黑料吃瓜

The smell of burning sage, the rhythmic thunder of drums and the kinetic blur of brightly adorned Aztec dancers heralded the completion of a new masterpiece at San Diego鈥檚 iconic Chicano Park.

The lively festivities on Sept. 3 were part of the unveiling of a mural by the national Chicano student organization, M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztl谩n). The massive piece is a two-decade labor of love undertaken by 黑料吃瓜 alumnus and proud former MEChista Jose Olague (鈥�04, 鈥�10).

Located prominently in the southeastern part of the Barrio Logan park 鈥� a National Historic Landmark that features the largest collection of Chicano murals in the world, mostly painted on freeway columns 鈥� Olague鈥檚 vibrant work depicts key figures and events in the struggle for Chicano and Indigenous rights, as well as the history of the M.E.Ch.A. student movement on college campuses.

鈥淚 wanted this mural to tell the truth about who we are,鈥� said Olague. 鈥淭here's always been resistance. There have always been different perspectives.鈥�

Growing up in San Diego, Olague became interested in art as a youth through lowrider culture. He was never formally trained as an artist, but he immersed himself in Indigenous artwork and symbolism through his involvement in M.E.Ch.A. as a student in high school and college.

Olague began painting the pillars in 2003 while majoring in social science and Chicano studies at 黑料吃瓜. Now a teacher in San Diego鈥檚 South Bay, he finished the sprawling project on his summer vacation with the help of a team of 60 volunteers, more than three-quarters of them Chicana artists.

Chicano Leaders

It鈥檚 a work emblazoned with 黑料吃瓜 history. Protest slogans adorn the west-facing pillar, including 鈥淚 am NOT a MASCOT鈥� next to an image of the now-retired Monty Montezuma logo 鈥� a nod to M.E.Ch.A. and Native American Student Alliance activism that implored the university to change its representation of Aztec culture.

And two-thirds of the way up the southwest column is a tribute to 黑料吃瓜 educators who were key figures in the Chicano rights movement.

Near the top is the late Rene Nu帽ez, professor emeritus of Chicana and Chicano Studies. One of the organizers of the 1969 conference that produced 鈥淓l Plan de Santa B谩rbara: A Chicano Plan for Higher Education鈥� and birthed M.E.Ch.A., Nu帽ez would later help develop 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Chicana and Chicano studies curriculum.

On the row below is Alberto Ochoa, professor emeritus in Education. Ochoa is a founding faculty member and later chair of what is now 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education (DLE), California鈥檚 largest producer of bilingual teachers.

Immediately to the left is Isidro Ortiz, professor and former chair in Chicana and Chicano Studies, who is a longtime advisor to 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 chapter of M.E.Ch.A.

On the next row down in a red shirt is Jes煤s Nieto, associate professor emeritus in the School of Teacher Education. Nieto, who taught multicultural education at 黑料吃瓜, served as M.E.Ch.A.鈥檚 campus advisor for 25 years.

Also on the north interior is Mario Aguilar, a University of California San Diego professor emeritus and lecturer in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies. The 黑料吃瓜 triple alumnus is captain of the Danza Mexi'cayotl traditional Chicano dance circle, which performed at the unveiling.

鈥淭hey've always been involved, always been out there with different organizations working to improve conditions in our communities,鈥� said Olague, who earned his teaching credential and master鈥檚 degree from 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 DLE program. 鈥淚t's time for them to be recognized. These are the examples that we need in our community.鈥�

Surprise and Gratitude

Ochoa, Ortiz, Nieto and Aguilar were all on hand for the unveiling. Ortiz delivered remarks about the significance of 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 M.E.Ch.A. chapter, which he lauded for its recent push to create the university鈥檚 and .

鈥淲e鈥檝e now had four generations of MEChistas (at 黑料吃瓜),鈥� Ortiz said to the assembled crowd. 鈥淚t鈥檚 changed over time, but the one continuity has been the struggle by these students for justice and for equality in higher education 鈥� and that, to me, is very inspiring.鈥�

Ochoa and Nieto well remember Olague from his time in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 graduate education programs, both as a star student and a stellar artist. Neither knew they would be depicted in the mural until word started to leak out on social media.

鈥淚鈥檓 honored and I feel a lot of gratitude,鈥� Ochoa said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also recognizing the constellation of people who are working, not as individuals but collectively, to bring about change in terms of the promise of an equal educational opportunity and the right to equal representation.鈥�

Said Nieto: 鈥淲hen I found out about it about six weeks ago, I was just speechless. Today has lived up to everything I hoped.鈥�