Youth reporters interview councilmember Ysabel Jurado. Photo by Dania Legido/Boyle Heights Beat.

Community members are invited to discuss their vision for a “better Boyle Heights” during a meeting with Councilmember Ysabel Jurado this week. 

The meeting, organized by Proyecto Pastoral, will take place on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Dolores Mission Catholic Church.

The meeting was originally scheduled for mid-September and aimed to address safety and immigration in Boyle Heights, but was postponed due to a scheduling conflict, according to Jurado’s team.

At Thursday’s meeting, attendees can expect a community dialogue on topics such as immigration, housing, community improvement and infrastructure, according to Alejandra Alarcon, Jurado’s director of communications.

“Folks should come prepared with any questions they may have, any concerns that they have but more importantly, their experiences and testimonies,” she said.

According to a social media post from Proyecto Pastoral promoting the event, community members are encouraged to share their “thoughts, ideas, and concerns as we work towards creating a better Boyle Heights together.”

Snacks and drinks will be provided to attendees and Spanish interpretation will be available.

Dolores Mission Catholic Church is located at 171 S. Gless St.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:18 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2025, to include more details and a comment from Jurado’s director of communications.

My background: I’m originally from Fontana in the Inland Empire and have spent most of my career covering local news for Latino communities in Los Angeles. Most recently, I led coverage of the historic 2024 Latino vote in Nevada as editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal en Español. Before that, I was the Bilingual Communities Reporter at the Long Beach Post, getting to know the city’s vibrant Spanish-speaking communities.

What I do: I cover topics that will help residents in Boyle Heights and East LA navigate and understand the issues they encounter in their everyday lives while also seeing themselves reflected in the stories we spotlight.

Why LA?: I have vivid memories of visiting El Mercadito in Boyle Heights with my family and indulging in gorditas, esquites and nieves de limón before our hour-long drives back to the IE. The struggles of underserved communities are felt across county borders and I’m eager to report on a community that reminds me of home.

The best way to contact me: My email is laura@boyleheightsbeat.org.

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