Lucha libre
San francisco (2024)
In the shadows of the Monterey peninsula, with its celebrity homes and the iconic Pebble Beach golf course, is Salinas, CA. For residents of Monterey the 20 mile drive to Salinas, locally referred to as crossing the “lettuce curtain", is a clear differentiator between the two cities. One features luxury boutiques, a picturesque coastline, boasts Clint Eastwood as a former mayor, and the other, is, well, Salinas.
Salinas’ claim to fame is being known as “Salad Bowl of the World,” as a result of being recognized as one of the most bountiful agricultural areas in the United States. In the 1970’s it was at the center of the civil rights movement for Latino and Filipino farmworkers led by Cesar Chavez; today many residents of Salinas are in one way or another involved in the agricultural sector. Others know Salinas due to its decades long gang struggles with clashes between Sureno and Norteno gangs. Lesser known, though, is that 80% of Salinas’ 160,000 residents are Hispanic, making Salinas proportionally the most Hispanic American city in California, and the 8th most Hispanic concentrated city in the United States.
The hispanic roots of Salinas can be traced to the early 1800’s, during which time many hispanic ranchers were drawn to the area due to its rich soil. Some 200 years later, those roots are deeply planted and Salinas has a thriving hispanic community. This influence is reflected directly in the culture of the city. Hispanic restaurants and businesses are abundant, Salinas has become a common stop for many touring latin bands, and the city is home to a Mexican cultural staple, Lucha Libre wrestling.