For many of today's youth, the only Santa Cruz they've known is the Santa Cruz of progressivism, surfing and the university. But it wasn't too long ago that Santa Cruz, much like other cities of California, was a hotbed of vigilante violence fueled by vehement racism and encouraged by the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Extreme forms of violence and repression of the indigenous peoples, mestizos, and the local Chinese community were heavily used in creating what we now know as Santa Cruz.

On Sunday, a group of students decided to spend a few hours at the Water St. bridge, where Francisco Arias and Jose Chamales were lynched in 1877. With a RIP sign and plenty of flyers, they made sure the community, at least for a few hours, did not forget its origins.