We are asking the City of Amarillo to rename East Park in honor of Pfc. Gabriel Chavez, a World War II veteran who grew up just a few blocks from the park.
Gabriel was more than a name in a history book. He was a young man from this neighborhood who went to war and gave his life serving his country.
During the Battle of Okinawa, Gabriel fought with extraordinary courage. He faced an enemy machine-gun position, firing his weapons and then moving forward with grenades to take on the position. He was killed during the attack, and five enemy soldiers were killed with him. His sacrifice was recognized with the Distinguished Service Cross.
Today, a park sits just blocks from where Gabriel grew up. Renaming it in his honor would bring his story home. This isn't about taking anything away from the people who currently enjoy East Park. Changing the name doesn't change the park, its playgrounds, its fields, its memories, or the things families have always loved about it. 
Amarillo already has parks named for individuals who made an impact on our community. We believe there should also be a park in the Barrio that honors someone from the Barrio—someone who lived here, grew up here, and gave his life for his country.  Honoring Gabriel would do something even bigger than preserving his own story. His name could open the door to conversations about the other veterans who came from this neighborhood—men and women whose stories, service, and sacrifices deserve to be remembered too.
Someone might see the name Pfc. Gabriel Chavez Memorial Park and ask, “Who was Gabriel?” That question gives us a chance to tell his story, and then to ask: Who else from this neighborhood served? What did they sacrifice? What are their stories?
We aren't asking to erase history. We are asking to add to it.
Let's bring Gabriel's story home and give future generations a place to remember him—and the many other veterans who came from our neighborhood.
Please sign this petition in support of renaming East Park in honor of Pfc. Gabriel Chavez.