Historic Ortega Park Murals Vandalized in Early December

Graffiti Found Scrawled over Culturally Significant Artworks on Santa Barbara’s Eastside

Graffiti consistent with Westside gangs was scrawled over the Ortega Park mural “Codex Cospi” in early December. | Credit: Emily Vesper

At least two historic murals at Ortega Park on Santa Barbara’s Eastside were defaced by graffiti earlier this month. The graffiti, which was found scrawled over the park’s mural-covered structures, is consistent with references to known Westside gangs. These include the initials “WS” and “TLS,” which are listed in previously published reports on gang activity in Santa Barbara.

Andi Garcia, who runs the Ortega Park Steering Committee, said she has noticed an uptick in graffiti since August, with incidents occurring at the park roughly once a month.

The mural “Niños del Maíz,” which was recently vandalized, is considered as “significant and important to the community,” according to a report on the preservation of the murals in 2021. | Credit: Emily Vesper

One of the defaced murals, Niños del Maíz, depicts three Chicano agricultural workers and a child reading a book that says “Respeto Cultura” (“respect culture”). Surrounding the figures is a dense patchwork of botanical imagery, including ears of corn and grape vines. The other mural, Codex Cospi, depicts “god-figures and hieroglyphics” from the Codex Cospi, an Aztec manuscript. As of December 16, both murals have been partially restored.

Ortega Park has a vibrant history of community-based public art. Beginning in the late 1970s, local artists collaborated with youth to create murals that showcased Chicano, Mexican, and Indigenous American culture and history. While 18 murals currently remain, a total of 50 were created over the past five decades — some painted over and reimagined, some removed during park renovations.

“Anybody can access this art. It’s not like it’s in a gallery; it’s literally in the public space, and that’s really powerful,” said Dez Alaniz, an archivist and librarian who created a zine about Ortega Park’s history.

Despite their importance to the Eastside community, the murals were once designated for removal under the City’s plan to perform a large-scale renovation of Ortega Park. Public outcry prompted the City to reevaluate. The city’s 2021 inquiry recommends preservation or relocation for five murals, recreation or “re-envisioning” for seven, and complete removal of five.

*Graffiti was found on multiple public murals on Santa Barbara’s Eastside in early December, including outside the women’s restroom at Eastside Park | Credit: Courtesy*

Garcia worked on the murals as a teenager under the mentorship of prominent artist Manuel Unzueta. She described the experience as transformative.

“Manuel Unzueta gave us a choice,” said Garcia. “He said, ‘Well, what are you doing right now?’ I was like, ‘We’re going to go hang out on Milpas Street.’ And he goes, ‘Well, you can go hang out on Milpas Street, or you can come help us paint this mural,’ and he put a paintbrush in my hand. It changed my whole life.”

Garcia hopes the park, which is adjacent to Santa Barbara Junior High, can continue to be an empowering space for local youth. With the Ortega Park Steering Committee, she has hosted food and backpack drives, cultural education events, Día de los Muertos celebrations, and other community events in the park. She is reluctant to cast blame on those who vandalized the park, instead using the incident as an opportunity to redirect youth with positive influences.

“We’re not mad about [the graffiti]. We’re leaning in,” she said. “This is a clear sign that these individuals are choosing other methods to feel a sense of belonging when we really need to lean in and figure out how we can make them feel more open and welcome in a productive, constructive way.”

Representatives from Santa Barbara’s Parks and Recreation department did not respond to requests for comment regarding the vandalized murals.