Nuestros Colores

Celebrating Arvin's culture through art.


Addressing the issue

Arvin California is a rural city that has undergone marginalization for countless years. It has a unique and fascinating history that has been forgotten ever since the dust bowl arose in the 1930s. This event caused economic distress for businesses within Arvin, prompting many of them to migrate. Unfortunately, for almost a century, we have continued to experience the loss of Arvin's culture and history because of ongoing economic stresses.

The Grapes of Wrath | John Steinbeck

This book reflects the suffering that workers underwent during the Dust Bowl and the competition and corruption associated with agriculture, all of which had a devastating toll on immigrant workers until this day. 

Kern County Housing

Steinbeck shed light on the exploitation of farm workers and their loss of rights and lifestyle. ✦ Anyone who rebelled against farmers would result in weapons being drawn. ✦ The Arvin Migratory Labor Camp was created in order to provide shelter for the flood of workers in Arvin.

Research explains that these farm workers lived in “informal dwellings,” which included garages, sheds, barns, and abandoned vehicles."

Fortunately the UFW caused a national grape boycott which resulted in a raise for farm workers from 25$ a day (8 hrs) to 10.89$ an hour along with a health care fund during 1970's.

Gambling on Grapes: Management, Marketing, and Labor in California Agribusiness | Elizabeth Lamoree

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

This shows us some of the of the history of California's agriculture. It exemplifies the corruption of farm owners who only sought to gain farmer workers who were cheap and didn't demand better working conditions. It further explains that agricultural work spread like wildfire throughout California because it was heavily commercialized. Although this was positive for farm owners at first since many farm workers were attracted to the fields, the workers quickly caught wind of the inadequate managerial prerogatives farm owners used. This led people to come up against injustice. Cesar Chavez led huge boycotts to prevent field workers from being exploited. Inevitably, his work led to the creation of unions, most noticeably the NFWA (National Farm Worker Association) and the UFW (United Farm Workers), led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, which fought for workers rights.

WWII - Bracero Program This war caused the United States to use copious amounts of money. The federal government compensated by allowing around 5 million workers from Mexico to work by contract which robbed workers from the ability to, "join or organize a union, strike, act as strikebreakers, or negotiate working conditions" according to Lamoree. This not only inspired similar programs to be supported by farm owners but it continued the violation of farm workers rights. As a result the UFW (United Farm Workers) arose.

UFW's Victory Di Giorgio and Schenley were two large agriculture corporations that grew profitable, but hard to harvest crops. However, they exploited their farm workers which made the UFW target these large agriculture businesses. Schenley sided with UFW however Di Girogio's addition of teamsters ended with him losing elections and forced to side with UFW causing almost all growers to side with it in order to profit off their crops. This lead to farm workers being able to have their rights and have better working conditions.

Today: Problem Persists

Arvin

Although organizations like the UFW (United Farm Workers) and many of Cesar Chavez's efforts have been reflected in today's agribusinesses and farm workers conditions, agricultural workers have continued to face social injustices or a lack of representation. In a world full of distractions, Arvin has been forgotten. The history behind Arvin, the historical events it has gone through, and the ground it has laid for great leaders such as Cesar Chavez and our ancestors, who stood up in the face of injustice. It's all gone.

This has not only caused civilians to be afraid of standing up for what is right for Arvin, but it has also led Arvin's officials use funds for useless positions or funds that don't go towards improving Arvin's current situation.

  • Juan R. Villegas

Working towards a solution: Nuestros Colores

Representing and identifying our shared cultures through art.


Survey Results:

I constructed two surveys and obtained zero responses, this made me further realize that people don't pay much attention to graffiti locations or art locations because they have been incorporated in peoples day to day life.

Graffiti

Arvin's Graffiti

Graffiti has always been an underlying problem in Arvin, California, and it has made Arvin's locations less enjoyable. They contain negative messages, inappropriate imagery, and offensive words. This map demonstrates some graffiti that can be found in Arvin.

Graffiti

Clearly, as seen above Arvin has an issue with graffiti that should be addressed. However, what can we do about it?

Steps towards success: Graffiti

  1. Have our city cleaned from graffiti. With this done we not only ensure that Arvin looks nicer but citizens can feel safer.
  2. Replace harmful graffiti with meaningful graffiti that represents Arvin best, or our cultures or create murals. This will further make citizens safer, but it will make people invigorated about Arvin, in turn making people less afraid to stand up against injustices such as graffiti.
  3. Create spaces for people to post any form of graffiti. This, should be made in order to avoid conflicts with people in the community who tag, or draw graffiti. Such as Mercado Latinos: Freedom Wall located in Bakersfield, CA.

Google image of Mercado Latino's Freedom Wall in Bakersfield, CA v. An empty wall in Meyer St. Arvin, CA.

This will not only prevent graffiti from being placed in different locations where it is unwanted, but authorities can also observe who paints the graffiti on the wall, and if graffiti is later found outside the designated area, police officers will be able to arrest these people much easier for vandalism.

4. Make the city laws more be more elastic concerning mural creation. In Arvin CA, there are laws that force anyone who wants to create a mural to obtain a permit which can be difficult to some citizens however, in Lamont there is no such thing as requiring a permit in order to create a mural. By making Arvin, CA laws more flexible on the creation of murals I believe more people would be willing to create murals that have a positive effect on the community.

There is a permission that also has to be filed in order to remove graffiti this process can make people discouraged or not do anything about Arvin's graffiti..

Lamont v. Arvin

Lamont Park Murals.

Google Maps Image: Lamont Park

This is an example of how these laws are reducing the amount of murals in Arvin.

Google Maps Image: Smothermon Park

Map of Parks

Clearly, Lamont's parks have colorful murals compared to Arvin. The murals in Lamont were funded by Dolores Huerta, and the UFW.


Possible future art locations

Official Map

This map demonstrates possible locations where art can be created. This can be locations where there are empty places or spots on buildings. This includes small businesses, or abandoned places that visible to the public.

Empty Locations

Inspiration from around the world

Arvin lacks lots of artwork within its city walls, and as a result, we should take initiative towards beginning to introduce new art works that are our own as well as other art works that are inspired by other places around the world.

Empty wall in Arvin v. UFW Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta Mural (Utah)

Here's an example of how this empty wall within Arvin, can be used! The left image represents or commemorates the UFW's leaders who have helped workers nationwide and in California.

Visioning the use of empty places: Ex, StoryMaps

Google images: 225 Meyer St, Arvin CA Empty Wall v. Envisioned Art Mural

One of the empty places that is near businesses in Arvin has had an empty wall for countless years; therefore, by posing a project like the one envisioned, we can share our stories and ideas with the community to inspire change more efficiently.

Existing Art works

Art works

This map shows us locations that have existing Art works.

These artworks show a bit of our culture or the creativity of people within arvin!


Tracking History: Art

Salahs Store | 2011 v. 2024

Salahs is a convenience store has been around for a long time in Arvin. Although, it has not moved locations it has been constantly updating it's exterior with art. The shop owner hired an artist to paint the daily life of some workers, using products that he sold withing his shop. As a result, Salah's store has been one of the stores that many field workers go to obtain efficient equipment that is not provided by the field workers. This is an exemplary use of art showing Arvin's culture where the majority of people established go to field work to support their families.

Hijo, en ese arte el dueño contrató a alguien para que dibujara a él y su amigo trabajando en el campo. - Rafael Villegas


La Mexicana 2015 v. La India Bonita Market 2024

During 2015, you would have seen the iconic woman in a mariachi costume symbolizing La Mexicana market not only was this artwork. Not only did it represent womans strength and beauty, but it showed a park of our culture which is mariachi. Which is an assembly of singers, and musicians that play rancheras and other genres that are visible in Mexican culture. As you can see in the present there is no longer la Mexicana since they moved locations however, la India Bonita market replaced it but has not made the effort to represent Mexicans culture through art.

Investigation:

Investigation

Believe it or not Arvin suffered a earthquake, and as a result people got attracted towards taking images of it's destruction which was good enough to find out that no, some locations have yet to be beautified by art! It's our to beautify these businesses.

Business and Competition

If you paid attention, I demonstrated on Tracking History only businesses. This was done intentionally. Have you ever wanted panda express in Arvin? I do! Well, why haven't they just added one? Small businesses would crumble if Panda Express would be placed in Arvin. There is lot's of competition between these small businesses, and there is a possibility that the businesses with art are visited more often especially if they highlight, our culture and roots as a marketing strategy because we relate or familiarize to the art work as seen in Salah's Store.


Points of interest

Official Map

These are some locations that visitors usually visit or that are large attractions to a multitude of people. However, some of these locations lack art that makes them stand out or that represent Arvin's culture.

Some of these locations have been on people's list to visit being new parks, or historic places in Arvin.


These locations have have hardly been seen or disregarded on a day to day basis. For example. This location is next to a school which often makes it look like houses.

Arvin Migrant Center

Economical Boom

Many places around the world are famous, or rich because of their constant flood of visitors trying to see the history or the art work's that have been observed. In Brazil, there are huge festivals like the one in Rio de Janeiro where there are a display of art works, attracting large populations around the world. This only helps this city become richer especially since Brazil suffers economically. If Arvin, can recreate something similar to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood but instead using art works people around the world would be willing to visit Arvin more often again boosting the economy and allowing for Arvin to afford being improved or to help create more schools, malls, or even a hospital which we lack.

Image of Hollywood's Walk of Fame by The Guardian

Ending Message

Lastly, art can be created by anyone. Art isn't only held to painting but it can be music, visual arts, etc. It is a way where our youth can show their creativity and like mentioned earlier give an opportunity for people to address issues.


Summary

The use of art to preserve Arvin's history and beautify it to improve it's economic standing.

Citations

Lamoree, Elizabeth. “Gambling on Grapes: Management, Marketing, and Labor in California Agribusiness.” Agricultural History, vol. 86, no. 3, 2012, pp. 104–27. JSTOR,  https://doi.org/10.3098/ah.2012.86.3.104 . Accessed 1 July 2024. Thompson, G. "The Forgotten Village." Virginia Quarterly Review, vol. 91, no. 3, 2015, pp. 58-71. EBSCOhost,  https://search-ebscohost-com.bakersfieldcollege.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=108315991&site=ehost-live&scope=site . Accessed 1 July 2024.

Kern County Housing

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta

Arvin

Google Maps Image: Smothermon Park

Arvin Migrant Center

Image of Hollywood's Walk of Fame by The Guardian