Rep. Minnie Gonzalez

December 19, 2000

REP. GONZALEZ ANNOUNCES A NEW MONUMENT IN HARTFORD

State Representative Minnie Gonzalez (D-Hartford) announced today receipt of a $10,000 donation from a private organization to assist in the creation of a Puerto Rican Family Monument designed to represent the drama and history of the Puerto Rican migration to the United States mainland.

"I am very pleased to be a part of bringing this into existence," said Gonzalez.  "This will make the Puerto Rican community proud."

The monument depicts a husband and wife standing together and, in front of them their daughter and son, which are jointly holding in their arms a lamb. The lamb is both the heraldic and official symbol of Puerto Rico.

The monument was created to meet the following objectives: to design and execute the first public monument honoring the Puerto Rican community and its contribution to the development of the United States; to specifically honor the civic, moral and cultural values of the Puerto Rican families residing in the United States; to inspire and motivate the Puerto Rican community to further its efforts on behalf of the peoples with whom they share common goals and aspirations; to favor a more positive image of the Puerto Ricans living in Connecticut and the US mainland; and to motivate the Puerto Rican community to accept an increasing civic responsibility, and to participate in the affairs and concerns of the city of Hartford and its surrounding areas.

"After migrating here many years ago, the Puerto Rican community will have this monument to call their own," Gonzalez said.

The preferred site for this monument is Bushnell Park in Hartford. This site was chosen because of its central location in the state and the large number of visitors passing by throughout the year.

To make contributions, please make checks payable to ‘OPU-Puerto Rican Family Monument’ and mail to Fleet Bank, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford CT. Acct# 9426414922.


Legislative Office Building, Room 4031
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-8585 | 1-800-842-8267
Minnie.Gonzalez@cga.ct.gov