What a month for Quien Es Tu Vecindario!

J.T.Leave a comment

We hope this message finds you well! If we connected recently through one of our fundraising events, we’re doubly grateful to have you subbed to this newsletter! This February has been huge for us, most of all because partnership with our larger community garnered at least $1,400 for our ongoing Vendor Buyout campaign.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Dance and DJ collective Tu Casa LA, as well as filmmaker, photographer, performer, and writer Anya Jiménez, for these successful collaborations, who each found Quien Es Tu Vecindario within just the past year; rest assured, at our next big event, we’ll be honoring each of them with our very own special recognition for their leadership in the name of our communities.

The additional funds have allowed us to connect with even more vendors in our neighborhoods, expanding our network at this critical time for immigrants in Los Angeles. But we’re just getting started, as the team is looking to hit the streets again this March to provide more resources to those especially in need given the ongoing attacks against our people. If you’re interested in getting involved in either fundraising or canvassing with us, simply reach out and we’ll be happy to coordinate for it!

Speaking of the streets and our people, for this edition of the newsletter we’d like to shout out our OG local Echo Park frutero, Gilberto’s Fruits. We spotted his cart recently at the Silver Lake reservoir and were happy to check in. As it happens, he and his family’s GoFundMe is almost at its goal. In case you or someone else you know can help it along, please don’t hesitate to do just so!

—
¡Esperamos que este mensaje te encuentra bien! Si nos conectamos recientemente a través de uno de nuestros eventos de recaudación de fondos, ¡estamos doblemente agradecidos de que te hayas suscrito a este boletín! Este febrero ha sido un mes crucial para nosotros, sobre todo porque la colaboración con nuestra comunidad en general recaudó al menos $1,400 para nuestra campaña de Compra de Vendedores.

Estamos profundamente agradecidos con el colectivo de danza y DJ Tu Casa LA, así como con la cineasta, fotógrafa, artista y escritora Anya Jiménez, por estas exitosas colaboraciones, quienes fundaron “Quién Es Tu Vecindario” tan solo el año pasado. Ten la seguridad de que en nuestro próximo gran evento, honraremos a cada uno de ellos con un reconocimiento especial por su liderazgo apoyando nuestras comunidades.

Los fondos adicionales nos han permitido conectar con aún más vendedores en nuestros vecindarios, ampliando nuestra red en este momento crítico para los inmigrantes en Los Ángeles. Y esto es solo el comienzo, ya que el equipo busca salir a las calles nuevamente este marzo para brindar mas recursos a quienes más lo necesitan, dados los continuos ataques contra nuestra gente. Si está interesado en participar en la recaudación de fondos o en la campaña con nosotros, simplemente contáctanos y estaremos encantados de coordinarlo!

Hablando de las calles y de nuestra gente, en esta edición del boletín queremos destacar a nuestro “OG” frutero local de Echo Park, Gilberto’s Fruits. Vimos su carrito hace poco en el embalse de Silver Lake y nos alegró mucho verlo. Casualmente, su recaudación de fondos en GoFundMe y su familia está a punto de alcanzar su objetivo. Si tú o alguien que conoces puede ayudar, ¡no dudes en apoyar!

J.T.

We Love You, Gustavo Robles, aka “Kaboom,” and raise your name before all of our Neighborhood

J.T.1 Comment
Gustavo Robles, second from the left, with life-long childhood friends mourning the sudden loss of another giant in our community, Sergio Rios, in 2024.

“Every Pueblito has a coranzito, an inimitable essence for its people. A deep glow from above and below.”

Wherever Gustavo went, raucous laughter tended to ensue, along with an unmistakable camaraderie for and from the people around him. The fact is that it was a special gift how he went so naturally from goofing off with the homeboys to sliding off in front of the homegirls, then still finding time to offer a helping hand to the Señoras of our Pueblito. Together with his entirely contagious smile, these qualities made him a central figure anywhere in our neighborhood one of us was fortunate enough to find him.

Love is a flame; one that kindles more love from everything it touches. Gustavo embodied it every day and in every direction, so now in every direction we mourn and hold and uplift each other as he would have us do. In a world still dividing our families between borders and tearing away at our roots at every turn, it’s a gift to connect with those who still abide by everyone they meet as a sacred code of conduct; that’s what this young man was and what he will live indefinitely in our memories for.

We will have even more to recount in the wake of this champion’s sudden passing via Making a Neighborhood. Please subscribe to the Newsletter to be sure you don’t miss it.

Above all, our deepest condolences go to his friends, family, and everyone else who treasured Gustavo with us.

J.T.