News & Advocacy

The Santa Monica Conservancy has been reporting on a new City Council initiative, adopted on May 11, 2021, to cover the historic murals inside the City Hall lobby with a fabric scrim, and “recontextualize” the cultural history of the Tongva people with reference to our current perspectives on social justice issues.

The Conservancy strongly objects to covering the murals, which are important features of our landmarked City Hall, but we support creating new narratives about the artwork. The new narratives should explain the main subject matter of the History mural, which was the first encounter of the 1769 Portola expedition with the Tongva people at the Kuruvungna Sacred Springs, now restored at University High School. The History mural’s images and text refer to evolving layers of our history, including the Rancho period. While the discussion has focused on the Tongva people’s story, there is a broader history at risk here.

We look forward to a process of robust public engagement, with public participation, about expanding the historical narrative and contemporary perspectives on social justice, in the form of new exhibits in City Hall and in the City’s public art program. Exactly what those should be remains to be determined.

The immediate need is to convey our objections to covering the murals. In response to the Conservancy’s previous messages on this issue, other voices have come forward to express their opposition to City Council’s censorship of the historic murals. We would like to share letters written by Terri de la Pena and Sharon Reyes, whose family histories are woven into the fabric of Santa Monica:

Honorable Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers:

One of the historic names that appears on the City Hall mural is that of our great great grandfather Francisco Marquez. As native Santa Monicans, we have always been proud of the fact that our ancestor is honored there.

When Mexico gained independence from Spain in the 1820s, the new government secularized the sprawling California mission properties. This allowed Mexican citizens in good standing to be awarded these lands. Rancho Boca de Santa Monica was first granted to Francisco Alvarado and Antonio Machado (also on the mural) in 1827. When they relinquished their rights in 1838, Francisco Marquez and his partner Ysidro Reyes obtained the land grant in June 1839. Since then, several generations of the extended Marquez and Reyes families have lived in Santa Monica and/or neighboring communities.

If the historic City Hall mural is covered up or destroyed, what becomes of our history? The Marquez and Reyes descendants have been in this area for over 180 years. If Santa Monica truly wants to be seen as a diverse community, what about those of us who are land grant descendants, who have lived here all our lives? Our history is part of the Santa Monica story too. Don’t we also have a right to be recognized?

Please do not pick and choose whose history ought to be depicted. Our families have long been here and we deserve to be acknowledged for that. Please do not cover up or delete our ancestors’ names from the mural.

Sincerely,

Terri de la Pena
Marguerite de la Pena
Rose Marie de la Pena
Daniel and Mary Cady
Dianne Marquez

 

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Honorable Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers,

My father, Ysidro Reyes, was named after the co-owner of Rancho Boca de Santa Monica.

He was always telling our family this one quote: “So many people say, ‘Who wants to hear about the past?’, but we must know where we’ve been before we can see where we’re going”

When I was about six years old, he took me and my sister to City Hall to see the mural. He pointed out the colorful historical background, including the story of the springs on the University High School campus and how our city was named.

Returning to City Hall as an adult, I was even more struck by the fact that I am related to the men mentioned on the mural. Antonio Machado, Francisco Marquez and Ysidro Reyes. I grew up hearing stories about my great aunt Arcadia Bandini, as well as J.J. Carrillo and Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz, people who were instrumental in Santa Monica’s history.

Even after my family suffered the loss of their land and the total disregard of our heritage,  for over 180 years we have remained woven into the fabric of California history. I was raised to be proud of this history, so why would anyone want to cover it up after it’s installment 84 years ago?

We need to preserve the artist‘s work as well as the history he portrayed. Future generations need to know about the city and how this region came to be.

My cousins and family below are proud of their history and want this mural and story displayed for another 100 plus years. We are stern in our objection to the distasteful covering of the mural.

From several of our Boca de Santa Monica family descendants:

Sincerely,

Sharon Reyes
Leo Marquez
Joe & Paul Villasenor
Ricardo Bandini
Ruben Lucero
Rose Enriquez
Ed Tynan
Ronnie Mendez
Lisa Marquez
Sharon Kilbride
Vincent Olivera
Kevin Reyes Siebuhr
Sean Reyes Siebuhr
Natalie Reyes Scott
Kathleen Reyes Kelly
Michael Serra
Debbie Saenz

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