Category Archives: Events

Eagle Rock Music Festival

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Forget about Sunset Junction, the best music festival in Los Angeles is the Eagle Rock Music Festival happening this Saturday, October 2 on Colorado Blvd.

Every year I’ve gone I’ve been impressed by the diverse crowds of all ages and ethnicities, the good vibe feeling of the event and the outstanding music groups. This year it’s even better with both Razorcake and Low End Theory stages and bands like La Santa Cecilia, The Gaslamp Killer, Nosaj Thing and -so excited for this- The Egyptian Lover and the Arabian Prince!

Hope to see you there!

Eagle Rock Music Festival
Saturday, October 2, 2010
4pm-11pm
On Colorado between Eagle Rock Blvd and Argus

More info at their Facebook page.

SCHEDULE AFTER THE JUMP: Continue reading →

Day of the Dead Workshops for the WHOLE familia start THIS Saturday in ELA!

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I know that Random Hero has posted the cold hard facts about Self Help Graphics & Art’s Day of the Dead workshops starting this Saturday at 11am (right below this).  All his data you can get from FBing Self Help Graphics or going to their website.  VyalONE’s Saturday aerosol spray-paint class has made a sign announcing this  fact too (see Random’s blog).  Random always says he can write better, if he gets paid for it.  Me?  I have a passion for art and everything Self Help Graphics, so I will give you a more personal account as to why this is one of the greatest events taking place in the heart of East LA.  Above (and below when you click on “more”)) are some images of joyous Day of the Dead workshops past and the kind of artisan skills you and your little ones can gain by attending. Continue reading →

Self Help Graphics Day of the Dead Community Art Workshops

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Self Help Graphics & Art is pleased to offer the following arts workshops for the whole family in October 2010.
All workshops are FREE!

All children must be accompanied by adults.
No reservations necessary!
Email: volunteer@selfhelpgraphics.com if you would like to volunteer!
Dates: Saturdays, October 2, 9, 16, and 23
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Art Workshops:
• Paper Flowers
• Papel Picado
• Calaca Paper Mache Masks
Participants must attend 2 Saturdays to complete their calacas.
• Calaca Paper Masks
• Paper Mache Calavera Figures
Participants must attend all 4 Saturdays to complete their calaveras.
• Miniature Shoebox Altars
This workshop is only held on 3 Saturdays: 10/2, 10/9, and 10/16
Participants must bring their own shoebox.

SELF HELP GRAPHICS & ART

3802 Cesar Chavez Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90063

(323) 881-6444 / info@selfhelpgraphics.com

Spokes & Words Back to School Ride

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With summer  at an end and school starting up again for students, this ride is dedicated against all the bullshit everyone has to put up with in the institutionalized educational system. After all, all we wanted was a Pepsi.

Join up with the Spokes & Words riders as we share poetry, words and stories at Self Help Graphics, Cal State L.A., East L.A. College, Salazar Park ending the ride at Corazon del Pueblo.

Meet up at Maricahi Plaza on First and Boyle at 6:30 and ride out at 7 p.m.  this Thursday.

Make sure you also “like”” the official Spokes & Words facebook page to stay up to date on rides and connect with fellow riders.

TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS IN WORKING ORDER. MAKE SURE TO BRING EXTRA INNER TUBES, TOOLS ETC. IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS. THE LAW REQUIRES ALL BIKES RIDERS TO HAVE BOTH BACK AND FRONT LIGHTS AND ANYONE UNDER 18 TO WEAR A HELMET.

ON THE DAY OF THE RIDE WE WILL QUICKLY GO OVER THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS. HERE IS A QUICK LINK

Here is the google maps link to the bike route

LA to Host Lamest Grito Ever

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A reventar!

So you thought you were going to check out the Grito downtown tonight, like you do every couple of years in front of city hall, eh? I sure did. But you forgot that this is the city that thrives on terrible ideas, replacing simple traditions with stupid media events that nobody can enjoy. That’s what’s happening today, the lil’ celebration to mark Mexico’s Independence has been moved to something called the “Nokia Plaza” in the totalitarian wet dream of developers known ridiculously as “LA Live”. A public event moved to private property.

Oh, and you thought you could just show up asi nomas? Ja ja, pero que menso eres! Nope, you have to buy tickets for a show of Los Temerarios, or you can go today to the Mexican Consul to get some wristbands. Because, you know, you don’t have to work or anything.

I’m not at all surprised by this selling out of our Grito tradition, but is anyone else as pissed as I am?

Screw that business, I suggest you go to Huntington Park instead.

The Patriots of Ciudad Juarez

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As most of you know, I am an art activist regarding the femicides in Ciudad Juarez. After a caravan to and 3 day protest in Ciudad Juarez in early 2002, I came back to LA with a fervor for creating art and inviting others to join me in this dialogue—but mostly my choice of art as an activist tool was out of desperation to help in whatever way I could.

I have met many revolucionarias and revolutionarios on this long-ass, no-light-at-the-end- of-the-tunnel road. Many of the activists I have met are victim mothers and artists (like me) that dedicate many of their hours trying to figure out how to end these seemingly senseless murders through our words, our research, our writings, our appeals, our pleas, and our diligence not to forget these families. Its one step forward and one step back most times.

My friend and El Paso Times reporter Diana Washington Valdez (who I have mentioned many times on LAeastside) sent me a copy of her recent article for the newspaper. This week, which should be the most joyous and celebratory time for all Mexicans everywhere, because its the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution—comes with a morbid reminder that drugs and power fuel the dark forces. They are the killers of any ray of hope and fairness in the world.
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The Virgo Celebrations

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Ah, so I missed commemorating Los Angeles’ birthday this past Saturday, September 4th. Ooops! Well, happy belated birthday great City of Los Angeles! I am your daughter by four generations, my body is filled with traces of your asphalt, the smog of your skies and the dust of your palm fronds. I am truly of this city.

Anyways, I’m here to remind you of another celebration, and this one I only remembered because a co-worker asked me “Chimatli, vas a ir a el desfile en East LA este domingo?” “Huh, cual desfile?” I told you in my last Botanitas post that I’ve been hopelessly removed from the social scene. “El desfile de 16 de Septiembre” she shakes her head and smiles slightly, the same disappointing gesture she makes when my tongue turns Spanish all mushy. Well, in case you don’t know either, this year Mexico turns 200 years old. There are grand celebrations being planned all over the Mexico but you don’t need to travel very far to take part in the commemorations because the Eastside is having it’s very own Mexican Independence Day Parade!

Don’t miss the Bicentennial Mexican Independence Day Parade and Festival showcasing celebrity grand marshal operatic tenor Plácido Domingo on Sunday, September 12 in East LA. Watch top Latin stars’ performances, play games, ride attractions and enjoy delicious food. The parade begins 11am at Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Indiana Street and travels to Mednik Avenue, ending adjacent to at Belvedere Park with a festival.

-from the Metro LA site

Placido Domingo is the grand marshall which is pretty impressive for East LA. Though nothing can compare to the spectacle I witnessed when Juan Gabriel was in the parade. Hordes of fans mobbing his float, filling the sidewalks and streets so that even us spectators were crushed in the crowds. That was pure insanity and madness the likes of which I will probably never see again.

Read more about Mexico’s bicentennial celebrations here.

The Inside Story of The Night Stalker’s Last Run by Lt. Gil Carrillo

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During my research for the 25th Anniversary Night Stalker Walking Tour,I contacted Retired Sheriff’s Homicide Detective, Lt. Gil Carrillo for an interview. He cordially agreed and I arrived at the East L.A. Sheriff’s Station one morning for my highly anticipated meeting. Listening to the man speak about one of the most infamous criminal cases in Los Angeles history was both mesmerized and enlightening. Teamed with Det. Frank Salerno, Carrillo was the lead L.A. County Sheriff’s homicide detective assigned to the Night Stalker case in 1984. During our interview, I saw the human side of a man assigned to track down and capture one evil son of a bitch. This was his job, but it was one assignment that got under his skin like no other. By learning about the evil that men do, I also learned about the sacrifices that men make. I learned what it is to give pieces of yourself away in order for the greater society to not have to. I learned what it means to make a difference in humanity’s never ending struggle against the ebb and flow of good vs. evil.  This was a story of horror and heroism with a happy ending. Another dark player eliminated from society’s sick game. A game that never ends ands picks it’s players randomly every day. I also wondered about some higher powers at work here, and how we, as mere individuals must often find ourselves taking on battles that may seem beyond us and may require us to set aside every natural fear that makes us human. For me,…that is heroic. And it’s those singular acts that define and shape our collective fate in a world that can only hope to contain it’s fear and lust for violence. Hurray for the heroes.

Spokes & Words

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In the spirit of creativity, Spokes & Words is focused in bringing together spoken word with bike riding. As Julio commented on facebook, riding a bike is poetry.

There are six designated stops in which anyone can share words, poems and stories. Each location will have two/three people sharing and we will ride on to the next stop.

All poets, artist, riders and anyone who has an appreciation for poetry, spoken word and riding their bike around town is welcomed. Since this is the first ride, it’ll be an easy one. We welcome input from everyone on rides, routes and locations to include in future rides.

TO ALL PARTICIPANTS, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS IN WORKING ORDER. MAKE SURE TO BRING EXTRA INNER TUBES, TOOLS ETC. IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS.

ON THE DAY OF THE RIDE WE WILL QUICKLY GO OVER THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS. HERE IS A QUICK LINK,

http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

We will meet at Mariachi Plaza this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and ride out at 7 p.m. West, stopping first in Little Tokyo by the Japanese National Museum. We will continue on 1st. stopping at the Walt Disney concert hall, then continuing on stopping under the bridge on Beverly and Glendale, in front of the long gone Belmont tunnel, riding up Glendale stopping at Echo Park Lake and riding down Sunset, finishing of at the Chinatown Gold line stop and riding bake to the Eastside.You can view the route on google maps,

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=101988524258856390304.00048d6d80c30bdc35945&ll=34.060126%2C-118.238468&spn=0.031856%2C0.053902&z=14&lci=bike

DREAM Act Town Hall meeting this Thursday

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In order for this post and semi-rant post to make sense, please watch this clip from Democracy Now, in which the documentary, “Yo Soy El Army: America’s New Military Caste,” a film about the military targeting Latinos, is discussed. You can watch the first part of the clip by clicking here. After you watch the first part, play the video at the top and skip to 3:55 in which the discussion shifts to the DREAM Act being a back door military draft.
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