Throughout the history of Los Angeles, the Chicano Movement, which took place sometime around the 1960s and 1970s, was one of the most influential movements as it encompassed the many issues that Mexican Americans (Chicanos) faced. Some of these issues that the movement addressed were economic, social, and political inequalities. Although these inequalities can unfortunately still be seen in today’s society, many other inequalities were able to be abolished such as inequality in the education system. While the protests during the movement played a significant role in that abolishment, the murals painted during the movement also played a significant role as they displayed narratives highlighting the many struggles and inequalities that Chicanos faced. Interestingly enough, while many of these murals display struggles and inequalities, they also display the cultural aspect of Chicanismo and they do that by including important figures and imagery.

East Los Angeles murals strongly emphasized cultural identity and heritage within the Chicano movement. Murals, such as this specific one, often featured iconic symbols such as Jesus Christ, Mexican folklore, and unity. While the symbol of Jesus Christ can vary for different individuals, in general, what Jesus Christ represents to many Chicanos is a blend of cultural, historical, and spiritual meanings that reflect the experiences of Mexican-Americans within the Chicano movement. Another symbol that is highlighted in the image is the iconic eagle which symbolizes the indigenous heritage that many Chicanos celebrate and identify with. An iconic figure such as Pancho Villa represents a much broader meaning such as resistance against oppression which is what the Chicano movement was all about. While all three symbols represent something different, they all share a commonality which is unity and this can be seen in the background of the mural.

While the last mural displayed the different symbols and iconic figures in Chicanismo, this mural represents the many different aspects of Chicano culture. As we can see in the mural, Chicanismo is two-sided which means that Chicanos don't just identify with one culture, but with two which are indigenous and modern cultures. The quote that's also in the mural is interesting as it states that we are all children of the sun and that we belong here, in other words, we're all the same and therefore we all have the same right to be in this country. Unfortunately, this mural no longer exists as the restaurant that it was painted on no longer exists as well.

This next mural is interesting as it is unlike the others in the sense that it doesn't display symbolism, but instead, it displays a sense of social and political activism. Murals in East Los Angeles served as platforms for social and political activism. They addressed a wide range of issues affecting the Chicano community, such as civil rights, immigration, labor rights, and police brutality. Murals depicted scenes of protests, revolutionary figures, and messages of empowerment, calling for social justice and equality. They also provided a voice for the marginalized and often displayed the determination Chicanos had toward social justice. This mural has an interesting past because according to one of our readings, this mural was a SPARC mural, and SPARC murals were used to provide a strong representation of the mural's history. This effort though caused the court to enforce a mural ordinance that would subsequently put many restrictions on murals, even banning their production. The use of words on murals was one of the restrictions which is why this mural is important since, in a way, rebels against these restrictions. As for the phrase, it focuses more on the inclusion of a community rather than an individual and it does this by using the word "we" rather than "you".

This last mural is important as it shows us a symbol that isn't seen in the other murals. The symbol of "la raza" is present and it emphasizes on the collective identity and unity among people of Mexican and Latin American descent. It can also be said that it represents the notion of a shared struggle and the affirmation of a distinct identity rooted in the indigenous and mestizo (mixed indigenous and European) heritage of Mexico. The symbol emphasizes pride in one's heritage, celebrating cultural diversity, and pursuing social justice and equality.

While all of these murals might be using different symbols and icons, they all address the same issues and are used towards the same cause. Another commonality these murals share is the representation of Chicanismo culture, which back then was underrepresented. These murals also give us a better idea of what the Chicano movement was about and how it has shaped those who are Mexican-Americans/of Latin-American descent. Overall, these murals played an important role in the Chicano movement and they continue to play an important role in today's society as they remind us of the change it caused toward economic, social, and political inequalities