looked helpless on the shore.
"Who painted it, Bobby?** "we asked.
"Some fellow named Castenada gave it to Tony several years ago. Is it really as good as you say?"
"Sure I Look, the fellow who painted that picture possibly had no training at all, and I have had three years. Yet he can draw away, way better than I. \,.JWith my three years I wonder what he could do."
"Yea, he might’ve been good."
"Might’ve nothing?! He can! He’s got the natural ability, He can see things now that I, vh o have had small training know about, but haven’t the ability to put down on my canvas or paper, I wish someone might have spoken to that fellow whe n he was younger and led him the right way. Right now, he'd be the way to becoming a great Mexican-American painter; instead of being another fellow vriio can ’draw good’.
"Do you realize at present we’re the most misunderstood nationality in this country? Look in magazines, in all forms of literature, we’re pictured as lazy, easy going, sleeping under a cactus, singing ribald songs, and pictured as cowardly, lazy and greasy!
"Out of this misunderstanding must come one of us to write in favor of our people, to paint the qualities of our people. You read articles in magazines and newspapers on the modern habits of Japanese—Americans and.people of other national descents, but nothing about us. People coming into this state expect us to be as pictured in magazines. Why, the othei day, while working in the printshop, a lady was surprised when I interviewed her and gave her my name. She said,'Oh, your name should have "been Antonio or some name that looks like you
"You see, it's up to us, the younger generation, to wake up, to make people realize that we’re conscientous and in earnest to succeed, to better our position!
■For example, Joe Hernandez, sports writer and announcer at Santa Barbara,is a credit to our people; but few people realize his national descent. Tito Guizar, Mexican actor, singer, is now said to be of Italian and French descent, born in Mexico City, not Mexican. And here is something that tops that — Gilbert Roland is now called an actor born in Mexico of Spanish descent."
"You mean people are not giving credit where creoit is due?"
25