Last summer immediately after school ended, I went on a California Road Trip Alternative Break through the LMU Center for Service and Action to visit a range of communities affected by various social issues. One of the places we visited was San Diego; we met up with the Enrique Morones (President and Founder of Border Angels) at Chicano Park. As the group waited to meet him, I took pictures of the historical murals (shown above) that not only beautify the park, but depict the social, political, and cultural issues and struggle for community perseverance and empowerment.
Chicano Park was founded on April 22, 1970 by the neighboring community of Barrio Logan, Brown Berets, artists, M.E.Ch.A. and other activists who confronted the police and bulldozers against the construction of the California Highway Patrol Station on the site. The community had already been displaced by the: construction of Interstate 5 and Coronado bridge in addition to the toxic industries, junk yards, lack of community facilities, proper education, social and medical services. A human chain of community members around the bulldozers was created to stop the construction. The community of Barrio Logan occupied the park for twelve days and transformed the place into a garden of plants and grass. After being forced to vacate the site, members stayed on the sidewalks updating and informing pedestrians, as negotiations were made by city council members. Promising the land for a Barrio Logan park, city councilmen authorized a contract for the development of a park that would be utilized by the community.
The murals at Chicano Park reflect the political climate of the time and the portrayal of leaders like Cesar Chavez, Che Guevara, Benito Juarez, Frida Kahlo, and Emiliano Zapata. They also depict the Mesoamerican Mexico. There are about 50 murals and some of the artists are Victor Orozco Ochoa, Mario Torero, Salvador Torres, Jose Montoya, and Sal Barajas. There is not much written about this historical and important park to the Chicano community of Barrio Logan, and the sources that I did find hardly ever reference Chicana artists who may have been a part of the struggle for the development.
Chicano park has been a site where immigrants and allies gather to embark or to end the Marcha Migrante, a march for a humane immigration reform that begins in San Diego and continues to other parts of the United States. Every year a celebration for Chicano park is organized in April by the Chicano Park Steering Committee. This year the 42nd annual celebration of Chicano Park on April 21st.
Reading and writing about it, and viewing the pictures taken by other people who have visited is much different than actually being present there. The park is literally under the Interstate 5 and Coronado bridge. Being surrounded by all the murals exerts a good energy feeling with so much history behind this park. It’s almost like a meditational site portraying images of cultural roots of perseverance.
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I’m so glad you wrote about Chicano Park and shared your pictures — they’re excellent.