Highland Park Internet Randomness

I enjoyed this short, descriptive article from 2014 with excellent photos.

Technically Mount Washington

Los Angeles began Safer At Home restrictions on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

March 30. We talked with Stefani, a Highland Park resident, sociologist and faculty at UNLV (1x/week. She has history with Naked Angels (founded by friends out of Brown Univ. so similar to Cornerstone?), and a former movie exec. Her work merges sociology research and documentary film.  She reached out to us, wanted to connect, see if she could get involved. She lives on Eldred St., off Ave 50, right near the bottom of the stairs. Technically lives in Mt Washington, which is of course HP adjacent.

She told us about a few experiences close to the heart of her work in terms of art+community. One is about extreme cultural experiences on either side of a road in/near Las Vegas. A wealthy tech/startup founder designed and built a minimalist artists residence across the street from a long-established liquor store, & she is studying the social behaviors outside the liquor store. Another is that she was able to host a BBQLA event in her garage after it lost its location (alt perspective?). She works with college-bound youth and dreamers at Miguel Contreras High School (on 3rd Street, kinda south of Shakespeare Center LA).

Her work "explores the difficulty of breaking intergenerational poverty."

"How do we communicate across socio-economic boundaries? 

"Whose social etiquette do you follow to live there/here?"

Stefani is interested in documenting our process and wants to know what we need from a free ethnographer, ie: defining social norms. “How can I help?” she offered. She thought she might measure social distancing at the two parks- York/Ave 50 & and Sycamore. We didn’t have immediate ideas about what would be useful but we figured we could check back with her later.

April 6. Keegan works with an affordable housing developer and Mark met him at an event about housing. He lives in a house at/near Ave 50 & San Rafael with his partner and 5 other people. Over the course of 90 minutes or so we met all but 2 of the residents. One is “Safer At Home” in a different part of the city with his mother. Some of the housemates are Occidental graduates. They have built a large and intentional garden with edible plants & medicinals, planted more than a dozen trees. The have a “home care routine” (moved away from the word “chores”): ll tasks are available, rather than assigned. It’s a cleanliness culture. Three residents are experts in gardening. One is a city planner. The newest housemate only know Keegan when he moved in about a year ago; they used to work together. He still feels like a visitor but he likes living there. One housemate grew up in and around Highland Park. Asked about friction among roommates they said there was one who didn’t work out. Their example of how she was a bad match for the house was that she kept a jar of msg in the kitchen.

They host events and workshops and a variety of different people come over.

They’ve been sure to get food from Delia’s on York during the quarantine.  One had a bicycle stolen while he was in the grocery store.

“Gentrifiers have a choice about where they can live.”

What should a highland park play include?  Spanish. Helicopters. Gang violence. Police Sweeps. Yard Sales. Arroyo Seco. Debbs Park.

Walking Tour with Doug on Feb 27

On Thursday, February 27, we (MJG, Mark, Lynn, Amanda & PD) met our kind host D.W. Jacobs at the Antigua Bakery, where Ave 57 runs into Figueroa. Doug’s proposed walk: ”We can circle down to Avenue 50, then over to Monte Vista, where most of the churches are located, then all the way up to the LAPL Arroyo Seco branch, then back down Fig to Las Cazuelas for pupusas!” 

 

Some of the places and people we encountered:

We went to the Highland Park Ebell Club and found the door unlocked.

Doug, who has spent plenty of time in that building for events and performances, inquired with whoever was present and we were granted permission to go in and look at the main space. There is a spacious, main room with an elevated stage and proscenium on one side. There’s a smaller meeting room, a low step up from the main floor, separate but open on to the main room, opposite the stage. Doug says that for events like the Lummis Days Fundraiser Gala, they set up bar and buffet-style food in the smaller space and there are tables & chairs on the main floor.

 

We continued away from Figueroa toward the Arroyo Seco Parkway aka Pasadena Freeway aka the 110. Figueroa Street is all businesses, maybe some upstairs apartments are there, but just steps from Fig the streets are densely residential. We passed many sweet houses with blooming yards. At Ave 57 & Benner St. there’s a residence with a big yard and a driveway fence that I’ve seen open often on weekends, with signs up for produce and succulents for sale(?)—and since then I’ve learned that the place is owned by an artist named Stormie, who is connected to Teatro Arroyo and many other HP circles.

 A bit farther down and across the street we visited La Tierra de la Calebra, an art park. [I can’t find my notes so some names* are guesses.] As we checked out the variety of spaces in the park, we met Elliot sitting at a picnic table. He is an information point for the park, its activities, etc. If we want to talk to someone about hosting a story circle there, we should maybe ask the people in the house next door, or maybe connect via Instagram. Elliot was waiting for J. Woods and she arrived as we were leaving so we talked with her a little. She is a designer who helped create this park space. She seemed a little fabulous and when I find the business card she gave me I hope to learn more about her dynamic creative influence on Los Angeles. We also met Mike* who volunteers his landscaping clean-up skills and time, and lives across the street.

Walking back up toward Figeuroa Doug introduced us to Charlie Fisher, who literally wrote a book about Highland Park. He’s an historian. And a collector of vintage cars. There were several in his driveway and in front of his house. He was on his porch talking with a guy about how he might repair some body damage on one of his cars.

We went left through the parking lot just before Fig, and ended up in the alley outside the community garden fence, behind the Highland Theater. No sign of Oscar Duardo, someone we want to talk with, but he wasn’t around this day. 

Then up Ave 56 to Fig and continued on southwest, crossed to other side of the road at Ave 52. Paused at a somewhat mysterious little building belonging to the Builders of the Abytum. They have a weekly service. We should go sometime. 

 

We pass the new (oddly high-end) retail spaces turn right onto Ave 50. We talk about the Savoy apartment building there, across the street from Chico’s restaurant. It’s a series of bungalow apartments around a big older square building that was originally part of Occidental College before Oxy moved to its current location. Very interesting spot. And next door to that is Avenue 50 Studio. It’s after closing time but the door is open and founder/director Kathy Gallegos is still there. She comes out to talk with us. She introduces us to Christine* who is cleaning the gallery. It is her mother’s job but her mom is home sick today. Christine is a young artist (17? 19?). She talks a little about growing up in the neighborhood, a little about the gang situation. Highland Park and Cypress Park have gang associations that might be avoided by expressing NELA pride, rather than Highland Park pride. She designed a mural on Monte Verde that says Welcome to Northeast Los Angeles.

We walk up to turn right onto Monte Verde and walk a few blocks. We are thinking about visiting some of the churches there, but it is getting late for some of us. So we head over to Las Cazuelas and sit in a booth to enjoy pupusas before thanking Doug for his time, perspectives and introductions and heading home.

Hathaway-Sycamores Youth Leadership Group- Story Circle 3/4/20

Peter and I held a story circle with Yvonne Sarceda’s Youth Mentorship Group at Hathaway Sycamores Family Resource Center. 

There were about 15 young people in attendance in addition to Yvonne. They had chicken nuggets for dinner. (Dinner together is part of their meeting routine.)

We had a good time with this group of young people. Peter led the activities and conversation: a warmup/stretch and a game before sitting back at the table for 5 senses, a little conversation and making maps.

Listen to 5 Senses of My Highland Park
  Speakers are, in order: Luis, Gabriel, Briana, Anamarie, Yvonne, Oscar, Ariel, Chris.

Listen to thoughts about perceptions of Highland Park and changes in the community

Listen to some guided tours of their maps
 Speakers are, in order: Anamarie, David, Briana,  Gabriel, Daniel, Oscar.

Hear what their Highland Park Play be about and who are the people in it?

Some responses to “What kind of changes do you see in Highland Park?” –

New people, a new kind of people.

Culture is changing as more people move in. Messing with traditional Mexican culture.

Insane rent prices

Some responses to “What do we need to hold on to and not lose?” –

            Culture: Mexican traditions, Fruit Stands, Festivals like the annual holiday parade

Suggestions for what a HP play should include:

            From Gabriel: A growing-up story, living through changes, like shootings change to less shootings, family members/neighbors change to those people evicted and/or gone. (Does the young person stay?) It’s expensive—maybe he makes it, maybe he leaves and returns to see changes.

            From Brianna: Artist life of the mural near La Estrella. How the mural came about.

            From David: Financial challenges in a family.

            “People who stand up for other people. Younger people standing up.”

We re-introduced Cornerstone Theater and the Highland Park Project invited them to get involved in whatever way they might be interested.  I don’t want to lose track of this group. Hope to include them in the play in some way if they are able to join in.

tenants union of northeast los angeles meeting

 This is a more detailed report than you need maybe, but it was a great meeting to witness and I am pretty sure I’m going to go back. I might even start paying $5/month dues to this union group for the hard work they do with tremendous compassion and righteousness.

Standing meetings at 7p on 2^nd & 4^th Wednesdays every month.

Mark and I attended the Tenants Union meeting last night. There were about 30 people there, chairs in a circle. In the front room of the gallery. The art in that room all featured images of women.

They ask for sign-ins and encourage anyone who does not understand both English and Spanish to use a translation headset. They started the meeting with one of the translators explaining about language justice and the need for everyone to be able participate. She gave the instructions of 3 hand signals to use regarding the meeting: 1- speak up gesture, 2- slow down gesture, 3- 1 person at a time speak. They have 2 volunteer facilitators. One was Rose and one was, I think, named Yaya. “We are not the leaders- there are no leaders here. Only facilitators.”

They read the LATU mission from the agenda and reviewed some meeting guidelines that were printed on the same paper as the agenda. I tried to follow along with the Spanish version of the agenda.

Rather than introductions around the circle, we were invited to take a few minutes for everyone to do one-on-one introductions, meet someone they don’t know, maybe talk about where they live, etc.  I talked with Rose who has been utilizing LATU for 2 years. She lives in HP. Her small daughter ran up to us wanting her mom to do something with the folded-paper “cootie catcher” in her hands. Her mom would not be interrupted, but as we talked, I took the thing from her hand and reformed the folds so she could operate it, which is what she wanted. Felt very like a Cornerstone story circle moment, especially since in the next room there was food and childcare.

Mark talked to the man on his right. (What is his name?)

I had already met Nick seated to my left., more about him later.

There were 4 situations to be updated on, listed by address and the name of the updating individuals associated with each place. Each presentation is followed by advice, encouragement, support and question about what they need from the group. Each one of the specific issues in progress ends with instructions for follow-up with another specific knowledgeable person.

5635 Monte Vista—J. & L. spoke. They had just come from a meeting with two other residents and were very close to signing a Tenants Association Letter, which seems to be a step in the process of formal resistance to being displaced by landlords. They do not know who the owner of the building is; they pay rent but there is no receipt given. They want to double Lupe’s rent to $1700/month.  “They offer money, but I do not want money. I want to stay living where I am.”

4549 York Blvd- J. & K.  A building in process of trying to get tenants out. They think the owner might be same that owns Bob Baker Marionette building. Seems like they are headed for an Ellis Act situation. Different tenants have received different communications and offers, as if the owners are trying to figure out best way to go. One tenant got an estoppel. Someone was offered $25,000, to pay half upon agreement and half once they have vacated. The room groaned. “Don’t do that! They won’t pay.“  The owners are doing a lot of property / apartment inspections. I’m not sure who it was that reported back that the tenants there are all smart and had done a lot of good research.

This Sunday there is an Ellis Act Working Group Meeting.

Rose Hills (aka Rose Hills Courts) – A public housing complex in Montecito Heights where HACLA is going to re-house the current residents to demolish their buildings and rebuild new ones, and like at JDs, double the capacity with affordable and market-rate unions. Current tenants (many of whom were re-housed here from Aliso Village Public Housing which was torn down in 1999) would be rehoused for 2 years or can take a section 8 voucher option. A. updated on this situation.

A woman whose name I didn’t get updated that she has her court hearing on Friday at 9am, last chance for her and the place she lives. Someone else at her building went to court and lost. She asked for support and presence.

Then there is a call for tenant issues that need immediate help:

2 households, who live in El Sereno (city of LA) bordering South Pasadena, spoke about a development on a hillside, in So. Pas, that would be 7 luxury/1.5 million starting price units. The site seems like it is not a place that could safely contain the new (proposed?) building. The developers are intimidated the residents, asking for compliance that affects their property and saying they don’t need their approval. (“Lie!”) The developers need to add an access road that cuts off one of the household’s driveway and limits access to their property from the LA City side. They need to install a sewer line through another long -ime property owners property. The developers are particularly disrespectful of the LA City residents compared to their attitude and approach to those in city of So Pas. The group had a lot of specific advice for them. Including petition to the land use committee, pay for a survey, check property titles for liens and easements which can be taken advantage of by developers, go directly to city councilperson, the neighborhood council can’t help.

Update from the Homeless/Unhoused Representative included news of constant sweeps to move homeless residents out, often confiscating property, sometimes making arrests. These sweeps are also happening in Echo Park like crazy. There is a city-wide sweep happening on March 6. People were encouraged to join the Homeless Working Group. Request for rapid response support for sweeps, including on March 6, to have witness on hand to the police actions and document. Also some discussion of LATU committing a $100/month to homeless support and supplies (tarps, hygiene kits, sanitary products, etc.)

Z., an older gentlemen, (Fig and Ave 60?) reported about his bad-acting landlord who acts through the building manager who is her sister. They are doing bathroom renovation work on the apartment he shares with his brother. They ignore his requests, particularly to not work on Sundays so he can attend church without leaving his brother alone with strangers in the apt.

N., who seems to know and do a lot on behalf of the union, said she’d contact Z’s pastor, and help write a letter about the violations of his tenant rights (they must always have a working bathroom, they must respect his request for no work on Sundays).

N, maybe late 20s?, rents a ground floor unit at 6157 Piedmont, off York. It floods and doesn’t drain. It’s not supposed to be a residential unit, though it had been in the past and was rented to him for him to live in. It’s registered as a commercial space. It’s a complicated mess and everyone had a lot of sympathy and were kind of charged about all the legal twists and turns of his situation.

There was an introduction from two people with Mujeres de la Tierra, which is based at the River Center. I wasn’t really sure what their ask to the group was. Maybe it was explained in the written agenda. Toward the end she mentioned something about an event to educate the community about two new ballot measures (not for 3/3 election). Immediately afterward a guy spoke directly about using caution regarding those two measures. A lot of respect all around though.

There’s now an Elysian Valley Neighborhood Council—something that took some time to make happen it seems. V spoke about strengthening the relationship between that group and the union, an event, financial support to the union, support for the union to get a new branch in a specific neighborhood I can’t remember, etc.

After the meeting we caught a few people, all of whom were interested in the project we are doing and in talking with Mark at some point. 

We connected with and gave fliers to K, the guy sitting next to Mark, and with Swift, who in addition to doing landscaping work that includes natural water collectors, also does political actions some of which include built in performances. Amazing.