This movie will be played on:
All screenings will take place at
COLLEGE OF THE DESERT | POLLOCK THEATER
43500 Monterey Ave, Palm Desert, CA
Synopsis
“Stand Up!” – El Plan de Nuestro “Mural de la Raza”
In 1985, Juanita Meza Velasquez organized to paint a 16’ x 82’ Chicano mural on the wall of Payless ShoeSource at 2048 Story Rd, San José, CA 95122 near King and Story Roads. Juanita organized what muralist, José Meza Velasquez would later title “Mural de La Raza” as a tool to end barrio warfare, empower grafitti artists and barrio youth.
The “Mural de La Raza” depicted the history and culture of precolumbian lore, the Mexican Revolution, the Chicano Movement, local figures, as well as the very youth who assisted in painting the mural.
After more than three decades of “Mural de La Raza” being a central fabric of San José’s Eastside, the mural was unlawfyully removed without notice to the artist or members of the public who took interest in its preservation prior to the removal. Not only was nuestro Mural de La Raza removed, but so was our history and culture, and one of the only means of public access to Chicano Studies. During the past 15 years in particular we have witnessed a pattern of Chicano murals being removed largley due to gentrification.
In violation of the California Art Preservation Act and the Federal Visual Artists Rights Act, the absence of Chicano studies in public education, and the continued displacement and erasure of our Raza due to gentrification and the prioritizing of business interests over keeping Chicano communities in San José, our community has said YA BASTA!
WE, the Emergency Committee for the Preservation of Chicano Arts, demand from the owner(s) of property 2048 Story Road, San José, CA 95122 responsible for the removal of the “Mural de La Raza”, the City of San José and the Santa Clara County Office of Education:
1) Full Restoration of Jose Meza Velasquez’s “Mural de La Raza”.
2) Full protection and historic preservation of the “Mural de La Raza”, all surviving Chicano murals, and all murals citywide.
3) Equitable resources and employment opportunities to restore, maintain and create Chicano murals, by and for our Raza.
4) Chicano Studies implemented as a mandate in public schools
Born and raised in East Side San Jose, Daniel is a graduate of Santa Clara University with a B.A. in Communication. He has 16+ years either Directing/Producing films as well as being on various production teams in different capacities during that same time span.
“Lowriding in Aztlan” was his biggest success as the film garnered much praise nationally and eventually was distributed nationwide by Code Black Entertainment (now Code Black Films/a division of Lions Gate)
“East Side Hero” his most recent film, debuted in November 2017 to a sold-out house (530+ seats) at the iconic Mexican Heritage Plaza and has given him a platform to create a full-length feature film titled “East Side Hero”, currently in peer-production, something that has never been done before in East Side San Jose.
Daniel’s mission with all his film projects is to encourage people from diverse, low-income backgrounds to strive for success, inspire creativity and promote education through film entertainment, mentorship programs, and community service.
The mission of “East Side Hero” and our projects is to serve as a tool to relate to the lives of low-income at-risk youth in underserved schools and neighborhoods. Our goal is to inspire our targeted youth to have more positive decision making and resolutions to challenging life situations.
Our Mission:
– To empower low income at risk youth in urban communities especially those who attend underserved schools
– To disrupt the generational cycle of violence between Latino communities in Northern California
– To show youths that it is possible to break free from the limitations being imposed on their identity from the time they are born.
