Pelosi Congratulates Herminia Albarran Romero on 2005 NEA National Heritage Fellowship

Pelosi Congratulates Herminia Albarrán Romero on 2005 NEA National Heritage Fellowship

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Washington, D.C. - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today honoring Herminia Albarrán Romero for being one of 11 artists awarded the 2005 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, the nation's highest traditional and folk arts award. NEA Chairman Dana Gioia and Members of Congress will present the awards today on Capitol Hill.

"Herminia Albarrán Romero's papel picado masterpieces are national treasures, and her work is worthy of this significant national recognition. Her work already received international acclaim, and has been shown at the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum, the Oakland Museum, the Heard Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the central plaza in Cuernavaca, Mexico. I am pleased even more people will now have the chance to learn about Ms. Romero's talent.

"We have been privileged to host Herminia's work in San Francisco's Mission District for more than two decades. We are grateful to her for enriching our special days, especially Cinco de Mayo and the Dia de los Muertos, with her skill and for enriching our culture by instructing local artists. As the third generation of her family to work with papel picado, her art represents a wonderful continuity of heritage which she has added to our own.

"I congratulate Ms. Romero on her latest honor, and thank her for bringing her skill and heritage to our beautifully diverse city."

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/press/releases/Sept05/romero.html