Cultures clash over Chicano-themed mural proposed for San Jose neighborhood park

TEMPERS FLARED AT a recent community meeting when Latino residents in San Jose’s northside neighborhood advocated for design approval of a Chicano-themed mural.

Critics of the proposed mural at Backesto Park, including the members of the 13th Street Neighborhood Advisory Committee, turned out the evening of April 16 for a meeting arranged by City Hall officials, hosted by District 3 Councilmember Carl Salas. The committee criticized the proposed mural, saying they already had art planned for the wall at the park’s handball court before the pandemic, even though they had yet to come up with a design.