Untitled Toward Equality in Our Schools Monument

Untitled Toward Equality in Our Schools Monument

Ignacio Gomez, 2022

Untitled Toward Equality in Our Schools Monument was created by Ignacio Gomez in 2022.

This sculptural memorial is part of the opening of the Mendez Tribute Monument Park and in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education. This statue depicts school children with books like Sylvia Mendez, who at 9-years old in 1940 ended up at the front of a coalition of local Mexican American families that went to federal court to challenge segregation in local public schools in Orange County.

These sculptures celebrate the historic Mendez vs. Westminster case in 1947. Mendez’s father Gonzalo and four other Latino fathers and their familes: Thomas Estrada, William Guzman , Frank Palomino and Lorenzo Ramirez, combined their lawsuits against the school district into this case which went to federal court. The federal court ruled in favor of Mendez on April 14, 1947 for desgregation in the public school setting.