Costa Announces Appointment of Fresno’s Amy Kitchener to Position at the Library of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16) announced that Fresno's Amy Kitchener has received a Congressional Appointment to serve on the Board of Trustees for the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

"Amy's expertise and passion for the arts will undoubtedly add value to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress," said Rep. Costa. "I know Amy will apply her strong Valley roots and decades of experience as she joins the Library of Congress in preserving our nation's cultural diversity and rich traditions. The San Joaquin Valley and entire state of California have a wealth of culture to share with the nation and world. Amy will proudly represent our state with great dedication."

"I am honored to serve as a congressional appointee to the American Folklife Center, especially during this moment in history," said Amy Kitchener, recent appointee to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. "The existence of the American Folklife Center affirms the critical role that government should play as a steward to preserve and present American folklife -- helping us discover, remember and celebrate who we are as a people. I'm pleased to serve as the only California representative on the Board of Trustees in my work as the founding executive director of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. The AFC holds many special collections from our state, including the Work Projects Administration Northern California Folk Music Project. The collection includes Sidney Robertson Cowell recorded musicians from many immigrant and migrant communities, which define our state's history, for example, Armenians in Fresno, Russian Molokans in San Francisco, tunes from the Gold Rush; and Mexican wedding music, among others. For me, this collection affirms the unique cultural contributions of Californians – from California's First People to recent immigrants. We have long lived, worked and played side by side and thrive in our diverse expressions – this is California's gift to the rest of the country. I believe that affirming our diverse cultural traditions and sharing them is a foundation of what it means to be American."

Amy Kitchener is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. The Alliance for California Traditional Arts promotes and supports ways for cultural traditions to thrive now and into the future by providing advocacy, resources and connections for artists.

In 1976, the American Folklife Center was established by the U.S. Congress to preserve and present American folklife. For more information on the American Folklife Center, please visit the website for the Library of Congress.