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L.A. TACO

Sean Vukan

Politics

How a Taco Truck in Huntington Beach Is Serving Guerrero-Inspired Flavors in MAGA-Land

Shaka Mali is a first generation Jamaican American writer, host and producer who grew up in Southern California. He is a writer, producer and announcer on the LAist Studios Podcast WILD. He is also a KCRW Radio Race finalist and winner of the The L.A. Award. You can find him hanging out with his God mama Gail in Venice Beach or on instagram @ ShakaMaLi3 or at shakamali.com.

Shaka M. Tafari

In the 90s, Venice Beach Was a Place Where an Unhoused Person Was Treated Like Your Neighbor

Janette Villafana is an award-winning bilingual multimedia journalist. Her heart lies in community-based reporting, and her work is highly centered on showcasing and uplifting community voices, with a significant focus on the Latino community. She developed her beat at L.A. TACO, covering street vending communities in Los Angeles. Past work has been featured on NBC, LAist, Latino Rebels, and more. She is currently featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington in an exhibit titled “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News.”

Janette Villafana

Street Vending

Over 100 Latino Street Vendors Left in Uncertainty After NELA Councilmember Cedillo Shuts Down Avenue 26 Night Market Without Notice

Lexis-Olivier Ray is an award-winning staff investigative reporter for L.A. TACO known for holding powerful people in Los Angeles accountable and his reporting on Los Angeles culture. As well as an artist and filmmaker. In 2022, the Society of Professional Journalists&#8217; Los Angeles chapter named Ray one of their &#8220;distinguished journalists.&#8221; In 2023, Ray won a second place Anthem Award in their Health Innovation category for a texting service geared towards the unhoused community and service providers that he launched in 2021 with L.A. TACO and Subtext. Ray was a 2020 USC Center For Health Journalism (CHJ) Data Fellow. As well as a 2022 CHJ Impact Fellow. As a freelancer, Ray has contributed to the L.A. Times, Men&#8217;s Health Magazine, KCET and SFGATE.

Lexis-Olivier Ray

Homelessness

City Reverses Decision to Remove Washing Stations From Encampments Following L.A. TACO Investigation

News

Video: Guy in a Prius Caught Swiping Succulents from a Sidewalk in Highland Park

Multimedia journalist covering everything under the sun. 562 born and raised. News editor for Talon Marks.

Daniel Suarez

La Azteca Tortillería’s Chile Relleno Burrito Is a Serious Contender for the GOAT of Los Angeles

Cesar Hernandez is Lynwood&#8217;s second best export behind Weird Al, and a writer and podcaster. Illustration by Tommy Gallegos.

Cesar Hernandez

Tacos

Eating the Most Delicious Street Food in SELA and East Los with L.A.’s Most Talented Mexican American Redhead, Mapped

Erwin Recinos is a seasoned visual artist with an eye for capturing life as a working commuter aboard public transportation in and around Los Angeles. For 20 years now, Recinos has been documenting the urban landscape, street culture, and Hispanic communities of Los Angeles utilizing his daily routine and the city of Los Angeles as an inspiration. Recinos also works with popular food and event websites such as LATACO.com and Eater LA to capture the cuisine and culture that is so important to the city of Los Angeles and across Southern California.

Erwin Recinos

Photo Essay

An L.A. Street Photographer Turned a Former Youth Detention Center Into an Art Gallery. These Were Our Favorite Photos

The L.A. Craze birria-inspired burger from A's BBQ.

Food

L.A.’s First ‘Birria Smashburger’ Takes a Full Day To Make and Comes With a Vial of Bone Marrow Consomé

Angela Burgos is an Ecuadorian-American writer and researcher from East Hollywood. She enjoys writing both fiction and non-fiction pieces that highlight the complexities of the people of Los Angeles.

Angela Burgos

Community

A Latina Third Grade Teacher Has Started an Open Air Market to Create Space for Her Lennox Community in the Midst of SoFi’s Gentrification Effects

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