South LA
Streetsblog LA
Art, Food Justice, and Bike Rides Make South L.A. the Place to be this Weekend
One of the really fun things about tracking South L.A. as intimately as I have over the past couple of years is seeing how the area is transforming itself, both as a site of innovation in community organizing and as a destination for arts and fun. This weekend's events offer a perfect example of what I mean.
July 25, 2013
Demonstrations of Solidarity are Not Enough to Make Public Space Safe for Everyone
Listening to reports of the murder of yet another Sikh in the wake of 9/11, my mother looked up at the portrait of my father and sighed, "It's a good thing he's not here to see this."
July 17, 2013
Gardena PD Ticket, Harass United Riders of South Los Angeles for Taking Lane while the Case of the Hit-and-Run Victim They Were Honoring Remains Unsolved
The United Riders of South Los Angeles had just left the memorial site for Benjamin Torres, killed last October in Gardena in a hit-and-run, when they were pulled over by the Gardena Police Department.
July 12, 2013
Visit a New Grocery Stand, Help Build Bikes for Kids, Participate in a Vacant Lots Project, or Help Recode L.A.
There are several things afoot in South L.A. this weekend that will essentially cover the four food groups of livability: fresh food stands, bicycle building (and donating), recoding the city's outdated zoning codes (OK, that's a stretch), and vacant lot identification. The best thing? They're spaced out well enough that you can check out all four events if you plan right.
July 11, 2013
Assessing the Momentum of the Bike Movement in South L.A., a Year and a Half On
We've known for a while what NPR and the League of American Bicyclists appear to just be figuring out: namely, that people of color ride bikes and are doing so in ever-increasing numbers.
July 10, 2013
After the Fireworks, There is Still Fun to Be Had on Bikes This Weekend
Last July, the Peace, Love and Family ride took a couple hundred riders on a tour through some of the major corridors of South L.A. before returning to a festival at Manchester and Vermont to show people that the streets could be sites for recreation.
July 3, 2013
Transforming “Summer Night Lights” to “Year-Round Lights” Could Work Wonders for Communities Where Access to Public Space is Limited
Since we're in the mood to talk transitioning this week, I'd like to put in a plug for Eric Garcetti to continue to support and significantly expand one of the most important community efforts to reclaim public space for recreation.
June 28, 2013
And So It Gets Put on Hold… Co-op at Watts Cyclery Postponed Until After Owner’s Tour of Duty
"Stalin tells me you have helped him cut costs," I said to the brother of Stalin Medina, owner of the Watts Cyclery. He has been helping manage the shop for the past several months because Medina has been tied up with Army trainings in preparation for a tour in Afghanistan that begins in July.
June 21, 2013
A Case for the Incorporation of Questions of Access Into Planning for Complete Streets
"David!" I yelled, gesturing at City Planning's David Somers to come over and listen to what the residents playing cards in their yard were saying about the need for a stoplight at the intersection outside their front gate.
June 19, 2013