Jul. 11, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
The Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT), a free, traveling education center providing anti-hate lessons on issues such as tolerance, human rights and social justice, will visit Jackson Heights this Saturday as part of the annual Festival Calle Colombia.
MMOT will be open to all community members from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, at the intersection of 37th Avenue and 83rd Street during the vibrant block party celebrating Colombian culture and heritage.
First launched in Illinois, the mobile museum is based on Los Angeles’s Museum of Tolerance, which challenges visitors to confront bigotry, antisemitism and prejudice, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts.
MMOT promotes a “world-class learning experience” by using innovative technology and interactive lessons to bring a message of tolerance to schools and communities across the country.
Representatives from the mobile museum said it is imperative to educate community members on tolerance and human rights at a time when “hate and misinformation continue to rise.”
“The need for unity and understanding has never been greater,” MMOT representatives said. “The Mobile Museum of Tolerance brings inclusive, bilingual programming directly to communities, helping participants of all backgrounds reflect on the power of history, the dangers of discrimination, and their own role in building a more tolerant society.”
Representatives further added that the museum will provide a space for “dialogue, learning and empowerment” for members of the Jackson Heights community this Saturday.
The museum will offer free workshops and immersive modules over the five-hour period. MMOT stated that Saturday’s visit will be the center’s first to Jackson Heights.
Students at the Mobile Museum of Tolerance. Photo courtesy of Pollack Group.
The mobile learning center will visit Queens on Saturday as part of Festival Calle Colombia, organized by State Sen. Jessica Ramos, which returns for its fourth year this Saturday.
The event will transform 37th Avenue between 82nd and 84th Street into a vibrant street party, highlighting the rich history of the Colombian community in Queens.
The cultural celebration features live music, folkloric dance performances and community honorees.
Cumbia dancers in traditional dress will mingle with families, neighbors and visitors throughout the event, filling “Calle Colombia” with color and music.
Festival Calle Colombia will also serve as a community resource fair, offering information on local services and assistance from city, state, and community-based organizations. In addition to MMOT, organizations such as the NY State of Health will provide information on a range of services throughout the day for local residents and visitors alike.
Ramos said the annual festival honors the generations of Colombians who have built new lives in New York and Queens.
“Festival Calle Colombia honors the generations who built their lives here and inspires new dreams for the next,” Ramos said in a statement. “Cumbia dancers will fill the street, and our resource fair will connect our neighbors with vital community services. Come celebrate our Colombianidad with us and leave empowered to shape your future.”