In Boyle Heights, a six-story mural of former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela will soon be officially unveiled. What this mural means to the community has become even more significant in light of Valenzuela’s passing Oct. 22, a week ago today.
The mural stands as a symbol of Valenzuela’s success and his great impact on L.A.’s Latino community, including for the artist who is creating the mural, Robert Vargas.
“A lot of people have asked me how this mural has changed since his passing, because it was already in motion pre- his passing,” Vargas said. “It was always coming from a place of gratitude, a place of community, a place of love. So for me, it’s just about celebrating a beautiful life and what inspiration he’s given to this community.”
To USC sports journalism professor Jeff Fellenzer, Valenzuela gave fans a cultural icon to look up to.
“I credit him with really helping to give the fan base in Los Angeles, for the Dodgers, an identity for so many of them, or so many of the fans that now make up the fan base, they had an identity. They had a hero,” said Jeff Fellenzer.
The mural stands tall in the center of Boyle Heights, a largely Hispanic community east of USC. It is just a block from Mariachi Plaza, right at the entrance of Highway 101. The neighborhood borders Little Tokyo, where a similar Vargas mural featuring Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani draws tourists to the cultural enclave.
According to Vargas, the positioning of his murals between prominent AAPI and Hispanic communities of L.A. is an ode to the Dodgers fans who are often underrepresented.
“You go to Dodger Stadium, it’s dominated by the Japanese and the Mexicans. It’s an incredible thing to see. And of course, everyone is welcome. It just says, these two murals just underscore the fact that everybody deserves a seat at the table,” said Vargas.
L.A. City Councilmember Kevin de Leon was on hand Tuesday in support of the mural, and said it reflects the cultural diversity within the Dodgers’ roster and fan base.
“Fernando Valenzuela, Boyle Heights. Little Tokyo, Shohei Ohtani. Two immigrants, one from Japan, one from Mexico, and they’re the legacy of who we are as Dodgers,” he said.
The mural will be completed and unveiled this coming Saturday. That’s one day after what would have been Fernando Valenzuela’s 64th birthday.