Emilio Valdez

Emilio Valdez is a street-level photographer with a special interest in documenting the ever-changing neighborhoods of Central and East Los Angeles. His work focuses on bringing the past and present discrimination of marginalized people of color to light.
I Went Inside Tanlines, L.A.’s New Bikini Coffeeshop
Tanlines presents itself as something transgressive—a bikini coffee shop in an industrial corner of Los Angeles. But after a few hours inside, the novelty wears off and something much stranger emerges: It's just a neighborhood café.
June 18, 2026
These Nine L.A. Dishwashers Are the Real Heroes of Your Favorite Restaurants
Anthony Bourdain said it best: "Everything important I ever learned, I learned as a dishwasher and as a cook." These are just a handful of the places restaurants' MVPs eat and drink at around Los Angeles.

