The Latest
Monday, August 11th, 2008Read it here first: The latest ministry update.
Archive for the 'L.A./ East LA' Category
The real deal in purple & gold
Monday, June 23rd, 2008This is great to watch.
Asking for a lot
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008I have mixed reaction to this proposal to change this LAPD practice (Special Order 40) regarding inquiring about the immigration status of known gang members. I’m all for suppressing criminal activity - even though I question the effectiveness of blanketly deporting undocumented criminals - but I am concerned for how undocumented victims and potential witnesses might be impacted by a change in practice.
NOTE: National Geographic did a program that addresses the impact of gangs and immigration practices - World’s Most Dangerous Gang
My unsafe delivery site
Friday, January 18th, 2008I don’t read as much as I used (since becoming a parent). But I subscribe to the weekend LA Times. So I was bummed today when the newspaper was on my front porch, since I usually like to read the paper while I eat breakfast - all before Isa wakes up.
When I called the LA Times to see what had happened, the customer service rep informed me that my subscription had been canceled. When I asked why - since I hadn’t received anything about it being canceled & was current in my payments, she informed me that it was canceled because we are in a dangerous environment. (more…)
The education formerly known as “public”
Thursday, October 11th, 2007It used to be that the perception of what distinguished public school education from private school education was the access based on cost. By this think, public school education was accessible to all because the cost was subsidized by the government, whereas private school education was only accessible to those that could subsidize the cost themselves.
This article on the current notion of desegregation, aka (more…)
Texting while driving
Monday, September 3rd, 2007While Vero, Isa & I were driving [read = very slowly moving] through traffic up the 101 on Sunday to visit my mom in Port Hueneme, we saw not just one, but several drivers like this one in their cars.
I’ve zeroed in, just in case you didn’t catch it. (more…)
Soon they’ll call us De La Hoya Heights
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007The Los Angeles Business Journal reported that Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Enterprises is buying the Sears Building on the south end of Boyle Heights (for an easy $70 million) for a huge redevelopment project.
Redevelopment of the property has been discussed by city leaders and stakeholders for years. The warehouse is run down, but the Sears retail store does brisk business in an area that experts say is underserved. (more…)
What keeps me up at night (part I)
Monday, August 6th, 2007Several weeks ago, at a coalition meeting of urban youth workers in East LA, we were asked to share about ourselves by answering the question - “What keeps you up at night?”
Too be totally honest, my instinctive response was (more…)
One Love Music Fest
Monday, July 30th, 2007
Urban oasis discovered
Tuesday, July 24th, 2007
I’m a little slow on discovering places like this, but we recently have become drawn to the LA River Center & Garden - a little oasis/park and cultural center with gardens and fountains, that is located near where the LA river passes under the 5 & 110 freeways, and is directly behind the big Home Depot there.In the city, or at least in East LA, shady parks and quiet places are at a premium, so this series of parks & quiet places are a welcome discovery.
P.S. This Wednesday, July 25th at 6pm - HOW DO GREAT STREETS GET MADE?
(more…)
Act Locally
Friday, July 20th, 2007I’m cleaning up the house & cleaning out the garage to get ready for a big garage sale next weekend. So I found the local S.A.F.E. collection center to take old paint to properly dispose of it.
Trying to do my part.
Tag, you’re it.
Monday, July 9th, 2007Whether it is the State Street Locos or other taggers, it happens more in the summertime.
“…they are so fast, Bam! One minute there’s nothing and the next minute you come out and they covered a whole wall.”
For more information about removing unwelcome tagging, call the Graffiti Hotline at (800) 675-4357 - available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or go online to http://dpw.lacounty.gov/ and click on the “stop graffiti” link under featured items on the right side of the homepage.
Goose bumps
Thursday, June 28th, 2007The California Science Center has an exhibit on the “science of fear,” entitled GOOSE BUMPS. Looks interesting. Plus, admission is free!
I was there last night. Wait. I was there Monday.
Wednesday, June 27th, 2007I’m talking about the East LA Coalition meeting at El Gallo Cafe. As John Lewis has discovered, it is a great place to meet, work, rest, whatever. And the East Los Angeles / Boyle Heights Coalition that is starting to meet up is very promising. I’m eager to have other ministries from the area join us in collaborating, encouraging, networking and partnering together to serve East LA, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Height, El Sereno, City Terrace, etc.
Its not “all good in the hood.”
Thursday, June 21st, 2007
But its not all bad either. Case in point - this story from the LA Times West magazine about Boyle Heights. The tamale lady isn’t made up - I hear her every few days in the evenings and usually sometime on Saturdays.
Out of the wreckage
Wednesday, May 16th, 2007
The 10th annual Urban Youth Workers’ Institute (UYWI) starts tomorrow. I’m excited about it, especially seeing some old faces & making some new connections. I’ve been working with John Lewis a little bit to organize church & ministry leaders in East LA/Boyle Heights to form a cohort to broaden the kingdom impact of our ministries in the city. We’re hoping this will be a launching pad for meeting other leaders from East LA & Boyle Heights & casting some vision for this network/cohort.
I’m also teaching a seminar on Friday morning on the faith challenges/opportunities that high school grads face in college. Should be fun, though I’ve been trudging through to finishing prepping. Not sure why this has been so difficult to prep, since its about as up my alley as topics go. Maybe that’s why I’m having a hard time focusing in. But I’ll be ready.
“This is no longer the west coast Ellis Island”
Monday, April 2nd, 2007Thus says The Economist about Boyle Heights in this article - “Escape from LA: Los Angeles is losing its illegal immigrants. That’s bad news.” The article goes on to talk about the negative impact of the declining number of immigrants coming to Los Angeles. Read it.
Live news - student walkouts
Friday, March 30th, 2007
Students are walking out at several area schools towards City Hall to protest for implementing Cesar Chavez Day as a National Holiday. (Currently only a state holiday). I couldn’t see the kids, but as I watched a report on the news, I could see the news helicopters overhead. These photos are of the helicopters reporting. Sort of like hearing it 2nd hand.
Streetlamp Studio
Monday, March 12th, 2007
The show is playing this weekend only - Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are $10 and since space is limited, you need to make a reservation. Go to the Streetlamp Studio myspace page. There are some quick blurbs about the company and the show, plus a short video they put together to promote the play.
The theatre is located in the NoHo Arts District, one mile north of Universal Studios. It’s a small, forty person theatre. So…think intimate:)
The Actors Workout Studio
4735 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91602
Line 485 lessons
Wednesday, March 7th, 2007Not that I’m all that “green” or environmentally-conscious, but every Tuesday I’ve been taking the bus to campus for lunch with one of my guys and then our men’s Bible study. Other than my 1-week - public - transportation - for - jury - duty experiment, I’ve never riden the bus for any regular commute before. (Apparently, I’m not alone) So far, this is what I’ve seen:
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