Carlo’s Almaraz Story
Carlos David Almaraz (xx–xx) was born on October 5, 1941, in Mexico City, in what he referred to as El Zócalo. Six months later, his family migrated to Chicago as part of a larger wave of Mexican families seeking work in the Midwest. In 1950, at the age of 9, his family permanently moved to East Los Angeles where Carlos’ life carried on.
Chicanidad
Before diving into who Carlos Almaraz was as an artist, it’s important to understand his upbringing and the identity of his family, both of which shaped the complex person he became.
Starting with his father: Carlos’s dad was adopted, and the last name Almaraz was given to him. Even up to his death, the full origin of the name remained unknown, yet it was through his father’s identity that Carlos felt the deepest connection. His father was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, but because of the adoption, some family history was lost. What they did know was that Carlos’s grandfather was an Indigenous Mexican man, and his grandmother was a mestiza woman.
Carlos recalls that his father would often tell him how he was treated as an “Indian” man—discriminated against because of his appearance and identity. Yet, at the same time, he was able to move between cultures because he spoke both Spanish and English. From his father, Carlos learned that there is no strict line between being Mexican or American. Both cultures can exist within one person.
This idea, that layered, dual identity, deeply shaped Carlos’s vision of Chicano identity. It’s what led him to explore what it truly meant to be Chicano: not just through his personal experiences, but also through his family’s history and for the greater visibility of a community that was often overlooked. His murals and paintings became a way to express and honor that identity, turning art into both a personal outlet and a public declaration of cultural pride.
“There’s no division of cultures. And from that, I’ve learned the same kind of appreciation for the American culture within me, and the Mexican culture . They’re two extremes that can and do live in the same person.” -Almaraz
Carlos Almaraz, Oral history with Margarita Nieto, Archives of American Art Southern California Research Center in Los Angeles, CA, 1986
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New York
In 1962, Carlos moved to New York City to develop as a figurative painter. He was disillusioned with the abstract expressionism that dominated the West Coast scene, and he hoped the East would offer more. But life in New York was hard. His art didn’t fit into any mainstream category, and though he studied at the School of Visual Arts and rubbed shoulders with major players, he remained on the margins.
Still, New York wasn’t wasted. It marked a period of deep introspection and chaos. He struggled with addiction, loneliness, and unspoken truths about his sexuality. By the time he returned to L.A. in 1970, he had hit rock bottom—so much so that he was hospitalized and placed in a coma due to drug-related illness. That near-death experience changed him. He once said he saw death “as a companion,” not an enemy.
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Works of Solidarity
In the 1970s, Carlos Almaraz became an essential visual voice for the United Farm Workers (UFW) and their fight for dignity and labor rights. His art served as a weapon in the struggle, amplifying the cries of farmworkers who were too often overlooked, underpaid, and exploited. Through posters, murals, and banners, Almaraz helped shape the visual identity of the UFW movement led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. He produced bold, colorful screen prints that echoed the spirit of protest, combining Chicano symbolism with revolutionary messaging.
One of his most iconic contributions was creating artwork for UFW rallies and boycott campaigns, pieces that featured eagles, sunrise imagery, and workers with raised fists, all infused with a raw urgency. His work didn’t just decorate the movement; it powered it. Almaraz believed that art should be accessible and political, a sentiment he shared with many other artists of the Chicano movement. His contributions to the UFW went beyond aesthetics, they were a form of solidarity. Whether he was on the picket lines or painting in community centers, Carlos saw no separation between his politics and his paintbrush.
“I’m an artist who believes in art for the people…my art doesn’t sit quietly in a room, it shouts.” -Carlos Almaraz
Famous activist Cesar Chavez alongside Carlos
His connection to the farmworker movement was deeply personal. Like many Chicanos, he understood displacement, poverty, and survival firsthand. It’s important to note that this alliance grew stronger as Chávez and Almaraz became close friends. During a time of uncertainty and financial hardship, Carlos asked César if he’d be willing to help fund his final semester of art school. Chávez responded with a check. In gratitude, Almaraz completed one of his most iconic works: the mural Boycott Gallo. His work with the UFW represents a time when artists and activists stood shoulder to shoulder, when murals weren’t just murals, but declarations of justice.