest Museum, retaining the museum in its original Northeast Los Angeles location.”
We’ve done and will continue to do everything we can -- respond positively to Autry and other critics on the merits of the issue, support Autry’s substantial efforts to address the Southwest Collection’s needs, support Autry in securing much of the public money now being used to study/stabilize either the Collection or the historic buildings, create a positive vision that provides a win-win solution that invests in Northeast Los Angeles.
Nicole
Chair, Friends of SWM Coalition
THE COALITION was created by concerned citizens who want the Southwest Musuem to remain a vital part of Los Angeles and Southern California's vast cultural heritage. We offer several methods and options immediately available to you to participate and get involved in these efforts:
> Attend the Public Scoping Meeting,
Tuesday, May 29 at 6:30 at Autry Museum...
DOWNLOAD THE CITY'S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
>DOWNLOAD OUR NEW BROCURE Highlighting the New Altenative Plan...
>DONATE.
Funds are needed to continue and expand our efforts.
Make checks payable to...
or Send to the attention of:
Ann Walnum
755 Crane Blv.
Los Angeles CA 90065
Phone 323.222.8327