Students from Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High School caught an up-close glimpse this week of a new Fernando Valenzuela mural painted by artist Robert Vargas, set to be unveiled Sunday.
Organized by art teacher Daniel Martinez and English teacher Kit Mc Connel, the students took a tribute walk on Thursday from their Boyle Heights school to the mural, which appears on the side of the Boyle Heights Apartments on 1st Street.
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Seconds after the bell rang, a few dozen students gathered at the school’s basketball courts. Still in their Halloween costumes and ignoring the hot sun, they walked up to 1st Street holding banners that read “Mendez loves Vargas” and “Fernando Forever.”
As they made their way to the mural, fans in their cars honked at students, showing their love and support. Students, including the Mendez cheer team, wore Los Angeles Dodgers jerseys and caps. A day before, the Dodgers beat the Yankees to win their 8th World Series title.
“I think the mural is an amazing representation for the Mexican community, especially within Boyle Heights,” said Paulette Guerrero, a Mendez High senior who participated in the walk. Guerrero said she felt proud that a wall in her neighborhood will now have a mural of Valenzuela, who died Oct. 22. “He opened up a door for Latinos to begin to play baseball in the big leagues,” she said.
Excitement peaked when Vargas, who was raised in Boyle Heights, joined the students in front of the giant mural near Mariachi Plaza.
“I grew up not too far from here on a street called City View. That’s where I grew up, where my mother grew up. Wherever I go in this world, Boyle Heights is never far from me,” said Vargas.
While Vargas began painting the mural just before Valenzuela’s death and the Dodgers’ World Series win, he said the mural is more about representation.
“To be honest, the mural was painted not necessarily for the Dodgers, it was painted for the people and to champion someone who looks like us, someone who has done incredible things, especially an immigrant from Mexico.”
robert vargas
“To be honest, the mural was painted not necessarily for the Dodgers, it was painted for the people and to champion someone who looks like us, someone who has done incredible things, especially an immigrant from Mexico,” said Vargas.
READ MORE: Los Angeles fans pay tribute to Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela
Mendez student body president Shaila Colin, said the mural is important to the community because it’s a reflection of the people who live here.
“These murals not only beautify our neighborhood, they also provide representation and inspiration, showing that we can excel in fields like sports, art, and education,” she said.
The mural was originally scheduled to be unveiled on Friday, Nov. 1—Valenzuela’s birthday—but will now be shown at a noon ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 3, to avoid conflicting with Friday’s Dodger celebration parade in downtown L.A.
On Thursday, Vargas took pictures with several students, gave away free postcards of the mural, and signed students’ Dodger merchandise.
The artist also encouraged the students to return to their community to make a positive impact.
“Go out and do amazing things and come back and then bring the next generation up with you— it matters,” Vargas said.
