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Celebrating the Taco Lifestyle in Los Angeles, CA

L.A. TACO

L.A. TACO STAFF

Featured

Headlines: Houseless Person In Sherman Oaks Killed After Being Run Over By An L.A. Sanitation Truck

Holbox's Taco de Pulpo. Photo by Memo Torres for L.A. TACO.

News

Headlines: Seven L.A. Chefs Nominated As James Beard Award Semifinalists

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

Headlines: Should LAPD Have Robot Dogs? L.A. Public Safety Committee to Vote Today

Headlines: Boyle Heights’ Activists Pile Garbage at City Hall to Make Local Politicians Act on Neighborhood’s Trash Problem

Update: It Took 5 Hours For Police to Warn The Public That Monterey Park Shooter Was Still On The Loose,  AP Reports

Hollywood

After Denying Corruption Allegations For Years, Former LA City Councilmember Jose Huizar Pleads Guilty To Racketeering

Torrance

Headlines: The Alpine Village Swap Meet May Finally Be Closing This Weekend

Headlines: Gang Violence Closes Compton Youth Academy

Headlines: A Hike with Goats in the SGV Mountains That Ends with All-You-Can-Eat ‘Goat Tacos’

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