Letters to the Editor
OPEN LETTER TO:
Chunky Sanchez
Park Steering Committee
Brother Chunky
As, you are about to celebrate another Milestone Park Day, I thought it would be important to share with you a bit of history related to the take over of the park that has often been overlooked. Specifically, I have reference to Charlie Vasquez, George Baca and Mrs. Nellie Vasquez and the members of Southwestern college MEChA, which had been started by Charlie Vasquez, George Baca, and Allan Cazares in 1968.
On the day of the park takeover, Joe Gomez who at the time was president of City College MEChA, called the SWC MEChA office and asked Charlie if SWC MEChA could help out and come to the CHP substation as soon as possible and to get the word out to the MAAC, MAPA and anybody else who could help.
Back then, because nobody had much money, we would often get rides to school with each other since the majority of us lived in National City. Charlie had a “Love Machine Van” that served as the early National City transit system.
On that fateful day, most of us were riding with Charlie anyway, so we were able to mobilize a good group and make it to the park. In others I believe, got the word from Arturo Casares.
Charlie’s mom Nellie Vasquez worked in the student union cafeteria, where she fed and protected all the chicano students, encouraged us and always stood in support of whatever we were doing. Having been a cannery worker, she expressed sense of solidarity with the women of Logan Heights and did what she could to support the park take over, by encouraging donations of food and drink to the effort.
As you commemorate the parks history, and acknowledge the pioneers, it’s important to include people like Charlie Vasquez, Jorge Baca, Nellie Vasquez and the SWC MEChA-1958-71.
Thanks
Augie Bareño