Centro Cultural de la Raza
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| Motto | To create, preserve, promote and educate about Chicano, Mexicano, Latino and indigenous art and culture. |
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| Formation | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Balboa Park |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 32.727728, -117.148627 |
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Region served
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San Diego, California |
| Tommy Ramirez Eduardo Cervantes, Aida Soria, Abel Macias, Sasha Cordova, Maria Alvarado | |
| Website | Centro Cultural de la Raza |
The Centro Cultural de la Raza is a non-profit organization with the specific mission to create, preserve, promote and educate about Chicano, Mexicano, Native American and Latino art and culture. It is located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California.The cultural center supports and encourages the creative expression “of those people who are indigenous to the border region.” It is currently a member of the American Alliance of Museums.
The Centro provides classes and presentations on drama, music, dance, and arts and crafts, many of which have origins in Mexico and "Aztlán," a term used by Chicanos to indicate the American Southwest. Programs include Azteca dance, Teatro Chicano, film screenings, exhibits, musical performances, installation art, readings, receptions and other events. The Centro's resident Ballet Folklorico company, Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan, also operates a dance academy at the Center. In addition, the Centro is available as a meeting place for community groups and organizations.
The Centro's circular building has offices, workrooms, studios, and a theater. The performance space seats 150 people and has a 2,000 square foot art gallery. The Centro is one of the first community-based Chicano cultural centers and one of the largest in the Southwest. It is identifiable by a number of murals painted near the building's main entrance.
The origins of the Centro go back to the mid 1960s. Social protests, such as anti-Vietnam war demonstrations and work of activists like Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez leading with the United Farm Workers had given rise to grass-roots community movements in San Diego. Those involved with social protest saw that there would also be a need for a community center that was run by Chicanos and for Chicanos. At the San Diego State University, the Mexican American Youth Association (MAYA) was formed to recruit Chicano students to the university and make sure that they were able to complete their studies. This group, along with the Mexican American Liberation Art Front (MALAF) both recognized the need for a cultural center. In addition, MALAF also noticed that there were few places for Chicanos to exhibit their art.Alurista, a poet, and artists Victor Ochoa and Salvador Roberto Torres, were all involved with MAYA and were very active in working towards both a cultural space as well as a space to create and show art. In 1968, the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department gave Torres permission to use the abandoned Ford Building in Balboa Park as a studio space for 6 months.
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