Las Cafeteras: Bringing Song and Dance to the Struggle
By Lucy Guanuna
May 28, 2013
L.A. Activist
A band born out of the immigrant’s rights movement in Los Angeles is reinvigorating the struggle, providing uplifting and empowering music for people to dance to.
Las Cafeteras, a seven-piece band, produces music that embodies the transnational identities of LA by taking the afro-indigenous influences of Son Jarocho, folk music from Veracruz, Mexico, and mixing it with genres that spring from its urban roots, including hip-hop and indie rock.
The band’s music is uniquely LA, and has been adopted as anthems by many in social justice movements.
Hector Flores, singer and requinto guitarist, said the band members never had the intention to become a band but he’s glad it happened.
“We started playing informally at different events and eventually people started noticing us and saying ‘Ay, here comes Los Cafeteros,’” he said. “At that point we needed to accept that we actually were a band and we needed an official name. We ended up keeping the feminine form of what people were already referring to us as, ‘Las Cafeteras,’ to challenge patriarchy.”
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Las Cafeteras, a seven-piece band, produces music that embodies the transnational identities of LA by taking the afro-indigenous influences of Son Jarocho, folk music from Veracruz, Mexico, and mixing it with genres that spring from its urban roots, including hip-hop and indie rock.
The band’s music is uniquely LA, and has been adopted as anthems by many in social justice movements.
Hector Flores, singer and requinto guitarist, said the band members never had the intention to become a band but he’s glad it happened.
“We started playing informally at different events and eventually people started noticing us and saying ‘Ay, here comes Los Cafeteros,’” he said. “At that point we needed to accept that we actually were a band and we needed an official name. We ended up keeping the feminine form of what people were already referring to us as, ‘Las Cafeteras,’ to challenge patriarchy.”
MORE>
Hope on the Border of South Central and Inglewood
By Lucy Guanuna
November 18, 2011
L.A. Activist
Located in Inglewood, the FreeLA High School focuses on graduation and job placement with a curriculum based on social justice and community organizing. The school is a partnership between the John Muir Charter School, the Youth Justice Coalition and the Workforce Investment Act, a federal program that promotes job training and assists U.S. businesses in finding skilled workers. The school serves students who may be on probation or have a difficult time finding schools to admit them. At a time when the LAUSD has a 55 percent graduation rate, the FreeLA High School produced 51 graduates out of a class of 60 last year, giving the school an 85 percent graduation rate.
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Proyecto Jardín: A Garden Grows From Indigenous Roots
By Lucy Guanuna
June 7, 2012
L.A. Activist
Proyecto Jardín has been functioning as a community garden for over 10 years in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Like most East LA neighborhoods, it is common to find liquor stores and fast food chains yet little health-food establishments or fitness centers.
A Boyle Heights Beat analysis shows that there is over 100 liquor stores in the city of approximately 95,000 people. The stores offer little nutrition for the working-class neighborhood’s residents.
Proyecto Jardín offers the community healthy alternatives. It is open to the public, and allows for community members to harvest whatever fruits or vegetables they may need for a donation and with the help of a garden volunteer. The garden employs community members, and provides internship and volunteer opportunities to local youth.
The garden champions organically and sustainably grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Proyecto Jardín emphasizes community building, self-sustainability and education. Many classes, workshops, and events are held on the premises, including workshops in bike repair, vermiculture and compost making.
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A Boyle Heights Beat analysis shows that there is over 100 liquor stores in the city of approximately 95,000 people. The stores offer little nutrition for the working-class neighborhood’s residents.
Proyecto Jardín offers the community healthy alternatives. It is open to the public, and allows for community members to harvest whatever fruits or vegetables they may need for a donation and with the help of a garden volunteer. The garden employs community members, and provides internship and volunteer opportunities to local youth.
The garden champions organically and sustainably grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Proyecto Jardín emphasizes community building, self-sustainability and education. Many classes, workshops, and events are held on the premises, including workshops in bike repair, vermiculture and compost making.
View on L.A. Activist>