Hola Boyle Heights! Your community reporter, Alex Medina, is here to share some happenings in and around the neighborhood. But before then, I’d like to thank you for being a newsletter subscriber! We started the Happenings in the Heights newsletter just over a year ago now, and I hope it’s helped you get more out and about. ¡Gracias!
Check out the latest from your local news source!
Key bills approved or vetoed by Gov. Newsom you should know about
The California Legislature approved hundreds of bills before ending its regular session on Aug. 31 handing them off to Gov. Newsom to decide whether they become law. He has until this Monday, Sept. 30 to decide which are passed. Here’s some noteworthy ones we’ve been tracking.
will.i.am, Black Eyed Peas to perform at East L.A. Classic at SoFi
The Boyle Heights rapper and singer-songwriter will.i.am announced the Black Eyed Peas will perform at this year’s East L.A. Classic. The group previously performed at the game’s halftime show in 2022. This year’s game between Roosevelt and Garfield will take place at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 25. Tickets are available for $40 online.
Boyle Heights artist Fabian Debora receives prestigious art fellowship
For years, Fabian Debora looked for an escape growing up in Boyle Heights surrounded by the horrors of gang life and system hardship. He would find his calling through art. This month, he was recognized during a medal ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and received a prestigious award for preserving and advancing cultural traditions.
As always, make sure to keep an eye on our website and social media channels for more of the latest from your local news source.
Happenings in the Heights
Thursday, Sept. 26
People for Mobility Justice (PMJ) is heading to the East L.A. County Library for a special presentation on bicycle and pedestrian safety. In partnership with the L.A. Department of Public Health and the Office of Traffic Safety, the nonprofit organization will share important education and resources to help promote street safety and equity in mobility. The meeting runs from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 27
The Homegirl Association is hosting the 4th L.A. Chola Conference from Sept. 27 – 29 at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) to bring together scholars and community members from throughout the nation to discuss the chola identity. With a variety of speakers, panels, workshops, artists, performers, vendors and more all centered around the community, there will be lots to do through the weekend. You can learn more about the conference and RSVP to attend here.
Italian composer Fabio Frizzi is heading to Boyle Heights to perform a live score for a screening of the 1979 movie “Zombie.” If you haven’t seen the film before, it’s all about the search for a young woman’s missing father on an island dealing with an epidemic of the undead. General admission tickets are available for $30, with VIP Balcony tickets going for $60. Doors for the show open at 7 p.m. You can grab tickets here.
Saturday, Sept. 28
The City of L.A. is hosting a Pet Wellness Fair at Boyle Heights City Hall from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Free rabies vaccines will be available for the first 50 pets at the event, and all other services (flea control exams, microchips, deworming, nail trimming) will be offered at low costs for CD 14 residents only. Pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
The East L.A. Women’s Center is hosting a free self defense course in collaboration with the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Watch Program and LAPD Hollenbeck Division. The class will be held at Hollenbeck Park from 10 – 11:30 a.m. and you can register by calling (323) 261-0113.
InnerCity Struggle is hosting a community organizing forum in celebration of its upcoming 30th anniversary. The event will provide attendees with a bilingual hands-on workshop on community organizing and discussions on important propositions in the upcoming election. The program will end with a 30 Years en La Lucha panel with past and present leaders of the organization. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and you can RSVP to attend here.
The Los Angeles Public Library is hosting its 6th annual Libros Festival at L.A. Central Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event uplifts Spanish-language and bilingual storytelling and will feature various author appearances, performances, workshops and more in collaboration with groups including LACMA, REFORMA L.A. and Self Help Graphics & Art. You can learn more about the event and RSVP to attend here.
¡Outernational! is hosting an album release show for “Welcome To The Revolution.” As they describe it, it’s “the sum of all of the different parts of the ¡Outernational! Experience.” That means music in solidarity with Latin America, reggae classics, rock and more revolutionary beats. Drummer Chad Smith will be there too. Doors for the show open at 8 p.m. You can grab a ticket for about $30 online.
Sunday, Sept. 29
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is hosting a free open air market from noon to 5 p.m. This “Makers Market” is an initiative started by Art Space HP to bring together makers, artists and business owners who created opportunities for themselves during the pandemic. There will be various workshops, live music, vendors, food and more to enjoy. You can learn more about the event here.
There will also be a free book talk at LA Plaza right at 2 p.m. in celebration of Latino Heritage Month. Authors Carribean Fragoza, Estella González and Daniel Olivas will be there to discuss their writing journeys and latest books. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Armando García and features a post-discussion audience Q&A.
As always, please let us know what you think of this newsletter and send us your events to include in future editions. Hope you have an amazing weekend!
