By Mario A. Cortez 
A group of students from San Jose have spent their week in Barrio Logan learning about topics that relate to Chicano culture, social justice, and the dynamics of the U.S.-Mexico border region.
The students from Archbishop Mitty High School have been seeing a side of San Diego that is often unseen by visitors and tourists. The tour was coordinated through the school’s collaboration with Barrio Logan-based nonprofit Via International.
“We show them San Diego from an activist’s perspective,” said Felicia Castillo of Via International.
“Just the other day we were at the border where the students took a tour with Border Patrol agents. But after the tour, we went to talk with an organization that fights for immigrant rights so the students can see both perspectives on the border dynamic. We want to get them involved and give them perspective,” added Castillo.
The visit to the border region is part of the curriculum of the school’s Ethics, Culture and Justice program. The goal of this trip is to teach students about issues in communities away from San Jose and away from what the students may be seeing in their day to day at home.
“We are here to learn about immigration and border issues. The issues here are still visible over in San Jose, but we get a close up view here,” stated Koji Flynn-Do, an Archbishop Mitty student.
On Monday, the group of students got the opportunity to help with the maintenance of the mural on the corner of Cesar Chavez Parkway and Logan Avenue, across the street from Chicano Park’s north end.
Victor Ochoa, Chicano Park Steering Committee member and muralist, spoke to La Prensa San Diego about the mural maintenance activity.
“Chicano art deals with identity, bilingual education, racism, our indigenous roots, and immigration; all these different issues are things that these students are learning about in their class,” stated Ochoa.
“With art you are leaving something permanent, and that is a type of feedback. They are painting at Chicano Park and this is something that is not going to be removed. After we treat this touch up with resin, their work will last about 50 years,” Ochoa added.
Jeff Harper, a teacher supervising the trip, commented on the positive learning experience the students have on this visit.
“(This trip) has been a pretty enriching experience for our students to apply what they have seen in their classroom. Students have seen the disparity between California and Mexico seen first-hand. The students have also had the chance to hear about Chicano culture and the challenges that Mexican-Americans face trying to discover their own identity and trying to hold on to the customs from Mexico while living in another country,” he explained.
Other activities that the students engaged in this week were a lowrider ride, walks through the resurging arts and business district along Logan Avenue, a lecture on Zapatismo and the uprising against NAFTA, and art workshops. Students also participated on a water drop hike along a border route used by people entering the United States.