STRAIGHT OUTTA SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

J.T.Leave a comment

On this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we speak with Jillian Burgos, the treasurer of the North Hollywood Neighborhood Council, which is known to issue more Community Impact Reports than any other Neighborhood Council! Burgos has called Los Angeles home since 2009 and is now running a people-powered campaign to replace Paul Krekorian for L.A. City Council District 2 this March. Learn more about the campaign through her website, and check back soon to find the time-stamps for our convo.

(0:30) Welcome Jillian Burgos! Would you tell us about yourself, and when you first declared your campaign?
(6:27) Let’s talk about Council District 2, and which neighborhoods it includes
(9:16) Let’s also talk about the Neighborhood Council system
(15:38) The NC’s can actually make statements about living conditions, including Renter’s Issues
(17:25) A lot of renters in CD-2 are also actors and writers who were on strike recently 17:32
(23:11) What would Jillian Burgos do regarding illegal Airbnbs in the district?
(26:01) Among other things, coalition-building at L.A. City Hall
(29:30) What would Transit Justice in CD-2 actually look like in 5 – 10 years?
(32:04) With all this said, what really sets Jillian’s campaign apart from the rest of the pack?
(37:42) How folks can volunteer for or otherwise support Jillian’s campaign
(38:43) Volunteering and the importance of matching funds
(40:18) Is Jillian’s campaign the real grassroots campaign in CD-2 to support?
(42:16) Yes, indeed. Now on to canvassing!

You can also catch the latest from yours truly on L.A. County Districts 2, 4, 5 and the District Attorney’s office via Making a Neighborhood; and yes, Los Cuentos has wrapped up with Elections in El Salvador and I’ll have a report back soon! For now, to make a one-time donation to JIMBO TIMES, please do so through jmbtms.com. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, check out my PATREON.

J.T.

FROM K-TOWN TO SAN SALVADOR

J.T.Leave a comment

In the first full episode for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast this 2024, which is also doubling as an episode for K-Town Is OK, we sit down with filmmaker and journalist Vladimir Santos—who also forms one half of Ey Foo You a Rocker?—as well as Indigenous Arts and Healing Practitioner, the one and only Monica Garcia.

Plus, the latest from via Making a Neighborhood on LAUSD elections this March. Then, yours truly returns to El Salvador for just the second time in almost six years. More on Los Cuentos en El Salvador soon.

(0:31) Can you hear yourself? I can
(2:53) Meet Vladimir De Jesus Santos, Straight Outta K-Town
(6:35) Meet Monica Garcia, Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Mayan
(11:06) Speaking of culture, did anyone make tamales this holiday season?
(13:42) Making tamales isn’t all that easy, actually
(15:23) Vlad makes our discussion on tamales more controversial
(18:13) Jimmy maintains the peace
(20:03) Get us more food trucks, less gentrification please
(24:10) Give K-Town back to the people, like Maqueos music!
(26:26) Real families have been displaced by gentrification in K-Town, including Vlad
(31:20) How racial violence against communities of color continues being unaccounted for due to gentrification
(35:42) In a world of individuals, what happens to the community?
(39:14) This is America, a place that works extremely well, if you’re rich
(42:23) This dialogue matters too, though
(43:57) Shout out to my noona as well, Helen H. Kim!
(44:40) How to keep up with Vlad and Monica in the days ahead
(45:05) Monica is doing healing practices and workshops
(48:19) Vlad is working on those 🎥🎥🎥, obviously
(50:27) His work is also at the Academy Museum though!
(53:30) Yours truly has a flight to catch soon, to San Salvador!

To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for Los Cuentos in El Salvador, please do so through my GoFundMe. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, check out my PATREON.

J.T.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN EL SALVADOR

J.T.Leave a comment

In the first update for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast this 2024, our Cheat Sheet on L.A. City Council Races in March via Making a Neighborhood. Then, yours truly returns to El Salvador this January, this time as an Election Observer for presidential elections in my papa’s homeland.

To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for the delegation to El Salvador, please do so through my GoFundMe. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, check out my PATREON.

J.T.

Family Continues To Uplift in Luis Ek’s Name with Cochinita Pibil Sale this Saturday, the 24th, and Sunday, the 25th

J.T.Leave a comment

The Ek family is hosting a special weekend food sale from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM this Saturday, the 24th, and Sunday, the 25th, in the Virgil Village area to raise funds for memorial services honoring Luis Ek, 31, who unexpectedly passed away last Tuesday, April 13th, leaving behind two daughters.

The featured dish for the fundraiser, Cochinita Pibil, is a classic slow-roasted and marinated pork dish from the state of Yucatán, Mexico. Orders placed will be for pick-up only. To get your plate and support this effort by Luis’s family, please call (213) 793-5671.

J.T.

Please Uplift the Name of Luis Ek, whose daughters now miss their Papa

J.T.1 Comment

This Tuesday, April 13th, in the early morning hours, Luis Ek, pictured above this column at the top right with his two daughters, died of unknown causes just a block away from his home while attending to an errand. He was only 31 years old.

Luis Ek (Licho to friends), second from the left, with his clan since childhood in 2007.

As was customary for youth growing up along Virgil avenue in the early 2000s, Luis attended Lockwood Elementary, King Middle school, and John Marshall High school.

Also true to the fashion for many young Latinx kids in our community, Luis came to love heavy metal music at an early age in his life, and was as true to the form, replete with the rockero style of black hoodies, jeans, and skateboards, as he was loyal to his many friends, primos, and more who knew him.

One of Luis’s life-long friends and neighbors, Rene Martinez, noted of Luis, whose nickname was Licho:

“Happy, always smiling, ready to crack jokes. And always willing to help no matter what. Always had your back.”

In his early twenties, Luis became a father of two girls. After a separation from their mom, Luis faithfully attended to his daughters as their single parent. His daughters will now miss their papa, who could often be seen walking with the girls along Virgil avenue on their way to school, or just out for a stroll along Hoover street and the accompanying thoroughfares.

Constantly on his feet, one could also run into Luis picking up some pupusas after work at local California Grill, or laughing with one of the compradres over a drink after work. He was rarely ever truly alone; constantly on his way to someone, or for someone, in good spirits.

In 2018, for our community’s first-ever Back 2 School Party, Luis attended the show with his daughters, reliably smiling on. Our main photographer for the event, Samanta Helou-Hernandez, captured this photo of the trio.

Luis Ek (Licho), with his two daughters at the first-ever Back 2 School Party in East Hollywood; August 25, 2018. Photo courtesy of Samanta Helou-Hernandez at This Side of Hoover.

Luis is now survived by his two daughters, his mama and papa, siblings, tios, tias, primos, and many friends locally in Los Angeles and out as far as Yucatan, Mexico.

His prima, Genesis Ek, has set up this FUNDRAISER for a proper ceremony with respect to his untimely passing.

J.T.