Barrio Logan Gateway Arch, San Diego
Unknown to many, the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch in San Diego, California, is more than just a city's artistic impression. Like many other arches, the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch was put up in 2017 after years of lobbying and activism to recognize the contributions of Mexican Americans in San Diego. Mexican-Americans in Barrio Logan have a history stretching back to the 1950s and 1960s when the US began to expand its naval base in San Diego. The naval project had initially displaced many businesses and individuals. There were also accusations of air pollution that affected many residents. The community then organized itself in social activism to advocate for environmental justice (Milanés, 2022). They also demanded affordable housing and cultural recognition. The first recognition was the Chicano Park in 1970 after the 12-day occupation of the site. In 2017, the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch was also put up after activism and demand for cultural recognition. However, Barrio Logan Gateway Arch seems more of a modern-day re-invention of a culture threatened by gentrification.
Social activism and political activism in the commissioning of Barrio Logan Gateway Arch are inseparable. The Barrio Logan Gateway Arch stands as a political representation that one is now entering or leaving Barrio Logan. It is located at the intersection of Cesar Chavez Parkway and Main Street. The arch's location is significant in the fight against cultural murals in the city disappearing. The state passed laws that allowed investors to put up new buildings, thereby sending the cost of rentals skyrocketing as investors came looking for land (Kwak, 2018). As more and more investors started to build modern buildings, gentrification was killing the mom-and-pop shops and businesses. Most predominantly Mexican-Americans feel that revitalization has come at a cost, as most neighbors are forced to leave Barrio Logan because they cannot afford rising rent.
Some community members feel that San Diego needs to slow down its new policy on gentrification since old buildings are being torn down. Therefore, a cultural versus economic conflict has sprung between the municipality and local Barrio Logan residents and activists who have lived in the locality for a long time (Milanés, 2022). The latter group feel that the cultural identification features of the city should be retained while the political class have other priorities. That back-and-forth struggle between the Latinos in Barrio Logan and the local government can only mean that issues of minority-majority politics were at play. Latinos make up 30.1% of the San Diego population (Census.gov, 2023). Therefore, as gentrification becomes the new norm in Barrio Logan, perhaps only the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch remains a visible symbol of the town's cultural history without even having to go to Chicano Park.
The cultural significance of the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch is that it embodies political activism at a time when the state of California cancelled all redevelopment in the area in 2012. However, the town was allowed to build the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch to celebrate and honor the community's cultural heritage and resilience. Designed and created by artist Hector Villegas, one should not be surprised to find that it features iconic imagery of Mexican culture. A keen analysis reveals calaveras (skeletons), cut paper decorations (papel picado) and Loteria cards. Community members and local organizations installed the arch in 2017 following several years of advocacy.
For those familiar with American politics, one can appreciate that the fight for social justice and equality is an ongoing struggle that continues unabated. Like African-Americans, Mexican Americans have also had to fight their battles against a political system that can occasionally disregard its duty to citizens (Rugh, 2020). The Barrio Logan Gateway Arch came about after several years of lobbying for cultural recognition in the modern era. However, one can also argue that it is a bold indication that cultural preservation and gentrification will go hand in hand. That is particularly so because modern buildings are slowly replacing the old ones on both sides of the road where the arch stands (Chavez, 2021). Change is inevitable. Surprisingly, those headed to Chicano Part also mostly pass by the arch. In short, the Barrio Logan Gateway Arch is a product of social and political activism, but its success does not imply victory for those resisting architectural changes in Barrio Logan.
Barrio Logan Gateway Arch, as noted above, should be interpreted as a cultural and political landmark. It is mostly a cultural landmark since the lobbying and activism that saw its installation was mostly Latino-led. It stands as a reminder that minority communities' cultural interests can co-exist hand in hand with local government policy seeking to face-lift its towns and cities. Of course, gentrification comes at the price of losing old neighborhoods that others relate with sentimentally. When authorities strike a balance with the locals, the two aspects can go hand in hand. However, activism is always inevitable since authorities often want to proceed without due regard for minority interests. Aside from the murals and graffiti that bring to life Barrio Logan town, the Gateway Arch remains a symbol of the town's rich cultural and political activism and a compromise between cultural preservation and economic development.
References
Census.gov (2023). “Quick Facts: San Diego city, California.” https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sandiegocitycalifornia/PST045221
Chavez, S.P. (2021). “We’ve seen Barrio Logan blossom. Gentrification is stealing our magic.” San Diego Union Tribune, Oct 1, 2021. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2021-10-01/barrio-logan-gentrification-rent
Kwak, N. H. (2018). Anti-gentrification Campaigns and the Fight for Local Control in California Cities. New Global Studies, 12(1), 9-20. https://doi.org/10.1515/ngs-2018-0008
Milanés, L. L. (2022). Latinxs in Chicago: Managing Health Inequities with Community Centers. Human Organization, 81(4), 327-337. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/latinxs-chicago-managing-health-inequities-with/docview/2759659819/se-2
Rugh, J. S. (2020). Why Black and Latino Home Ownership Matter to the Color Line and Multiracial Democracy. Race and Social Problems, 12(1), 57-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-019-09275-y
