Since the founding of Californiaas El Pueblo de San JosA(c) de Guadalupe in 1777, people of Mexican ancestry have contributed to make San JosA(c) a rich cultural, political, and economic epicenter. Mexican miners who worked in the local mines helped San JosA(c) become one of the top mercury producers in the world. In the 20th century, Mexicans labored in the aValley of Heartas Delight,a as the Santa Clara Valley region was called, picking, canning, drying, and packaging fruits and vegetables for Americaas dinner table. They paid homage to their cultural heritage as they formed ballet folklA3rico groups, established mariachi bands, painted murals, and wrote literature. Through grassroots organizing and collective action, countless heroines and heroes, such as labor leader Cesar Chavez, dedicated their lives to improving conditions in their neighborhoods and communities. In 1999, the City of San JosA(c) acknowledged the contributions of Mexicans with the grand opening of the Mexican Heritage Plaza, a cultural center for the performing arts.