After completing her White Fence series, Iturbide repeatedly returned to California. During one of her trips to California, to visit the White Fence gang, Chicana artist Ester Hernández introduced Iturbide to the renowned farmworkers’ leaders and civil rights advocates, César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, founders of the United Farm Workers (UFW). Iturbide's portraits of the Chicano icons reflect the collective spirit of the Chicano struggle. The artist also photographed Mexican Nationals in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, a city bordering San Diego County, California, who longed for a life in the United States and to pursue the American dream. In the 20th century, Tijuana became the main port of entry to Mexico from California.

Iturbide photographs cholos on the Mexican side of the border who adopted the subculture by looking at magazines featuring East L.A. cholos.