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L.A. TACO

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

Los Angeles

San Pedro Tamalero Who Was Called An Anti-Mexican Slur Sells Over 2,000 Tamales After Community Shows up to Support

One of L.A. TACO&#8217;s co-founders, Hadley Tomicki is a writer and editor on food, travel, and culture whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, UrbanDaddy, High Times, and many other places.

Hadley Tomicki

Crime

L.A. Gym Owner and Fitness Influencer Draws Heat Over Racist Comments Against Agua Fresca Street Vendor

News

UPDATE: Union Representing Meatpackers in Vernon Farmer John Plant Reaches ‘Fair Agreement’ to Compensate Workers Until 2023

L.A. TACO STAFF

Headlines: Six Shot at Boyle Heights Warehouse Party; Journalist Brothers Expose Salvadoran President’s MS-13 Gang Ties

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

Featured

A Night Out Full of Booze and Jazz In Highland Park, As Told By a 35mm Film Camera 

Gabriel Chabrán is a food writer and journalist from Highland Park. He currently lives in Long Beach with his wife Katie, their new baby, and their Russian Blue cat, Mars.

Gab Chabran

Music

Members Behind South Central’s Generación Suicida Open Their Own Indie Record Store, ‘Under the Radar’

Headlines: Sriracha Production Halted Over Failed Chile Harvest; The Secretary of State Hits Guisados In Boyle Heights

Professional punk and Editor-In-Chief for James Beard Award-winning L.A. TACO. Associate Producer for JBA-winning Las Crónicas Del Taco. Former restaurant scout for Jonathan Gold. Co-author of &#8220;Oaxaca: Home Cooking From the Heart of Mexico (2019, Abrams) and &#8220;Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling&#8221; (2023, Abrams).

Javier Cabral

Tacos

Simón’s ‘Mariscos Chingones’ Is Doing Mexican Fine Dining-Level Seafood Out of a Food Truck In Silver Lake

Events

Weekend Events: Mariscos & Discos, Hollywood’s Evil Circus, a Lip-Syncing Drag Brunch, and Native American Arts

Headlines: Motorcade Protestor Tackled and Detained in Downtown; Angels Deploy All-Nickleback Playlist