CSRC_LaRaza_B6F2aC3_OC_010 Protesters with "We Will Not Be Intimidated" sign at the Marcha Por La Justicia rally at Belvedere Park | Oscar Castillo, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Title

Narrated Photo Essay: Gil Lopez on Continuing the Struggle for Social Justice Today

2018-04-04T11:56:47-07:00

Artbound "La Raza" is a KCETLink production in association with the Autry Museum of the American West and UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center.

 

In the 1960s and 70s, a group of young idealists-activists came together to work on a community newspaper called La Raza that became the voice for the Chicano Movement. With only the barest resources, but a generous amount of dedication, these young men and women changed their world and produced an archive of over 25,000 photographs. Hear their thoughts on the times and its relevance today, while perusing through some photographs not seen in public for decades in this series of narrated slideshows. 

Click right or left to look through the images from the 1960s and 70s. Hit the play button on the bottom right corner to listen to the audio.

CSRC_LaRaza_B14F6S1_N013 Man speaks to a crowd at Chicano Moratorium anniversary | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Man speaks to a crowd at Chicano Moratorium anniversary | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B14F6S1_N005 Man, possibly Nacho Uribe, speaks to a crowd at Chicano Moratorium anniversary | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Man, possibly Nacho Uribe, speaks to a crowd at Chicano Moratorium anniversary | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B11F4C3_PB_013 La Raza Unida delegation march during the Mexican Independence Day parade in East Los Angeles | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

La Raza Unida delegation march during the Mexican Independence Day parade in East Los Angeles | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B10F4C2_PA_022 Man holds sign during Centro de Accion Social Autonomo (CASA) march in front of the California State Building | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Man holds sign during Centro de Accion Social Autonomo (CASA) march in front of the California State Building | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B10F3C4_PA_020 Man holds sign at the immigration march against Dixon-Arnett Act | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Man holds sign at the immigration march against Dixon-Arnett Act | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B7F5C4_PB_013 Women carry coffins during the memorial march for Guillermo and Gildardo Sanchez, who were killed by LAPD officers | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Women carry coffins during the memorial march for Guillermo and Gildardo Sanchez, who were killed by LAPD officers | Patricia Borjon Lopez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F10C1_Staff_004 Two protesters with a sign at an anti-Vietnam War demonstration in front of L.A. City Hall | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Two protesters with a sign at an anti-Vietnam War demonstration in front of L.A. City Hall | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F7C1_Staff_009 Anti-Vietnam War demonstration on Wilshire Boulevard | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Anti-Vietnam War demonstration on Wilshire Boulevard | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F4C1_RR_012 Protesters at the San Francisco Peach March | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Protesters at the San Francisco Peach March | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C7_RR_005 People march at Fresno Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

People march at Fresno Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C6_RR_032 Women march at Fresno Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Women march at Fresno Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C5_PA_005 People march at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

People march at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C4_PA_015 People march at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

People march at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C3_PA_010 Person lying on stage during a performance at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Person lying on stage during a performance at Fresno Moratorium | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F3C1_DZ_008 People march at Fresno Moratorium | Daniel Zapata, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

People march at Fresno Moratorium | Daniel Zapata, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F2C1_RR_024 Rosalio Muñoz speaks at the San Fernando Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Rosalio Muñoz speaks at the San Fernando Moratorium | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B5F2C1_RR_022 Young men protest in front of Parker Center, the headquarters of the LAPD. | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Young men protest in front of Parker Center, the headquarters of the LAPD. | Raul Ruiz, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B4F2C2_Staff_010 Rosalio Muñoz exits the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Rosalio Muñoz exits the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Station | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B2F5C1_Staff_017 Protesters at Roosevelt High School strike | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Protesters at Roosevelt High School strike | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B1F4C8_Staff_010 Rally to free the L.A. 13 at La Placita | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Rally to free the L.A. 13 at La Placita | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

CSRC_LaRaza_B1F3C5_Staff_020 Protest at Roosevelt High School walkouts | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Protest at Roosevelt High School walkouts | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Gil Lopez

My name is Gilbert Lopez. I was active with La Raza magazine/newspaper thereafter La Raza Unida, and at the time, I was also a student at Roosevelt High School. Probably one of the most enlightening experiences I had at La Raza was becoming a photographer. I think the photos tell a story of what were the conditions at the time. Many demonstrations, pickets and union organizing and things that we did, we show how things — tough at the time — that still exist today. If people can translate those photos and say, "What's changed?" not to be sarcastic or cynical about it, but to say, "Wait a minute. If those guys had to put their foot in the door and they were improving things for us to have these positions, we should put our foot in the door and we should continue those types of struggles.

Hear more from the other photographers here.

More La Raza Stories

Learn more about the group of young activists that became the voice for the movimiento on "Artbound" S9 E2: La Raza. Watch now.

Top Image: Protesters with "We Will Not Be Intimidated" sign at the Marcha Por La Justicia rally at Belvedere Park | Oscar Castillo, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
Audio mix by: Michael Naeimollah

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