“San Jose doesn’t get the recognition it deserves for being the lowrider capital,” says Angel Romero, founder of Dueñas, an all-women’s lowrider club.
Angel’s love for lowriders came from her mom, who tricked up a brand new 1977 Monte Carlo she had received for her own quinceañera. When Angel and her siblings were kids, this was the car they’d cruise around in with their mom, jumping around and messing with the switches. By the time she was twelve, Angel knew how to cruise around on her own—sometimes joining the popular route on El Camino in Santa Clara.
Angel’s first car, a 1965 Impala, has been her one-and-only for 21 years now. She painted it purple “since that’s my mom’s favorite color, and I wanted everyone to know it was a woman’s car.”
After joining a couple different car clubs between years of solo riding, Angel helped build the United Lowrider Council of San Jose. Her vision of community service work built the foundation for Dueñas. The all-woman’s fleet works with local organizations to hold toy drives, fundraisers, and safety kits—pulling up in outfits that match their cars.
IG: duenascarclub
For more info on the Lowrider scene, other clubs, and events, check out United Lowrider Council of San José.
(L to R)
Angel Romero (President),
Anna Piñeda, Dominique Topete (Bike Club President),
Teresa Garcia, and Elizabeth Perez Club Public Relations)
