Consulate seeks to show cultural side of Mexico

The Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas has a vision: Transform itself from a document processing center into a cultural center and booster for all things both artsy and Mexican.

The consulate wants to be included in talks about the resurgence of downtown, to be known as a partner in the local off-Strip arts scene.

In recent months it has sponsored a free celebration of the bicentennial of Mexico's independence for 4,500 people at the Springs Preserve and a UNLV exhibit of the works of renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Why has the consulate, which opened downtown in 2002, chosen now to launch an image makeover?

"Unfortunately these days Mexico is better known for the bad news about its battle against drug dealers," said Atzimba Luna Becerril , community affairs consul for the consulate. "Mexico is so much more than that."

Consulate staffers hope bringing more local awareness to the arts and cultural heritage of Mexico will bring a little balance to that bad news. They also hope that in a small way it will help ease the animosity toward Hispanics -- especially Mexicans -- that has grown in recent years as the debate over immigration reform has become more contentious.

"Las Vegas has always been an open, friendly city," Luna Becerril said. "But we hear from the people we serve that they are feeling a change in the attitudes of non-Hispanics toward them. There is a perception that if you are Hispanic, you are undocumented, and if you are undocumented, you are Mexican. That isn't necessarily true."

The consulate has a new building to go with its new vision.

Gone are the dreary, cramped rental offices on Fourth Street near Bridger Avenue. Now the consulate's 20 staffers inhabit a $2.5 million building it bought and renovated less than a mile away at Sixth Street and Hoover Avenue.

Where previously long lines stretched outside and around the corner, there is a spacious lobby and a DMV-style take-a-number system.

Those who had visited or heard about the previous building said they were impressed with the change.

"I went by there a while back, and the lines were so long, it would have taken all day," Adan Ortega said Thursday.

Ortega, who came to the United States two years ago from Zacatecas, Mexico, in search of a better life, was in search of a consular ID, so he could open a bank account.

Zita Morabito , 41, arrived early Thursday assuming it would take most of the day to renew her passport.

"I was pleasantly surprised," she said. "The service was so fast."

It's been easy for the consulate to offer speedier service. The demand for documents has plummeted since the recession hit.

"We were processing up to 200 documents a day," Lemus Gas said. "Now it's 80 to 100. People are moving, returning to Mexico or to other states."

The lower demand also has given the consulate more time to focus on branching out. Renovations to the building's second floor are ongoing and should be completed in the next few months.

The consulate plans to use the space for hosting art exhibits, film festivals and other community cultural events.

The consulate's official services include helping Mexican nationals obtain passports and consular ID cards, transferring bodies from Nevada to the deceased's city of origin, providing legal consultation with Mexicans held in local jails, helping the indigent and educating people about traveling between the United States and Mexico.

It might not be as sexy as, say, the hip online clothing retailer Zappos relocating to downtown.

But Mariano Lemus Gas, consul for Mexico in Las Vegas, says the consul should get props for moving "beyond just immigrant issues" and working to become a vibrant part of downtown.

"We want to be partners, not just neighbors," he said.

Morabito, who has been in the United States since 1988 and is a legal resident, said local Mexicans should appreciate the consulate's efforts to reach out to the broader community.

But she isn't sure how successful those efforts will be in combating entrenched negative stereotypes about Mexicans.

"I don't know if it will work," she said. "But it will create more of an awareness of what Mexico has to offer."

Morabito, who works as a receptionist, has first-hand experience dealing with negativity over her Mexican roots.

"Because I have an accent, people will say, 'I don't want to speak Mexican. Give me someone who speaks English,' " Morabito said in perfectly good English.

"Sometimes, we get a bad name. It hurts, but I try not to take it personally," she said.

Nearly 400,000 people of Mexican origin live in Clark County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The consulate hopes its new vision will promote "all Mexico has to offer over the vitriol," building pride among local Mexicans, said Catalina Cardenas, who works in the consul's department of economic promotion.

"We have a lot to offer," she said. "We are going to show people Mexico's rich culture and traditions."

Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.