Sunday, August 17, 2014

Hernández, Esperanza Unida Peace Mural Artist Expected To Return $2,500

Reynaldo Hernández and Manuel "Manny" Pérez

Hernández has until Friday to return funds to Esperanza Unida, Inc.

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 17, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Sunday, Manuel "Manny" Pérez, the executive director of Esperanza Unida, Inc. when contacted by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) confirmed, that Reynaldo Hernández, a local artist who was previously paid $2,500 to restore the non-profit organization's outdoor Peace mural and did no work was given until next Friday to return the funds. Pérez said, that the organization decided to cease any effort to restore the mural and that Hernández never did any work to restore the mural.
Pérez stated, "I talked to Reynaldo and gave him the opportunity to ethically return the money and told him that I was not authorizing any work on the mural for the remainder of the year or next year." Pérez added, I've told him that the full CMAC fund of $4,500 was returned to the city and the $2,500 paid to him from those funds, now needs to be returned to the Esperanza Unida general fund.
The City of Milwaukee Art Council (CMAC) gave Esperanza Unida a matching fund grant of $4,500 geared for the outdoor Peace mural restoration in 2011. But this year, the full CMAC fund was returned by Pérez after it was decided not to authorize any further work for the outdoor mural.
HNNUSA has attempted to contact Hernández for comment, but has not been successful after leaving a message regarding the fund on his Facebook account. 

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