Old Friends Fondly Recall Life in Barrio of ‘La 17th’ : Reunion: Former residents of the west Santa Ana neighborhood speak of the values, work ethic and self-esteem instilled in them. But they also talk of racial bias.

With Latin-rhythm music playing in the background and the smell of Mexican food filling the air, hundreds of old friends from “La 17th” barrio in west Santa Ana gathered for an emotional and joyous reunion here Sunday night.

“In the colonia (neighborhood), there was a lot of closeness; it was like a family,” said attendee Pat Mendoza, 60, who was among those who lived near 17th and Euclid streets from the 1940s through the ‘60s.

“You didn’t need a baby-sitter, you always had the friend next door,” she added. “And you didn’t pay your debts with money, you paid them with love and sharing.”

Guests at the barrio reunion had more on their minds than just sentimental memories, however. Organizers said they wanted to hold a big, high-profile event in hopes of combatting what they see as a negative public image of Latinos.

Organizer Manuel Esqueda, a retired banker, pointed out that people from the neighborhood have become successful businessmen, technicians, religious leaders, artists and musicians.

“After World War II, we all took a different look at ourselves, and we found out that we were just as capable as the next person. We all had hopes and dreams and we kept working on them,” Esqueda said.

Fellow organizer Wally Davis, a Latino attorney, added: “The emphasis tonight is on the positive things that came out of the barrio. We want people to know about the things we learned such as family values, spiritual values, the ability to work hard, self-esteem and pride.”

Davis, 58, said he and many of the 400 hundred others in the room Sunday at the Garden Grove Community Center, which borders their old neighborhood, faced racial discrimination while they were growing up.

“I had to sit in the last four rows of the Gem Theater (in Garden Grove) no matter how many empty seats there were up front,” Davis recalled. “It only made me want to work twice as hard and do twice as well so I would never have to sit in the back row again.”

Esther Rodarte, 60, grew emotional as she remembered as a kindergartner being mistakenly sent to a school for white students because of her light skin. She said that when the matter came to the attention of school officials, she was immediately bused to Hoover Elementary School in Garden Grove, where other Latino children attended.

“I felt very bad,” she said as she sat at a table with old friends. “It was really degrading and you still feel kind of resentful. I tell my kids about it now and they don’t believe it.”

Throughout the evening, a steady stream of people huddled around an extensive display of old photographs, mostly black and white, which had been collected from former residents and arranged into large collages for the event.

Lola Vera, 61, stood on her tippy-toes searching for her likeness in a 1945 Hoover Elementary School class photo.

“I was always the shortest,” said Vera, who is under five feet tall. “In fact, I’m still short!”

Finally, after several minutes spent recognizing the faces of old classmates and friends, she shouted, “There I am!,” pointing to a picture of a young schoolgirl taken 48 years ago.

Reggie Yniguez, 64, stood nearby and smiled when he spotted a picture of an old girlfriend standing next to his 1936 Ford.

“That’s my car!” he said with amazement.

Pat Mendoza was among those scanning the pictures, too. She paused as she came upon a large photo of her 1957 wedding to her husband, Mike, who also attended the reunion.

“When I look at this picture, I see so many people from our colonia, “ she said. “And I see so many people tonight and they all look so great. It’s like everyone has come home again.”