L.A.'s Mexican American cultural center begins to blossom after a rocky start
There was a time when children of Mexican descent were slapped if they spoke Spanish in school.
As Toni Gomez walked through an exhibit at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes on a recent afternoon, she saw a reference to Malabar Street Elementary in Boyle Heights — and remembered that her mother, Ines, was once one of those students.
“It’s hard to be reminded of those things,” Gomez said. “But this is our history, and it’s important for us to come here and see it.”
It was her second visit to La Plaza, a cultural center and museum that opened six years ago, aiming to be the city’s leading home of Mexican American heritage.
Aided by more than $36 million in public funds, the county transformed two historic but dilapidated buildings near Olvera Street into a colorful, modern space with revolving art shows, interactive history exhibits, community events, a vegetable garden and a performance stage.
La Plaza was touted as an important addition to the heart of L.A. County, which is nearly half Latino. But like the history of its people, the center’s journey has not been not easy.
Construction took years and sparked controversy when the remains of more than 100 Los Angeles settlers were dug up from an abandoned cemetery.
When La Plaza finally opened, it struggled with money problems. Its chief executive was accused of mismanagement, and half the staff was let go. Despite a gala launch and a prominent list of backers such as actress Eva Longoria, the place was mostly empty.
“It was a tough, tough beginning,” said former county Supervisor Gloria Molina, who helped create the center.
These days, the museum is blossoming in many ways.
Donations and grants are expected to surpass $3.5 million this year — the highest total ever. The number of community programs and events has grown from 15 in 2011 to more than 80. And after the center switched leaders a handful of times, CEO John Echeveste has been at the helm for three years.
Every week, busloads of students stroll through exhibits.