Where The Grass Isn’t Always Greener
One of Joe Linton’s earliest formative memories involved a river and a bike. “I used to bike along the Santa Ana River to get to the beach. It took an hour, and it was one of the most freeing things as a young preteen since I didn’t have to beg my mom to take me.…
Read MoreMourning a Neighborhood
Since she was born, Lili Sanchez has lived on the same street in Elysian Valley, a few houses down from the Elysian Valley Recreation Center. Almost like a second home to her, this park space has been foundational to her upbringing. She remembers spending many hours of the day there throughout her childhood, playing and…
Read MoreTires, Oil Changes, and Community Building
Since 1977, Pepe’s Tire Shop in Cypress Park has continued to provide quality service to its customers, growing into a true pillar of the community. Raised in the border town of Tecate, Mexico, Pepe arrived in Los Angeles in 1966 at the age of 17 and landed in the then-Italian neighborhood of Cypress Park. At…
Read MoreNew Era
Ask Marco Ortiz for an introduction, and you’ll receive one. “I’m Marco Ortiz, one of the most famous male performers from Hollywood. They know me as the best performer of Juan Gabriel.” But before he was known for his famous impersonations of Juan Gabriel and other Latino musical superstars, Marco was just finding his way…
Read MoreLA River x Gnarly Charly
Gnarly Charly x Los Angeles River, centers on long-time Northeast LA resident, Carlos “Charly” Hinojosa. Often described by a multitude of words instead of one, Charly has over the years become known as an activist-anarchist–punk rocker-cyclist-parkourer. The current lead singer of Pedal Strike, a “bike punk” band with roots in Northeast LA, Charly’s music and…
Read MoreThe Rule Breaker
Charly Hinojosa is an active community member in Northeast LA, where he has served on the Cypress Park Neighborhood Council, led kayak tours for BIPOC individuals on the LA River, and coached gymnastics and parkour for at-risk youth in the community. Spending his youth immersed in countercultures like skating, punk rock, and graffiti helped set…
Read MoreThe City as Teacher
Charly Hinojosa is an active community member in Northeast LA, where he has served on the Cypress Park Neighborhood Council, led kayak tours for BIPOC individuals on the LA River, and coached at-risk youth in the community. However, Charly spent his “active, outdoor childhood” immersed in youth countercultures. A punk rocker, he was against playing…
Read MoreSilent Killer
Dayana Molina is no stranger to gentrification. As a longtime resident of and advocate for Northeast LA, she has seen her community change drastically. It is part of the double-edged sword that comes with fighting to improve one’s neighborhood. Dayana has engaged with community activism since her youth. As a teenager playing in Anahuak Youth…
Read MoreLas Nannies de Glen Park
Debajo de los árboles de Glenhurst Park en Atwater Village, podrás encontrar a las “Nannies de Glen Park”; un grupo de 20 niñeras que a través de los años se han reunido aquí para convivir y celebrar los cumpleaños de los niños. Cada nanny tiene un relato diferente de cómo llegó a encontrar este parque…
Read MoreThe Nannies of Glen Park
Under the trees at Glenhurst Park in Atwater Village, you might find a group of 20 nannies who have been gathering there for years. They socialize, let the children play on the playsets, and celebrate many, many birthdays. Each nanny has a different story about how they found both the park and the group. This…
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