The Ghosts of Mexico in Merced

My Grandfather's Disappearance Inspired My Film About the Dark Side of Immigration

I live in a forgotten region. Most Californians, if they know the Central Valley exists, forget it when they think of the state as a whole. Those that have been there often simply drive through it on their way to Yosemite. Very few actually visit this region. Perhaps the simple reason is that it offers up a direct contrast to the mythical California of sunlit beaches and sophisticated cities. The Valley has high levels of poverty, crime, and unemployment. Stretching for 450 miles, from Bakersfield to Redding, it is one …

How Watts Provided the Foundation for a Family’s Rise in America

Baseball, Small Business, and Legal Status Helped a South L.A. Clan Develop Deep Community Roots

It’s as nostalgic a scene as you can get: young boys gathering in the streets, playing summertime baseball into the night, dreaming of the big leagues. “We would be out …

Created to Appeal to Nostalgia, Faux Plazas Serve a Traditional Purpose

Mexican-Americans in the South L.A. Region Enjoy Shopping Centers Designed to Remind Them of Mexico’s Popular Public Spaces

The area of Los Angeles south of the 10 Freeway is not generally known for its shopping or dining destinations, nor for its great public spaces. But the region is …

A High Flying Artist Never Forgot the People Working the Land

Among José Montoya’s Abundant Creative Output Are Thousands of Sketches Documenting Chicano Life

When Richard Montoya started organizing an exhibition of his father’s art, he was astonished at the sheer number of sketches he found. He and his co-curator, Selene Preciado, eventually chose …

Trump’s Corporate Comeuppance Was Only a Minor Victory

The Brouhaha Over the GOP Candidate's Diatribe Has Done Little to Counter the Irrational Invective Against Illegal Immigration

Blacks will remember June 2015 as the month when funerals forced the flag down. Gays and lesbians will long celebrate love winning across 50 states.

And Latinos? They had The …