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Narrated Photo Essay: Luis Garza on the Young Activists of La Raza

CSRC_LaRaza_B3F5C8_LG_008 Gloria Chavez and Joe Raza walk from the courthouse which held the trail for the 21 St. Basil defendants | Luis Garza,  La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
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_B14F5S2_N010 Toasting during La Raza staff party | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
CSRC_LaRaza_B14F5S2_N010 Toasting during La Raza staff party | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
1/25 Toasting during La Raza staff party | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center
1/25 Toasting during La Raza staff party | Manuel Barrera, Jr., La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Narrated Photo Essay: The Young Activists of La Raza

Luis Garza

My name is Luis Garza. My parents are of Mexican origin from Northern Mexico and South Texas. [We] came out to Los Angeles in 1965. The concept of familia is very important within our community as we know. It's an extended family. When I look at my fellow colleagues at La Raza, it was a mix of personalities, of talents, of ages, of gender, of personal experiences — some were parents, some were students, some were just in search, some were academics, some were professionals, aspiring lawyers, doctors. There was such a cross-section and mix of people who came through the office of La Raza who became active participants in the process of publishing and putting that work together at the magazine, at the newspaper, at that time. The amount of energy and talent, both professional and raw, was really eclectic. It was quite a mix. But everybody was dedicated. Everybody was dedicated to telling the story.

Hear more from the other photographers here.

Top Image: Gloria Chavez and Joe Raza walk from the courthouse which held the trail for the 21 St. Basil defendants | Luis Garza, La Raza photograph collection. Courtesy of UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center

Audio mix by: Michael Naeimollah