JUiCE: LA Graffiti Art Battle

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I last checked out JUiCE's dance scene, which includes a variety of breaking all-stars. But another kick-ass component to this wonderful elixir is JUiCE's graffiti art and the host of street artists at this place. What better time to check out their art than during their 4th Annual Graffiti Art Battle?

A piece found at J.U.i.C.E.

4th ANNUAL GRAFFITI ART BATTLE IN LOS ANGELES
Every year for the past 4 years, JUiCE and Visual Elements, an Oakland-based group from the Eastside Arts Alliance, battle it out to see who can throw up the most creative and original graffiti art piece. The first battle took place at the Venice graffiti walls in 2006 and then moved on to Oakland in 07 and 08, each taking place during the Malcom X Jazz festival. This year's battle took place at JUiCE's headquarters in Los Angeles.

The battles are usually themed, and cover such themes as Immigration and Jazz. This year's theme was Culture. But the challenge for the street art teams doesn't stop there. Each team is then given a word that they must use to anchor the whole piece. Previous words include War and Bebop. This year the JUiCE team was given the word Native. Visual Elements received the word Survival.

JUiCE's Canvas

Visual Elements Canvas

JUiCE's GRAFFITI ART BATTLE: A TEAM EFFORT
Each team consists of about 10-15 street artists whose skill levels are matched and set to complement one another. The idea is to create a piece as a team and the winning piece is judged largely on how well the team works together.

As an artist, it's difficult enough to throw up a piece by yourself. But to get 10-15 heads on the same page, to consider dimensions and how things will connect, to blow it up while another talented team does the same just a few feet away, and there's only about three hours or so to complete the piece. Well that's a practice of showmanship. Paint on you crazy artists!

The teamwork of Visual Elements

JUiCE Graffiti Artists working their magic

JUSTICE by UNITING In CREATIVE ENERGY
Events like these are true acts of justice because a lot kids from urban areas like LA don't have equal access to arts programs, which are typically the first things cut from the state budget. If you live in a poor area, your arts program and other after school programs are likely the first to go.

Part of the Justice that JUiCE brings to the communinty is that it provides an opportunity to develop one's creative potential thru dance, music, and art. Not to mention it creates a space where people interested in hip-hop can come together and celebrate it. Few outlets for urban youth exist that provide such a service and JUiCE has stepped up to support LA's youth and develop their creative potential.

WHO WON THE BATTLE?
Well, Visual Elements took the prize this year. The series between JUiCE and the Visual Elements team is now tied 2-2. The next battle may occur as soon as May 30th in Oakland. Contact JUiCE for more details.

VISUAL ELEMENTS - "SURVIVAL"

J.U.i.C.E. - "NATIVE"

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Boycotts, Water, and the CLEAN Campaign (Part 2)

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Boycotts and a CLEAN Car Wash Update
Sometimes you have to find alternative ways to stay physically fit. So if your time is scarce and you have a passion for workers' rights, there may be no better physical activity than the boycott. It's lots of walking while outdoors, it's uniting with laborers, and it's tons of yelling to support "our team." Go to a boycott. It may not take your breath away, but you'll probably feel sore the next day.

I last wrote about unity, water, and the CLEAN Car Wash Campaign in Los Angeles. This week I spoke with Chloe, a representative from the campaign. She updated me on CLEAN's environmental work, it's health and safety efforts, and their collaborative work with numerous organizations. Seems that the boycott is just one of their efforts against corrupt car washes in LA. One of their most recent environmental victories: they partnered with the Coalition for Clean Air to pass various regulations with the Air Quality Board.

Water Conservation: Car Washes CAN be better ...
In terms of water conservation, I thought it'd be a good idea to wash my car on my own instead of taking it to a car wash -- this way I'd get some sun, work the muscles a little bit, and support the CLEAN Car Wash campaign. But according to Chloe and CLEAN, more water is wasted when we wash our cars on our own than at a car wash. Since a lot of car washes in LA recycle the water they use in special tanks and because they use pressurized hoses that use less water, it's often better to have your car cleaned at a car wash.

Toxic Sludge, Storm Drains, and Worker Health
Even if you do decide to wash your car on your own, the water we use goes straight to the storm drain, along with all the crud, soap, and motor oil it gathers up along the way and heads directly to the ocean. This sludge is toxic and adds to LA's water pollution. I don't know about you, but I don't look forward to wading in car wash sludge this summer at the beach or having it pollute our drinking water.

But imagine if your job required that you handle this thick dirty, toxic sludge. Unfortunately, the car wash workers that CLEAN collaborates with have stated that some car wash owners have them clean the water storage tanks and dispose loads of this toxic waste illegally in trash bins or in storm drains. Tire cleaner, motor oil, dirt and grime, and paint thinner, which is often used to work out hard-to-remove stains, are just some of the contents of this horrible mixture. And guess what, the workers aren't provided with adequate protective gear while cleaning out the tanks or while disposing the loads of sludge that has accumulated over time.

What can you do?
The CLEAN Campaign has put out an industry-wide call in the LA area for car washes that want to join the campaign and abide by labor and environmental regulations. Not a single car wash in the LA area has joined, though. For a list of some of the worst violators in LA, click here.

If you'd like to support the CLEAN campaign, you can start by linking to their website for more information -- be informed! Next, if you're in the LA area, join them for one of their regular boycotts at the Vermont Hand Wash in Hollywood. Click here if you'd like to contact them or get more information on their regular meetings. Be active and selectively choose your car wash. According to CLEAN, some of the things you can look for while patronizing full-service car washes include:

• Are the workers inside the wash tunnel wearing protective gear such as gloves, aprons, and boots?
• Are the workers in the detailing area wearing gloves and face masks to protect them from the chemicals used to clean your tires?
• Ask the owner, the manager on duty, or some of the workers if the workers are getting paid at least the minimum wage for all the hours worked.
• Does the owner provide drinking water to all of the workers?
• Is there a shady area where the workers can take a break or have a meal away from the dirty water and chemicals?
• Are workers given adequate time and space for breaks and meals?
  

If the answer is NO, to any of the questions above, look for another wash. Tell the owner or the manager on duty to contact CLEAN and join the campaign. Finally, TIP THE WORKERS WELL. Many workers report they work long hours for tips only. In 2007, state and federal employment investigators found that many car wash workers in the LA area are paid below the minimum wage in violation of state employment laws.



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Walking the Streets: Conserving Pico Union's History

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Put on your walking shoes!
And grab your camera 'cause this Saturday (March 21) the Los Angeles Conservancy is launching it's new self-guided walking tour in Pico Union. There are 24 historic districts in Los Angeles City--areas that contain buildings, landscapes, and natural features that have historic, architectural, cultural or aesthetic significance. Pico Union is just one of those districts.

Located near the Staples Center, about 2 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles, Pico Union contains homes that are 100+ years old, and the history of the area--spanning more than a hundred years of the "wild wild west"--is just as rich. After the kickoff event, the self-guided walking tour will be available for free at the Pico-Union Branch Library and online at the LA Conservancy's website.











In addition to the beautiful historic homes, the community is full of awesome murals like the one above. A number of organizations work in the area too, and provide various resources to LA County residents including literacy work, labor rights work, gang prevention, immigrant rights advocacy, and legal services to low-income minorities.

So we're just walking?
NOT AT ALL! A number of organizations will be present at the event to provide neighborhood folks with things such as free shade trees for the yard, graffiti removal resources, and information on local computer and language literacy programs (to name a few). For the kiddies, there will be face-painting, an interactive word puzzle game, and coloring activities. So bring the kids!

More importantly, to quote another communitarian from the movie Block Party, "Bring yo'self! Bring yo'self!!" 'Cause the tour will cover Pico Union's history and showcase a number of the historic homes in the area, like the one below. And believe me. This is just the beginning!


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Self Help, Self Defense, and Mujeres De Maiz

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We just had what?
Did you know we recently had International Women's Week? Well, I didn't. Apparently there’s a day too -- March 8th of every year -- ohhh, for just like the last 100 years or so. I've probably heard of it before, but this time the date is gonna stick, damnit. It's just like this year's time change -- where did that come from? And where the hell is the news when you need it?

Well here's some news about the East side. Mujeres de Maiz are hosting a number of events during the month of March to celebrate International Women's Week, including an intergenerational artist discussion, a mujer mercado (women's market) that offers a variety of items made and sold by women, spoken word night, and a holistic medicine workshop.

Strong, Supportive, and Empowered Women
I spent Saturday Morning with a number of kick ass women. First it began at home with my mom where I quickly breakfasted on some chocolate cake she made Friday night. I borrowed her Nikon D60 camera, and off I went. My destination: the Womyn's Self-Defense Workshop put on by Mujeres de Maiz and instructor Cati de Los Rios. The goal: capture our beautiful community in action.

Cati has been teaching self-defense off and on since she was about 15 years old. She states that a goal of the workshop is to create a space where women feel comfortable learning basic strategies to defend themselves. Talking about her long experience with similar workshops that cater to women of the community, she continued, "It's empowering for women [of all ages] to hit the bags and take ownership of their bodies [through martial arts]."

I spoke to Hilda Gonzalez, who invited some of her sorority sisters, Jackie and Serena to the event. Hilda stated that she had been searching for self-defense workshops since she heard of the recent kidnap and killing of Sabrina Pina in Houston Texas. Given this reality, she felt the free workshop provided a much needed resource to women of all ages.


The Unique Space of Self Help Graphics & Art Next thing I know I'm seeing and hearing jabs, kicks, blocks, and kiai's all over the room. Smiles, laughter, and togetherness followed. A distinct sense of community permeated the air like the pungent aroma of sage. Positive, healing energy is the descriptor that comes to me. It's not religious what occurs here, but soothing to the soul nonetheless--something distinct and divine, and for lack of a better word, feminine.

Like when the members of a community meeting moved locations to accommodate the large group of participants that had arrived for the workshop. Thirty-plus people stood up, packed up their chairs, moved down a flight of stairs, and resumed their meeting outside in the parking lot without any complaints--the Virgen de Guadalupe overhearing their plans. No, I’m not kidding. The exterior has a shrine dedicated to the Virgen de Guadalupe, which rests amidst a tree-lined corner of the lot. Just another example of Self Help's multiple dimensions. Pretty cool.

Self Help Graphics & Art: An Environmental Resource worth Preserving
For awhile Self Help--the building--was in jeopardy. The community has the space for at least another year. But I'm not sure what's going to happen after that. I say this is a space--truly, an environmental resource--worth preserving for years to come.

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Urban Gems: Self Help and Defending our Built Environment

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JANE! JANE! STOP THIS CRAZY THING!!

I'm learning video production at school, and this week's workload has been INSANE! Plus, I just got a new job, and I've been in training/orientation for the last two weeks – 4 hours of sleep each night and lots of homework! I'm beat!

Yet the one thing that's been on my mind ALL week is this Saturday’s Womyn's Self Defense Workshop being held at Self Help Graphics and Art in East LA. I mean c'mon, it's a chance to learn some skills, chill with good people, knock out the tension that's been building up in the shoulders, and an opportunity to sweat out some of those carbs you’ve inhaled during stress-induced stupors.

The reason I'm so stoked for the ladies attending this "kick-ass" workshop is because I love, absolutely savor like juicy carne asada, those ... let's say "sacred" spaces set aside for groups that don't usually have a place to call their own. A group of women, learning how to kick butt together on the Eastside, that's a future even Hanna-Barbera might give props to. I'm no George Jetson, but every man needs a strong woman by his side and a future to look forward to.

THE FUTURE IS NOW.

But this story gets better. See the one thing I've been learning at school lately is how film—in cinema and still photography combined—is being replaced by the onslaught of video and digital bits of information, mostly to save dollars and time. Film as an art form is slowly dying, and how we treat it now is, in many ways, its future.

The folks at Self Help Graphics and Art in East LA know this process of "progress" all too well. Their building was owned by the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese and sold to a private firm, which meant Self Help's programming—a long-standing flagship to the Chicano Movement in LA—would have to be relocated. Self Help recently forged a one-year agreement with the new owners to stay at the current location. But who knows what will happen a year from now.

PRESERVING OUR STORY ... OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT IS PRECIOUS.
When you think of the environment, think of the lakes and the streams that carry our fresh water. Think of the clean crisp air we breathe. And of course think of the myriad of things one can do to preserve these precious resources.

BUT also think of those places—those spaces—that are resources to a whole community. Think of places like Self Help Graphics & Art, with a history that spans over 35 years, and provides art workshops, self-defense workshops, and puts on celebrations for the local neighborhood and beyond. Think of the monument—yes, this includes the building, not just the programming—that stands to remind us of a beautiful interwoven tapestry of a community's history. Now, think about how YOU can help preserve the programming there and the building that birthed it. What's your thoughts!?

Girl kicking ass Photo Courtesy of EvilMightyAcorn's Flickr Page
Pinata Skull painting Photo courtesy of Claudiz! Flickr Page

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Critical Race Studies (CRS): Muneer Ahmad at UCLA School of Law

Remembrance of things past: Hope for Peace, Justice, and Love.

Think of prisoners of war for a moment--friends and family of Vietnam or Iraq. Think of the Japanese Internment of the 1940's when thousands of Japanese Americans were interned within US borders, their assets seized, their lives decimated by one swift swoop of the US government's hand. Ponder for a moment the atrocity of the Armenian genocide, the Jewish Holocaust, and the numerous battles, skirmishes, coup d'etats around the world. This is recent history! There are people alive today that have lived through all of these events.

A look at the history of the 1900's reminds us that we've had two World Wars, each with disastrous effects, and a Cold War that economically, ideologically, and politically ravished numerous countries and destroyed whole lives. A look at the 1900's reveals progress--a movement forward, increase, development, advancement. But towards what exactly? One can only hope that we've learned the collective lessons of history about how brutal and evil humankind can be toward one another.

Saga at Guantanamo Bay: UCLA School of Law Critical Race Studies (CRS) Event:

The CRS Department held an event at UCLA with featured speaker Muneer Ahmad, a former defense attorney for a Guantanamo Bay detainee, who spoke of the the various human rights violations taking place at Guantanamo Bay.

A) He spoke about how the location of Guantanamo Bay (a military base near Cuba) and the rigorous protocol of speaking with detainees made it difficult to build and sustain trust with clients, an essential piece of the legal realm.

B) He spoke of inhumane living conditions, prisoner mistreatment and abuse, and the gray areas within US law that shelter human rights violations taking place at the base.

C) Muneer also mentioned the racism inherent in US policy and treatment of Guantanamo Bay detainees of past and present, from Haitians in the 90's to Middle Easterners post 9/11.

D) Finally, Muneer spoke of detainees who have have sought various methods to assert their own agency, often offering up their bodies in protest to inhumane conditions--the body is supposed to be that object one typically has domain over. So even though some detainees have used to the hunger strike method to combat mistreatment, MORE mistreatment results.

In response to the hunger strikers' tactics, officials have reportedly purchased the chairs at the left to force feed detainees.

First a detainee is offered food. If that is not accepted, the detainee is given IV fluids. If those are pulled out, then the detainee is given the chair and force fed--imagine someone shoving a thick nearly 40 inch tube through your nose or mouth and leaving it there so you can't vomit the food up.

One of the detainees has been on a hunger strike for over a year! He is force fed while restrained in the chair, twice daily.

I've seen restraints like these before. Typically a person is restrained to stop from hurting themselves or others, for example in a hospital ward. But never have I imagined that the dehumanizing concept of restraint could be used to thwart a perfectly sane person's attempt to protest unjust action.

(Original post created on 2/21/08)

Response to Los Angeles ICE Raids: Day of Love and Friendship

Valentine's Day Vigil
Heard there was a Vigil and Rally in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day to protest the Raids against immigrants (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids). I was surprised and inspired by how many people came out--it was 5pm and it was Valentine's Day! It's just one more sign that people are tired of the ICE Raids that dehumanize thousands of people nationally.


There were a number of organizations, clergy members, families, students, and community folks present. An air of solidarity pervaded the atmosphere. Perhaps the Spanish translation for the day is more appropriate, "Dia de Amistad Y Amor", Day of Friendship and Love, because it was an event marked by both.


Here's a list of some of the organizations that were present:
UNITE HERE!
CHIRLA
NILC
National Lawyers Guild
ACLU/SC
NDLON
Frente Contra Las Redadas

2/8/08, Local Press Conference: Clergy Denounce ICE Raids!
On Thursday (February 7, 2008) more than 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a printer supply manufacturer in Van Nuys (nearly 20 miles Northeast of Downtown LA), and ICE detained 120 employees accused of being in the country illegally. Various organizations held a press conference in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building the very next day.

During the conference, a number of clergy denounced the raids, calling them a form of terror in Los Angeles communities. Living in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, Reverend Howard Dotson, a Presbyterian Pastor and key figure that works on family reunification issues in LA, said that ICE raids occur often in the local community. He continued by stating that anyone that supports family values must also be in support of reforming this nation's broken immigration policy and against the ICE raids taking place.

Reverend Dotson continued by stating that Jesus Christ and his family were also immigrants that fled persecution and sought material and physical safety. If Jesus were alive in today's times, he continued, then he is exactly the type of person that would be deemed illegal and would find himself in a similar situation as the immigrants that ICE detains, dehumanizes, and hauls off.


Will the road be repaved with a more humane immigration policy?

Identity and Activism: Marjane Satrapi and Karen Brodkin

Saw the movie Persepolis today with some friends. The film is animated, primarily black and white, and has subtitles, but it's uncanny how easy one gets lost in the narrative. Persepolis is the story of Marjane Satrapi, a young girl who grows up in war-torn Iran during the Iranian Revolution (1978-82) and becomes an empowered woman right before our eyes.

The main characters in Persepolis are highly developed and idiosyncratic. An example of this development is Marjane's grandmother--sitting with her on the sofa in the poster above--whose class, sass, and wisdom is marvelously true-to-life and often humorous in the process. The dialogue too is warm, natural, and riveting. It moves Marjane's growth and maturation along, while also highlighting the multi-faceted experiences of war, tragedy, and human empowerment throughout. Persepolis underscores the force of narrative, which--shaping and empowering the mind and spirit--compels individuals, whole families, and communities to struggle to eliminate unjust practices taking place in the world. Often chaotic, this internal and external world influences the outgrowth of one's identity just as much as the narratives one is exposed to. Adapted from a graphic novel, Marjane's Persepolis is a must see.

The Power of Narrative in Los Angeles

The role that narrative plays on shaping a person's identity and their subsequent activism in political arenas was a recurring theme throughout the day. Earlier I attended a book talk with UCLA Anthropology Professor, Karen Brodkin, who introduced her book, Making Democracy Matter, and discussed some of the interviews she had with local activists working as organizers in LA's labor and immigrant rights world.

The event was titled, "What Makes a Social Movement a Movement?: Identity and Activism in Los Angeles". One of the major issues Brodkin highlighted is the role of activists in bearing witness of right and wrongdoing through action and also storytelling. Brodkin also believes that activists provide alternative interpretations of the typical and modern and therefore remake it. The power of their narrative is how they connect non-activists to activists by demystifying various lived realities and--because they have a foot in various worlds--are capable of bridging different and complex worlds.

"Guilty Until Proven Innocent": CRS at UCLA Panel

Went to a panel discussion put on by the UCLA School of Law's Critical Race Studies Program (CRS ) and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). The panel was titled, "Guilty Until Proven Innocent: A Panel Discussion of Civil Rights Abuses Against Muslim Americans and Middle Easterners," and featured three very different speakers. Each speaker spoke to how the strength of US Democracy is being threatened by the US Government because certain agencies use tactics that undermine our constitutional rights, our civil liberties, and our human rights.

Georgetown Law Professor, Dr. David Cole, discussed what he calls the US Preventive Method, highlighted in his book, Less Safe, Less Free, which are some of the methods the US Government uses to counteract terrorism. Some examples include: Preventive Detention, which is the act of detaining a suspect simply because that person might do something wrong in the future, and Preventive War, which is a unilateral attack on another country because--for example--it might have particular weapons and it might provide said weapons to terrorists. Preventive war rejects International Law because it initiates an attack on another country without there first being an imminent threat of attack. Preventive detention rejects our human and civil rights because a person is detained without evidence and are considered suspects before they commit a crime.

Cole spoke briefly of a gentleman named Maher Arar who fell victim to preventive detention and coercive interrogation. Arar, who is a Canadian citizen, was to catch a connector flight from JFK to Canada. Seems the US Government felt he was connected to Al Qaeda and--after hours of interrogation and lying to his family-appointed lawyer--shipped Arar on a government chartered jet to Jordan and then to Syria, where he was detained for a year in solitary confinement in a cell that was the size of a grave. After countless interrogations, beatings, and electric shock, Syria could not corroborate the US claim that the man was in fact tied to Al Qaeda and sent him back to Canada. The Canadian government later compensated Arar with $11.5 million for their role in his detainment.

Dr. Layla Al-Marayati, Chairperson of KinderUSA highlighted personal and anecdotal experiences of how the US Government has had Muslim-serving organizations' budgets frozen, often destroying the organizations, their local and international social activism work, and various persons' reputation because they are black-listed in the process.

The last of the speakers, Dr. Maher Hathout, spoke on something dear to me because he provided a rationale to why people in Dr. Al-Marayati's anecdotes would continue to work tirelessly in social activism despite US Government efforts to prevent their work. The principles he used were familiar to me because they're also found in the Christian bible: charity, tending to the needs of orphans, widows, and aliens, and testifying against the various injustices that people face. He highlighted that Muslim-serving organizations will not falter in their work because they believe in these exact principles.

I had to leave the event early but if you would like to see a video recording of it, click here.

Pico Union Toy Drive

Toys
I attended a toy drive at Alvarado Terrace Park in
Pico Union to mingle with parents and to outreach for our upcoming community workshops.


And then before I knew it, work became fun again. I remembered the joys of Christmas giving as I watched Santa and Mrs. Claus give toys to local children, posing for pictures with them before the kids were whisked away from the inner courts of the tent.

I walked through the toy drive and found a girl--maybe 7 years old--kicking ass in a pickup soccer game. Some toddlers danced around their new remote control car, waving their cheeto-orange fingers to the sky, stomping their feet in reverence to their newfound joy.

And I became a kid again as I watched all these kids receive a piece of Christmas just three days before the main event. I mean c'mon, there were toys, a pony ride, a petting zoo, and a big ass turtle! Merry Christmas!

Homeless in Los Angeles: You Get What You Pay For.

There's a poster in the breakroom at work advertising a 5k family walk to fund raise for homelessness in Los Angeles on November 17th. Over 5,000 are expected to walk in what's being deemed LA's first walk of this sort. Approximately 35,000 are expected to march in DC, which celebrates its 10th anniversary for this same type of event.

I just hope more people come out and even more reach into their pockets to donate. After all, you get what you pay for.

Even the homeless know this all-too-real maxim. A recent article found that the homeless near skid row were given the opportunity to receive free snacks--soda, chips, candy--in return for signing petitions to qualify initiatives to be placed on the California ballot. Can't quite call it an incentive to sign, but free snacks to a hungry soul, I'd work for food.

Wouldn't it be nice if free food was available year-round to the homeless of skid row so that the incentive wouldn't be so enticing? You get what you pay for.

In related news, At&T is offering free Wi-Fi at more than 600 locations around Southern California "to help residents in Southern California in any way [they] can . . . By enabling free Wi-Fi at hundreds of AT&T hot spot locations, we’re hoping to provide families and friends with another way to stay connected — and to reconnect — throughout this difficult time.”

It's a bit ironic that LA is the homeless capital of the nation, but only now does AT&T consider offering free Wi-Fi so that families and friends can stay connected.

It's more ironic when you consider that some of the initiatives signed by the homeless of skid row deal with Internet gambling.

And the irony becomes sickening when one realizes that LA is notorious for dumping its mentally-ill homeless population on the streets of skid row, which some argue is a way to bring the issue to the spotlight and cleanse homelessness from the area to make way for new higher-cost housing (aka gentrification).

This could be AT&T's noble attempt to assist victims of the brush fires, but some think it may be a way to rectify bad press after the company tried to charge a family for not rescuing their sattelite dish of their charred home. Publicity . . . you get what you pay for.

Southern California Edison is one entity that could follow AT&T's lead, though. A recent LA Times Cover Story stated that at least 5 of the 12 brush fires that ravaged California were started as a result of downed power lines in remote areas. They're saying the cost per mile to replace above ground lines with underground lines is about $1 million (and this is in non-remote areas). Of course, Edison will replace the lines if ratepayers are willing to front the bill. I can almost hear my Nana, "Who put the damn things there in the first place?"

I don't think ratepayers will go for a hike in rates, but maybe Southern Californians can attempt to place an initiative on the ballot so that Edison picks up some of the cost. At least we know the homeless population would have our backs. Now, if only we had their back all year 'round.

"We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. What affects one directly, affects all indirectly." MLK

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

A local non-profit based out of LA's Pico-Union area held a Day of the Dead Celebration near Lake and Colorado Blvd on Saturday night in the city of Pasadena.

I got there around 6:30pm and entered a large room filled with the scent of burning sage. The crowd of about 70 adults and children--mostly low-income immigrants--stood in a circle facing one another. One of the event participants was speaking about the sacred and ceremonious properties of sage and how it's used to connect with the dead and the earth around us. Prior to my arrival, the group shared the names of those loved ones that had passed over the years. This is the one part of the event that drove me to attend in the first place. (Lately I've been keeping the darker side of my life in the recesses of my heart marked 'Do not Disturb', so I was a little ambivalent when I heard that the opportunity to share had come and gone).


Most people don't like to talk about death. Or maybe they don't know what to say. Usually, "I'm sorry" is the typical response and then awkwardness sets in until a proper transition to another topic presents itself. If a person has lost someone (especially if it was recent or the person meant a lot to their lives), the conversation often provides a chance to share with another who the person was, and how and why they are remembered. The two of you embrace one another's humanity and tap into the spiritual energy that often feels larger than ourselves and becomes increasingly keen once one experiences the death of a loved one.


And that is how I will describe this event--intimate, a chance to share, and if not to share, to at least acknowledge those that have died in a way that honors their life. There was an altar and all. Here and there candles, teas, coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, bread, soup, flowers, rosaries, and little skeleton heads and figurines littered the tables of the makeshift altar--items placed by the living in remembrance of their loved ones' favorite items while physically alive.

The scent of burning sage filled the room the whole night long--and stayed on my jacket as a nice reminder. A prayer in the indigenous language of Nahuatl was offered to bless the Sun, the Earth, and the connection of each to the living and also to the dead. There was also a lot of dancing to popular Spanish language music, mostly during breaks to close one part of the evening and to begin another. Various flavors of tamales, special bread made during Dia de los Muertos festivities, and champurrado (a chocolate flavored drink made from corn-starch and other ingredients) was offered free to all of the attendees. I grubbed on 2 breads and 4 tamales. Unfortunately, the champurrado went fast and I only had a cup.


This was my second "Dia de los Muertos" experience. I must say that it's great to live in a city that provides even the slightest of opportunities to celebrate death and life in a way that no other traditional American holiday provides. It's a unique and special occurrence when a group of very different people can get together to honor Life and Death. The atmosphere is open to the possibility of the spiritual realm and embraces the notion that while our bodies may live and die, some deeper connection exists to the dead, the earth and the cosmos, and to our fellow human.

I said a small prayer for those people that have passed in my life, inhaled the pungent aroma of sage, and acknowledged the eternal spiritual presence of the dead.

West Hollyood Halloween Carnival: MAY DAY in Los Angeles

Spooky Nights:
I'm still recuperating from attending the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval on Santa Monica Blvd last night. I've known of West Hollywood ("WeHo") for years, especially when at the age of 12 I caught a glimpse of two guys kissing on the corner of Robertson and Santa Monica Blvd. For the first time in my life, my little mind conceived of the notion of an openly gay and lesbian community.

Fast forward 15+ years and there I was at about 12 midnight walking through the crowd of male dominatrices, cross dressers of all sorts, and a favorite of the night, for nostalgia sake: Pee-Wee Herman, red bike, goofy laugh, and annoying voice included. The classic Hollywood iconic heterosexual couples came out too (no pun intended) and included Lucy and Ricky, Shrek and Fiona, and Heff and his three bunnies. Food couples were also big: bacon and eggs and Mcdonald's French fries and Heinz Ketchup to name two.

But c'mon, these heteros had nothing on the gay community that came out tour de force for this event. There were a little under 300 Spartans, which left male and female onlookers desiring to conquer their hot gateway. Tina Turner was present and--unlike love--she was nothing near a sweet old fashion notion. One of the most outrageous scenes included a half-naked man pulling another burly man with a chariot. Imagine pulling someone all night on a chariot for about a mile each way.


Then there was this person:

LA Sights:
But let's compare the Carnaval to another one of LA's sights: a celebration like May Day, which took place on May 1, 2007--known internationally as Labour Day, or International Workers' day. First it should be noted that Halloween, like Baseball, is a national celebration and pastime, but few Americans really understand May Day's importance.

Police Presence and Amenities
There were a lot of costumed police at the Carnaval, looking like LA's finest, but they had on black leather pants like this guy.


Real LA County Sheriffs came out in loads as well, but their presence wasn't at all overbearing, which was nice 'cause people just walked the street having drinks, eating food, and smoking it up.

Police presence was huge at the May Day celebration too (mostly LAPD), and they came bearing their own costumes--riot gear, blunt batons, and guns that fired real rubber bullets. Unlike the Carnaval, the May Day celebration did not offer participants beer to drink and very few food stands were present.

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval was marked by organization through collaboration, respect for individuality, celebration without incident, and a heightened--perhaps short-lived--sense of community and solidarity.

The May Day celebration was marked by organization with little collaboration, disrespect for individuality, incident as a result of celebration, and a heightened--perhaps short-lived--sense of community and solidarity, at least between those doing the running and those receiving the blunt ends of swinging batons. (Unlike the Carnaval, at least journalists and reporters had the chance to become part of their own feature story).


Something that Unites!
Both events are meant to provide an opportunity to make a statement about tolerance, solidarity, individual prerogative, marginalization, and celebration. They give the wider public a chance to celebrate and honor different choices, lifestyles, and circumstance and highlight the bedrock principles of US democracy.

I hope that one day the LGBT community of West Hollywood, which is largely white and affluent, very successful at developing events and working with the city, and holding some political and economic clout in the state will align and collaborate with the low-income immigrant communities that make up much of the fabric of LA, the May Day Marches, and the WeHo celebration.

How might this occur? First, let's acknowledge that both communities experience inequality and marginalization. The issue of civil unions as a response to same-sex marriage is just as much a hotly contested issue as a guest-worker program as a response to a fair and just immigration policy. Next, there is something that binds these communities--all communities really--and runs deeper than race, class, gender, and sexual preference.

Ahhh, there is opportunity here somewhere, but I'll save that for a later post. There are at least two more constants I failed to mention earlier: I'm still recuperating from the frightful scenes and the underlying socio-political dynamics that powerfully rocked thousands at both events. Yet, as a result of the deep impact each event had on my hopes for the future of LA, I'm looking forward to celebrating in the streets at both events next year!

P.S.
A view of one of the many food stands at the Carnaval.