Our Stories
Becoming a Chicano Activist I came home in 1970 with a new outlook and determination. I continued my education by enrolling at San Diego Community College and began to get involved in civic and political activities. In April of 1970, I joined the Barrio Logan community in its protests and demands for a neighborhood park, rather than the state’s plans for a California Highway Patrol sub-station at that location.
Built a new life after Vietnam I count my blessings every day. Having survived Vietnam, I returned to college, met my future wife, Teresa Pasqual, at SDSU and together we would raise three children. Following graduation in 1975, I began working for the first Latino California Assembly member from San Diego, Peter Chacon, and later became his Chief of Staff. He is known as the Father of Bilingual Education. It was an extraordinary time because there was no bilingual education. And students who didn’t speak English were dropping out of school. His bilingual education bill allowed for non-English students to learn in their primary language while they learned the English language. After 50 years, I retired from community service and the last 20 as the CEO of the Parent Institute for Quality Education that has helped Latino families learn how to ensure their children’s success in their academic endeavors. SI SE PUEDE!
“ The police were beating people, firing their weapons, and arresting hundreds of individuals. ”
On August 29, 1970, two of my brothers—one served as a Vietnam Combat Veteran and the other was an attorney—urged me to drive with them to the Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles. It was the first demonstration by the Latino community against the Vietnam war. It was also the first time I heard the words “Moratorium” and “Chicano. ” Arriving in Los Angeles, we began to see an increased law enforcement and military presence. My brothers and I agreed, something terrible was about to happen. By the time we got to Laguna Park, the moratorium had taken a bad turn. The police were beating people, firing their weapons, and arresting hundreds of individuals. We later learned three people had been killed, including Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar.
David & Teresa Valladolid – 1994 (Photo courtesy Latino Legacy Foundation)
It was a terrifying experience, even for me, a veteran who had returned from a combat zone. To find such violence occurring in my country and to people from our community was frightening. Yet, it was also enlightening to realize what it meant to be a Chicano standing up to inequality.
David Valladolid and U.S. Congressman John Lewis – 2017 Nat’l Council of La Raza, Washington D.C. (Photo courtesy David Valladolid Archives)
Left to Right, Brothers Jerry and Tony and David Valladolid – Circa 2012 (Photo courtesy David Valladolid Archives)
116
San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 4 – The Rise & Legacy of the Chicano Movement
117
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator