Janette Villafana

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.”
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The 11 Best Taquerías Near Dodger Stadium
Here's where to go for some of L.A.'s best tacos. Whether before or after the game or whether they win or lose. Go blue!
‘Our Families Are Hungry:’ MacArthur Park Vendors Plea to Mayor Bass to Remove Fence
The vendors displayed a white tarp on 7th Street, carrying a message to the Mayor expressing their fears that if the situation down Alvarado Street isn't solved soon, many will be on the verge of living on the streets.
This Viral Panadería Offering Oreo, Mazapán, and Churro-Flavored Conchas Is the First Of Its Kind
Social media users have already compared the Mexican bakery to the famous dessert shop Crumbl because it offers so many flavors.
L.A.’s New Legal Taco Cart Is The First Of Its Kind
While the look may be different from what most are used to seeing, this retro cart still allows a vendor to cook some of your favorite street food, from pupusas to tacos and smash burgers. “I'm very proud of what we came up with, and I’m looking forward to seeing it in the streets and hopefully changing people's lives,” said Richard Gómez, the engineer behind it.
Thousands Marched On Downtown L.A. and Shut Down The 101 Freeway To Protest Trump’s Mass Deportation Threats
Many of those marching were fueled along the way by street vendors selling bacon-wrapped hot dogs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and snacks, as other community members handed out free water bottles to demonstrators.
City Displaces Dozens of Street Vendors After Installing Blocks-Long Fence in MacArthur Park
“This feels like gentrification happening before us, and at the end of the day, the crime is still there, and the sale of illegal drugs is still there,” said Juan Rodriguez, a local street vendor organizer and advocate, during an interview with L.A.TACO.
‘L.A. Is Our Neighbor.’ Santa Ana Unites With Drives, Donations, and Warm Burritos To Help Angelenos Impacted By The Fires
“The message for those affected by the fire from people like us here in O.C. and especially Santa Ana, is LOVE," says rapper Jay Taj. "You got us, we got you."
L.A. TACO’s 14 Most-Read Culture Stories Of 2024
From revisiting famous Repo Man locations and being the only publication in the city documenting L.A.'s thriving underground punk scene, to highlighting the hard-working people of L.A., here are some of our most read feature stories.
Street Food Defender Edin Enamorado Still In Jail, One Year Later. This Is the Latest
His lawyer, Damon Alimouri, said Enamorado is “staying strong, and he's going to fight at every turn.”
La Virgen de Guadalupe’s Image Has No Borders, a Reminder of L.A.’s Latinidad
From Mexico to Los Angeles, La Virgen de Guadalupe has no borders. Her image can be found anywhere from corner markets to food trucks is a constant reminder that Latinos are presente (here).










