Los Angeles Heritage Day

Sunday, April 11, 2010 from 11-4pm.
It will be held at Heritage Square Museum 3800 Homer Street, L.A. 90031

“In an area sometimes perceived as having no ‘real’ history, L.A. Heritage Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about and enjoy the fascinating people, places and events that have shaped Southern California,” said Cindy Olnick, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Conservancy. “It is also a chance to learn about the incredible variety of local preservation groups, museums, libraries and historical societies serving today throughout Los Angeles County.”

More info here.

If you download the flyer, admission is free.

Feliz 2nd Anniversary

Can you believe that after 2 years and 1,066 post later we would all still be here? Time is sure flying by. I just wanna say, in my own special way, thanks to everyone who reads and writes on this here little blog. In the 2 years this space has been around, we’ve managed to get attention from all over L.A. I, for one, am thankful for being part of this space, being able to write what I think and create conversations about the communities we live, their changing streets and the people who make up this great city east, west, north or south of the river. Here’s to another great year 😀

Unincorporated East LA marries three

On April 1, 2010, the entire board of supervisors for Los Angeles County witnessed a historical event at the East Los Angeles civil court: the marriage of Juana Juanes-Robinson and her two husbands, Juan Juanes and Bob Robinson. After twelve years of protest and push from community residents and supporters throughout the county, thousands of supporters for PWWMT (People Who Wanna Marry Two) waited outside of the civil courthouse for Juana and her two husbands to tie their knots.

Thirty seven more 2+1 marriage ceremonies are scheduled through the summer of 2010.

Chicano Jewish School to Open in Boyle Hts.

The Breed Street Shul in Boyle Hts. has announced that they will soon begin classes for local residents to convert to Judaism. The goal is to tie Latinos to Judaism so that when Latinos have more political power they will continue America’s support for Isreal.

Ricardo Montoyiswich a recently converted Chicano Jew said, “This will help re-establish the Jewish presence in Boyle Hts. and hopefully lure Canters back to the heights!” Montoyiswich, who will be teaching several classes at the Shul, said his life has changed for the better since he made the switch. “As an actor I was having a hard time getting work, but out of no where, once I converted, I started getting all these cool gigs.”

Some of the classes that will be offered include: “Putting Down Those Whiny Santos,” “How To Leave La Virgen and still Love Your Mom,” “Circumcising The Chile: Grin and Bare It,” “Menorah and Dradle Care for Chicanos (Don’t smoke it and it’s NOT Pon),” and “How To Trace Your Distant Jewish Roots.”

Sleepy Tonatiuh, a next door neighbor to the Shul and proud Aztec dancer said, “This ain’t right. They should be teaching people about the people on this land and how this land was stolen, just like the Isreali’s stole Palestine.” He plans to protest the classes once they open by having his danza group do ceremonies during class time. When asked for a response, Montoyiswich said, “Sounds like that indio needs to see the play “Palestine New Mexico” and learn how Indians are Jewish.”

Will there ever be peace in the mid Eastside?

Norton Se Puede?!

Eduardo Norteno
Hollywood has celebrated the feats of many iconic American figures who have overcome the obstacles of social, racial, and economical injustices and prejudices. General audiences enjoy a historical character who they can relate and rally around, knowing that their valuable earned dollars are funding the celebration of persons deserving of the “Celebritized” accolades. Ben Kingsley portrayed the modelesque and malnutritioned Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi, and Denzel Washington as the Black Power advocate and civil rights leader Malcolm Little in the film Malcolm X. Aside from being a tribute to the lives of these great persons, it can also be the fast track towards Academy Award nominee recognition. The likelihood of Oscar gold when starring in a biopic, typically with a title surname (or middle name), is more than likely. Just look at the following examples: F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus, 1984), Will Smith (Ali, 2001), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, 2005), and Sean Penn (Milk, 2008 ).   The list goes on with a slew of other nominations, and soon to be added to the star studded biopic  list…Cesar Chavez.

Back to the Future: Boyle Heights

1st & Cummings Circa 1958

1st & Cummings Circa March 30, 2010

Paco of Corazon del Pueblo wanted me share these two pictures and write a up a post after he saw the vintage picture on the facebook fan page “Who remembers in East L.A.” In the last 58 years so much has changed in Boyle Heights. I’m 25 and already the barrio is changing once again. In the picture you see all the old businesses and the trolly that ran through 1st. Nowadays we have the goldline running under ground, a few different shops and a bigger police station. I can only imagine what will change and how things will look another 58 years from now.

Re-dedication Ceremony for Historic LH Clock

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photo courtesy of Chanfles!

The original clock was destroyed a few years ago by a film production company during late night filming at a nearby club, The Airliner. Once local neighbors and activists heard about the incident, calls and queries were made to determine when and how the clock would be repaired. Despite the attention, neither the production company, The Airliner or the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce would offer up much information on how and if, the clock would ever be replaced.

Well, lo and behold just a few weeks ago, a new clock was installed and while it isn’t the original (the base is new, not sure about the clock face) and is now facing a different direction, it’s not a bad replacement.

A re-dedication ceremony will be held tomorrow, Thursday, March 25 from 10am-11am at the new clock, 2419 N Broadway. Event sponsored by The Lincoln Heights B.I.D.-Business Improvement District and Councilman Ed Reyes. Local celebrity and former Los Angeles Dodger Bobby Castillo will be in attendance.

You can read El Chavo’s review of the clock here.

clock1

Break Out Reporter for The El Paso Times in Boyle Heights Saturday

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Last weekend of art activism– A Prayer for Juarez closes.  This Friday and Saturday doors open at 7:15pm for final viewing of the protest art exhibit. Casa 0101 Annex, 2102 1st Street, Boyle Heights.  All events are FREE!

Friday, March 26, Film  Screening of El Traspatio/Backyard from Mexico. Not yet released in the US.  Stars Jimmy Smits & Ana de la Reguera. [Mexico, 2009 – 122 mins].  Screening starts at 8pm

Saturday, March 27, Award Winning Reporter Diana Washington Valdez updates us on the latest from Ciudad Juarez, from an insider’s point of view. Starts at 8pm.

Diana Washington Valdez, an investigative reporter for the El Paso Times, has covered the murders in Ciudad Juarez since 2001. In her book The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women, Washington Valdez contends the killings are part of a circuit of parties hosted by prominent Juarez citizens. Former FBI official Frank Evans said, “Diana Washington Valdez is a witness to the truth.” Ms. Washington Valdez has taken the message about the femicides in Ciudad Juarez to 30 cities in the United States and other countries. She is featured in the documentary Border Echoes, produced by Lorena Mendez Quiroga of Los Angeles and in Bajo Juarez by Alejandra Sanchez and Jose Cordero. Both films feature author Washington Valdez’ examinations of the Texas-Mexico border atrocities. Diana Washington Valdez has been interviewed for features on CNN, the New York Times, Aljazeera, Televisa, Channel 4 (London, England), and other news media.
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Of a cyclical nature

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Photo from Los Angeles’s Angels Flight by Jim Dawson

Last week’s re-re-opening of Angel’s Flight (let’s hope it’s for good this time!) reminded me of one of my favorite photos (above) of the mini railway. What I find remarkable about this particular picture is the vegetarian restaurant to the right of the hill. I remember looking at this photo many years ago and lamenting the fact there were so few vegetarian restaurants to fulfill my dietary needs. I was jealous of the folks who in 1907, merely had to walk down the street to find a meat-less eatery. Not too long ago, trips to vegetarian restaurants could sometimes be all day excursions seeking out word-of-mouth eateries in far-flung corners of the county. How things have changed!
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Butoh of East LA

Endyendy2

Pictured is a Butoh dance entitled Cihuatl 15 performed by endy, at a Prayer for Juarez on Saturday, March 20.  Her endurance piece on Saturday offered time and opportunities for inquiry, contemplation and processing in response to the femicides in Juarez.  In preparation for this dance movement, she laid still on the sidewalk in front of Casa 0101, as sand was poured over her body, representing the women who had died in Ciudad Juarez and buried in shallow graves.

Butoh’s source is the Japanese avant-garde of the 1960s, a period when Japan struggled with the lingering effects of the atomic bomb detonations at Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended World War II. Originally called “ankoku butoh,” or “dance of darkness,” the medium created a space for the intensely grotesque and perverse on the stage. In Japan endy studied  “Sankai Juku” which means “studio by the mountain and the sea,” and implies the serenity and calm which is characteristic of the work.  She also studied and has performed with Guillermo Gomez-Peña.

The savages

The savages would gather in their main plazas, men, women and children, to watch the sacrifices as families.
They made great speeches and had lots of rituals read from their sacred texts.
The crowds would sing ceremonial songs.
They would grant final requests to those about to be sacrificed for their gods named money, private property and the law.Lynching
And they believed God had blessed them above all others.