Chicano Art Donated to Archives

A collection of Chicano graphic arts prints, photos, and records from San Diego has been donated to CEMA, the California Ethnic and MultiCultural Archives housed in Davidson Library. The material is from the 31-year-old El Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

After discussing the possible donation over a 16-year span, "Acquiring and preserving the archives of this centro was extremely important to us," said Sal Guerena, CEMA's director. "It uniquely captures the dynamics of the U.S.-Mexico border culture in a way that nothing else does."

With a sense of accomplishment, centro Director Nancy Rodriguez said, "We are thankful to see the history of the Centro archived with such care and respect." Among the artistic groups whose works are represented in the collection are The Border Arts Workshop, Teatro Mestizo, and Toltecas de Aztlan.