to Centro Histórico
Before he returned, we continued to expand on possible assets besides historicity that we could use to develop a solid base. In a Barrio, it is common to have commercial buildings mixed up with the residences, especially on corners and in the middle of blocks. Often the front room is transformed into a family business, florist, shoe repair, bakery, etc. Modern zoning codes frown on this intrusion of commercial use into residential. Barrio people didn’t seem to mind. Local business entrepreneurship is a sign of health and growth to be encouraged. Is this tradition, culture, or both? Zoning codes can stifle cultures without conscious intent. This type of zoning is not an Anglo development. It’s an American inclusive desirable activity in the proper neighborhoods. Little Italy in Baltimore, China Town, San Francisco Little Havana in Miami, Little Haiti, etc.
Architecture, Culture, and Adobe
History has a way of overlooking the obvious. Find your group’s weaknesses in history and replace them with future strength before blaming others. Good advice, but is it historically relevant?
Once you declare someone a victim, you des-equalize them, you reduce them to a minor position as minorities, and put them in your pocket, or you end up in someone else’s pocket.
Forgotten and dejected for years next to the corner of Meyer and Simpson sat this sad, empty warehouse building amid a residential neighborhood. The front wall had an old, faded sign of the popular drink Roma. The years were taking their toll with a collapsed back wall and a roof leaking profusely into the cement floor.
With the owner’s consent, and the work of the Creative Teen Power group, plus volunteers, we transformed the building into El Centro Historico, and had Board meetings sitting on buckets around a kerosene lantern to start with. Within a year, this building functioned as an active working center as well as a warehouse for materials and for the Tool Library.
I am getting ahead of myself in this narrative by talking about the official opening which we celebrated with a public ceremony. Governor Bruce Babbitt and Senator Morris K. Udall came to our event. Their security service hid very well their apprehension after surveying the conditions of the surrounding environment. Our invitation had a picture of children, the future of the Barrio, which was a very serious responsibility for any family. Once again, we had little to offer these dignitaries in terms of recognition, but they had much to offer us in term of support. Both came. If they only knew how valuable the long-term effect was of the time that they spent with us.
Because the School Board elections were approaching, much before we had the opening celebration, someone proposed the idea of inviting Raúl Grijalva again. I didn’t think he would come after the humble, lackluster reception we gave him on his last visit. He deserves much credit for showing up. He understood the start of a neighborhood association progressed slowly, although this time we did have a roof on an old warehouse. We had no lights but the kerosene lamps. The same buckets served as seating, plus a few more. About ten people came this time, a close intimate group. Grijalva showed up. Again, he spoke with us for several hours. He had the interest and enthusiasm of a person talking to a much larger crowd. Why would so few people show up when their children all went to a public school in the middle of the neighborhood?