Yolanda Barbosa Featured in National Museum of Mexican Art Exhibition

We are proud to celebrate our member Yolanda, whose family’s extraordinary three‑generation railroad legacy is featured in the new exhibition Rieles y Raíces: Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago.

Exhibition Details

• Rieles y Raíces: Traqueros in Chicago and the Midwest

• Dates: November 21, 2025 – April 26, 2026

• Location: National Museum of Mexican Art, Xicágo Gallery

• Curators: Ismael Cuevas, M.A. & Alejandro Benavides, Ph.D.

• Sponsor: BNSF

This powerful exhibition highlights the often ‑ overlooked history of Mexican and Mexican ‑ American traqueros — railroad workers whose labor shaped Chicago and the Midwest for more than a century. Through community stories and archival research, the exhibit honors the families who built their lives along the very tracks they maintained.

About Yolanda

Yolanda’s story is deeply rooted in this history.

• Her grandfather immigrated from Mexico in the 1920s and worked for the New York Central Railroad in both New York and Chicago, eventually becoming a locomotive engineer.

• Her father began his career with Amtrak in 1977 as a switch operator in Chicago and retired after 33 years of dedicated service in the Material Controls department.

• Her second cousin spent nearly three decades with the Chicago Northwest Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad, navigating strikes, relocations, and the changing landscape of the industry.

Yolanda proudly continued this legacy, contributing 15 years of service within the railroad industry. Her family’s multigenerational commitment reflects the resilience, pride, and cultural heritage celebrated in this exhibition.

We congratulate Yolanda on this meaningful recognition and encourage our members to visit the exhibit and honor the stories of the traqueros who helped shape our nation’s railroads.