The Eastside Celebrates: Independance Eagle Flanked by Christmas Trees
Reply
Category Archives: Events
Botanitas: July 2, 2010
Mexican Americans on Fourth of July, 1923. Photo courtesy of LAPL
Botanitas is an ongoing feature bringing you stories and news from various sources, upcoming events and other bits of ephemera that might be of interest to LA Eastside readers. Suggestions welcome!
So where will you be this weekend with all your illegal fireworks? Hopefully that wasn’t your uncle’s house that got busted with all those cuetes in El Monte, what a waste…tsk, tsk..won’t someone think of the children?
As my Chicana mother always told me, California wasn’t part of the U.S. when the U.S. got independence from England so we don’t really gotta put our heart and soul into celebrating Fourth of July. But what Mexican is gonna give up a good reason for drinking and bar-b-queing? Dang, we invented bar-b-que, the word comes from the Spanish barbacoa, so however you feel about this “independence day” of ours, make it a good time!
Notice Served: The 13th Annual Farce of July
1.8 Million Dreams Fundraiser
Live performances by:
Conjunto Nueva Ola
La Santa Cecilia
Pilar Diaz
Fitter
Concepto Tambor
Hosted by: Gustavo Arellano (“Ask a Mexican!”)
DJs:
Rani D. (Soul in the Park)
Glenn Red (AfroFunke, Eclectica)
Entrance fee: $10
TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR
All benefits will go towards the 1.8 MILLION DREAMS Project
1.8 Million Dreams is a collaborative project that serves as a creative multi-media outlet for undocumented students (in the U.S.) to share their stories. Additionally, this project serves as a resource for those currently working on undocumented student issues at the state and federal level.
USA vs Ghana at Brits in Pasadena
I haven’t been able to get to any public spots to watch the World Cup games, mostly I catch the early matches before I head to work and then tape the later ones. Its not too bad watching at home either, you can see all the plays without distractions and you can get animated without feeling like yer bothering someone. But still, it’d be good to see a match with others no? Today I had a chance to head out to see the USA vs Ghana match, might as well be amongst a crowd of fans.
Look, the door is open, let’s go in!
Eastside Lakers Street Party Part 1
After the Lakers won the championship last year, I watched the news coverage of the street celebrations that took place on the Eastside. I decided that day, that if the Lakers won the NBA crown once again, this time I would witness the street celebrations firsthand from the “Belly of the Beast.” Continue reading
Riots as Celebration
While the media pundits start on their predictable perspective regarding the celebrants of today’s various sporting events, I’m going to offer a counter explanation. For whatever its worth.
If you grow up in one of the various under served communities (aka poor) of Los Angeles then you’ll know all about social control, the method by which they keep humans in check. The city offers no social space, no gathering spots for celebration, no common grounds on which we can all gather to mark a significant moment. What to do? You make your social territory. You reclaim the space in which you can connect with others, consequences be damned. Thus, the motley congregations the helicopters are following tonight.
Isn’t the bullshit LA Live complex supposed to be our new destination spot, the center of LA cultural life? So why are people not being allowed to expend that jubilant spirit in this so called center of Life? Because its just another corporate park meant to further profits, not to enhance our social lives. Yeah, there was lots of stupid people out there tonight acting like jerks, but I put the blame squarely on a city that makes no concessions to human needs, that demands euphoria only come with a paid ticket.
In backwards Mexico, they have El Angel, a random spot where everyone knows they can go to celebrate, to expend energy, to be amongst others that just want to scream and shout for a few hours. In LA, they’ve got nothing. Just a sidewalk and whatever street you can use for a few minutes, ’til the cops come to take the party away.
No doubt there’s some jerks doing stupid things out there. But this wouldn’t be happening if you treated LA citizens like human beings with human needs. If we had a proper social space to congregate, our own Zocalo so to speak, then maybe we would be better equipped for something as joyous, and mundane, as the victory of a local sports team. Instead we get bullhorn messages regarding an illegal assembly and an order of dispersal. Just don’t be surprised when the jubilants shout out a wholly understandable ‘Fuck You’.
The circus is in Boyle Heights
So uhh the circus is in Boyle Heights. I’m kinda conflicted by its presence here though. I mean it’s awesome that there’s something for families to check out on the weekend or during the week. To have the opportunity to see acrobatics, crazy stunts of some kind, clowns making fools of themselves and animals. Since the last two weeks it’s been here I’ve seen families leave with huge smiles on their faces and kids painted like kitty cats, eating their cotton candy, mesmerized by the show they saw. That part I love, but the part about the animals being kept in small confined cages all day until they perform, that’s the part I hate.
World Cup: Where to Watch?
In about 5 days, La Copa Mundial is set to begin. It’s like the World Series only with a non-boring sport, plus it gives the actual world a chance to participate. Of course I’m excited! The question is: where to watch some of the matches? Sure, the bulk of them will likely be at home – maybe with friends, possibly chilaquiles, certainly with beer – but some of the match-ups will lend themselves to public gatherings so I’ll probably want to join others in the watching. It can be a fun experience.
I know of a few places at the moment that will be showing matches, click ahead to see those. But this is a callout to request suggestions of spots to consider, please submit yours in the comment section.
Lummis Day 2010
From the Lummis Day website:
“The fifth annual Lummis Day Festival will move its main stages to a new location, Heritage Square Museum (3801 Homer Street) this year, where the best of home-grown Northeast L.A. music, dance, food and community resources will be presented amid the historic buildings that are preserved on the Heritage Square site.
Before shifting to Heritage Square, the two-part Festival will stage its opening event at Lummis Home (200 East Avenue 43), beginning at 10:30 am with readings by some of L.A.’s most critically acclaimed poets along with music, art exhibits and refreshments.
Nearly 100 performers and artists from 17 bands and dance troupes, plus dozens of artists, craftspeople, and community groups are participating at this year’s event. In the tradition of the Lummis Day Festival, performers on the three stages at Heritage Square Museum will represent an eclectic mix of cultural traditions and artistic styles.
Admission to all events is FREE !!!”
Love on the Goldline
This past Saturday May 29, LaEastside’s Pachuco 3000, many Eastside artists, art administrators, and familia from LA, Juarez & Texas attended the wedding of our dear friends & curators Pilar Tompkins and Adrian Rivas. I don’t think Harry Gamboa, Jr. will mind that I’m sharing his photo showing the procession accompanied by mariachis and guests leaving the ceremony at Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles [Placita Olvera] to the Mariachi Plaza on the Metro Goldline. Strolling from the church through Olvera Street, the joyous couple’s first dance was to “Volver, Volver, Volver” played by one of the Placita’s scheduled bands. Tourists and locals joined in the glee of the whistle blowing guests en route to the Union Station. The perfect day included a unique 1930’s reception at the beautiful Plaza Salon, formerly a speakeasy that is within walking distance from Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. Pilar & Adrian’s love of Los Angeles history, art and architecture [which was featured on Saturday] was a blessing to all that attended. Que vivan los novios!
Note to Self: Boycott Arizona’s Racist Laws
Many ELA Artists, Community Members, Activists and Students have left their 3 day weekend barbecue plans behind to join others working to end the border militarization and racist, colonial laws that have been adopted by Arizona through a Senate Bill called SB1070. Many states and cities in the US have joined in boycotting this unconstitutional law, through public criticism in the press and by ceasing all their state and city business with Arizona. Many local artists speak out publicly through music and exhibit. (More to come, of course.)
This racist law attacks not only the migrant, indigenous and humans of hue, but also the principles of freedom and democracy which this country was founded on. In the face of Arizona’s police state oppression towards the marginalize and poor people there, the victim Arizona community is asking for support through peaceful protests and boycotts of these unjust laws which legalize business and home raids; detain citizens based on physical appearance; expel those who cannot immediately produce or refuse to carry documents regarding their citizenship; sanctify sweeps and patrolling of sacred Native American lands near the border without permission; and disregard the American constitutional right to pursuit of happiness (through a peaceful and safe environment) . Denial of these rights affect us all.