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MONROVIAWEEKLY
Local. Relevant. Trusted.
THURSDAY, JULY 25 - JULY 31, 2019
Since 1996
VOL. 23,, NO. 29
MONROVIA’S ‘ART IN PUBLIC PLACES’ OSTENSIBLY MORPHS INTO ‘NEIGHBORHOOD TREASURE’ City Council approves $31K to honor Neighborhood Treasures Francisco and Felix J. Gutierrez but not location — yet Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
L
ast week’s Monrovia council meeting proved to be a really valuable history lesson of the diverse yet divided history that has shaped this community since the 19th century. Before unanimously approving the funds for the Francisco and Felix J. Gutierrez monument, council heard from several impassioned speakers regarding the possible placement of the next Neighborhood Treasure installation. Apparently, not everyone is in total agreement. Perhaps no speaker on July 16 was more eloquent than Dr. Felix F. Gutierrez, the grandson of Francisco (Frank) Gutierrez. “When Mayor Tom Adams told me in 2016 that the City of Monrovia planned to honor my grandfather and father I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Later, he suggested exploring places along Myrtle Avenue, site of other public arts projects. We felt this was appropriate because both honorees worked to make Mexican Americans part of mainstream Monrovia. Since two persons are to be honored, we looked for a place offering two sides visible along sidewalks crossing in two directions. This duality also reflects contributions to Monrovia in two important areas: construction and education. We proposed a site at the sidewalk intersection in front of the library on Myrtle Avenue. This provides views of a public art installation at a crossroads featuring cement sidewalks, curbs and walkways leading to the library as a place of education and learning. “As you consider a design for this memorial,
Baby Felix J. Gutierrez is flanked by his mother Mercedes, Father Francisco and brother Frank. – Courtesy photo / Felix Gutierrez
we respectfully ask you also consider whether the library sidewalk location is best for two Monrovians who moved beyond their segregated neighborhood to improve all of Monrovia. They daily left and returned to their home ‘below the tracks’ to work, study and do business with others in areas where they could not live or be treated as
equals. Both are examples of how people of all colors made Monrovia the city it became and is still becoming.” Dr. Gutierrez told council that he and his family were concerned that they were not advised of the most recent Art in Public Places meeting with the plans to locate the art elsewhere. A request for a transcript of that meeting
fell on deaf ears, according to Dr. Gutierrez. It was only on Monday, July 15 that the family learned the committee plans on placing the monument on the northwest corner of Recreation Park. City staff said that location was chosen as “There is a nexus between the proposed neighborhood location and the Gutierrez family. Fran-
cisco Gutierrez’s company poured the sidewalks around Recreation Park, and it was also an area that Felix Gutierrez frequented during his youth.” However, as Gutierrez pointed out to council, even though his family’s contribution to Monrovia was in construction and building “Monrovia Plunge,” as a
child growing up in segregated Monrovia he was only allowed to swim one day a week — Sunday was the day reserved for African Americans and Mexican Americans. Guiterrez quipped that the day before the Plunge opened, his grandfather and friends unlocked the gate to the pool and had a good time splashing around. So history was made again. “Although the Monrovia of that era was segregated, this father and son pair overcame the limits imposed and made the most of the opportunities available. They helped others to do the same. Their ambition, hard work, and belief in the American ideal of equality helped build a better Monrovia. Their lives are good stories for all who want Monrovia to stand for equal opportunity,” Dr. Gutierrez stated. Gutierrez on that Tuesday evening told council, “We didn’t come from Mexico … This WAS Mexico,” alluding to several important historical statistics. This installation is a “Monument to change,” Gutierrez added — noting the significance of Mexican American contributions to the city, the large Latino community in Monrovia as well as the dark history of a segregated Monrovia and San Gabriel Valley. Underscoring that this is an important Monrovia story, Gutierrez said he felt the library, where people can see the value of education, was indeed the obvious choice for such inspiring and articulate citizens of Monrovia who played major roles in helping Monrovia move towards desegregation. Read More at, MonroviaWeekly.com, under Community