Chicano Park is located in Logan Heights, San Diego’s oldest Mexican-American neighborhood, nestled under the Coronado Bridge pillars. The park is the heart of Barrio Logan and home to the largest concentration of Chicano murals in the world. The paintings depict the Chicano heritage and transform the site into a vibrant cultural landmark.
The park has a storied history and was born through community activism. City officials had promised the community a park. However, the government reneged and intended to construct a highway patrol substation instead. In April of 1970, hundreds of residents formed a human chain to stop the bulldozers and occupied the land for twelve days. The takeover was successful and Chicano Park sprang to life, a symbol of pride and empowerment. In December 2016, Chicano Park was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is situated adjacent to the Park. It hosts various exhibitions, an oral history wall, and a variety of community events and programs. Last week, my husband and I delivered some artwork that my Hispanic mother, Mimi Lozano Holtzman, had donated to the Museum. She gifted them an original oil painting and some signed prints of her friend, Guy Gabaldon, a Latino military hero. An image of the painting is posted online: https://www.somosprimos.com/guy/guy.htm Gabaldon is credited with capturing over 1,500 Japanese soldiers and civilians in Saipan and Tinian during World War II–when he was only 18 years old. He was nicknamed “The Pied Piper of Saipan” and awarded the Navy Cross. Hollywood made a movie about his exploits entitled Hell to Eternity.
The park is a living testament to the power of a unified community and the strength of individuals to overcome obstacles in life. The murals are heartfelt and thought-provoking. The Museum gave us the print of a painting that was on one of the pillars. At the bottom of the image, it states,“¡Sí, se puede!” This is the motto of the United Farm Workers of America and has become an adopted slogan of many civil rights activists. Roughly translated it means, “Yes, we can!” The phrase is a good personal mantra, an inspirational affirmation. You can do it!
