Subway Station Art

Margaret Garcia De La Paz is a respected artist in the Chicano community of Los Angeles and beyond. I am privileged to have personal knowledge of her talent, her integrity and her passion for detail because she created “ Dos Mujeres ,” a vivid painting which became the cover of my first novel, and which I proudly own.

What is so controversial about her plans to depict Native American as well as Mexican culture in the design for the Universal City Metro Rail station (Jan. 23)? I would much rather see the Mayan “G” symbol on display than another phony version of “Spanish” architecture. And why is any attempt to illustrate the history of indigenous people and Mexican settlers labeled “revisionist”? While some may think the term “California history” is an oxymoron, those of us whose families were early settlers of this region support Margaret’s decision to present an accurate historical record rather than the usual “whitewash.”

TERRI DE LA PENA

Santa Monica

De La Pena is the author of two novels, “Margins” and “Latin Satins.”