AUSTIN, Texas -- As the city of Austin continues to grow, there are some communities whose residents feel left behind or pushed out, even after being there for generations.

  • Chicano art documenting gentrification in Austin on display at the Mexican American Cultural Center
  • Artists say gentrification has been an issue in Austin since at least the early 1900s
  • Exhibit available for viewing until January 12, 2020

Gentrification, though, isn't new. East Austin residents say it goes back more than 100 years. Today, that century-old struggle is being illustrated through art, as local artists with Arte Texas are saying "La Lucha Sigue," or "the fight continues."​

Arte Texas is a group of local East Austin artists who are working to save Chicano murals on the east side in the face of gentrification. "La Lucha Sigue" is Arte Texas’ second-ever exhibit, currently on display at the Mexican American Cultural Center.

“This exhibit is to bring back our street art in the gallery," said Bertha Delgado, founder and director of Arte Texas.

An artist appears with his piece at the Mexican American Cultural Center. (Courtesy: Bertha Delgado)

La Lucha Sigue features art and photographs documenting "La Lucha," the decades-long struggle against gentrification in East Austin. It spans back to the early 1900s, from the fight of the brown berets, to the 1930s when city planners moved Austinites of color east of Interstate 35, to today. 

“Just by being brown and black on the east side, and you know, especially now with gentrification, you know back then I mean, I mean it's coming full circle," said Mando "Taner" "Lace" Martinez, native East Austin graffiti artist. "It happened in the '30s and ’35 , ’40s. You know they bring us all over here and now they want us, I guess, out now.”

“We were not prepared to have the taxes rise up as high as they've risen. They've caused people to leave because they cannot pay their taxes. We were not prepared for all of the new developers coming in with massive plans to redevelop our area, we didn't have anything set up to make sure that the Austinites were going to be able to be a part of that growth, none of those things were in place. So it's been heartbreaking," said Delgado. 

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One of Taner’s paintings is the centerpiece of the gallery. 

“It symbolizes our people struggling in every-what way," said Delgado. 

“The title is the history of gentrification," said Martinez, gesturing at his piece. "[It begins] in the early ‘30s when, when they decided to shove us all east of 35, when I-35 was named East Avenue - Clarksville, which was the first black settlement, and it’s still there. And it moves along when they were building Mopac. So they started moving us, right, because they’re bringing in the highway. And this was another strike at the economy furniture store where they were working La Raza to death, and so this was a big important fight for basic human rights."

The piece documents the evolution of gentrification in Austin. 

“These were all restaurants," said Martinez, pointing out names of businesses on painted ribbons in the piece. "Rabbits was a bar. Arnold Oil on Sixth Street, there's nothing but condos there now. Iron Gate, El Lago was a big business. I mean, these are all notable Hispanic buildings, too. Rainey Street neighborhood is gone. El Galindo and El Lago were tortilla chips factories, right here on Third Street. And they were huge. Now there are condos sitting there now, big old condo units. This has always been a struggle for just equal rights in education. And then down here this was where you know the gangs came in in the early '90s, where nobody wanted to be in the east side, which has totally changed around now.”

RELATED: Group Fights to Save East Austin Chicano Murals

From the 1930s to now.

“And that leads us to where we are right now, as the land grab is going on and the lots are so expensive now, because people would want new, new houses," said Martinez.

Chicano art on display at the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin, Texas. (Courtesy: Bertha Delgado)

For Arte Texas, the exhibit gives voice to the generations of families who are disappearing from the history and culture of the east side.

“I still feel like if we're not in the exhibits and we're not actually creating this movement, that we can get lost. So, I don't want to get lost, and I don't want my artists and my families and my community and my culture to get lost. And so being here is a big deal for us," said Delgado. "This is a part of East Austin history here.” 

Chicano art is admired at the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin, Texas. (Courtesy: Bertha Delgado)

"I’m hoping that they see that these guys are serious, we want to, we really want to make a change in keeping the Austin east side what it used to be," said Martinez. "Get some Chicano murals back up, back up on the east side.

“We are still in this fight together in every level - activism, art activism, civic activism - whatever type of activism role you're playing, you're fighting for the people. So that's La Lucha Sigue, we keep going. We keep fighting," said Delgado. 

The collection is on display at the Mexican American Cultural Center until January 12.