StoryCorps celebrates 10-year anniversary at the California African American Museum



StoryCorps’ MobileBooth—an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth—an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio

Starting Oct. 23 and running for three weeks, StoryCorps will team up with public radio station KPCC at South L.A’s California African American Museum to record and share the vibrant and varying stories of residents across South L.A. From there, StoryCorps will continue on a cross country MobileBooth Tour to mark its 10th anniversary.

If you want to share your story , reservations are now open: Call StoryCorps’ 24-hour, toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406or visit storycorps.org. [Read more…]

Photoetry: A testament to the community



Photo credit: Sam Bendall

Photo credit: Sam Bendall

The concept of “photoetry,” the artistic combination of photography and poetry, was born eight years ago when two college students attended an art gallery downtown.

Professor and poet Hiram Sims, a USC undergraduate at the time, was inspired to have his own work hung for others to admire after seeing what another local artist could accomplish.

Nearly a decade later, Sims has revived the concept in his recent book, Photoetry: Poetry and Photography in South Central LA.

[Read more…]

Theater review: ‘Tears of Sweet Water’ at the 24th Street Theatre



This article was first published in www.neontommy.com

“Lagrimas de Agua Dulce,” or “Tears of Sweet Water” fully utilizes what theater as an art form uniquely offers—the ability to interact with its audience. “Tears of Sweet Water” is a play for the young andTears of sweet water old alike, with components to keep both parts of the audience engaged.

The play begins with a woman (played by Ana Zavala)  in a traditional Mexican attire—skirt, apron, braided hair and a blouse with puffed sleeves—introducing herself to the viewers as an old woman who talks to herself to keep loneliness at bay.

She then goes on to tell the story of her granddaughter Sofia, by introducing puppets of Sofia and her friend Filipe. Zavala plays out a scene between Sofia and Filipe where Sofia confesses that when she cries, she cries buckets and her tears are sweet. Zavala gives life to her puppets by depicting their humanistic characteristics and mimicking their childlike voices. Within seconds, we forget Ana and start following the puppets. [Read more…]

My Neighborhood: Watts



Participants in Reporter Corps, a USC Annenberg program to train young adults from South LA to report on their own communities, created audiovisual introductions to their neighborhoods this summer. Xochil Frausto and Shanice Joseph take us on a trip through Watts and speak with residents about safety, pride, and history. 

Xochil Frausto, 23, Jordan High School graduate

My parents emigrated from Baja, Mexico to Watts in the mid-1970s to realize the “American Dream.” But Watts was not how they had imagined America. Growing up I saw the cyclical reality of poverty, drug abuse and gang warfare. Walking to school I would see bodies, blood and altars. Although these circumstances brought many hardships in my life, I also feel fortunate to have grown up in a place that is so unique — from its historical role in the Black power movement, to the arts, to the cultural mixture of Blacks and Latinos. But Watts is too often voiceless. I want to share the stories of my neighborhood and bring forward a renewed perspective of South Los Angeles — issues that pertain to the immigrant community, gentrification, foreclosures and the Black community, and LGBT issues. I actively try to contribute to Watts whether through community organizing or through sharing my story of growing up in South L.A. I am also working to earn my degree in photography, and I write fiction and poetry about growing up Chicana.

Read about Xochil’s experience growing up Queer in Watts here.

 

Fountain facelift at Expo Park’s Rose Garden



Re-dedication of the central fountain at Exposition Park's Rose Garden. Photo by Victor  Figueroa and Julian DeOcampo.

Re-dedication of the central fountain at Exposition Park’s Rose Garden. Photo by Victor Figueroa and Julian DeOcampo.

By Victor Figueroa and Julian DeOcampo

The central fountain at Exposition Park’s Rose Garden has received a $398,131 facelift complete with water-proofing, underground lighting and new concrete seating. At a re-dedication ceremony on Thursday with Councilman Curren Price Jr., park officials said more upgrades could follow, as well as new public programming. “It makes sense for us to up the ante,” said the park’s executive director.

To learn more, listen to this audio story from Annenberg Radio News:

15th Annual Salvadoran Day celebrated in Los Angeles



IMG_0828On a typical afternoon you would see cars driving and people passing through Washington Blvd., getting to wherever they need to go. This past weekend though, Washington Blvd., between Vermont and Hoover was shut down to celebrate Los Angeles’ 15th annual Salvadoran Day or “Dia del Salvadoreño.”

Walking through the blocked streets were people proudly wearing white and blue shirts — reminiscent of the color of the El Salvadorian flag. There were people who even dressed up their dogs in a Salvadoran shirt. “What part of El Salvador are you from” and “do you know this family from…” were common conversations that could be overheard. People young and old celebrated all weekend listening to live performers who played cumbias, reggaeton and more. The carnival rides and the traditional dance performances were some of the favorites and the lines to get traditional foods, such as pupusas, horchata and empanadas, were long.

The weekend kicked off on Friday, Aug. 2, with people having a chance to hear and talk to Mayor Oscar Ortiz of the city of Santa Tecla in E.S., member of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) political party, as he spoke at a local Salvadoran restaurant in South L.A.

During the weekend ALBA petroleum of El Salvador educated people on the upcoming 2014 presidential elections in El Salvador. Salvadoran nationals who are living in other countries and Salvadoran Americans whose parents are from El Salvador can register to vote and participate.

“I liked it so much, the music was on point, all cumbias, everyone was having a good time celebrating their pride, I just love it, such a good time,” said Rocio Yanez, a Salvadoran American whose parents have been in the United States for more than 22 years.

IMG_0831The dates of the festivities here in Los Angeles were chosen to coincide with the August festivities occurring in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, for the week of August 1. The festivities are held in honor of the transfiguration or the descent of the Divine Savior of the World. Here in L.A., groups hold the traditional ceremony of the descent and was a major draw to Salvadorans like Wendy Mendez, who has lived in the U.S. for the past 25 years attended.

“We came for the Divine Savior of the World and also because we have friends who are promoting ALBA’s petroleum,” she said.

Before the 1980’s civil war in El Salvador, immigration of Salvadorans to places like Los Angeles was not common. The El Salvadoran consulate in Los Angeles reported in 2009 that it is estimated that there are about 1.7 million people of Salvadoran descent living in the U.S. and that as many 1 million of those people live in California. This is an event that families come to year after year and having space is important since many people are not able to go back  or have never been to E.S. Salvadoran Day festivities is a way for many to participate in cultural traditions, it creates a space where you can see the pride people have of where they are from and connect to their roots in a place so far from home.