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Narrated Photo Essay: Oscar Castillo on La Raza's Enduring Importance

CSRC_LaRaza_B14F11C10_MB_013 Two young boys with their fists held high while holding newspapers in support of Raul Ruiz | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
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In East Los Angeles during the late 1960s and 1970s, a group of young activists used creative tools like writing and photography as a means for community organizing, providing a platform for the Chicano Movement in the form of the bilingual newspaper.
La Raza

Artbound "La Raza" is a KCETLink production in association with the Autry Museum of the American Westand 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_B17F23S1_N021 Children with raised fists during a Barrio Conference at Roosevelt High School | Maria Marquez Sanchez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F23S1_N021 Children with raised fists during a Barrio Conference at Roosevelt High School | Maria Marquez Sanchez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
1/19 Children with raised fists during a Barrio Conference at Roosevelt High School | Maria Marquez Sanchez, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S6_N007 Children carrying signs in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S6_N007 Children carrying signs in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
2/19 Children carrying signs in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S5_N030 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S5_N030 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
3/19 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S5_N004 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S5_N004 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
4/19 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S3_N008 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B17F22S3_N008 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
5/19 March in support of Ricardo Chavez Ortiz in downtown Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F7S1_N006 Anti-Vietnam War March on Wilshire Boulevard  | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F7S1_N006 Anti-Vietnam War March on Wilshire Boulevard  | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
6/19 Anti-Vietnam War March on Wilshire Boulevard | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C10_Staff_032 Young girl at the beach | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C10_Staff_032 Young girl at the beach | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
7/19 Young girl at the beach | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C10_Staff_012 Boy on a motorcycle | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C10_Staff_012 Boy on a motorcycle | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
8/19 Boy on a motorcycle | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C9_Staff_025 Two men and children | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C9_Staff_025 Two men and children | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
9/19 Two men and children | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C9_Staff_015 Young boy behind chainlink fence | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F6C9_Staff_015 Young boy behind chainlink fence | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
10/19 Young boy behind chainlink fence | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F3C2_Staff_018 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F3C2_Staff_018 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
11/19 CSRC_LaRaza_B16F3C2_Staff_018 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F3C1_Staff_023 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F3C1_Staff_023 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
12/19 International Women's Day march in East Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F2C1_Staff_008 Children in front of the Albion Street Early Education Center | Sixto Tarango, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B16F2C1_Staff_008 Children in front of the Albion Street Early Education Center | Sixto Tarango, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
13/19 Children in front of the Albion Street Early Education Center | Sixto Tarango, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B14F11S4_N069 September Mexican Independence Day Parade  | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B14F11S4_N069 September Mexican Independence Day Parade  | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
14/19 September Mexican Independence Day Parade | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F11S2_N083 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F11S2_N083 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
15/19 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F11S2_N007 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F11S2_N007 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
16/19 Gusanos anti-communist demonstrators carry banners in Los Angeles | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F10S1_N020 National Socialist White People's Party stand armed outside a party chapter | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B13F10S1_N020 National Socialist White People's Party stand armed outside a party chapter | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
17/19 National Socialist White People's Party stand armed outside a party chapter | Pedro Arias, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B12F16C2_STAFF__002 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B12F16C2_STAFF__002 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
18/19 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B12F16C1_STAFF__021 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B12F16C1_STAFF__021 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
19/19 Children petition for a traffic light at the corner of Fourth Street and Pecan Street in Los Angeles | La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Narrated Photo Essay: La Raza's Enduring Importance

Oscar Castillo

My name is Oscar Castillo and was a aspiring professional photographer, so that's how I happen to be involved with La Raza magazine. The importance of the role La Raza played back then is important, but I think it's moreso now to provide a historical perspective to younger children that have no idea when you talk to them about the Moratorium or different events in the 70s. They don't have a clue because it's not part of the general media. By creating a separate media and separate perspective. We're able to share those experiences. They say that history repeats itself. If you understand history, then you understand your own life.

Hear more from the other photographers here.

Top Image: Two young boys with their fists held high while holding newspapers in support of Raul Ruiz | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Audio mix by: Michael Naeimollah

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