I have an interview article up on VoyageLA.com … You can find it in the “Thought-Provokers” section, under the “East LA” chapter (specific page, click: here) . Because I was born and raised in MPK, sharing a border with East LA, that’s the closest category that fits. I go by the name D.F. Wing for this article (shortening of: Dava Frog Wing), which is also the name I’ve been using for some of my writing/ publishing projects lately.
I don’t know how long the article will stay up on the website for. Few weeks? Few months?
I actually did go to East LA Community College, twice, for summer credits. I took Sociology, French, and Social Dance (like Rumba, Cha Cha, Salsa, Waltz, Foxtrot, etc). That was pretty fun. It’s walking distance from my house! … If “walking distance” is about 1-2 hours. Bus gets there a little faster. Remember how, back in the old days, the Spirit Bus only cost 25 cents per ride? And it went all over town… crossing between Monterey Park and East LA. So there you go. I dont know how much it costs now, or if it’s even still around. I feel so out-of-touch, haha. I should probably attend an MPK City Hall meeting the next time I’m in Cali.
I wonder where most of those other artists are from (if not Los Angeles county), and what’s it like being in East LA now, really? Have there been a lot of new people moving there lately? That’s what was happening to DTLA in the past decade or so. It’s strange to think that this is currently the face of the grassroots-level creative worlds in East LA/ greater LA regions. I dont recognize anyone (except for Leah Samuels… Hi Leah!). I mean, it’s also weird that I’m there, representing as a born-and-bred Angeleno, even though I’m barely ever physically there anymore. It reminds me of that time I found myself at a small party last year, at the Superchief gallery space, and when people got to talking and introducing themselves, I realized that everyone else there was an NYC transplant who lives in LA now, and I was the only person in the room who was originally from LA, but I was only visiting (and from NYC too, ouch).
But anyway, it’s cool that this magazine is cataloging emerging/ unknown/ underrepresented artists. That’s a great project.
Thanks, VoyageLA…!