Chicano Park Steering Committee

P.O. Box 131050
San Diego, CA 92170

(619) 994-1345

email

---

CPSC BOARD MEMBERS:

Chair Por Vida: Tommie Camarillo Chair: Lucas Cruz                              Vice-Chair: Jesse Constancio Secretary: Jessica Petrikowski Treasurer: Isabel Sanchez                 Sgt-at-Arms: Joe Le Blanc

TOURS:

Please email Dr. Alberto Pulido, apulido@sandiego.edu

---

The Chicano Park Steering Committee is on Facebook

The Chicano Park Steering Committee YouTube Channel

@ChicanoPark_Official

---

CPSC website hosted by:

Free Public Wi-Fi Available in Chicano Park, Select Network 'SDAccess4All'

QEPD/RIP David Rico, Antonio 'Tio' Camarillo, Esteban Villa, Yolanda M López

Chicano Park calendar

CPSC monthly meetings are held on the 4th Sunday of the month. The next meeting will be Sunday, August 28, 3pm at the Kiosco (open to all, only members vote)

Chicano Park Vive! returns July and August 2022

The Turning Wheel Project, Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, and the Chicano Park Steering Committee host a second summer of Chicano Park Vive!, including the 2nd annual Chicano Park Scholarship. Thanks to all the volunteers and all the community who joined us for the previous 2022 events, Mujeres de la Revolución, Danza Mexicayotl and local danza community ceremony, and the Mochilatón/Backpack Giveaway.

Join us for this Saturday, August 20th, from 11am to 3pm for Youth Day, the final event of Chicano Park Vive! 2022. Lowriders, lowrider bikes (Aztlan bike club), art activities, free food & más. Music by Carnalismo, Mariachi Torres, La Orquesta Mágica. Chicano Park Scholarship Award Ceremony, 1pm

Saturday, July 9: Mujeres de la Revolución

Sunday, July 17: Danza Mexicayotl and local Danza Community Ceremony

Saturday, July 23: Mochilatón: School Supply Drive/ Backpack Giveaway (CPSC, CPMCC, TW, & Raza Services Collective)

Saturday, August 20: Youth Day/ Chicano Park Scholarship awards, and Lowriders

Student present projects at June CPSC meeting

Thank you Athena for sharing award-winning 2022 National History Day project 'Chicano Park: A Failture in Diplomacy, A Success in the Barrio'. Thank you to High Tech Middle students in Ms. Gina Wickstead's class for sharing San Diego Story Stones in honor of CPSC Chair Por Vida, Tomasa 'Tommie' Camarillo

Brown Image mural unveiling celebration was held on June 25, 2022

52nd Chicano Park Day, virtual commemoration, April 18-24, 2022

The theme for Chicano Park 52 was 'Tommie Camarillo, Adelita del Parque Por Vida!' Videos are posted to the Chicano Park 52 playlist, on the CPSC Youtube channel (link to individual videos below)

Monday, April 18th: Opening Blessing with Bobby Wallace & Karla Garcia-Perez; Virtual Week Opening Remarks; Aztlan Youth Brigade interview with Isabel Enrique Sanchez; Dr. Alberto Pulido reading his poetic words

Tuesday, April 19th: Youth Brigade interview with Tommie Camarillo; Interview with Alberto Pulido regarding Tommie Camarillo; Explanation of Chicano Park 52 poster; Joe Le Blanc interview regarding Tommie Camarillo; Gail Perez interview with Tommie Camarillo, Voces de los Muros Project; Linda Chicana (Chapter 2) featuring Astru Sierra

Wednesday, April 20th: Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center; Brown Image mural doc trailer; Preview of Brown Image mural documentary by Ray Velasquez; Chicano Park means family to me by NIco Aguilar ; Youth Brigade interviews Josie Talamantez, CMPCC;

Thursday, April 21st: Rigo Reyes on David Rico and the Brown Berets; Josie Talamantez on David Rico; Jesse Constancio on David Rico ; Joe Le Blanc on David Rico ; Juan Parrino on David Rico ; David Rico interview

Friday, April 22nd: Tour of Chicano Park by Rigo Reyes & Via International; Con Safos Car Club; Aztlan Car Club; Never Slippin' by JC; Poem by Athena

Saturday, April 23rd: Bea Zamora & Mario Aguilar on the Fire Ceremony; Cihua Mazatl on Popoxcomitl

Sunday, April 24th: Juan & Aida Flores of Calpulli Mexhica interview; Youth Brigade interview with MEX & Strive

La Tierra Mia: A Chicano Park Story--2nd edition

La Tierra Mia: A Chicano Park Story is a collection of memories through photos and notes from contributors who have shared a connection to the park over the past 50 years. The book is dedicated to the 250+ individuals who fought to preserve this space, and the countless others who have made it what it is today. Bob Dominguez's second edition (122 pages, 12 new pages) of La Tierra Mia: A Chicano Park Story is available at https://latierramiabook.com/shop/p/latierramia2 The book can also be purchased at Libélula Books and at Logan + Lang Books.

The Spirit of Chicano Park / El Espíritu del Parque Chicano

A new bilingual children's book by Beatrice Zamora with illustrations by Maira Meza. Available in hardback and paperback from Tolteca Press. Proceeds will go to the Chicano Park Steering Committee and the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. Interview with author Bea Zamora

Teacher Linda Guerra-Adame shared these drawings and reflections of her students after reading the book to them. Artwork is by Yeily Vasquez, Jacqueline Castillo, and Maya Balderas, kindergarten students at Rosa Parks Elementary 2021-22.

Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland Visits Chicano Park

  Deb Haaland, the 34th Secretary of the Interior, visited Chicano Park on September 28, 2021, tweeting 'During my visit to Chicano Park in California last week, I was reminded that art, like nature, is everywhere. Murals and sculptures like these create space for community while honoring cultural heritage.'

California funding for Chicano Park Mural Restoration and Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center

 Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, Chicano Park muralists and representatives of the Chicano Park Steering Committee announced Friday, July 16, 2021 that $7.5 million will go toward the museum at Chicano Park (CPMCC) and $2.5 million will fund Chicano Park mural restorations. Photo: Assemblywoman Gonzalez, muralist Berenice Badillo (her mural is backdrop), and CPSC members Diane, Josie, Tommie, Annie, Rocky, and Isabel.  

51st Chicano Park Day (Virtual) held April 19-25, 2021

The theme for the 51st annual Chicano Park Day was 'Chicano Park 51: Healing our Past, Educating the Present, Leading into our Future" Congratulations to Xochitl Flores and German Corrales who created this year's winning selection, Quetzalcoatl Kiosko, for the poster image for the 51st commemoration. And huge thanks to all who submitted fantastic designs. Thanks also to Max Bojorquez for completing the graphic design.

Chicano Park 'Day' 2021 was VIRTUAL ONLY--no in-person commemoration.

Themes for the week:were:Monday--Kumeyaay, Tuesday--Sister Organizations,Wednesday --Lowriding, Thursday--Chicano Park and Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, Friday--Sister Parks, Saturday--Danza, and Sunday--Healing. Numerous online musical performances (Quetzal, Kumeyaay Bird Singers, B-Side Players, Ozomatl, Ric Sanchez & Friends) streamed in addition to screening of various documentaries and panel discussions.

CPSC YouTube under playlist 'Chicano Park 51: Healing our Past, Educating the Present, Leading into our Future' 

View the 49th Chicano Park Day (April 20, 2019) Printed Program

Chicano Park @ 50 Renewal & Self Determination Through Poster Art Exhibition (USD, CPMCC)

Recently three new murals were completed in Chicano Park. The Kumeyaay Creation Story (left), a collaboration by Carmen Linares Kalo, Irene Castruita, Isaias Crow which also included manyu community members. Next (second from left,) is Kumeyaay Princess (Gone too Soon) mural by Ruben Mendez and team. The most recent mural project completed is The Anastasio Hernandez Rojas Mural Project (three photos show side facing National Ave with Anastasio Rojas image at top center, reverse side with his widow and kids at top center, followed by detail of a side panel)  was led by muralist Victor Ochoa and included many local artists and was sponsored by Alliance San Diego and the American Friends Service Committee. Located in the placita near the skate lane, the mural honors the life of Rojas who was beaten and killed by border agents at the San Ysidro port of entry in May of 2010, as well as the fight for justice for all those familias who have lost loved ones at the hands of border agents. 

Chicano Park @ 50: A Daily Reflection on La Tierra Mia, 4/21-4/26, 2020

 '50th Anniversary of Chicano Park" video by Andrew Norbeck & Carlos Solorio w/ Chicano Park Steering Committee and the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center

"Fifty Years Ago, Fed Up With The City's Neglect, a San Diego Community Rose Up to Create Chicano Park" by Eduardo Diaz, Smithsonian Magazine, April 28, 2020

        

---

Chicano Park Herb Garden

The Chicano Park Herb Garden is a collective community herbal garden for healing, restoring, learning, working and playing. Firmly rooted in the park's history, the garden is a testament to the vision and resolve of the Barrio Logan community. Established in 2015, the garden is the realization of a need to create safe, healthy, and open spaces for local families and visitors alike. Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), a non-profit organization fighting social and environmental justice in the region's low-income communities of color for more than 39 years, had been listening to community request for such a garden space in the park. The land parcel for the garden project is located next to the cactus garden adjacent to 'Return of Quetzalcoatl' mural. An active group of volunteers ranging from Barrio Logan community members, local business owners, area organizations, college/universities, and local K-12 schools, to people just walking by and lending a hand, maintain the Chicano Park Herb Garden. While EHC serves as a co-sponsor and coordinator of the space, the CPSC oversee all aspects of the park.

During the spring and summer, EHC coordinates free public events at the garden so community members can learn about gardening, soil amending, green spaces, and how building open spaces like the herb garden connects community members to each other, the natural world, and to environmental justice. The Chicano Park Herb Garden is a work in progress, constantly evolving in the hands of dedicated caretakers such as Jiapsi Gomez and the Gohlke family. A new mural project is currently underway, and if approved, will be the biggest in the park. This new mural's title, "Haawka: May the Fire in Your Heart Burn Bright" -- is a traditional Kumeyaay greeting. It represents the history of the Kumyaay, indigenous people of Southern and Baja California. True to the vision behind the Chicano Park Herb Garden, the mural presents visitors with an invitation to experience the community garden and live life in harmony with nature. EHC looks forward to sharing the mural with the community. Jorge Gonzalez is the Barrio Logan Organizer with EHC. If you are interested in volunteering or a group visit, please email him at JorgeG@environmentalhealth.org

---

Chicano Park approved for National Historic Landmark status

Chicano Park was founded on April 22, 1970 when the community of Logan Heights and Chicano movement activists joined forces to protest the construction of a California Highway Patrol station on the present site of the park. The CHP office was at the time the final insult to a community that had already been degraded by the demolition of hundreds of homes to make way for Interstate 5, the construction of the Coronado Bridge, the placement of toxic industries & junkyards, lack of community facilities, proper schools, jobs, social or medical services.

Protesters led by the Brown Berets, community activists, artists, M.E.Ch.A. and others took over the site and faced police and bulldozers for days while negotiations took place that resulted in the land being given over for a community park. In the following days and months similar actions by the same groups led to the forming of a Chicano Free Clinic, now known as the Logan Heights Family Health Center, and the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

The struggle for Chicano Park came to symbolize the Chicano Mexicano people's struggle for self-determination and self-empowerment. The murals in the park painted by Chicano artists such as Victor Ochoa, Mario Torero, Yolanda Lopez, José Montoya, Sal Barajas, Juanishi Orosco, Berenice Badillo, Carmen Linares and many others portray the social, political and cultural issues that form the struggle for the liberation of Chicano Mexicanos.

Chicano Park has received international recognition as a major public art site. Since 1980, the Park has been listed    on the Historical Landmarks Registry (San Diego Historical Resources Board), since 1997 on the California Register of      Historical Resources. In addition, Chicano Park was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on     January 23, 2013, and was recently designated a National Historic Landmark on December 23, 2016.

Every year the community of Barrio Logan, the greater community of San Diego and people throughout the Southwest and across the US come together to celebrate the takeover of Chicano Park.

       

---

Chiicano Park Museum and Cultural Center website

Slideshow from the 2006 Chicano Park Day celebration

Video (pt 1) of the 2010 Chicano Park Day celebration by Rico Bueno

Video (pt 2) of the 2010 Chicano Park Day celebration by Rico Bueno 

Video from 2010 Chicano Park Day

---

.