Explore

Footer - NEW

Legal Footer

Main - NEW

Mobile

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

This is member's only content.

Members get unlimited access to all of our stories, along with incredible perks like free tacos, invites to our events, access to our mobile app, and much more!

Become a Member of L.A. TACO

Free registration

Please register for L.A. TACO to Vote 

Register to continue

Please Register (For Free) To Read this Story

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

Street Vending

Update: Owner of LACC’s Swap Meet Is Asking Permitted Vendors to Petition Against Street Vendors Outside Parking Lot

L.A. TACO STAFF

Featured

Historic Filipinotown: Eight Things You May Not Know About the Neighborhood’s History

Headlines: Old-School Shop ‘Tacos La Estrella’ On Figueroa Street in Highland Park Closing Tomorrow

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

Crime

‘They’re Trying To George Floyd Me,’ LAPD Releases Body-Worn Camera Video Of In-Custody Death Of Keenan Anderson

Jack Ross is a reporter and documentary filmmaker from Los Angeles. He is obsessed with covering his hometown.

Jack Ross

New Hollywood Councilmember Wants to Get Rid of Controversial ‘No Vending Zones’ Signs at Walk of Fame

News

Headlines: Skid Row Artists Brings ‘Whale-Watching’ to DTLA; Pussy Riot Plan Anti-Putin Art Show In West Hollywood

Historic Filipinotown

The Nine Best Restaurants (and Tacos) in Historic-Filipinotown

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

Music

The Coachella 2023 Lineup Is Here

Headlines: Union Station Tunnels Flooded In Ankle-Deep Water; Egg Shortage in L.A. Continues

Lynn Q. Yu is a food and culture writer based out of Los Angeles. You can find her on social media @lynnqyu.

Lynn Q. Yu

L.A. Taco Guides

Ten Amazing Thai Noodle Places In L.A. That Go Beyond Pad Thai