It started off as such a routine resolution. A Chicago alderman spoke in favor of renaming a local street after a war hero. Before long, it erupted into a battle of charges and countercharges so common during recent years in the City Council.
Others claimed that there was considerably more to the story. One City Hall reporter claimed, “Soliz tried to push the [Perez] name change through the council. He used the opportunity to slam [22nd Ward Alderman] Jesus Garcia. Garcia responded in kind and said that Soliz did not represent the feelings of the community. Then Ed Vrdolyak responded, which caused Luis Gutierrez to begin ranting and raving. After the meeting, the crowd of veterans at the meeting began booing Gutierrez and Garcia.”
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“I was going to stay out of the argument until Vrdolyak said we should find something else to name after Rudy,” added Gutierrez. “These words were coming from someone who doesn’t care, and did everything possible to obstruct the Latino community, trying to tell us who our leaders are. That’s like Louis Farrakhan saying we can’t name this street after a Jewish leader. I told Vrdolyak, ‘The bullets that pierced Rudy Lozano’s body were no less severe than those that pierced Manuel Perez. If your commitment to the Hispanic community is so deep, why don’t you get your brother [alderman-elect] Victor to introduce a resolution to rename Commercial Avenue Manuel Perez Avenue?’”
“Here’s a guy who’s been largely ignored,” commented Tribune reporter Manuel Galvan. “If Manuel Perez had done exactly what he did and died as he did and been Irish, you can bet there would be an airport named after him.”
Garcia, Lozano’s 1983 campaign manager and a close personal friend, added, “Rudy had a political and historical consciousness, an ideal that it was important to work together. He was a gifted person with the ability to organize rapidly. During this rapid process, he made a few powerful enemies from those who saw his ideas as opposition to corruption, crime, and racism.”
Even streets in the 22nd Ward have received honorary designation. A block in front of Gerard Delgado Kanoon magnet school has been titled Avenida Delgado Kanoon, to celebrate the late local educator who also gave his name to the school. Former alderman Frank Stemberk arranged for a portion of 31st Street to be named Home Run Inn Avenue, after a nearby business that distributes, frozen pizzas throughout the city (and whose owner was a major Stemberk ally).
The name Avenida de la Villita passed out of committee and passed the City Council in late 1984, according to Garcia. “They announced it, but never put up any signs.”
