Category Archives: Eastside

Artists Not Paid by Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights Gang Reduction Program

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I was copied on the following email by east-side artists who have been working on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights project, now in its 2nd year.  A week ago the Mayor visited the Jordan Downs housing Project (pictured above) for a press tour.  Artists have worked diligently to provide what they could with their own resources to children who have no other summer alternative.  I took this picture above and witnessed how crucial art is to inner city youth who are starving to learn and desperately need patient mentorship.  –Victoria Delgadillo

FROM: Community Artist, Apprentices, and Master Artist/SNL 2009

RE: Summer Night Lights (SNL) Contract

DATE: September 2, 2009

To Whom May It Concern,

We the artists of the SNL Gang Reduction Program demand immediate payment for our services.  Many of us turned down other work to be a part of this important effort. The SNL programs success is majorly due to the arts component that is present at all 16 parks.  We all depend on this – this is our work, we have committed ourselves not only to our craft but to our community to provide the services they all deserve. Likewise we deserve to be treated as professionals in our field of expertise.  The Arts community is one of the most effected groups from the current economic downturn and continue to be disregarded by this neglect on the part of the City of Los Angeles.

The experience working hands on with the community has been remarkable. Many of us artist have gone through various lengths and have over exceeded in order to sustain the art, music and dance workshops for Summer Night Lights. For example, asking our colleagues, friends and organizations to donate materials, paying directly from our pockets, swiping our credit cards, borrowed money for equipment and materials. Although we have been partially reimbersed for materials, we have not been paid for our time and professional experience.  There has been a significant amount of preparation, time, planning and effort to make SNL a success. Our efforts have over exceeded our expectations and requirements. Continue reading →

Plaque honors forgotten Chinese residents

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The city has installed a plaque so current Boyle Heights residents can honor and pay their respects to Chinese residents who were not given equal burial treat meant back in the 1800’s. The plaque is in English, Spanish and Chinese and it gives a little history about Evergreen Cemetery, some history on some of the more prominent deceased Chinese residents resting in the cemetery and why the plaque was placed there. Which is to acknowledge the wrong doings of the past so that the bodies that were found during the Linia de Oro construction can also rest in peace as well. I came across it yesterday evening walking my dogs. They should be finished by today because the plaque still had pieces of wood holding it in place. As I stopped to read it most people didn’t bother to read was on the plaque and only guessed at what it was. Then there are those who just say stupid, racist things and choose to completely ignore the importance of such a plaque. None the less, it’s good to see that they’re getting the respect they deserve and that even though racism and classicism are still around, they’re not as bad as they use to be back in the day.

Vincent Valdez Burns LA

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Zoning out at Mariachi Plaza, I look around the newly built Eastside Gold Line Extension while waiting patiently for Tejano turned Angelino, Vincent Valdez, who last year exhibited in LACMA’s “Chicano Visions”, a collection of Cheech Marin’s amassed Chicano artwork. Behind me, the sun collides with downtown skyline, and in front me, appears the modest Valdez, in plaid with portfolio walking up First Street. We meet at the venue for his latest solo show “An Evening with Vincent Valdez”, hosted by Boyle Height’s own Eastside Luv. Shaking hands for the first time, two things strike me: the artist is incredibly friendly, having a warm and welcoming disposition (I had always heard myths of San Antonian hospitality, now I know them to be true), and that he vaguely resembles a Chicano Edward Norton.

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Pre-show Valdez

We step into the space; the red of overhead lights bleed onto the bar, stage, and cinémex posters. Valdez moved to Los Angeles in 2005 and has since been integrating LA themes and lifestyles into his artwork. He sits ready to talk about developing projects, and his new city muse. “Right now, I am really excited about making this LA series,” Valdez explains enthusiastically. He is currently working on a new show entitled Burn, where the artist sets city landmarks a blaze, from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier.

G: You have been in LA for quite sometime, would you consider yourself an Angelino?


V: You know, I think that I sort of claim myself as both a San Antonio native always and as an Angelino. I think I have put in a major amount of time and work here in Los Angeles, and most importantly, than anything else, I really sort of seen a significant influence in my work as far as the city and the neighborhoods have in my work. I have seen it start to enrich a lot of the imagery I have been working with in my most recent work while being here.

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Eastside Beer Strike

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Strike at the Pabst Brewery on North Main St, Lincoln Heights, 1954
Photo courtesy of LAPL

It’s called The Brewery for a reason, it used to be home to Pabst Beer. A beer reviled by people with good taste everywhere and now has surprisingly made a comeback with the Los Angeles bar crowd. How? Why? There is no answer that will stop my eyes from rolling, so keep on drinking the swill fellas, I’ll be enjoying my Craftsman brew!

Oh, did I mention that The Brewery is in Lincoln Heights?

The photo caption reads:

“A lone picket parades across the entrance of the Pabst Brewing Co. plant at 1920 North Main street as workers went on a strike in wage dispute. More than 1100 men were idled when picket lines were set up around this brewery and another in Van Nuys by AFL International Union of Operating Engineers. Photograph dated September 27, 1954.”

Separate but Equal Treatment via Rail Lines in L.A.

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The Rail around Indiana

If you look at this photo you wonder what is this? And how did anyone think this was safe?

Why is the safety method on the Eastside going to be of the “pull yourselves up by the bootstraps” variety via cameras to blame personal drivers and old men in yellow vests reminding people to “be safe,” while the City of Los Angeles west of LaCienega get the “silver spoon” variety of safety with expensive barriers and elevated stations?

Why will there will be no testing out Darwinism theory of survival of the fittest on the Westside?

Only the neighborhoods with higher concentrations of poor people and brown and black people are tested with sink and swim theories.

The rail dips just one mile into the magic dividing line of LaCienega and the people on that side of LA who don’t walk or even use public transit as extensively as people on the Eastside get all of our tax dollars spent protecting them from being hit by a train that most of them won’t even take or even be near outside of driving by its protected barrier.

(This is an excerpt of a very long post entitled “Cameras Aren’t Going to Make Fewer People Die.”)

by Browne Molyneux

The LA Eastside in the Movies

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The famous 1954 thriller ”THEM” about the giant ants, changed by an atomic bomb blast and who migrated and set up their colonies in the LA storm drain system, filmed in the LA River and Lincoln Hts. I watched them film some of those scenes in the river with actor James Arness before he became Sheriff Dillon in the TV series “Gunsmoke”

As a kid, I also witnessed some filming of the movie “Six Bridges To Cross” starring Tony Curtis and Sal Mineo, done on Sichel St. and around the Main St Bridge in 1955.

In the 1950 film noir classic “DOA” there’s a scene shot on the old wooden pedestrian bridge that took you from Elysian Park to Dog Town.
Continue reading →

Teocintli is closing down

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This is one post I thought I would never have to write and as much as I hate to write it, it’s the way things are as Teocintli is closing its doors. After four years of being a community space for local artist to have a place to get their start and offering great merchandise. I know that the kids from Roosevelt will miss the place just as much as everyone else. However this is just another bump in the road. Talking to Nico about the future of the place, he said that even though they’re closing down their doors, the heart and spirit of Teocintli is still going to be around. He me ruined that now they won’t be confined to a store front and be able to conti ue to grow by taking that very spirit that helped them unite the community to other spots that needs it. They’re still going to be having workshops and selling their unique brand of goods all over the Eastside so don’t count them out. With that being said they’re in there last week and are having an everything must go sale. Stop by for the first time or the last time and check it the spot. It’s going to be sorely missed, but they’ll still be around.

Taco Hunt Lives!

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(Animal friendly tacos!)

Do you all remember when The Great Taco Hunt went dark back in August of 2007? Well I do. Even as a vegetarian I loved following his excursions into the taco culture. But I guess Bandini waited until Summer since just the other day he came back to life announcing that he’s gonna be doing his taco thing over at Daily Taco.org but I think it’s kind of a group blog now? He even has a proper respect for the Eastside! You can register an account and post your own taco adventures, I think. I’m about to try that out.

Welcome back Bandini!

In other Taco News, LA Taco reports that Eastside taqueros are being robbed. Scanless.

The Art of Art Activism

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I fell into my art genre, tearfully waiting for my head to explode from the pressure of making a major life decision. It’s true what they say about giving birth to new ideas, and deciding on possible roads to take, they are painful and sometimes regretful. Nervously, you dive into your choices, like a first time Acapulco cliff jumper, hoping you’ll hit the right timing of the waves.

As I mentally engage for another art activism workshop this week—I give into its course, not knowing what to expect. I trust that my genuine effort to create something meaningful has its place in the world and like kinetic energy creates a small droplet of human hope into the universe. I see myself far and removed from the distant tragedies in the world, my voice against injustice seems so small and ineffective way over here in East LA. Continue reading →

Primera Taza

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Remember a while back ago when I posted my thoughts on Tierra Mia in South Gate and how impressed I was with not only the store but with the quality and variety of coffee they had ? I wish I could say the same for Primera Taza, but I’m being too critical of the place considering it just barely opened up on Friday of last week. So, with only a few days open I can understand that Taza is still finding its bearings and learning as they go. Having had a father that was a creative entrepreneur all my life, I know what it takes and what goes into running your own business. With that in mind, let’s find out what Taza has going for itself.

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