[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 49 (Friday, March 18, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H3832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF HIRAM MARISTANY

  (Mr. ESPAILLAT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Hiram Maristany, an East Harlem Afro-Boricua photographer 
whose work is an ode to his beloved neighborhood of El Barrio and the 
Latino community as a whole.
  Hiram was the official photographer and a member of the Young Lords, 
a Puerto Rican activist group inspired by the Black Panthers, and a 
lifelong resident of El Barrio.
  Hiram helped found El Museo del Barrio in 1969, curating the 
institution's visual language in its early years, and later serving as 
its director from 1974 to 1977.
  Hiram was always giving back to his community in East Harlem, serving 
as a mentor to young people and as a photographer who understood the 
importance of self-preservation and the power of images.
  Hiram knew that his photos were political, representing El Barrio 
from the perspective of our residents: Filled with love and pride.
  ``Dignidad over fame,'' was his motto. I am thankful our community 
lived to see his work--and our people--showcased with respect and 
dignity.
  May his memory and his art live on to inspire all of us.

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