1993 UCLA Hunger Strike Fine Art Collection

In 1993, eight students, one high school student, and one faculty member protested Chancellor Charles E. Young's rejection of establishing a Chicana/o Studies Department by engaging in student activism via 14 days of civil disobedience, and a non-violent hunger strike on the UCLA campus, resulting in the eventual creation of the César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o Studies in 2007. The extensive collection includes images of Sal Castro, Norma Montañez, Joaquin Manual Ochoa, Dolores Huerta, and Tom Hayden from three separate events, taken during the duration of the Hunger Strikes and protest, cementing the 1990s on UCLA's campus as a hotbed of social student protest and Los Angeles community social activism. Los Angeles-based, Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, UCLA alum, revitalized the 35mm film collection via his master digital darkroom craftsmanship, which incorporated his extensive chemical processing experience to enhance traditional documentary photography into a updated modern Collection.
Hunger Strike Banner UCLA, similar to “bird family” logo for the 1970s television series "The Partridge Family" a large white protest art banner is on display in the afternoon, that reads: "Hunger Strike" with depiction of a dove and a clenched fist, in Dickson Court South. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Benito Juárez Art UCLA, the painting on UCLA campus in 1993 in Dickson Court South is on full display in the afternoon. Students demonstrate activism and used large protest art-canvas paintings, such as Mexican President Benito Juárez to protests during the Hunger Strikes. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Emiliano Zapata Art UCLA, the painting on UCLA campus in 1993 in Dickson Court South is on full display in the afternoon. Students demonstrate activism and used large protest art-canvas paintings, such as such as 1910 Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata to protests during the Hunger Strikes. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
1993 UCLA Hunger Strike fine art photography historical collection is a firsthand account, containing the only photo of renowned educator Sal Castro on UCLA campus during the protest, connecting East Los Angeles to social activism to UCLA. Cesar Chavez Art UCLA, "The Spirit of Cesar Chavez" is the featured image of the collection. In the afternoon, a large painting portrait of Mexican American United Farm Workers labor leader, on display in Dickson Court South; as students demonstrate activism, using large protest art-canvas paintings to protests during the Hunger Strikes. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
UCLA campus protest banner: Educacion or Death! in Dickson Court South. The red protest art banner reads: "Educacion or Death! Venceremos Sol" with a depiction of a yellow sun and Che Guevara, is tied between two trees, alongside a wall pertaining to Schoenberg Music Building. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
UCLA Campus Community Protest in Dickson Court South. Student activists, professors and local Los Angeles community members gather at the steps of Schoenberg Music Building, for a night protest. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Sal Castro UCLA campus, (Sal Castro) Salvador B. Castro a legendary Mexican American educator and activist, who led the 1968 high school walkouts in East Los Angeles, speaks during a night protest on the UCLA campus in 1993 in Dickson Court South, at the steps of Schoenberg Music Building, alongside in front of student protest, student activists, professors and Los Angeles community members. Protesting Chancellor Charles E. Young's decision to close the Chicana/o Studies Department. Side note, this image was selected by Google for their 4-image Google Knowledge Panel. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Mexican Folklórico UCLA Campus, a dress of strength in Dickson Court South, at the steps of Schoenberg Music Building, for a night protest; a Baile Folklórico couple, in colorful dress attire, dance and spin for student activist, professors and local Los Angeles community members. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Night protest UCLA campus, Los Angeles community and student protestors Power Dance in Dickson Court South, at the steps of Schoenberg Music Building. The large group takes a respite and dance in pairs into the night. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Mexican flag UCLA campus, from a Dickson Court South vantage point, several protestors in a moving pickup truck on Portola Plaza hold a Mexican flag in front of Kaplan Hall, as a white male looks on. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Hunger Strikers Ucla Campus, multiple tents in Dickson Court South. In the afternoon, Hunger Strikers are being lead-out of base camp in wheelchairs. protected by locked armed community organizers/student guards/protestors. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Latino Protest UCLA Campus, in the afternoon, Hunger Strikers are being lead-up a grassy incline in Dickson Court South from their base camp in wheelchairs. Protected by red armbands (brassard), locked arms organizers/students guard protestors. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
UCLA Campus Hunger Strikers, a female Sentinel in Dickson Court South guards the Hunger Strikers that are being lead-up a grassy incline from base camp in wheelchairs to the main podium/altar. By locking arms with fellow organizers/students she crosses her leg, forming a side guard pose as she mirrors the moving line of Hunger Strikers. Master Digital Darkroom conversion to monochrome. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Protest Banner UCLA campus reads: "The University is OURS!" with a raised fist in the air. Student protesters tied a large white sign onto the Schoenberg Music Building. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
UCLA Chancellor Protest Artwork, Charles Young, UCLA Chancellor "Chucky Young" is being showcased in the afternoon as a protest banner of a Mexican flag, with a graffiti depiction of a snake with the head being marked as "Chucky Young", as a Mexican eagle devours the snake in the emblem of the Mexican flag on a blue background on full display in Dickson Court South, on the campus of UCLA. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Rage on UCLA Campus, Dickson Court South in the afternoon. A large crowd of student protest, locked armed, fists in air, Mexica dance group, many banners and Mexican flags and a large Los Angeles community, organizers/student guards/protestors gather to bear witness the earned Hunger Strike announcement of victory. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
La Virgen Protest UCLA, in Dickson Court South in the afternoon. A large crowd of student activism, student protest, a Los Angeles community organizers, student guards and protestors, sit, many with banners, including a banner of La Virgen de Guadalupe, gather to hear the outcome of the Hunger Strike and protest. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Chicano Protesters Ucla Campus, rage against the machine in Dickson Court South. In the afternoon, a large crowd of student activism, student protest, Mexica dance group with visible Mexica plume headdress, with a poster art of Cesar Chavez commissioned by Jane Fonda, surrounded by multiple Mexican Flags and a large presence of Los Angeles community organizers, arrived to bear witness the outcome of the now-historic Hunger Strike, anticipating a victory proclamation on campus. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Ucla Campus Chicano Protesters, rage against the machine in Dickson Court South. In the afternoon, a large crowd of student activism, student protest, Mexica dance group with visible Mexica plume headdress, surrounded by multiple banners, one large Mexican Flag hovers over the crowd, as a large presence of Los Angeles community organizers, have arrived to bear witness the outcome of the now-historic Hunger Strike, anticipating a victory proclamation on campus. Master digital darkroom conversion to monochrome of image from a color 35mm negative. Side note: Google's Artificial Intelligence selected this image for their Google Image thumbnail for the Hunger Strike in their Images Section under the search search query "1993 UCLA campus". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Dolores Huerta on UCLA campus, in Dickson Court South. Student activism and student protest caught the attention of Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and feminist activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, who is with Joaquin Manual Ochoa a Ucla alumni hunger striker in a wheelchair after fasting for more than 10 days. In the afternoon, Ochoa is being interviewed by a local journalist, microphone raised in front of base camp with a large circle of supporters around them all. Ochoa is accompanied by a female wearing a Pendleton women's flannel shirt and a male, who is holding Ochoa's wheelchair. Ochoa is also wearing a traditional long sarape with a Native American design and a baseball cap with the embroidered words: "Barrio Warrior". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Large Crowd UCLA campus, a beautiful afternoon in Dickson Court South—Perloff Hall and Bunche Hall are off in the distance. A large crowd of student activism, student protest, Mexica dance group with visible Mexica plume headdress, surrounded by multiple banners and flags chant and clap, as the large presence of Los Angeles community organizers, have arrived to bear witness the outcome of the now-historic Hunger Strike, anticipating a victory proclamation. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Tom Hayden Ucla Strike, in the late afternoon, at the steps of Schoenberg Music Building, in Dickson Court South, Art Torres, Hunger Strikes, students, dignitaries, and a large Los Angeles community, gather around an alter to bear witness of the proclamation of Victory and an end to the Hunger Strike. The altar is adorned with flowers on either side, a large Mexican flag hanging over the table and two large protest art paintings of Cesar Chavez and Emiliano Zapata behind the entire gathering. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
La Virgen UCLA Campus, in Dickson Court South by the Hunger Strike's base camp, decorations around two small statues of La Virgen de Guadalupe, surrounded by candles, flowers and an earthenware jarro mug (clay mug) on display all on a table. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Norma Montañez Ucla Campus, teenage protester in Dickson Court South, is a 16 year old high school student from San Fernando High who was the only underage Hunger Striker, joining her sister, Hunger Striker UCLA student Cindy Montañez. Norma is smiling, content, after hearing of her victory in saving the Chicano Studies department and the Cesar Chavez Research Center, as she is walking down the steps in front of the altar where the announcement was made. With her support monkey in her arms, who is also congratulating the young teenager for her incredible victory and courage, she hugs him tightly. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.