1566 Lancaster Avenue. Los Angeles, CA 90033. (Between Indiana St. and Nieto Ln.) (click to view)
"In 1977, when Carlos Almaraz and I were invited by Mechicano Gallery to paint murals at the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects we made the conscious decision to design murals dedicated to women in response to all the male-dominated subject matter of most Chicano murals of the era. Carlos designed an homage to “Las Adelitas”, the female soldaderas of the Mexican Revolution and I designed a historical homage to the contributions of Mexican women from pre-Columbian to modern times.
The background figure is a contemporary Mestiza who is rooted in modern, colonial, and indigenous cultural significance. She represents the heroic maternal figure of Mexico, whose spirit is derived as much from the Virgen de Guadalupe as it is the goddess Tonantzin. The foundation of Mexican culture, symbolized by the figure’s classic rebozo, winds around the figure in a display of historical milestones in which women have participated: establishing the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, the veneration of the Virgen de Guadalupe, advancing the Chicano Rights Movement as members of the American labor force and union organizing, and advancing future generations through education.
Finally, the message and respect we wanted to convey to all these heroines is clear in the written declaration given in both Spanish and English, “Since the days of the ancient history of Mexico, our women have always fought for the good their family, their country, and their people. This mural is dedicated to them, the Daughters, the Mothers, and the Grandmothers of Aztlán.”
- Judithe Hernandez Photo: © Robin Dunitz