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Celebrating the Taco Lifestyle in Los Angeles, CA

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

An award-winning journalist covering ICE and immigration raids. Host of the Daily Memo. ‘Where Memo Torres Eats’ on Apple Maps. Seen on Netflix, occasionally on KCRW. 3rd-gen landscaper. Proud son of an immigrant. Golden Bear.

Memo Torres

Compton

Compton’s Viral, Tagged-Up Taquería Makes Some of L.A.’s Best Guisados and Burritos

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

Food

Spot Check! Brisket Pupusas in NELA, A ‘Western Mole Smashburger’ in DTLA, and a ‘Pancake Brunch Cart’ in the SGV

L.A. TACO STAFF

Palmdale

Headlines: Afroman Trolls Sheriffs Who Raided His Home By Selling T-Shirts With Their Photos and Nicknames

News

Headlines: G.G. Allin Gets Reborn For One Night In East Hollywood

Featured

Los Angeles Declared Best City For Pizza in The United States

History

A Brief History of Palmdale: Rogue Drones, Afroman’s Roots, and High Stress In The Mojave Desert

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

L.A. City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas Convicted Of Federal Bribery and Conspiracy Charges

City News Service

Crime

L.A. District Attorney George Gascón Charges Six CHP Officers and a Registered Nurse with Involuntary Manslaughter

A proud San Fernando Valley native, Samantha &#8220;Sam&#8221; Nuñez is our Director of Marketing and Social Media. She holds a background in Public Relations and has a Corporate Communications focused Masters from USC. When Sam isn&#8217;t grinding at the Trompo, she is out trying new foods, dancing Mexican Folkloríco or tasting new tequila and mezcal for her collection.

Samantha Nuñez

The Six Best Tacos in Palmdale

Headlines: Craft Cannabis Growers Frustrated by California Regulation Requiring Middlemen Distributors