Tag: diversity

Cultural diversity in San Diego’s history.

The 250th Anniversary of San Diego is being celebrated this year.

In 1769 a Spanish expedition established El Presidio Reál de San Diego atop a hill near the San Diego River, along with the original Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

San Diego, however, didn’t become a city of any real significance until the late 19th century.

For a city that is relatively young, San Diego today enjoys remarkable cultural diversity. Much of this diversity is due to our close ties and overlapping history with Mexico. Much also comes from the variety of immigrants who have settled in and helped to build our growing city.

In the past, Cool San Diego Sights has featured many posts about cultural diversity in San Diego’s history.

Here are some links that you can explore…

A new flag is raised for San Diego’s 250th Anniversary!

Exhibit shows Kumeyaay history in the South Bay.

Festival recreates landing of explorer Cabrillo.

San Diego’s early history at the Serra Museum.

San Diego history in Old Town’s McCoy House.

History at the Los Peñasquitos adobe ranch house.

Days of the Vaqueros in Old Town San Diego!

Gravestones tell stories of early San Diego history.

Photos inside the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.

Local history excavated, displayed at Petco Park.

Historical exhibit at Women’s Museum of California.

African-Americans helped to build San Diego.

Culture and history celebrated at Festa in San Diego!

Mural in Cesar Chavez Park depicts local history.

A look inside the Portuguese Historical Center.

San Diego history: World War II and the Tuna Fleet.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Painting cool new murals in City Heights!

Muralist Nadia Sanchez smiles near her new artwork. We All May Come From Different Roots But We Are All The Same.
Muralist Nadia Sanchez smiles near her new artwork. We All May Come From Different Roots But We Are All The Same.

New murals were being painted today by the 7-Eleven on University Avenue in City Heights! The public’s opportunity to watch artists at work live was one cool aspect of the Love City Heights local Global Day of Caring event.

During my visit, a wall adjacent to the 7-Eleven parking lot was being painted by young muralist Nadia Sanchez. Her inspiring artwork is divided into two panels, and she and her mentor Melody De Los Cobos were working on the second half of the mural when I happened to swing by.

Meanwhile, a large mural in the alley next to 7-Eleven was just getting started by GMONIK. It will be the third inspiring piece of art on that wall. I’ll swing by at some point in the future and take a photo of the completed work.

GMONIK has another super cool mural on the street side of the same building. See it here!

I later walked a couple blocks east down University Avenue to check out two new murals of #TheAvenueMuralProject. Both are really great, as you can see in my photos!

City Heights continues to become more beautiful!

Be-Leaf in YOURSELF. A new mural is painted in City Heights by talented young artist Nadia Sanchez with help from mentor Melody De Los Cobos.
Be-Leaf in YOURSELF. A new mural is painted in City Heights by talented young artist Nadia Sanchez with help from mentor Melody De Los Cobos.
A new mural along a low wall at Tito's Auto Body depicts cool cars. The public art is a project of Love City Heights and #TheAvenueMuralProject.
A new mural along a low wall at Tito’s Auto Body depicts cool cars. The public art is a project of Love City Heights and #TheAvenueMuralProject.

Another new #TheAvenueMuralProject mural in City Heights decorates the front of Pink and Mint Salon.
Another new #TheAvenueMuralProject mural in City Heights decorates the front of Pink and Mint Salon.

GMONIK @gmonikart has begun a new mural in the alley by 7-Eleven. It will depict Africa and the message One Love.
GMONIK @gmonikart has begun a new mural in the alley by 7-Eleven. It will depict Africa and the message One Love.
Colorful murals will join together in City Heights to unite a diverse community.
Colorful murals join together in City Heights to unite a diverse community.

UPDATE!

A few days later I walked through City Heights and noticed GMONIK had finished his One Love mural…

One Love mural in City Heights by artist GMONIK.
One Love mural in City Heights by artist GMONIK.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Community volunteers beautify City Heights!

Today I headed to City Heights to join a group of community members in a very special event. Today is the Global Day of Caring, and our mission was to pick up litter and cheer on artists as they painted a couple of new street murals!

This inspiring event was organized by Love City Heights and made possible by a very generous donation from Huntington Ingalls Industries, which operates one of the largest shipyards in San Diego.

A diverse group of volunteers came together in the space behind the Treasure Trove antique store for the big clean up. I noticed that many hands were provided by the San Diego Asian Youth Organization!

After scouring the sidewalks near several blocks of University Avenue for trash, we all enjoyed a super tasty lunch served up by Brochachos Tacos and Faith Chapel of Spring Valley.

During the event there was a variety of fun activities. A colorful mural was being painted by Matthew Curtis (@naylorcurtis). And there was face painting, too!

Large permanent murals were also being created by street artists a block away at two separate locations. I’ll blog about those next…

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Loving City Heights on the Global Day Of Caring!

Los Angeles muralist Ruben Rojas, co-founder of Beautify Earth, painted LOVE on the side of 7-Eleven in City Heights.
Los Angeles muralist Ruben Rojas, co-founder of Beautify Earth, painted LOVE on the side of 7-Eleven in City Heights.

Today, November 9, 2019, is the Global Day Of Caring. Come join the community of City Heights for their big street cleaning and mural painting event! The hub of activity will be the Treasure Trove antique store at 3538 University Avenue from 10 am to 1 pm.

Love City Heights, a volunteer organization working to enliven and beautify San Diego’s most culturally diverse neighborhood, is behind this effort. They’ve been transforming University Avenue between I-805 and I-15 into a cool outdoor art gallery, featuring dozens of colorful murals!

To see the progress of the #theavenuemuralproject, you can revisit some of my past blog posts. View lots of photos here and here and here and here and here and here and here!

I’ll post an update after the event with new photos!

UPDATE!

I posted the event photos here!

Colorful photos of Founders Day in Old Town.

Representatives of many communities come together during Old Town San Diego's Founders Day to celebrate our city's diverse history.
Representatives of many communities come together during Old Town San Diego’s Founders Day to celebrate our city’s diverse history.

Founders Day is being celebrated in Old Town this weekend. The unique Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce event, which is inspired by our city’s 250th anniversary, is being held along San Diego Avenue, just south of the State Park.

I walked around at noontime today and took photos!

The colorful Founders Day festival will continue tomorrow. There will be street vendors and music and dancing and a whole lot of history to experience. If you can, head to Old Town San Diego and check it out!

San Diego Avenue was full of color and activity during my walk on the Saturday of Founders Day weekend.
San Diego Avenue was full of color and activity during my walk on the Saturday of Founders Day weekend.
A banner on an Old Town lamp post remembers the year 1769, when Junípero Serra founded a Spanish mission in San Diego.
A banner on an Old Town lamp post remembers the year 1769, when Junípero Serra founded a Spanish mission in San Diego.
This musician smiled for a blogger who happened to walk by.
This musician smiled for a blogger who happened to walk by.
The San Diego Model A Ford Club had lots of vintage cars on display during the event.
The San Diego Model A Ford Club had lots of vintage cars on display during the event.
Root beer floats could be enjoyed at this outdoor Western saloon!
Root beer floats could be enjoyed at this outdoor Western saloon!
The San Diego History Center had a display detailing important moments in San Diego's 250 year history.
The San Diego History Center had a display detailing important moments in San Diego’s 250 year history.
Early people, events and developments in San Diego's history include the native Kumeyaay, the Spanish arrival, and the establishment of Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.
Early people, events and developments in San Diego’s history include the native Kumeyaay, the Spanish arrival, and the establishment of Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.
Frontier musicians play banjo, guitar and washboard.
Frontier musicians play banjo, guitar and washboard.
Historical reenactors from Old Town's African Latin Museum participated in Founders Day.
Historical reenactors from Old Town’s African Latin Museum participated in Founders Day.
SDSU Archaeology had a table near the Whaley House Museum.
SDSU Archaeology had a table near the Whaley House Museum.
San Diego State University Archaeology students once excavated behind the Whaley House, and found many interesting artifacts.
San Diego State University Archaeology students once excavated behind the Whaley House, and found many interesting artifacts.
Uncovered artifacts included bottles and various household items common in early San Diego.
Uncovered artifacts included bottles and various household items common in early San Diego.
Write Out Loud had their Poe and Twain puppets roaming about during the cool event!
Write Out Loud had their Poe and Twain puppets roaming about during the cool event!
Many people come together during Founders Day to celebrate our city's complex and fascinating 250 years of history.
Diverse people come together during Founders Day to celebrate our city’s complex and uniquely fascinating 250 years of history. During the opening ceremony, words of optimism were expressed for the future!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Help students learn about San Diego history!

Help our students discover the past.
Help our students discover the past.

Do you love San Diego? Your help is needed!

The Old Town San Diego Foundation is raising funds so that Fourth Grade students across San Diego County can continue taking educational field trips to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The San Diego History Program helps kids learn about San Diego’s unique, culturally diverse early history. But financial assistance is urgently needed!

I found out about this program today while walking about Old Town’s Founders Day event. I learned thousands of students have been fortunate to enjoy these field trips in past years. Fourth graders visit Old Town’s interactive museums and enjoy special docent led tours.

The nice folks of the Old Town San Diego Foundation explained that without this program, many young people would probably never visit the birthplace of San Diego and California.

Often kids who participate are so amazed by what they discover, they bring their families back to Old Town! How cool is that?

But funds are now needed to continue this program.

Please visit the Old Town San Diego Foundation website here to learn more.

And please visit the “4th Graders Need Your Help” GoFundMe page here to make your contribution! Donations are 100% tax deductible.

(I know that some educators follow this blog. Spread the word!)

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Third grade students create self-portrait quilts!

Last Tuesday I headed to Liberty Station to check out a cool exhibition at IDW’s Comic Art Gallery before the start of Comic-Con. I arrived half an hour before the gallery opened, so I moseyed around Liberty Station’s beautiful park-like setting.

I walked by the Visions Art Museum and poked my nose inside.

There I discovered something inspiring! One of the museum’s walls featured a display of small quilts made by third grade students who attend Perkins Elementary School in Barrio Logan. (About a year ago I photographed part of this school’s outdoor mural.)

Their teacher, who was sitting at the Vision Art Museum’s front desk, briefly told me her students, some of whom are homeless, were super excited to create this artwork. They drew the design first, then cut out pieces of colorful fabric, which they assembled into expressive self-portraits!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!