'La Neighbor: A Settlement House 1914-1972'

The Neighborhood House in Logan Heights became the heart of the Mexican and Mexican American community in San Diego. Begun in 1914 by a group of wealthy Victorian socially progressive women including Mary and Helen Marston as a settlement house with the explicit goal of “Americanizing” Mexican immigrants, it evolved over time to be a site of community activism and civic participation for the next generation of Mexican American youth walking through its doors. Colloquially known as La Neighbor, the Neighborhood House was the nexus of relations in Logan Heights and offered integral services like health care, food distribution, English-language classes, a community oven, citizenship classes, and enrichment activities.

This new exhibition brings together the written history of the house, along with nearly twenty new oral history interviews from former Logan Heights residents and Neighborhood House participants who were impacted by its services. The Neighborhood House Association continues today commemorating its 110th anniversary as a much different organization since its founding. Examining the history of Neighborhood House through the first sixty years shows us the ways in which individuals and governments have responded to pervasive social issues like poverty and lack of access to health care and education. It also shows the ways in which community is built and the next generation is fostered, despite continued vulnerability and the challenges posed by policy and planning decisions outside of local control.

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