Category Archives: Events

Highland Park farmers market

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So I run into Victoria K. at the library during my super, duper, amazing spring break and we decide to kick it old school at a coffee house in Highland Park. We make pit stops at our pads and make our way over there. I see the farmers market and I tell V to go with me and check it out. These are the pictures that came about from that frolic. I ended up running into artist Sonia Romero and her cohort Tina Rodas, who decided to post up at the market that day to promote this weekends show at Avenue 50. Needless to say it was a great time all around and it was really close to with the metro stop being right in front of it. The market is held every Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m.

~ This post was made possible by the El Random Hero scholarship fund ~

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Almost Over

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It’s almost Easter (it’s some religious holiday where I think some vato rises from the dead?) and there are two fun things you are likely not to do after this Sunday. So this is a heads up; indulge while you can!

First up: the smushing of the hollow chocolate bunnies. Oh, don’t act like you don’t, everyone does it. Maybe it’s revenge for having the reality of the world come crashing down at a young age, realizing that it’s all about illusions and hollowness. Or maybe I’m just a jerk. But how can one not resist exposing a lie? Click ahead for the truth!

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JOE: The Origami man.

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joe the origami man

joe the origami man

This past Sunday was the first time in a while I wasn’t on a crazy deadline and chained to my computer.  With the fantastic weather I wanted to venture out (that’s rare for me).  I stay downtown and saw that the Little Tokyo Cherry Blossom Festival was going down until 5pmers.  The Argentines, K Pep and her brother Bobby swooped me up to roll out.

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Killer’s Paradise

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As many of you know, I have been an art activist against the femicides that have occurred in Ciudad Juarez.  My public activism in this has connected me to others that work to change gender injustices occurring all over the world.  In 2007, I joined Chapinas Unidas (Los Angeles Guatemalan Women’s Group) who came together to create awareness on the femicides occurring in Guatemala. Again, the international community was faced with extreme injustice by governmental, legal and social networks for victims and their families in Guatemala.  In May of 2007, we organized a press conference at Mercado la Paloma in South Central and a conference and art exhibit called “Espejo” at Sol Art in Santa Ana to discuss the femicides in Guatemala.

TODAY April 8th, at 7pm PST a discussion on Feminist Magazine (KPFK radio) about the upcoming Bringing The Circle Together film screening of ‘Killer’s Paradise’. Radio host Melissa Chiprin will speak with Indigenous activists in Los Angeles, Ana Castillo and Azalea Ryckman of Chapinas Unidas, and Olivia Chumacero of Farmlab, who have helped spread awareness about the ongoing femicide in Guatemala. You can listen in Los Angeles on 90.7 FM, on 98.7 FM in Santa Barbara and streaming live on kpfk.org. This show will also be archived if you are unable to tune in that night!   Please tune in to KPFK tonight and click more here to get data on the free screening of ‘Killer’s Paradise’ on Thursday, April 16.  Nos vemos alli. Continue reading →

Tonight & Sat: Boca Escupiendo Sangre / Mouth Spitting Blood

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From RAQUEFELLA:

I’m pushing about ten years here in Los Angeles doing the community based queer Latina/o arts organizing thing that continues to move, baffle, inspire, exhaust me. Me da vida. I believe in making space for queer Latino/as living in Los Angeles to share creative work at an emerging level that often goes unseen and unheard. Oftentimes that’s the least of our troubles in the cacophony of violence that surrounds our realities as either gender-non-conforming outlaws trying to make a home in the communities we are from. We remember Gwen Araujo. Lawrence King, presente.  Sakina Gunn, RIP. These youth did not have the chance to spit their truth and so we, as poets and artists, render their struggles poetically to remember.

I hope L.A. Eastside readers can pause and think about the LGBT gente in their lives–have you ever thought about the struggles that they face as they remain true to themselves while occupying spaces with family, friends, and institutions like church and school. Have you ever stopped some bullshit language flying around the schoolyards or did you let the slap in the face go unpunished? Did you ever not talk to somebody because the gender line was crossed in such a way that…ni porque decirlo?

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If you build it, they will come and maybe get hurt

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Continuing their campaign to raise pedestrian awareness, Metro is going to have ambassadors all week at different spots in East Los dishing out information about rail safety. I would have posted this earlier, but I got caught up with “things.” For more information about all the other stuff happening with the gold line extension, you can go to metro’s web site for the Eastside extension.  They also have this interesting map called “Eastside Flavors.” It’s kinda outdated because they still have the Homegirl Cafe listed and they’ve been gone since they relocated to Chinatown. They mention all the local spots near by around every station so it’s an ok map I guess. The gold line is almost here and the anticipation is KILLING me.     

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Mexica New Year 09 @ Self Help Graphics

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Mexica New Year @ Self Help Graphics 09

Me : Hey ! I saw Rosannas facebook and it said there’s aztec dancers at Self Help right now, is it still going on? 

Victoria : Yeah dude I was there earlier it was crazy. 

Me  : So why didn’t you tell me or announce it !?

Victoria : I forgot. I’m too busy writing up blog post that I can’t keep track of everything. 

Me : Yeah cause you post SOO much hahahah

Victoria : Anyway I though you worked on the weekends ?

Me : I do, I just got out and I was checking facebook through my phone at work. So i’d figure I’d call you and get the down low. 

Victoria : Well go down and check it out. I bet your girlfriend Pachuco 3000 will be there. I know you guys hang out together as if your lovers.

Me : Sigh…just cause we hang out every now and then doesn’t mean we’re lovers. Besides I’m sure he’s up to something already. 

Victoria : Ohhh I see.

Me : So did I wake you up just now ?

Victoria : Not really. I was taking a power nap because I rode my bike six miles today. Man my ass hurts.

Me : Damn !! you rode around that much ?!?!

Victoria : Nah, I have an exercise bike in my house. My knees are killing me tambien

Me : Ohh so is there anything else going on tonight ?

Victoria : Umm I’m not sure, but I’ll just end up staying home or doing something.

Me : Aight. I’ma head down to self help then and go take pictures.

Victoria : Ok puez. Give us your report about it.  

Follow the link to see my report….

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Mural painting in Cypress Park

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I have mentioned that I paint murals to make up for karmatic wrongs and  have something to talk about at bus stops, maybe one day when i dont have 2 screaming monkeys keeping me from blogging I can elaborate.

Here are my 2 chongos, and their primos whom I am sole zuramaro of:

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(PS, the trouble of taking this pic for tia/mama was the foundation for cleaning up Downtown on weekends when they get older, i primed them with LA river cleanups already)

 Me and my wife started a small nonprofit about 7 years ago that paints murals and promotes art awareness in working class comunities, blah, blah ,blah…

So Ive been busy the past week or so securing the permits and painting a mural regarding watershed and indigenous philosophy in Cypress Parque on Macon st. and San Fernando Road.  The mural theme is Tlaloc, the aztec deity of water, creating rain on the city of LA (behind tlaloc is map with the LA River and Arroyo Seco highlighted) which flows into the LA harbor.
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Purim in Los Angeles

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Hey, it’s St. Patrick’s Day so I thought I’d share a few pics of that other drunken ethnic holiday: Purim! For those not in the know, which includes me, it’s apparently a Jewish day of celebration and required drunkeness. So where’s my invitation?

At one point, this holiday must have been common in Boyle Heights. Now it’s probably only big on the Westside. Click ahead for a few pics.

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Saint Patrick’s Day

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San Patricio Battalion Flag
[repost from chimatli.org, written last year]

It can be argued that St Patrick’s Day is like a national holiday in my neighborhood, despite the fact there is no sizable Irish community in this area. Here in Lincoln Heights, it’s common to see people wearing shamrock paraphernalia all year round. As was recently pointed out to me, stores in Lincoln Heights will stock green colored clothing more frequently as it tends to sell more quickly than other colors. Shamrocks magically grace the walls after long weekend nights, spreading the luck of the Irish throughout our little hood. Continue reading →

Pedestrian safety in Boyle Heights

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img_34281With pedestrian traffic accidents increasing in Boyle Heights, the Union de Vecinos wants to make sure that the streets are safe for everyone. Community members staged a protest on Cesar Chavez Ave. and Forest holding up signs and chanting in rhythm for safer streets for pedestrians in Boyle Heights around 6 p.m. today. Elizabeth Blaney is one of those community members who want the cities Department of transportation to place traffic signals in two high traffic areas, Wabash and Fickett and on the corner where they were protesting. Some of the residents, who wanted to remain anonymous, said that they’re tired of having to worry if they’re kids will get home safely from school because drivers don’t adhere to the residential speed limit, which is 35 mph.

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