If you follow the link above you will have to do a search on “Guadalupe Center” or “Gran Fiesta” to access the photos.
Established in 1919, the Guadalupe Center (Centers today) is the longest continuously operating agency serving Latinos in the United States, according to the National Register for Historic Places.
During the early 1900’s in exodus of the hardships caused by the Mexican Revolution, many Mexican nationals began to leave their homeland in pursuit of a better life for both themselves and their families. These Mexican immigrants followed jobs to the north in areas of migrant farming, railroad and livestock. While many stopped in the already predominant Mexican-American Southwest, others went further north and decided to settle in the Westside Community of Kansas City, Missouri.
Upon their arrival, the Mexican immigrants faced yet another hardship. Discrimination. Mexican children were not allowed into certain schools, while their parents were not allowed to shop in many places. The Mexicans were also exploited in the workplace and basic services offered by area hospitals and government agencies were not granted to the Mexicans. Not knowing where to turn or how to respond, the need for basic services within the Mexican community continued to grow.
To answer this growing need, a Catholic women’s club in 1919 decided to establish a volunteer school and clinic for the underprivileged Mexican immigrants who had settled in the Westside. Naming the entity after the patron saint of Mexico, the Guadalupe Center became one of the nation’s first social service agencies for Latinos and has grown to be the heart of the Latino community within Kansas City.
Today the Centers’ community support programs include family support services, an older adult program, youth development, outpatient treatment, workforce development, youth recreation, and a financial opportunity center. In addition, they operate schools from early childhood all the way to high school.
The video is long, but is a very interesting history of the Westside. Because I didn’t hear anti-Mexican bigotry from other whites the way I heard anti-Black racism growing up, I had no idea of the level of discrimination faced by Mexican immigrants in Kansas City.
I did know about the way construction of the Southwest Trafficway damaged the community — a textbook example of the intersection of systemic racism and infrastructure. That discussion starts at 5:58.