From my latest article on Artbound KCET: "The week of November 14, 2016, nearly 4,000 students from about 18 schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District participated in walkouts against the president elect’s selection. As in the 1960s and ‘70s, students gathered at landmarks like Mariachi Plaza, Lincoln Park and city hall for rallies. … Continue reading New on KCET, Youth Resistance and Los Angeles Photography
KCET
How Bell Gardens is Banking on Bicycle Club Casino’s Luxury Hotel
The sign illuminates eight lanes of the neighboring 710 Freeway. In contrast to the new monument to luxury, the gritty Long Beach Freeway leads into the post-industrial heart of Southeast Los Angeles. Thousands of eighteen-wheelers trucking in the majority of exports into the United States from the Pacific Rim make this the busiest highway with … Continue reading How Bell Gardens is Banking on Bicycle Club Casino’s Luxury Hotel
Worth Gold: Feminism and Leadership at the Miss Bell Gardens Pageant
Bell Gardens City Council members with the 2015 Miss Bell Gardens Court. Photo: City of Bell Gardens"All the court members agreed it was a great experience. One princess, Vanessa Perez from UC Irvine said: 'I've lived in this city all my life. I'm proud to be from here and to get more involved.' Mayor Jennifer … Continue reading Worth Gold: Feminism and Leadership at the Miss Bell Gardens Pageant
I can defend myself: One mother’s story, a whole community’s struggle
Laverne Cox thinks Zoey Luna rocks and you will too. In this interview, Zoey and her mom, two Downey residents, tell their story of struggle and victory against transphobia, violence against trans people, and how the ACLU and so many other organizations have supported their journey.
The Time is Now: Radical Feminism at Rock Camp in Southeast LA
Excerpts from the KCET Departures' essay, "The Time is Now for Chicas Rockeras in Southeast L.A.": After the "Radical Body Love for Young Riot Grrls" workshop led by facilitator Gloria Lucas, one of the campers said, "I love my body!" Volunteers also said they heard girls say, "I'm not ashamed to be round. No soy … Continue reading The Time is Now: Radical Feminism at Rock Camp in Southeast LA
How Eleven Brothers Made El Pescador a Thriving Set of Family Restaurants
After five presidents and three recessions, El Pescador seafood restaurants are more popular than ever. Read my new essay on immigrant hustle, family lineage, and the multiple dazzling skills of restaurateurs in southeast LA. Gracias!
New Essay on KCET’s Departures
"...now I know what the garden gives." - Jorge Segura, educator and photographer, Downey, CA Read a love letter I wrote to urban gardening in southeast Los Angeles here. "What the garden gives: homegrown food along the Alameda Corridor" Stay tuned for the next essays on the Bell Art Walk and more!
KCET Communities: “Pioneers of Artistic Revolution: Making Art and Space in Southeast L.A.
As part of an ongoing project about the importance of the 710 corridor in Los Angeles, Vickie Vertiz contributed an article about the arts, teachers, and artists in Southeast Los Angeles, where she grew up. She names a few writers who also document the lives of the people in Southeast L.A., such as Steve Gutierrez's … Continue reading KCET Communities: “Pioneers of Artistic Revolution: Making Art and Space in Southeast L.A.