Jose Montoya

We introduce you to José Montoya, who is not only Sacramento's Poet Laureate and a retired university art professor as well as an active artist, but also one of the most recognized Chicano cultural activists in our region.

Having grown up in the Central Valley, Jose witnessed first-hand the struggle of migrant farm workers. His involvement with organized labor, his collaboration with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers movement, was only the beginning of Montoya's lifelong commitment to artistic inquiry and an unwavering dedication to artistic activism. As part of his commitment to the migrant farm worker rights movement, Montoya co-founded the Royal Chicano Art Front, which resulted in one of the most relevant and groundbreaking Chicano art collections to emerge from the 1970. As a gesture of support to the RCAF, the gift of a brown leather bomber jacket was given to one of the members, which later became a symbol of the group that lead to their name change to the Royal Chicano Air Force.

Montoya is also a noted painter, muralist, musician and graphic artist. To learn more about Jose Montoya click here. Read an recent article written about Montoya by Sacramento Bee staff writer Carlos Acala.