City of Achievement: The Making of the City of South El Monte, 1955- 1976

Frank Ely and "Dad" posing with Clean up Robin, 1964.

Lesson plan by Erika Garcia

Content Standards

RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, SL.6-12.1, SL.6-12.2, SL.6-12.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9

Objectives

Students will gain a deeper understanding of the power of collective work – specifically in the advocacy of education, equality in communities of color, and in the exploration of the groups that formed to uplift the community (PICA, Rotary Club of South El Monte, Mexican Youth Council, El Monte Boys Club, MEChA, Chicano Movement).

Students will have the opportunity to research local organizations that provide resources for the residents of El Monte and South El Monte.

Students will have a brief discussion on the history and effects of redlining and segregated education.

Students will be able to describe the ways in which South El Monte was founded and how its residents contributed to the prosperity and recognition of the city. In addition, students will also discuss the limits of city government, its politicians, and projects.

Students will work together to dissect and interpret the themes found within the core reading and additional resources through anti-bias practices of active listening and respectful speaking.

Core Reading

“City of Achievement: The Making of the City of South El Monte, 1955- 1976” by Nick Juravich in East of East: The Making of Greater El Monte.

Primary Resources

SEMAP Collection #7 – “City of Achievement”

Ward, Barbara, “South El Monte (Calif.) seeks identity newspaper article,” East of East, accessed January 7, 2023, https://semapeastofeast.com/admin/items/show/131.

Hugh J. Triffet, writer and prod. dir., untitled video commemorating South El Monte’s All-America City Award for 1974-1975 (South El Monte City: Unit T Production and South El Monte City, 1975), 16mm. https://www.dropbox.com/s/yuqy2angku2lksw/Fragoza-16mm.mp4?dl=0

Additional Resources

Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/#loc=5/39.1/-94.58

“Interview with Olga Gutierrez by Nick Juravich (part 1 of 2),” East of East, accessed January 7, 2023, https://semapeastofeast.com/admin/items/show/257.

Nick Juravich, “Interview with Ron Reeder by Nick Juravich ("America Tropical" excerpt),” East of East, accessed January 7, 2023, https://semapeastofeast.com/admin/items/show/104.

A Truth that Had to be Told: Uncovering the History of School Segregation in El Monte by Rachel Grace Newman in Tropics of Meta: Historiography for the Masses, https://tropicsofmeta.com/2016/04/08/a-truth-that-had-to-be-told-uncovering-the-history-of-school-segregation-in-el-monte/

Zoe Scott-Goss, “Joseph Vargas: South El Monte’s First Mexican Mayor” https://www.semapeastofeast.com/exhibits/show/burnthewagon/joseph-vargas--sem-s-first-mex

Essential Questions

Based on the core reading, why did community-led organizations develop? In your opinion, do you believe they benefit the residents? Why or why not?

How did South El Monte approach youth and graffiti? Discuss strengths and weaknesses.

As residents of South El Monte, how did early decisions about development continue to shape the landscape?

Can you think of any other organizations that were formed by a specific group of people whose mission is/was to support the greater community?

Key Terms

Collective work (community/mutual aid)
Redlining
Segregated Education
Brown v. Board of Education

In-class Activity

Session 1: Educators introduce core reading material and primary sources with students. Allow for one class period of Say Something.

Note for educator: prior to students reading the core material and additional resources, propose the essential questions. Encourage students to write down their responses. In addition, support students in answering questions surrounding the topics of redlining and segregated education. The core theme of this lesson plan is for students to understand that without the collective work of community, racial injustices, such as segregated education, would not have been challenged and eradicated.

Session 2: organize students to work together to research local organizations that can provide mutual aid for the residents of El Monte and South El Monte. Start off by asking students to identify the needs of the community (can create bubble chart). Then, divide students into groups that will focus on one of those needs to then research which organizations can provide aid.

Questions to ask: what are some of the needs of our community? Do you know of any organizations that can support those needs?

Extended Learning

Encourage students to collectively organize and create an on-campus resource bank for students and their families. This resource bank can include: donated clothes, hygiene materials, list of local organizations that provide aid, and information about secondary education. Students, educators, and local organizations can work collaboratively to host informational meetings on tenant rights, the process of applying for medical insurance, DACA, FAFSA, EBT etc.

The purpose of this Extended Learning activity is to encourage students to think outside of the box of individualism and into the depths of the power of collective work; how it has been and can be used as a social justice tool to uplift BIPOC communities, specifically when their demands are not met by those in positions of governing/power.