| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: | MEDIA CONTACT: |
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| 12/13/2024 | Edder Díaz Martínez, Communications Manager |
| 602-832-6039 |
Humanitarian, Civil Rights Activist, and MLB All-Star Roberto Clemente to be Commemorated on U.S. Coin
GreenLatinos encourages continued momentum for the commemoration of Clemente on public lands
WASHINGTON — Wednesday, December 4th, 2024 became a significant day for advancing Latino representation in the American story. The bipartisan H.R. 6751, the Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act championed by Representative Espaillat (NY) and Resident Commissioner González-Colón (PR), passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives days after Senator Chuck Schumer introduced companion legislation in the Senate. If signed into law, up to 1,200,000 coins will be produced by the U.S. Treasury.
In response, GreenLatinos Public Land Program Director Olivia Juarez issues the following statement:
“Roberto Clemente was a true American hero and deserves the honor of recognition on a commemorative coin and beyond. Mr. Clemente’s selflessness should inspire everyone. While breaking records as an Major League Baseball professional, Mr. Clemente showed unparalleled devotion to the country, mutual-aid, civil rights, and international humanitarianism. In 2022 the Roberto Clemente Walker Crash Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but there are no interpretive objects–such as a signage or a plaque–at the beach in Loíza across from the listed site. We thank the champions and cosponsors of this Commemorative Coin Act and encourage continued solidarity in order to create a durable commemoration of Roberto Clemente’s legacy on the national landscape.”
Additional Background information
- H. Res. 242, Recognizing the significant human rights activism and baseball stardom legacy of Roberto Clemente, was also introduced by Representative Espaillat (NY) with bipartisan support.
- H.R. 4065 to obtain and place at the U.S. Capitol, a statue honoring Roberto Clemente was also introduced by Res. Cmmsr. Jenniffer González-Colón (PR). It has bipartisan support and aims to commission a Puerto Rican artist or artist from an underrepresented demographic group for the construction of the statue.
- The National Register of Historic Places is managed by the U.S. National Park Service to identify places and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture.
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About GreenLatinos
GreenLatinos (NOTE: GreenLatinos is ONE WORD) is an active comunidad of Latino/a/e leaders, emboldened by the power and wisdom of our culture, united to demand equity and dismantle racism, resourced to win our environmental, conservation, and climate justice battles, and driven to secure our political, economic, cultural, and environmental liberation.
