Block Party in South Boyle Heights Closes Street For Rare Outdoor Fun

The street closure opened up room for a game of catch. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog

Just off the beaten path enough to not disrupt local traffic, the Boyle Heights Block Party was held Sunday, October 21, 2012 on 7th Street and Euclid. While Euclid remained open to traffic between Whittier and 8th, a portion of 7th was closed for passersby, information tables, recreation, and booths providing educational material. In addition, Sunrise Elementary opened their parking lot to the event and hosted the food and live music.

The half-day event–Youth Empowerment Committee from the Building Healthy Communities, Boyle Heights–catered to local youth, which included a photobooth, music and other activities. With a $4000 budget funded by a grant from the California Endowment, students from Roosevelt High School took a portion of the money to do an event for their fellow comrades–and all in an area not normally visited, said 17-year-old Kelly Figueroa, a senior at the Academy of Medicine and Health Science at Roosevelt.

Figueroa, who lives in Estrada Courts and is one of the student organizers, said that many activities happen on “the other side” of Boyle Heights, but not near her home in the south. “The opinion that I had was that it should be in the middle of Boyle Heights so that way both sides could come in and reach in and go.”

The outdoor festival was held adjacent to the 5 freeway, making the din of traffic was smothered by the sound of rock and roll strumming and digital DJ beats. The threat of rain never materialized, but the clouds lent this day to a dramatic backdrop.

Eddie Padilla and Corky Dominguez of Casa 0101 directed youth in a theater game workshop and engaged them in exercises of communication and movement. The two bands, Thee Commons and Scatterd Sun, delivered classic sounds of rock and roll including old school covers of Beatles songs replete with vintage keyboards and a kazoo. The Black and Brown Unity ride from East LA to Watts, with the Ovarian Psychos and the East Side Riders, made it’s way out of the block party at about 3pm taking with it a group of more than 40 cyclists.

A cyclists at the Ovarian Psycos bike repair booth uses the free pump and tools to prep his tires for a ride to Watts. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog

 

Eddie Padilla leads the crowd of animated youngsters in the superhero pose during Casa 0101's group theater exercises. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
Freshly fried potato chips and crepes. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
Pupusas were a hit on this day. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
People visit a Latino Equality Alliance booth. Informative booths lined Seventh Street, including: LAforYouth.org, Proyecto Pastoral, Immigrant Youth Coalition, Youthbuild , Montebello Bicycle Coalition, Jardin Abundancia, Community Education for Social Activism, United Students, Ovarian Psycos, Casa 0101, Inner City Struggle, Planed Parenthood, YMCA, Roosevelt Mecha. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
The ubiquitous face painter. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
A hula hoop contest kept these kids laughing. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog
The clouds parted during the set for Scattered Sun. Rafael Cardenas/lastreetsblog

Rafael Cardenas is a local photographer that shoots images on the Eastside. Check out his work at Eastsiderwriter.com. Kris Fortin contributed to this post.

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