Will removal ceremony close San Jose’s Fallon statue saga?
On Friday morning, drivers stopped near Julian Street and Highway 87 in downtown San Jose may have wondered what was going on on the concrete island near the ramps. Were the 50 or so people present protesting or celebrating? Actually, a little bit of both.
Members of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe and Centro Aztlan Chicomoztoc led the event at the former site of a statue of Thomas Fallon, an early San Jose mayor, and a companion on horseback raising the United States flag over San Jose. After more than three decades as a source of contention in the city, the statue was removed and stored this spring. The groups demanded a ritual cleansing of the site, which they claimed represented genocide and white supremacy.
Muwekma Ohlone’s Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh, who led the solemn ceremony alongside tribal dancer Joey Torres, explained that the spiritual cleansing would be followed by mobilization “to put in an installation that reflects us all.” San Jose City Councilmembers Peter Ortiz and Omar Torres attended the ceremony, which was followed by a procession that began at Plaza de Cesar Chavez and ended at St. James Park.
A group of people opposed to the statue’s removal argued that it simply represented a period in the city’s history and did not glorify colonization (a charge that, in California’s case, falls on Spain, not the United States). Others, including myself, a San Jose native of mostly Mexican descent, were not offended by the statue but thought it was wrong to commission it without community input. And I’m willing to bet that most of San Jose’s nearly 1 million residents were unaware of it.
However, some people, such as Kathy Chavez Napoli, have been vocally opposed to the statue since its inception. Chavez Napoli ran for mayor of San Jose twice, in 1994 and 1998, and now serves on the board of trustees of the Gavilan Community College District. She was also present on Friday, reminding the audience that the statue was never destroyed (an action that the city council was unable to order because artist Robert Glen refused to agree to it). That was her recommendation, but she also believes it should not have been hidden away.
“If it’s going to be placed somewhere, it should be at the historical museum here in San Jose so that our story about the Latino, Chicano, and Native communities can be told,” she said. “We need that story told, our voices heard.” So, more than 30 years later, we’re still fighting, and we’ll keep fighting.”
According to Chavez Napoli, the statue should never have been built in the first place. Looking back over three decades of anguish, controversy, and cost, it’s difficult to disagree.
BREAKFAST WITH CHEF GATOR: It’s wonderful to see Chef Glenn “Gator” Thompson back at Mama Kin in downtown San Jose. As someone who enjoyed his Southern cuisine at Bayonne (where Petiscos now reigns on South First Street) over a decade ago, seeing him back in the kitchen was good for my soul — if not for my waistline.
This summer, Mama Kin has been experimenting with a weekend Boogie Brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a Southern and Cajun menu worth checking out. Thompson says he has big plans for Mama Kin’s dinner menu as well, and hopes to make it a dining destination as well as a music destination.
STAGE SETTING: Scott and Shannon Guggenheim of the San Jose Playhouse were surprised to see that the Washington Post had used the set design for their new live production “Thanks for Playing! TikTok videos about COVID boosters use the background music from “The Game Show Show.” They don’t mind the compliments, but they’d prefer that audiences come see the set in person at 3Below Theaters before the comedy’s run ends on August 20. Tickets are available at www.sanjoseplayhouse.org.
Also, mark your calendar for City Lights Theater Company’s exuberant production of
“Kinky Boots”
has been extended until the 27th of August. Ricardo Cortés, a San Jose resident, plays a sassy drag entertainer in the musical. He had a standout scene selling tamales in “Miss You Like Hell,” showed his mysterious side as a man with a secret in “The River Bride,” and is wrapping up the season as a sassy drag entertainer.
GOOD DEED DEPARTMENT: When the Barcelona vs. Juventus match at Levi’s Stadium was abruptly canceled in late July, soccer fans were disappointed. However, it also left a large amount of food unsold. Fortunately, Hunger at Home stepped in with its food rescue program, which resulted in the distribution of 1,400 boxed lunches and more than 30 trays of food containing carnitas, chicken, fruit, and vegetables. Is that considered a goal or a save?
