For some Mexican Americans, identifying as Chicano means carrying the history of a civil rights movement that challenged war, discrimination and police brutality. For others, it is a way to reconnect with Indigenous roots, honor family histories and build solidarity with their communities.
Multiple generations of San Jose residents reflected on what the identity means to them today — and how it has evolved since the movement emerged more than five decades ago — at the 56th commemoration of the Chicano Moratorium in Backesto Park last Saturday. Community Service Organization San Jose organized the gathering.
Some attendees described being Chicano as a political identity rooted in resistance, while others emphasized culture, ancestry, community and the responsibility to pass those connections on to younger generations…