Chicano!

Growing up there was a lot of conversation about our being a family that was Mexican and American. At the time I didn't think of Mexico as being much more than the place where my family came from in the early 20th century.

It was when I was at Garfield High School that I began to hear, and then to use the word Chicana or Chicano as a descriptor of who I was or the community in which I lived.

It was at about that same time that I began to learn something of the history of the Southwestern portion of the United States. It was also at that time that the Walkouts took place as a response to a growing awareness of the lack of equity in education in East L.A. I believe at the time the drop out rate was about 50%.

And it was in August of 1970 that the Chicano Moratorium took place at Laguna Park. The footage of the aftermath of the gathering includes scenes that are sadly reminiscent of images that are familiar to those who know The Eyes of the Prize. The death of journalist Ruben Salazar is noteworthy for many reasons; his story was recently highlighted in the Los Angeles Times.

And yet, many who are committed to Social Justice, local history, or who are young Latinos, are not aware of this four part documentary. They may not have seen the footage we'll be sharing on Friday.

I hope that you will join us as we view the program and then share conversation with Susan Racho, the segment producer for this groundbreaking documentary.

For more information: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Latino-Heritage-Third-Friday-Films