A Latina in a Latin American Museum

Author: Mati Castillo

a collage of three images. Two images are of colorful beaded Peruvian outfits. The middle photo is of a woman holding an ornate headdress

I first heard of the Latin American Cultural Center during my sophomore year at Pitt when I saw the sign that said, “Latin American Cultural Center, Coming Soon.” At the time, I did not realize that LACC (Latin American Cultural Center) was a museum and an extension of the Latin American Studies Association, and I certainly did not expect that I would be interning there two years later.

While at LACC, I worked under the Assistant Director and Curator, Sandra Budd, on a variety of tasks. Most of my time was spent processing recently acquired Latin American, mainly Peruvian, cultural dance costumes that had been donated by former Pitt professor Dr. Ada Mezzich. Dr. Mezzich was also a member of the Latin American Cultural Union, a dance group formed in Pittsburgh to teach young Latinx people traditional dances and to promote cultural pride. The intake process for these costumes involved hours of detailed examination, authoring condition reports, photographing wear and tear, cleaning the items, and preparing them for conservation treatments. While I was thinking about my tasks from the perspective of a student of both anthropology and museum studies, I also found myself thinking about the presentation of Latin American culture (these dance costumes in particular) from a more personal perspective, having grown up dancing ballet folklorico (Mexican folk dancing).

My closet back home was filled with intricate costumes much like the ones Dr. Mezzich had donated, so it felt odd to interact with these costumes from the perspective of a curator or anthropologist when I had grown up wearing similar clothing for school talent shows and performances. These were not foreign objects to me; they were familiar and reminded me of my own heritage. This highlighted to me the importance of providing the necessary information and context to the public to clearly communicate the value and cultural significance of these items. These costumes are not just beautiful clothes; they are an extension of our national identities, history, and culture. It is the duty of the museum and all those who work in it to provide the necessary information to communicate the history and importance of these objects so that visitors may fully understand their value.

When Sandra and I spoke to Dr. Mezzich, she shared a similar view. She had so much insight to offer about Peruvian folk dancing, the history behind the costumes and the steps to each dance, and the history of Pittsburgh’s Latinx community throughout the years. She was adamant that the only way that these costumes could be properly understood and admired as if all their history was available to museumgoers.

LACC and its employees value the input of community members and stakeholders, and they show this through their dedication to collaboration and attention to detail. Despite being so young, LACC has already managed to cultivate connections with many members of Pittsburgh’s small Latinx community securing donations for their collections, connections to artists in the Caribbean, and a better understanding of what it means to represent Latin American culture and be part of the Latinx community in Pittsburgh.

Mati Castillo, Museum studies intern at the Latin American Cultural Center, Spring 2023

Constellations Group