This is a very offensive attack to the Mexican-American community history and culture as well as to Mexico as a nation.
History shows us that every time there is an economic crisis someone is blamed for it and in many instances minorities, migrants and other nations are the target.
There is also a tendency by politicians to consider that historic preservation is a waste of money especially when it comes to landmarks representing the history or culture of the people blamed for the crisis, as is the case here.
Historic preservation is not a luxury! It is part of urban planning together with land use planning, environmental planning, transportation planning, etc. All areas of the city have a legal right to have investment in the restoration of their monuments, including Barrio Logan.
Through historic preservation we can improve the quality of life of a city, its economy, safety as well as the mental health of its people, as many cases have proven. One of them is the Gaslamp district, where a decayed area was transformed as a result of historic preservation planning.
As a resident of Barrio Logan, I can see how the restoration process of the murals is already attracting local, national and even international attention, which is something positive for neighbors and visitors. Almost every month there is a positive article, news story, or radio interview regarding the restoration taking place in Chicano Park. Every week there are groups and families visiting the murals. Living right in front of the park allows me to be a daily witness to how the neighborhood is transforming in a positive way. It’s not only the transformation of the murals themselves, but also the artists that are restoring them, that bring a sense of place and community back to our neighborhood.
Chicano Park is in the National Register of Historic Places and is a San Diego Historical landmark recognized for its historic and artistic value representative of the civil rights movement in California. The murals show people and historic events recognized by academics and society in general as historic, they are part of what we can call an outdoor public museum.
Chicano Park is an internationally recognized monument that we should all be proud of. Investing in the preservation of the murals is the right thing to do because we are protecting an important resource that not only brings beauty to the city, but that also helps us understand the history of San Diego.
Other neighborhoods in the city have different approaches to historic preservation. In Mission Hills for instance, there is a historic district represented by Craftsman homes that are protected for their historical value through tax incentives.
Barrio Logan has a unique history that deserves to be remembered. It involves the legacy of the destruction of a neighborhood and the displacement of a people, followed by a grassroots response for the protection of a park. The creation of the murals is part of that history, which is an important lesson not only for Mexican Americans, but for all San Diegans.
Maria Curry is a Historic preservation specialist and Barrio Logan resident
