We are excited to be part of the upcoming First Friday at the Banana Factory (Sept 2, 7pm) and even more excited about the mural! The mural depicts leaders in the Latinx community hanging out at BAPL! The unveiling of the mural is also part of the launch of Voces de la Comunidad, a brand new oral history project focusing on the lives of Latinx leaders here in Bethlehem. The project was led by Janine Santoro, who was working here at BAPL at the time. She is now the Director of Equity and Inclusion for the City of Bethlehem.
Janine noticed the absence of written, visual, and auditory history of the local Latinx/Hispanic community in Bethlehem. She worked with colleagues from Lehigh University, the Steelworkers Archive, and Lafayette College. Janine and her team asked, “What does it mean to be Latinx/Hispanic in Bethlehem and how is that changing?” The team sought to uncover and amplify the critical stories, significant events, and contributions that this community has made in Bethlehem by talking to its prominent leaders.
Muralist Symone Salib painted a mural depicting some of these leaders hanging out at the library. The mural will be on display at the Banana Factory and later at BAPL.
Jon us! Mural Unveiling at The Banana Factory
7 p.m. at The Banana Factory
Join us as we unveil a mural by artist Symone Salib to celebrate Voces de la Comunidad: The Latinx Experience in Bethlehem, PA. This oral history project led by Janine Carambot Santoro focuses on the Latinx/Hispanic community’s accomplishments from 1969 to the present in Bethlehem, PA.
