El Paso will have a Latino cultural center, but it will be shitty and done for all the wrong reasons.
First of all, I do not think it is necessary, but if you are going to build one, build one right. That though is wishful thinking.
The folks pushing for the center are upset of the idea that the center be part or next to a Children's Museum.
That itself really shows their hand.
Who is your audience? Children isn't it? This the group that you want to show all of the contributions made by Latinos?
Never mind, there is also the very practical consideration of what that move would be bring to the center - people. Yes, I hear of these other cities with their Latino centers. But guess what? As far as attendance goes, I am sure there are more people that will walk through the Starbucks on Gateway and Airway than visit this center or centers in other cities. If you want people to come to this thing, build it where the people go.
Now, let's get a little more cynical now.
Why wouldn't you put this place next to or inside a Children's Museum? Because you have no programming that would bring people in, or at least programming that would educate folks about Latino contributions.
This place is meant to be an El Paso Club, but an El Paso Club for folks like Alicia Chacon, Belen Robles, and the like.
They do not want children there.
99 percent of El Paso does not give a shit that Alicia Chacon was the first Latina County Judge. Seriously. Children even less so.
It's all about that 1 percent...that 1 percent of sycophants that run in different El Paso political circles.
Hence a Latino Cultural Center. There you will see pictures and bios of Alicia Chacon, Jaime Esparza and so forth. I am sure things will get tricky when you have to decide whether or not you should use Tati Santiesteban's mugshot as a framed picture.
All this place will be is a hangout for Paul Moreno and others to throw "non-profit" fundraisers while knocking back Miller Lite and shitty tacos, while kissing each other's asses.
They will take a pride in the fact that once they are dead and gone, well, at least they will have a picture hanging up on the wall in the center. I am guessing most of these people have come to the realization that they will not die and go to Heaven. They will die and go to Hell, but anything left here on Earth, well, that makes the trip to Hell worth it.