Where Hollywood meets Centro-America (And Little Armenia!).
On Faith, Love, and In Between: Community Arts in Los Feliz
Yesterday Los Feliz and East Hollywood were both treated to an Open Mic night hosted by the Beautiful Gate community of the Los Feliz neighborhood in North-Central L.A. The event brought together singers, dancers, poets, and other artists from all over Los Angeles for a jam-packed evening of expression; as a photographer for the night, I counted nearly three-hundred shots of people of all ages and colors enjoying each other’s company with relatively few strings attached.
The Beautiful Gate is a faith-based movement that launched earlier this year. Unlike many faith organizations, however, the Beautiful Gate aims to “change the way people experience Christ and the church,” according to Samuel Theophylus, the organization’s head visionary.
Hey!
Greetings Friends!
It’s my pleasure to invite you all to an Open Mic Night in Los Feliz this upcoming Sunday afternoon! In addition to holding a potluck, the event will also feature the return of the prolific Kim Mendoza to the stage! After a four-year hiatus from the mic, Kim will finally share some poetry with folks again, and I can assure you that you won’t want to miss it. In addition to Kim’s return, yours truly will also be sharing some words about JT, and there’ll be even more great performers to see!
Plus, just between us, there’ll be some magnificent Indian food to enjoy, as well as arroz con leche. The address to the venue’s located on the flyer, but if you need any more info, just contact yours truly.
Aaahh
I went to Manhattan Beach yesterday…
And I don’t care how expensive it is, and I don’t care how far from the hood it is…
When I grow up, I’m moving to Manhattan Beach.
Sitting on the sand there, away from everything, it was just the break I needed after the last seven months. Away from my phone, and away from my email, the mind-games of it all just faded into the background. Even my time back home as a brother and son was put into perspective. For a moment, I was able to step out of these roles to reflect on just what they’ve looked like over the last few months, and on what they can still look like in the days to come.
At the end of it, I resolved that the greatest thing I can do for my family is just to be kind to them. They’re people too, each of them going through the twists and turns of the world just like I am. As obvious as that might sound, it’s not always so clear when I’m in the midst of living alongside them in our little shack. But they’re so beautiful. As beautiful as the sparkling waves of the ocean at Manhattan.
And yet, even this is only a bit of what I felt throughout yesterday’s adventure in the South Bay. It was unlike anything in recent memory for me. Riding on the Green Line for the first time, I was a kid again, and discovering how it went over the Harbor freeway–I mean, that was just intense! For more than just a moment, I was scared that somehow, I wouldn’t make it back home! And yet, after seven hours and sixty-four miles of trekking across the city, I did make it back! And to just what did I return? To one of the greatest little shacks in the world, of course. With the most beautiful ones, again.
