The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP), created by the National Park Service (NPS), is administered in partnership with Environment for the Americas (EFTA). The program is designed to provide internship opportunities to young adults in diverse professional fields in the National Park Service. The program helps raise awareness of our national parks and historic sites, their accessibility, and the need for the Latino community’s involvement in their preservation and in meaningful and relevant science-based internships.
Summer 2025 Project
The LHIP architect, along with HDP permanent staff, will produce Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation of two buildings associated with La Sociedad Protección Mutual de Trabajadores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U.) in Colorado. The project will be based at the HABS/HAER/HALS office in Washington, DC. There will be a 5-day trip to the site to undertake field measurements by hand and with a laser scanner. Travel expenses will be covered.
The S.P.M.D.T.U. is a mutual-aid society established in 1900 to protect Hispano workers in the San Luis Valley from racial discrimination. Hispano workers in agriculture, railroads, and mining faced segregation, and were excluded from white schools, hospitals, and restaurants. In response, Hispano and Latino communities across the Southwest formed mutual-aid societies to combat discrimination, advocate for social and economic rights, celebrate their culture, and provide basic social insurance programs, such as unemployment and burial aid.
In 1920, the Concilio Superior decided to build a permanent headquarters and meeting hall in Antonito, Colorado. Construction began in 1923 and was completed in 1925. Located on Main Street, the building was constructed with adobe walls and a stucco finish. The interior included a large open hall, a raised stage, and bleachers. Today, the building continues to serve its members and was recently restored with the help of several preservation grants. The Concilio Superior is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A smaller lodge building, a "Concilio Locale" or "Femenila" (lodge building for women) will also be documented.
How to Apply
- Deadline: February 7, 2025
- Read the full announcement on the Latino Heritage Internship Program website.
- Submit your application via the Environment for the Americas website.
- Note: Applicants may also apply for HDP'S other student architect positions via NCPE.
Last updated: December 11, 2024