Younger generations contributed their art, as well. One young Chicana, Berenice Badillo, fulfilled her dream to paint in Chicano Park. Using an innovative technique, she painted on canvas in the studio, then “pasted the mural like a postage stamp” to one of the pillars of Chicano Park. With its extensive murals, Chicano Park earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, due to the vibrant efforts of continued activism led by Chicano Park founding members Josie Talamantez, Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center president; and Tommie Camarillo, Chicano Park Steering Committee president. New waves of Chicana/o artists continue to be inspired, thanks to the passionate cries for justice, the establishment of a cultural center, and a community park envisioned by San Diego’s artivists who were part of a historic Chicano Cultural Renaissance.
That same year, in the mural “Chicano Park Takeover” by Felipe Adame and Octavio Gonzalez, an Aztec runner carries a torch with orange flames as two eagles guide the residents. Muralist Michael Schnorr painted a lavish homage to “The Undocumented Worker.” The “Varrio Logan” mural by Victor Ochoa with Eddie Galindo and Juanillo Luna filled one pillar with the vibrant peacock tail from a popular tattoo. Since 1974, artist Salvador Barajas painted a mural in the park, designed Chicano Park posters, and helped organize the Chicano Park restoration project funded by Caltrans. In 2019, Barajas celebrated the history of lowriding with the mural, “Los Amigos Car Club.”
Chicano Park Takeover by Felipe Adame and Octavio Gonzalez (Photo courtesy Latino Legacy Foundation)
Amor, Sí Se Puede by Salvador Barajas (Photo courtesy Latino Legacy Foundation)
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San Diego Latino Legacy – Timeline • Milestones • Stories
Chapter 5 – The Chicano Cultural Renaissance
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