​Contact: Cynthia Rios
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 646-314-1089
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
New Petition Drive Calls On New York City Officials, Diplomats and Firms
            To “Save the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas”
 
New York City, Updated June 25, 2022 – A new online petition drive calling on New York City to “Save the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas,” is rapidly gaining attention in the news media, and in social media networks.
 
In less than a month, close to 500 people have signed the petition at https://www.change.org/medallions.
 
The campaign is spearheaded by Miguel Pérez, a veteran journalist and historian who wrote a column, published on April 24, calling on New York City officials, diplomats and firms to “Save the Medallions on the Avenue of the Americas.”
 
The column was an outgrowth of the U.S. Hispanic History course Professor Pérez teaches at Lehman College, and of the guide to “NYC Hispanic Landmarks” already created by his students. See: https://www.hiddenhispanicheritage.com/nyc-hispanic-landmarks.html
 
Before he assigned his class to seek out the Medallions, as they do with other Hispanic landmarks, Prof. Pérez said he had to check for himself to make sure the Medallions were still there. And so, he took his camera and walked on the Avenue of the Americas from Canal Street to Central Park. He knew that their number had diminished, from the original 300 medallions installed in 1959, but he was surprised by what he found.
 
“Do you know how many remain?” Pérez wrote. “Less than 20! And they have been so neglected that they are covered with streaks of rust.”
 
He explained since some countries still have more than one medallion, of the 18 remaining medallions, only 14 American countries are still represented, and that 34 countries are no longer there. And that includes the countries with the biggest Hispanic groups in New York. Amazingly, Perez said, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and many other Latin American countries are totally missing from the Avenue. Even the Medallion representing the United States is gone!
 
“Something needs to get done!” Pérez wrote. “We can't allow these beautiful emblems, these symbols of our American fellowship, to rust away into oblivion!”
 
The petition notes that its signers “strongly believe the city could coordinate a special effort to fund the restoration of the 300 Medallions, by seeking donations from the merchants and corporations based on the Avenue, and from the nations that would be represented by restored Medallions there.”
 
The signers say they “recognize that the city has a new administration and that, while the current officials should not be blamed for the negligence of the past, the negligence of the future would be on their watch!”
 
Several media outlets have already interviewed Pérez and picked up the Medallions story, but he expects “even more attention now, especially from politicians, because of the petition.”
 
For further information, go to
Original column: https://www.hiddenhispanicheritage.com/lets-save-the-medallions.html
Recent media coverage of this issue: https://www.hiddenhispanicheritage.com/media-recognition.html
 
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