San Diego's New Americans Museum forges bridges

Oct. 24, 2018 3:07 PM PT

In multicultural San Diego, we enjoy an array of delicious cuisines, art and culture from around the globe, but may not understand the background stories of the immigrants who bring them to our bustling county.

Located in Liberty Station, the New Americans Museum forges bridges of understanding between native-born Americans and newcomers to the country. With a variety of programs including visual and performing arts, lectures, history in both oral and visual tradition, conferences, and cultural events, the museum strives to educate and honor the experiences of immigrants from around the world.

In the coming months the museum will feature a wide breadth of exhibits and events including the following:

Through Feb. 3, 2019 the museum plays host to New American Voices: Our Immigrant Stories, an exhibition lifting up the voices of immigrants that were featured in the Sept. 16 edition of The San Diego Union-Tribune (PACIFIC’s parent company), through a display of stories, photos and online videos.

Debuting on Oct. 29 and running through Nov. 18 is the exhibition Dia de los Muertos Altar, a multimedia installation honoring 17th Century nun, women’s rights activist, poet and writer Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Join the opening reception and Curator Talk at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for Mexican hot chocolate and Pan de Muertos, and the insights of Dr. José Guadalupe Flores, PhD anthropologist and professor. Cost: $10.

Finally, get your cocktail attire ready. Coming up on Friday, Nov. 16, the museum’s soiree, promises to be an evening of art, cocktails, entertainment and top-notch cuisine. Titled Discover America through Food: Honoring the Stories and Journeys of New American Chefs, the event features soiree lead chef Denise Roa from Mexico who is also executive chef of La Cocina Que Canta and Rancho La Puerta; Evan Cruz from the Philippines, the executive chef of Marriott Del Mar and Arterra; Jamaican Jason Knibb, executive chef of Nine-Ten La Jolla; Flor Franco from Mexico who is executive chef of Franco on Fifth; Venezuelan actress, author and first MasterChef Latino Sindy Lazo; and honorary chef Su-Mei Yu, author and founder of Saffron Thai. Tickets begin at $250 for an individual ticket that will help support a variety of causes supported by the museum including school tours, student internships, in-school workshops, artist residencies, pop-ups, exhibitions, tolerance initiatives, Micro-enterprise Creative Sector Programs, and taking art outside in “Museum-beyond-Walls” in San Diego neighborhoods.