In San Diego County, the Inzunzas are the region’s Chicano Kennedys.
They’ve been beloved educators and doctors, prep athlete stars and authors, entrepreneurs and just plain ol’ good neighbors. But the true family business is politics, and since the 1970s, Inzunzas have served city councils in National City, San Diego and Chula Vista; school boards in San Ysidro and Imperial Beach, and even water districts.
Dozens of them gathered Jan. 10 in Balboa Park at the Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art to celebrate the Inzunza clan’s latest contribution to America’s Finest City: a coffee table book of 200-plus pictures from the early 1970s taken by one of their own.
A crucial era in the Chicano movement
“Movimiento en la Sangre” (“Movement in the Blood”) is an extraordinary collection from the archives of Nick Inzunza, a Vietnam War veteran turned Chicano activist who worked as a school psychologist in National City and went on to become a school trustee. From 1971 to 1974 he took nearly 1,800 photos of a crucial era in the Chicano movement, when young activists realized they needed to run for political office to effect true change and also began to embrace the undocumented immigrants their elders once shunned.
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There are shots of what would become Chicano Park, the world-famous collection of murals underneath the Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan. Casual images show giants of the Chicano movement — Cesar Chavez, Bert Corona, Reies López Tijerina, José Angel Gutiérrez — behind podiums or chatting with admirers. The photos also depict protests and conferences not just in San Diego but also El Paso, San Bernardino and Los Angeles, plus local activists who never made it into the history books — until now.
Even better are snapshots of Chicano life in that time: the puffy haircuts and sharp outfits, after-school boxing programs to keep boys away from gangs and a Christmas toy giveaway by Santa Claus to barrio kids organizing against the Border Patrol. There’s even a baby-faced San Diego mayor Pete Wilson addressing a group of Chicanos at a banquet, back in the days when Wilson was somewhat sympathetic to undocumented immigrants and before he demonized them to win reelection as California governor in 1994.
“Movimiento en la Sangre” is a much-needed addition to Latino, San Diego, Southern California and civil rights histories that too often overlook the book’s subject matter. The self-taught Inzunza knew how to frame what was before him, so the photos are as aesthetically pleasing as they are important. Breaking up his ouvre are excerpts from college papers, musings and letters he sent in that era.
“The Mexican culture which is all around us can no longer be denied,” he wrote to a teacher who protested a Mexican Christmas event held at an elementary school. “We as human beings can no longer ignore a culture that is indigenous to this land and has been here for centuries.”
Redemption for the most famous Inzunza
What’s most amazing about “Movimiento en la Sangre” is that Inzunza’s book was 50 years in the making and comes more than a decade after he died.
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Inzunza’s nephew Ralph Inzunza (one of the book’s two official authors, in addition to Nick’s son Nicólas Jorge Inzunza) told a rapturous hometown crowd about the book’s genesis at the launch event, which I helped moderate.
After Nick shot his movimiento photos, he kept rolls of undeveloped film in a box that stayed in the trunk of his yellow Ford Mustang for decades, then moved them into his house. When the family finally processed them a few years ago, the results were so impressive that San Diego State English and Comparative Literature professor William Nericcio suggested the Inzunzas publish the best shots for San Diego State University Press, which Nericcio runs.
Ralph is the most famous San Diego Inzunza, for better and worse. Elected to the San Diego city council in 2001, he soon became deputy mayor and was considered a rising star. But in 2005 a federal jury convicted him in San Diego’s so-called Strippergate scandal. Prosecutors alleged Ralph and two other council members took campaign contributions so they could try to change a law that barred dancers from touching their clients. He was the only one of the three council members who served time because one died and the other had his conviction overturned.
But Ralph’s reputation rebounded. He works as a political consultant and “Movimiento en la Sangre” is his third book, following a young adult novel about life on the U.S.-Mexico border and a fictionalized memoir of his prison years (start taking notes, José Huizar).
In his short speech Ralph shouted out the many activists in the book — young then, veteranos now — who were in the audience. Above all he praised the legacy of his uncle Nick, whose box of camera rolls, left untouched for decades, were also onstage.
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“It is history, and it is not,” Ralph said of Nick Inzunza’s magnum opus, “because it’s alive.”
The week’s biggest stories
Immigration agents blocked Maple Avenue and 11th Street in the Fashion District on Thursday to allow a caravan to pass through, according to a witness.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Immigration sweeps
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Must read
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For your downtime
Campers at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park can hike the lush Fern Canyon Trail.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
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Going out
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L.A. Timeless
A selection of the very best reads from The Times’ 143-year archive.
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Oceanside Harbor Beach. (File photo courtesy of @CityofOceanside via X)
A man apparent drowned in the waters near the Oceanside Pier Saturday morning, despite efforts by lifeguards and paramedics to revive him.
The Oceanside Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division and the Oceanside Police Department responded to a report of a missing man at about 4:30 a.m.. Officials said the man was last seen swimming in the ocean about a half-hour earlier.
Lifeguards and police immediately initiated a coordinated search effort using pier vantage points, surveillance cameras and watercraft, but the search was suspended at approximately 5:30 a.m. after no one was found, fire officials said.
“At approximately 10:50 a.m., lifeguards discovered an unresponsive adult male, matching the earlier description, in the water near Lifeguard Tower 12, at Oceanside Harbor Beach,” Division Chief Blake Dorse said in a statement. “The individual was removed from the water, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was immediately initiated.”
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Fire and rescue personnel continued efforts to resuscitate the man on the way to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He is believed to be the one who was reported missing near the pier.
Authorities did not release the man’s name.
“The Oceanside Lifeguard Division reminds the public to exercise caution when entering the ocean, especially during early morning hours or when lifeguards are not actively monitoring the water,” Dorse said. “Always swim near an open lifeguard tower and avoid entering the water alone.”
A decade of unforgettable meals calls for a proper celebration. This April, Herb & Wood marks its 10-year anniversary, honoring ten years of shaping San Diego’s culinary identity from its stylish home in Little Italy.
Since opening in 2016, the restaurant has played a defining role in modern San Diego dining, ushering in a more ingredient-driven, chef-forward era while setting the standard for design, hospitality, and overall experience.
A Month of Throwback Favorites and Celebratory Surprises
To commemorate the milestone, Herb & Wood is celebrating all month long by bringing back a selection of OG favorites alongside the signature dishes that have remained staples over the years.
Order from the anniversary lineup and receive a scratcher ticket for a chance to win prizes like a whole Jamón Ibérico ham leg, a custom Johnny Lane painting, and a coveted “lifetime” branzino card. It’s a fun and fitting way to toast one of San Diego’s most influential restaurants.
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A Collaborative Anniversary Dinner
The celebration concludes with a special four-course anniversary dinner featuring standout chefs from the Puffer Malarkey Collective. Brian Malarkey, Aidan Owens, Tara Monsod, and Kylie Cablayan will come together for an unforgettable evening that highlights their creativity and culinary artistry.
The celebratory menu includes:
Course One
Parker House Rolls with honey herb butter
Oyster & Beef Tartare with smoked oyster mayo, caramelized onion, and beef fat snow
Course Two
Lechon Kawali with grilled strawberries, pickled mustard seeds, pickled Tokyo negi, mustard frill, and strawberry sarsa
Course Three
Woodfired Tenderloin & Charred Prawns with garlic and chili, fennel oil, celery root, and whipped tallow butter
Course Four
Funfetti Cake with blueberry jam, lemon curd, and Swiss meringue buttercream
This one-night-only collaboration is a delicious tribute to Herb & Wood’s legacy and a memorable way to toast ten remarkable years in Little Italy.
A Defining Force in San Diego Dining
Over the past decade, Herb & Wood has become a cornerstone of Little Italy’s vibrant dining scene. Known for its warm ambiance and thoughtfully crafted menu, it continues to set the tone for modern dining in San Diego.
Whether revisiting longtime favorites or discovering something new, this anniversary celebration is the perfect excuse to gather around the table and raise a glass to ten remarkable years.
See you there!
We’ll be celebrating in Little Italy with throwback bites, celebratory pours, and plenty of toasts to ten iconic years at Herb & Wood.
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📆 April 3 – 29, 2026 | Culmination celebration April 30 📍 2210 Kettner Blvd, San Diego 🎟️ Book your table here ℹ️ Click here for updates
The San Diego Wave and their fans deserved every second of the festive Friday morning that played out at Snapdragon Stadium.
Wave personnel and fans erupted in cheers as Catarina Macario, a star striker with San Diego roots who agreed to a record-setting contract, displayed a Wave No. 20 jersey at an introductory news conference.
Macario, 26, has taken injury detours, but stands indisputably as one of the world’s better goal-scorers among women.
The Torrey Pines High School and San Diego Surf alum’s local pedigree may also boost the fifth-year Wave, who through no fault of the club’s current leaders, lost considerable star power in recent years, contributing to an attendance decline.
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At a reported $8 million, the five-year deal is reportedly the most for a women’s soccer player.
Macario, smiling often, labeled her new reality “unreal,” while seated next to Wave sporting director Camille Ashton.
She was 12 when family members, seeking better opportunities, brought her from Brazil to live in San Diego after first visiting Dallas.
“I never would have imagined, I guess, that 12-year-old Cat, not knowing how to speak English, being super scared, would one day come back and get to represent her hometown team,” Macario said. “It’s very special. It’s something I’m very proud of. It will just mean that much more, once I step on the field.”
Catarina Macario, right, holds up her jersey with Camille Ashton, Sporting Director and General Manager, at a news conference held to announce
her signing with the San Diego Wave FC March 27, 2026 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
Ashton called it “a monumental signing.”
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Ashton, formerly Camille Levin, won a national championship with Stanford as a player. She said Macario, who came to Stanford after Ashton turned pro, fits well into the possession-driven, uptempo style the Wave have developed in a season-plus under coach Jonas Eidevall.
“Cat is a world-class player of exceptional quality, intelligence and character,” Ashton said. “Her technical ability, vision and goal-scoring instinct make her one of the most exciting talents in the game today. Just as importantly, she brings a professionalism and competitive drive that will both complement and elevate the high standards already established within our squad.”
Turmoil marked the 2024 season, the franchise’s final one under team president Jill Ellis and coach Casey Stoney.
Ellis fired Stoney, the franchise’s coach since its inception, before midseason. The team’s offense was tedious, leading to a ninth-place finish and the franchise missing the playoff cut for the first time. Ellis, amid reports of a harsh work environment, moved on.
In the first full year under Ashton and Eidevall, the Wave’s offense improved and the team made the playoffs, but was bounced in one game.
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Macario will give the Wave a better chance to rebound at the gate and on the pitch from the exodus of popular stars Alex Morgan (retirement in 2024), midfielder Jaedyn Shaw (traded at her request in January 2025) and defender Naomi Girma (who was transferred to Chelsea later that month for $1.1 million).
The Macario signing comes 16 months after Lauren Leichtman and Arthur Levine, founders of a private equity firm in Los Angeles, completed a $120-million purchase of the Wave.
The record contract “just shows how serious they are about me, and getting the club to succeed even more,” Macario said.
NWSL leaders facilitated the deal as well. Ashton said the league’s adoption four months ago of the High Impact Player Rule, allowing an exception to the salary cap, “came at an incredibly good time.”
Macario said she knows several Wave players and played with versatile fullback Perle Morroni on France’s top club team, Lyon.
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Given that Macario has scored goals at an extraordinary pace throughout her career — with the Surf, Torrey Pines, Stanford, Lyon and Chelsea — there’s only one major concern about how her Wave career will play out:
Health.
A left ACL injury suffered in the final game of her season with Lyon four years ago cost her a full season.
An irritation in her right knee cost her a spot on the U.S. team that won gold at the 2024 Olympics in France.
She was sidelined in recent months at Chelsea, creating uncertainty about her Wave debut.
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“We’re confident her best years are ahead,” Ashton said.
Macario offered no details Friday about when she’ll be ready to play for the Wave, who’ll face Chicago in a home game today.
Smiling, she suggested being in San Diego will improve her health.
“Maybe the skies were a little too gray for me,” she quipped about health setbacks in England and France. “The sunshine will help me heal a little bit quicker.”
For a franchise that was enveloped by clouds in 2024, the forecast grew much brighter Friday.
