‘We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A.’ at The Cheech features Lalo Alcaraz

The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum is marking four years with the exhibition “We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. on view from May 30 through May 23, 2027. 

This year’s annual presentation focuses on themes of identity, migration, community, and cultural memory, drawing from Cheech Marin’s renowned collection, the museum’s permanent collections, recent gifts, newly acquired works and artist loans.

Organized by artist and curator Benito Huerta, the exhibition includes 126 works by 61 artists, including Vincent Valdez, Chaz Bojórquez, José Lozano, and Sonia Romero. Featuring several works on view for the first time, along with others recognized as visitor favorites from previous exhibitions.

Recent acquisitions from the estate of José Esquivel, co-founder of Con Safos, one of the earliest Chicano art groups in the country, and loans from artists Arely Morales and Alejandro Macias broaden the exhibition’s scope.

“We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. is a declarative statement that we, Chicanos, are part of the people of these United States of America. We are integral to the fabric of this country and American art,” said Huerta.

Through painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media, the exhibition explores how artists confront the realities of daily life, from family traditions and neighborhood rituals to broader social and political tensions shaping the nation today. Designed to encourage dialogue, We the People presents unexpected juxtapositions that invite movement through the galleries in new ways. Along the way, visitors will encounter works that are both intimate and expansive, addressing issues such as migration, labor, climate change, cultural pride and the complexities of representation.

Highlights include Lalo Alcaraz’s Summer of ICE (Abandoned Paleta Cart), inspired by the real-life detention of a beloved street vendor forced to leave his livelihood behind. A Miracle for the Masses by Benjamin Muñoz features a paleta cart emblazoned with the words “Assembled in America” and the iconic “Huelga” symbol of the farmworker and civil rights movements, and now emblematic of resistance.

CALÓ News staff editorial cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz was born 1964 in San Diego and resides in Los Angeles. He is a nationally recognized cartoonist, illustrator, writer, and cultural commentator whose work has shaped contemporary Chicano visual satire for more than three decades. He is the creator of La Cucaracha, the first nationally syndicated, politically themed Latino daily comic strip. Through sharp wit and social critique, Alcaraz addresses immigration, labor, race, and political representation, positioning cartooning as a vital form of cultural resistance. He has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, Variety and La Jornada. He is co-founder of POCHO Magazine and the satirical group Chicano Secret Service.

Also featured is the recently acquired Mojado No.1 by Israel Alejandro García García, an installation about the artist’s experience with migration, border politics and the complexities of documentation. “This exhibition reflects the depth and diversity of Chicano art and the stories that shape our communities. It’s important that these works are seen as part of the broader American experience,” said Cheech Marin.

The Cheech, 3581 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA 92501.