FORT COLLINS, Colo. — In Fort Collins, there is now new artwork showcasing and honoring Hispanic sugar beet workers.
The mural is called “Para Mi Familia,” which translates to ‘For My Family.”
It was painted by Armando Silva, who’s been working on it for weeks.
“I think ‘Para Mi Familia’ is an invitation,” Silva said. “I hope it’s a celebration, but also a thank you, like a thank you note to all of those out there working.”
On Thursday, Silva worked on putting the final touches on the mural. It’s set to have its debut on Friday, Sept. 15, which is the start of Hispanic Heritage Month.
However, before getting to this point, the concept had to be thought of, and that’s where Betty Aragon-Mitotes came in.
“I wanted to keep amplifying our voice to make sure that we have representation here in Fort Collins, we have a large community of Hispanics here,” Aragon-Mitotes said. “I wanted to make sure that we continue to have a voice here.”
Most of all, she wanted Hispanic Fort Collins sugar beet farmers and workers to be remembered.
“They helped Fort Collins flourish, they helped the economy flourish, but never got the recognition they deserve,” she said.
The mural depicts three different three separate images. The first is historic icon Chuck Solano, who began working in the fields as a young boy. In the middle, the mural depicts a family of five, the Caballero family. The Caballeros came to the United States in 1995. They settled in Fort Collins and opened ‘Los Tarascos’, a Mexican food restaurant on College Avenue.
The mural sits on the outside of the well known restaurant. Hugo Caballero said when he was told the mural would sit outside his restaurant, he was speechless.
“When my wife told me and my daughter, I don’t know even how to respond that somebody chose us, you know, to stamp my family in our life in one big mural, so it’s like even I don’t have a word for that,” he said.
As for Aragon-Mitotes, seeing herself depicted in a mural in her city is more than she could have ever asked for.
“I get really emotional when I see it, because it is honoring our people… in that we are honoring the Hispanic and Mexican beet workers is that continuation,” she said.
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