Josie Talamantez, lifelong activist and founding member of the Chicano Park Steering Committee, joins Assemblymember David Alvarez to share the story of how Barrio Logan residents stopped bulldozers and reclaimed land for the community.

From forming human chains in 1970 to protect Chicano Park, to creating the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, Josie reflects on five decades of activism, preserving cultural heritage, and why murals are more than art — they’re living history.
This is a conversation about resilience, art, and what it takes to turn a neighborhood’s fight into a national landmark.

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Chapters:

 00:00:00 - Introduction: Dreaming Big, Working Hard
 00:00:48 - Meet Josie Talamantez: Daughter of Logan Heights
 00:02:33 - Growing Up Around Community Organizers
 00:07:52 - Chicano Park Takeover: The Day It All Started
 00:13:16 - Building the Chicano Park Steering Committee
 00:16:19 - Lessons on Long-Distance Activism
 00:23:26 - Preserving Murals and Working with Government
 00:29:01 - The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center
 00:35:40 - Advice for the Next Generation of Activists
 00:37:38 - Looking Ahead: Celebrations and New Exhibits

 

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