Alaska’s Latino community has roots stretching back long before statehood. In fact, according to Gabriela Olmos Rosas, a doctoral student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska’s Latino roots can be traced back to Ketchikan in the 1910s.
“Alaska was having an attractive economy back then based on gold, and later on oil,” explains Rosas. “[Alaska] had a male workforce for a long time and there are many immigration documents for men. Not long ago, I found an immigration document for a woman dating back to 1945, and I think it’s remarkable to start seeing women’s presence in early Alaska.”
Rosas’ passion for telling the story of Alaska’s rich Latino history led her to partner with Itzel Zagal, Alaskan nonprofit Enlaces and the Anchorage Museum to curate the exhibit Nuestra Huella, or “Our Footprint” in English.
The exhibit features photographs, community stories, historical research, artworks and cultural belongings from museum collections.
“I feel like as Latinos, we have often felt unseen. We have often felt invisible. Our stories have been told from a third a third a person perspective,” says Rosas.
For Rosas and Zagal, the exhibit is a celebration of Alaska’s Latinx history and culture told by the people who lived it.
“[Nuestra Huella] brought a sense of recognition that I think our community deserves and was needing. And that should not stop here. I feel like the recognition of all the communities in Alaska is an ongoing process. I mean, we Latinos and all different communities need to keep opening spaces for our stories to be heard,” says Rosa.
Nuestra Huella will be on display at the Anchorage Museum through April 13, 2025.
To learn more about the project, visit nuestrahuellaak.com.
HOST: O’Hara Shipe
GUESTS:
Fran Du Brock, Gabriela Olmos Rosas, Joan Ryan Estay, Itzel Zagal
