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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

Featured

He Got a Ticket From the Police He Called to Protect Him, Then Long Beach Had This Street Vendor’s Back

Astrid is a Salvadoran-American poet and writer based in Los Angeles.

Astrid

Meet Eric Eztli, The SELA Community Leader Throwing Open Mics In His Childhood Home

Capital & Main

Troubled South L.A. Oil Well Site Remains A Danger To Locals

Cesar Hernandez is Lynwood&#8217;s second best export behind Weird Al, and a writer and podcaster. Illustration by Tommy Gallegos.

Cesar Hernandez

Hotbox Burgers: Made For The Community By The Community

Erwin Recinos is a seasoned visual artist with an eye for capturing life as a working commuter aboard public transportation in and around Los Angeles. For 20 years now, Recinos has been documenting the urban landscape, street culture, and Hispanic communities of Los Angeles utilizing his daily routine and the city of Los Angeles as an inspiration. Recinos also works with popular food and event websites such as LATACO.com and Eater LA to capture the cuisine and culture that is so important to the city of Los Angeles and across Southern California.

Erwin Recinos

Savoring The Smash Burgers, ‘4 Leches’ Donuts and Beef Birria At The El Sereno Eats Food Tour (Photo Essay)

Street Vendor Shot In Watts Highlights The Deadly Risks That Vendors Take To Earn A Living

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

Daniel Torres takes the lid off his giant Morelos style oven.

Meet The Taquero Who Built a Morelos Style Barbacoa Oven in His Compton Backyard

Heri grew up in the High Desert but spent most of the last decade as a SoCal nomad before ending up in Whittier. A multi-disciplined writer, Heri strives to use his words to encourage thought and change.

Heriberto Rodriguez

L.A. Taco Guides

The L.A. TACO Guide To Eating Veg: Taco Crawling On The Eastside

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

Westcoast rapper Warren G sits for a portrait.

West Coast Rapper Warren G Joined LA CAN & Polo’s Pantry To Give Away Hundreds Of Meals In Skid Row

Two organizers hold up a UTACH banner in front of Los Angeles City Hall on May 19, 2021.

Unhoused Residents Speak Out Against ‘Prison-Like’ Conditions At Project Roomkey Hotels