By Ricardo Lezama 
On March 22, 2025, community members and car enthusiasts gathered for the second annual Unity Cruise to the Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona. Hundreds of lowrider cars traveled from Encanto Park to the state capitol, celebrating lowrider culture and honoring the legacies of two Chicano community leaders: the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva and civil rights attorney Phil Austin. State Representative César Aguilar, who co-hosted the event with local car clubs, emphasized the importance of recognizing those who paved the way for Latinos in Arizona.
A range of political views could be observed with individuals wearing ‘Stop Deporting Military Veterans’, a reference to continued deportations despite military service from individuals who kept up their end of a social contract for the US Military’s troop count.
More pointedly, organizers and activists from the United Farmworkers Coalition of Workers – Arizona chapters could be seen in the mix with community organizers from African American groups too.
