Chicano Park Steering Committee

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

Link to Chicano Park calendar, contact CPSC to request additions/updates

CPSC monthly meetings, 4th Sunday of the month, 3 pm at the Kiosco

¡Yolanda M. López, Presente!

“I belong to the Chicano civil rights movement as an artist,” said López." Yolanda López, artist who painted the iconic Virgen de Guadalupe series, dies at 79

The first solo retrospective of her work is on exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, Oct 16, 2021 through April 24, 2022

‘Chicanas/Escuelas’ 1978 mural in Chicano Park by Yolanda López & Mujeres Muralistas

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.'

Chicano Park Steering Committee & Turning Wheel Bus at El Paso's Lincoln Park Day

Members of the Chicano Park Steering Committee, the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, and the Turning Wheel bus travelled to El Chuco's Lincoln Park Day commemoration, hosted by the Lincoln Park Conservation Committee on September 19, 2021. A tree was planted by the CPSC in the park, strengthening our relationship with our sister park.

Chicano Park Vive!

The Turning Wheel Project, Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, the Chicano Park Steering Committee, and The San Diego Foundation would like to thank the community for supporting the "Chicano Park Vive! Healing, Educating, and Leading" events, June 26-August 21, 2021. View projects, photos, videos and a recap of all the summer events here.

Chicano Park Scholarship, Chicano Park Vive!

Thank you to all the Chicano Park Scholarship participants for their terrific submissions!

Award recipients include Keyonamae Tonantzin Simmons, Wendy Guadalupe Gonzalez, Raquel Guerra Tena, Perla Alcazar Pulido, Giovanna Pacheco, and Matthew Yong.

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

Organized by the Chicano Park Steering Committee, Stewards of Chicano Park

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'

CPSC Facebook page and Instagram ChicanoPark_Official

Established by Chicano activists on April 22, 1970, Chicano Park has received international recognition as a major public art site. The Park was recognized as a San Diego Cultural Resource by the San Diego Historical Society in 1980. In addition, Chicano Park has been listed on the California Register of Historical Resources since 1997, on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 and was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 23, 2016.

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

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

Bathroom Building Murals

Joining Sal Barajas's 'Amor Si Se Puede' mural on the bathroom building walls are murals by MEX (Giovanni Cerda and crew) 'Chicano Love' and Patricia Aguayo Cruz (and crew) 'Curandera Fronteriza'. Hector Villegas (Mexikota Art) just finished his mural 'Honoring Mictlantecuhtli' on the opposite side wall (jaguars). These murals were approved by CPSC majority vote in July 2017.

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

La Tierra Mia: A Chicano Park Story

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 The second edition (122 pages, 12 new pages) of La Tierra Mia: A Chicano Park Story is available at https://latierramiabook.com

Kumeyaay Creation Story, Kumeyaay Princess, and Anastasio Hernández Rojas Murals

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

Thank you to all our volunteer tour guides and all the students, teachers, community members, and numerous other visitors from far and wide who take part in learning about Chicano Park's history and monumental murals.

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

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced the designation of 24 new National Historic Landmarks on January 11, 2017 (December 23, 2016 officially approved). Chicano Park is among those sites. "On April 22, 1970, community residents occupied Chicano Park in San Diego, California, in an ultimately successful effort to prevent the construction of a California Highway Patrol substation on land where the City of San Diego had promised the neighborhood a community park. Representative of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, Chicano Park has become a cultural and recreational gathering place for the Chicano community and is the location of the Chicano Park Monumental Murals, an exceptional assemblage of master mural artwork painted on the freeway bridge supports." Read complete press release here. Chicano Park has been listed on the California Register of Historical Resources since 1997 and was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 23, 2013.

Recreation Improvements Completed

Ribbon-cutting held on November 5, 2015

Join the San Diego Urban Corps and the Chicano Park Steering Committee on November 5, 3pm to celebrate the improvements/additions including the children's playground, tiny tots area, new handball court, adult outdoor fitness area (and new grass planted adjacent), skate lane, Raul Jaquez metal artwork restored (and fountain tile work),and landscaping alongside the placita.

Read about SD Urban Corps's work in Pablo J. Sáinz article in La Prensa from July 24, 2015.

Tommie Camarillo Day at San Diego City Council, Sept. 20, 2016

Councilman David Alvarez on behalf of the San Diego City Council proclaimed September 20, 2016 to be Tomasa 'Tommie' Camarillo Day

..."WHEREAS, Tommie Camarillo has been a faithful steward and protector, dedicated to her love for a park that serves as a cultural anchor and symbolizes the importance of struggle, sacrifice, and equality; and..." (part of the proclamation)