There's something vital missing from the National Mall in our nation's capital -- the official recognition of Latino Americans.

There's a National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of the African-American History, but the Smithsonian Museum has yet to have a National American Latino Museum.

Latinos have made some very important contributions to the culture, history, and heritage of the United States -- and The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino are rallying for their acknowledgement through its 2014 Campaign Design Contest. 

For the third year, The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino are giving their supporters the opportunity to help create a Smithsonian National American Latino Museum in our nation's capital. Through the 2014 Campaign Design Contest, they would like to see what the museum project means to Latinos. The winning artist will get national exposure for his or her talent by designing the image that will grace their posters and promotional materials during the entire year.

Over the past two years, there has been an outpouring of support from artists around the country who have created hundreds of thoughtful, creative, and beautiful designs.

This year, The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino invite their artists to be inspired by their slogan, "Honor. Educate. Inspire."

"These words guide our mission every day. We must honor the sacrifice and contributions of the amazing Latinos and Latinas that help build this nation by educating all on our shared history," the organization said. "By doing so, we also hope to inspire the next generation of Latinos and Latinas to take our nation even further.

The winning design will get a lot of exposure as it will serve as the central image for promotional materials, online imaging, and posters. Thousands of posters will be distributed through a national media campaign that will include distribution at major Latino conferences nationwide as well as across Capitol Hill.

"As we work to create the first and only national museum of American Latino history, the winner of this contest will be part of a historic movement," said The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino.

When did the idea to have a National Smithsonian American Latino Museum come about?

"The idea for a Smithsonian Latino Museum was born in the mid-1990s when a task force said the Smithsonian had largely ignored Latinos in its exhibitions and should create at least one museum to correct that imbalance," according to an earlier report by The News York Times.

The panel's report, entitled "Willful Neglect," highlighted the fact that only two of the 470 people featured in the "notable Americans" section of the National Portrait Gallery were Latino.

After the release of the controversial report, the Smithsonian allocated money for Latino exhibitions and created an internal office to promote them. "It agreed that a Latino heritage museum in San Antonio, which opened in 2007, be designated as an affiliate. Called the Museo Alameda, the institution is allowed to borrow materials from the Smithsonian, but is not financed by it."

To its credit, the Smithsonian American Art Musuem featured a Latino art exhibit, "Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art," in October 2013.

While there are many museums across the country that focus on Latino heritage, supporters of the national museum say it is "imperative that there be a similar presence in the nation's capital."

"The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino strives to create a museum in our nation's capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories by highlighting the contributions made by Latino leaders, pioneers and communities to the American way of life."

Click here to get more information on how to submit your work for the 2014 Campaign Design Contest.