Skip to main content

Poetry Years

I have recently revisted my poetry years archives and was amazed to find so many original fliers, programs, newspaper clippings and announcements survived. My first reading was an invitation to open for Y Que Mas at Onyx/Echo in 1994. Over the next two and a half decades I appeared at various events and venues throughout Los Angeles. The following photos are a small representation of my involvement in the Los Angeles and Chicano/a/x poetry scene. Years active: 1994 - 2015

Popular posts from this blog

L.A.: Once Upon A Multicultural Arts Haven

Los Angeles in the 1980's and 90's was a time of multi cultural, multi district, multi sexual orientation creation and collaboration. Art, music, dance, fashion, performance art, theater, graffiti art, murals, indy filmmaking, print media all leaving their mark on the map of this vast LA-LA landscape. These were the pre FundMe days when if you had a project in mind you either applied for an arts grant, found a benefactor or you held fundraisers. A lot of time and effort was donated by artists themselves. There were plenty of arts supporters who gave their time and money as well. Why? Because local arts kept our city authentic and alive with a true sense of how our cultural and ethnic differences were alike in so many ways. That's not to say there weren't outlying areas that didn't wish to participate in the grand scheme of a melting pot theory. They were there in the comfort zones hiding behind curtains and valleys which was just fine for us without a monocultural...
Read more

Eddie Ayala - PRESENTE!

The Chicano community mourns the loss of its champions for our cause through life celebrations, tributes, memorials and Dia de los Muertos altars. Many notables and non public figures have passed on throughout the fifty plus years since the birth of the ELA Chicano movement and many more will soon follow. Activists, academics, professionals, artists, business owners and community members - young and old - have contributed to the vastness of our cultural collective. Each and every one deserving of recognition and appreciation for their involvement, passion and pride in their Chicano/a/x identity. This time we are gathering to celebrate the life and legacy of Eddie Ayala who passed away at the age of 63 the day after Dia de los Muertos, 2023. I met Eddie Ayala at the tail end of the 1970's East LA backyard party scene where local Chicano music icons rocked cover songs and our socks off for a mere $1 entrance fee. Although entertaining and audience drawing there was a need for...
Read more

Boyle Heights Xmas Greetings

Read more