The petition to officially rename Columbus Park to La Raza Park turned into a kind of civic celebration. July 24, 2020.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
This Sunday afternoon, August 25, marks the sixth annual La Raza Park Day – a celebration of Chicano culture and community that began with conflict.
In 2019, a local news story focused on complaints about loud cars and “cruising” in Barnum, a historically Latino neighborhood. But cruising on Federal Boulevard has long been part of local culture – and many neighbors were not happy to see it under attack.
Then Ben Chavez, now the lead organizer of La Raza Park Day, stepped in.
He acknowledged that people unfamiliar with Latino culture often view cruising as a nuisance or a “troublemaker” activity because they do not understand its cultural significance.
So he worked with City Councilors Amanda Sandoval, Jamie Torres, Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and his wife, Senator Julie Gonzalez, to respond to this complaint with an act of community pride.
Thus, La Raza Park Day was born.
“Cruising is a kind of rite of passage for young people. It’s a pastime for Mexican-American Chicanos,” he said. “We get together, build cars, paint cars and drive them around. And we do it as a family.”
Chavez described this practice as “creating art on wheels,” pointing out that many lowriders and vintage cars used for cruising are award-winning and worth over a hundred thousand dollars.
Here’s what’s planned for this year’s La Raza Park Day.
The event will take place this Sunday, August 25, from 1 to 5 p.m. at La Raza Park, 1501 W. 38th Ave. Admission is free.
First of all, it is the first year that the event has a specific theme: prevention of youth violence.
Chavez said the La Raza Park planning committee will include nonprofits that specialize in disrupting violence, responding to shootings and providing mental health services to families, as well as organizations that provide support to individuals and families after violent incidents.
On La Raza Park Day, there will also be a blessing ceremony for the four cardinal directions and a Mexika Danza program. Both are intended to educate And entertain.
From there, Chavez said, the rest of the program is full of “good vibes,” including a youth breakdancing crew and youth mariachi, live graffiti art, DJs, music from Los Mocochetes and food—including a taco-eating contest—from Chivis Tacos.
“La Raza Park Day is for everyone, not just Chicanos,” Chavez said. “It’s a community event for family and friends and fun.”
Why should the event take place in La Raza Park?
La Raza means “the people” or “the community”.
La Raza Park was “a central part of the Chicano movement during the civil rights movement,” Chavez explained.
But until 2020, the park was only informally known as “La Raza.” Officially, the park was called “by the name of the colonizer – Columbus Park,” Chavez said. “We have fought for decades to have that name changed.”
Today, the renamed park serves as a reminder of Chicano culture on Denver’s Northside. It features a distinctive kiosko (also called a garden pavilion) shaped like ceremonial areas atop Aztec and Mayan step pyramids, and a sculpture paying tribute to the city’s Chicano activists. These elements remind longtime Northsiders and newcomers that Chicano culture has existed, exists, and will continue to exist in the area.
The neighborhood has “changed several times, along with the demographics of the people who live there,” Chavez continued. “But we are fighting back against gentrification and saying, ‘We haven’t all moved away. We’re not all too expensive. We’re still here – and our culture is important.'”
La Raza Park Day has no officially Cruise. But…
This does not mean NO Cruise.
Here’s what usually happens: “After the day, we say, ‘Hey, let’s cruise.’ It’s not formal,” Chavez explained.
“Hopefully we all end up in the same place. Usually we go to Federal Boulevard and end up at Grandpa’s Burger Haven, and some people might split up and go somewhere else. But usually Grandpa’s is pretty hip on South Federal. It’s a staple of the community where lowriders come together and families have fun, eat cheeseburgers and onion rings and everyone hangs out.”
Que live la raza, que live la hamburguesa.
