The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, announced that its American Latino Heritage Fund will pursue a comprehensive set of initiatives critical to raising the profile of American Latino heritage and increasing Latinos’ attendance at national parks and participation in preserving historic places nationwide.

Formed in 2011, the American Latino Heritage Fund (ALHF) is dedicated to strategically integrating and celebrating the cultural, economic, and civic contributions of Latinos in the American story as told throughout the national park system and in historic places across the country.

“American Latinos have played a pivotal role in shaping this country,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “We are proud to lead the charge in creating a movement to protect and preserve this rich culture and reaffirm our commitment to fully represent the nation’s diverse cultural groups and their role in our national park system.”

The new initiatives include:

*  Designation of American Latino landmarks and historic sites. 
*  Nationwide Youth Summits
*  American Latino theme study.

The National Park Foundation is the owner of 84 million acres, 400 national parks and the official charity of America’s national parks.