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L.A. TACO

L.A. TACO STAFF

Crime

Boyle Heights Community Warns of Drivers Stalking Women

Laura is a desmadrosa, a product of East Los, an educator, and a hood establishment connoisseur.

Laura Tejeda

Drink

A Ska-Powered Coffee House Skanks Its Way To Boyle Heights

News

Headlines: ‘Birria’ Added to the Dictionary; Tropical Storm to Drop a ‘Year’s Worth’ of Rain

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

Homelessness Is Rising Slower Than It Did In Previous Years But How Accurate Is The Data?

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 Vendedores Ambulantes de L.A. Enfrentan Crisis de Salud Mental Al Ser Víctimas de Acoso, Robo, y Muerte

Featured

L.A. Street Vendors Deal with Mental Health Crisis As They Continue to Be Harassed, Robbed, and Killed

Headlines: Tiny Seabug ‘Mini-Sharks’ Are Swarming and Biting Beach-Goers Across California; S.F. Decriminalizes Mushrooms

Los Angeles

‘We Want Our Families to Live a Healthy Long Life:’ Students in Watts Protest Metal Company Contaminating Their Community

Rudy Espinoza is the Executive Director of Inclusive Action for the City, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that is dedicated to building strong local economies in low-income neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Under his leadership, Inclusive Action has helped pass important laws to support street vendors, has deployed over $2,500,000 in low-interest micro-loans and grants to under-served entrepreneurs, and co-created a unique, commercial real estate initiative that preserves small businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods.

Rudy Espinoza

Opinion

‘Pop-Up’ Businesses and Influencers: It’s Time to Stand With Low-Income Street Vendors and Support SB 972

Headlines: San Fernando Man Attempts to Bake Bread in Car During Heat Wave; ‘Porch Pirate’ Disguised As Amazon Worker