💌 Greetings from Board Chair, Betty Avila + 🍃 Nature Walk this Sat 3/16

Greetings from our Board Chair, Betty Avila

Dear friends and supporters,

There was a time when Cypress Park was one of the less familiar neighborhoods in Northeast LA. That little patch nestled between the LA River, the Arroyo Seco, Glassell Park, and Mount Washington. Across the river from Frogtown, with that odd left side exit off the 110. Fifteen years later, Cypress Park now stands on its own – no explanation needed – as another Northeast LA community being purchased up, flipped, and sold at outrageous prices. The heartbreak of not being able to afford to purchase a home in my beloved pocket of Los Angeles is a reality for me and far too many people in this city.

LA Más is one of few organizations in Northeast LA (NELA) addressing the needs of our community in the face of gentrification, displacement, and other forms of economic violence. The work is grounded in community care, justice, and centers the needs of community members who have called NELA home for decades.

Making the commitment to join the LA Más Board and step into the role of chair is deeply personal for me. I grew up in Cypress Park and hope to be part of a future where all community members, regardless of income, can thrive in a vibrant and self-sustaining local economy. As a cultural worker, I appreciate LA Más’ culturally-rooted and human-centered approach to work that can often feel cold, data-driven, and distant from the community and land itself. I am excited to see the team lean into its place-based strategy by securing a space that can further act as a convener and activator for Northeast LA communities.

There is so much opportunity to see a community “in transition” evolve to the benefit of everyone – centering community power through access to land, mutual solidarity, and capital. LA Más is poised to lead this effort in NELA. I hope you’ll join us as the success of this work requires a collaborative and collective lift.

In Solidarity,

Betty Avila

LA Más Board Chair

Knowledge Share on Cooperative Housing

Last fall, Helen and Miguel were invited to share our emerging work on housing as part of statewide housing convener Build It Green’s community engagement learning session. We were especially excited to present alongside SOMOS Mayfair, an organization in East San Jose with shared values of resident leadership and community power. They are also on a journey to take property off the speculative market for community ownership.

Check out our conversation recap, which highlights the essential grassroots and trust building work that is foundational to making alternative housing models - like cooperative housing or what LA Más is calling community housing - possible. A consistent theme is the need for a cultural shift – a narrative change on what housing can be for our working class communities: affordable, stable, and cared for by residents. We appreciate the opportunity to reflect on our housing journey and doing so with other community-based organizations working across the state.

Investing in an Equitable Northeast LA

Thanks to the leadership of the LA Regional Open Space & Affordable Housing Collaborative (LA ROSAH) and their partners, along with the advocacy of Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo – $1.5M from the State has been allocated to implement the next phase of the Community Taylor Yard Equity Strategy (TYES).

As part of the 100 Acre Partnership, the City of LA, CA State Parks and MRCA are pursuing large-scale restoration, open space and community use projects on its 100-acre Taylor Yard site along the LA River. The City of LA has been leading the equity strategy development in partnership with LA ROSAH. This funding will support efforts to minimize displacement pressures and ensure longtime community members will benefit from ongoing investments.

Our Executive Director Helen was honored to share remarks at the check presentation ceremony: “We’re excited about this investment because an equity strategy that centers Indigenous and working class voices is essential. As a place where natural, urban and community ecosystems meet, Taylor Yard brings a unique opportunity to rethink how investing in infrastructure can celebrate - rather than erase - the assets our community already has.”

We look forward to working with LA ROSAH and the many Taylor Yard partners on next steps.

Cycling through Art + History in NELA

In February, Miguel organized a NELA Mural Bike Ride with our friends at The Bike Oven. Donated by Miguel as a silent auction item for our 2023 Rooted Fundraiser, the ride was claimed by Bike Oven team member Armando who was excited to expand the offering into a community collaboration. Miguel and Armando partnered to incorporate the bike ride into Bike Oven’s Spoke N’ Art series that combines cycling and local art.

Miguel, who was born and raised in Highland Park, curated an 11-mile tour of eight murals across Northeast LA – combining his experiences as a community organizer, cycling activist, and artist. Alongside 40 cyclists of all ages, Miguel led the group through Lincoln Heights, Highland Park, Cypress Park and Elysian Valley. He chose murals that highlighted themes and values that ground us at LA Más: community, solidarity and land. Joined by three of the muralists, Miguel and local artists shared the murals’ stories and their context within Northeast LA’s history. The day ended with a celebratory cumbia performance by beloved local band Poco Pocho at the Taylor Yard Bridge.

We’re always grateful for the opportunities to creatively collaborate with partners, celebrate our community, and ground ourselves in the stories and places that shape Northeast LA.

Join our Community Housing movement!

Are you (or do you know) a property owner in Northeast LA who is planning to sell your property sometime soon or is open to sharing your property? Do you…

Love your community and neighbors
See neighbors moving away because they can’t afford to stay
Believe in sharing your resources
Want to see their home thoughtfully stewarded in its next chapter?

If yes, then join the Northeast LA Community Housing Alliance (NELACHA)! We’re looking to create and preserve housing that can be permanently affordable and stable for working class neighbors who are getting priced out. We have a coalition of longtime working class residents and experts in development and finance who will partner with us on acquisitions – now we need property owners who are willing to sell or lease to us so they can turn their assets into community housing!

Interested or want to help spread the word? Below are opportunities to get involved:

Allies Training | Join our Community Housing Allies virtual training on Wednesday, March 13 from 12pm-1pm (zoom link here) or email helen@mas.la.
General Meeting | Join our bimonthly NELACHA space on Tuesday, March 26 from 5:30-7:30pm at Glassell Park Senior Center (3750 Verdugo Rd). RSVP with miguel@mas.la.

See you at the River this Saturday

Join us this Saturday, March 16 from 9am-11am at Rio de Los Angeles State Park for a community nature walk! We’ll be walking along the LA River (Paayme Paxaayt) from Cypress Park to Elysian Valley over the Taylor Yard Bridge – reconnecting with neighbors and nature along the way.

This walk is open to everyone and is part of our ongoing community-building events. At these events, we spend time with each other at natural spaces throughout Northeast LA to ground ourselves in community and place. It’s where our solidarity ecosystem (or membership network of working class community members and allies) can gather in a joyful and restorative setting. We hope to see you there!

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