The award-winning and bestselling classic memoir about a young Chicano gang member surviving the dangerous streets of East Los Angeles, is on its 30th anniversary! Pick up a copy, now featuring a new introduction by Luis J. Rodriguez, and meet the author himself.
About the book:
Successful as a Chicano poet, Rodriguez thought he had put the streets and his own days as a gang member behind him-until his young son joined a gang. Rogriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in the national bestseller and New York Times Notable Book, Always Running: La Vida Loco, Gang Days in L.A. This vivid memoir explores gang life and cautions against the death and destruction that haunts its participants. The book has been included on school reading lists nationwide but has often been the subject of controversy due to its frank depictions of gang life being named one of the nation's 100 most censored titles by the American Library Association. Always Running was adapted as a play in 2019 by LJR and Hector Rodriguez. In 1012, Rodriguez published a sequel titled it Calls You Back: An Odyssey of Love, Addiction, Revolutions, and Healing.
Meet the author: Luis J. Rodriguez is an acclaimed poet, novelist, children's book author, journalist, and co-founder of Tía Chucha's Centro Cultural & bookstore. Rodriguez's honors include the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Writers' Award, a California Arts Council Legacy Fellowship, the Sundance Institute's Arts Writing Fellowship, a Lannan Fellowship for Poetry, the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award, several Illinois Arts Council fellowships, and the Dorothea Lang-Paul Taylor Prize in Journalism with photojournalist Donna De Cesare for their cover-age of Salvadoran gang youth in Los Angeles and El Salvador. He was one of 50 leaders worldwide selected as "Unsung Heroes of Compassion," presented by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. In 2022 he was presented the Los Angeles Times' Robert Kirsch Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2023 Cinemi-lls Tv created a short documentary on Luis J. Rodriguez titled Triple OG From Lomas.
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Always Running: Photography by Luis J. Rodriguez
I first read Luis J. Rodriguez book, "Always Running" in my early twenties. Many of the people, places, and the events in the book seemed like memories of my own family and friends, places I lived, and things that happened. The book's popularity over the last three decades makes me think that there are many people who feel this way. That it holds a special place in their lives, like it does in mine. Putting together the exhibition "Always running: Photography by Luis J. Rodriguez" on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the publishing of the book has been a privilege. The photos have a sensitivity to time and place that could only have been captured by someone who was thinking deeply about their lives. Beyond their aesthetic qualities, this body of work is an important piece of American History. I am thankful to Tía Chucha's and to Luis J. Rodriguez for trusting me to help get this beautiful work out in the world.
Always Running Photo Exhibit Curator:
-Noé Montez
Meet the Curator:
Noé Montes is an artist based in Los Angles. For more than 20 years, his work has documented underrepresented communities to effect change through storytelling, education, and advocacy around social, economic, and environmental issues. The themes of his work are personal and community development, with a strong focus on the social issues that are shaping a new American narrative. His list of commissions includes work for the Annenberg Foundation, the California Air Resources Board, the California Community Foundation, The Getty Foundation, and the L.A. County Department of Arts and Culture.
Kalpulli Temachtia Quetzalcoatl originally began in the courtyard of the initial Tía Chucha's location in Sylmar. With only keys for a sonaja, the group blossomed into a formal danza circle under the leadership of Tezkatl Akatl in 2006 and became recognized as a kalpulli in their 13th year, 2019. At almost 20 years old, Kalpulli Temachtia Quetzalcoatl has dedicated their years to serving the Northeast San Fernando community and beyond by: Offering seasonal Mexikah Step Classes, Opening and Closing ceremonies for community organizations and local schools and colleges/universities, hosting workshops and lectures, facilitating Dia de los Muertos teachings and altar tending, participating in marches and hosting seasonal ceremonies according to the Aztec calendar that are free and open to the public.
DJ Performances by:
DJ Lee Set & Devil One, Los Angeles-based Djs, are known for instigating unforgettable parties. Renowned for orchestrating twist contests, toga hootenannies, and wild big hair dance parties, they are the masterminds behind LA's premier Rhythm & Soul dance party, "Beat Bait" and Oldies but Goodies night, "Dedicated to You: a tribute to Art Laboe."
Join them as they play us some of the classic oldies you love.
Call or text (213)204-1666 to request a song along with a message for a special someone.
Requests will be accepted beginning Nov 11 and will close Nov 16 at 5pm.
Live musical performance by
SAL & FRIENDS
Sal Rodriguez from group WAR, will be performing classic oldies tunes at Tía Chucha's 23rd year anniversary! Sal has been playing professionally for over forty years, the last 34 of which he has been a member of the group WAR. Sal has performed from Carnegie Hall to Roy Albert Hall in London with Eric Burdon also has toured the world with such greats as The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Tom Jones, Jose Feliciano, Tierra, El Chicano, Texas Mex Legend "Little Joe & La Familia", Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night, Iron Butterfly and many others. Sal also had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of his idols like Carlos Santana, Tony Bennet, The Doobie Brothers, Tower of Power, Malo, Aretha Franklyn, Earth Wind and Fire, AWB, Alice Cooper, Los Lobos and his all time favorite band Grand Funk, and the list goes on. When Sal is not on tour with the group he stays busy in L.A. working on projects, producing, recording sessions and organizing fundraisers for schools and various non profit groups in the community, along with being a family man happily married to his beautiful wife Madeline of 31 years, three children; daughters Andrea, Sheila and his son Little Sal.
Smile Now, Cry Later Ceramics by Shy.jpeg
San Fernando Valley Kid T-Shirt
San Fernando Valley Kid Sticker Pack
FeedThePeople, LA is an all plant-based vegan community centered kitchen operated by QTBIPOC. We are a community space (soon to be physical space) highlighting health, wellness, self-determination and collective solidarity with food as our weapon for community power. We have partnered with youth and community organizations, done workshops at community gardens, recipe share with mothers/grandmothers and do an all plant based meal distribution which are all financially sustained through catering, pop ups, donations and community grants/funding. One of our most important messages is to not force people to eat vegan but to provide an alternative where people have the option to choose if they want to be vegan without compromising cultural significance or affordability.
Complimentary cafe de olla, pan dulce, and other pastries by Coateca Collective
Frank Escamilla is a poet, storyteller, educator, facillitator and luminary born and raised in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles. He is known in the streets, on stages and in communities around the world as "Bus Stop Prophet". Frank has been deeply engaged in creative peacemaking work for over 20 years in Los Angeles, as well as South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Mexico and the U.K. He can be found transforming spaces within institutions such as K-12 schools, higher education, detention centers, prisons, organizations and retreats all over the world. Currently Frank serves as Director of School and Community Programs for Street Poets Inc.
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Xitlalic Guijosa-Osuna is a Southeast L.A. Michoacána-Sinaloense, poeta, visual artist and teaching artist. She is the owner and creator of Tarjetitas con Amor greeting cards that represent her community as well as her family. She writes and prints about Guayabas, her Madre, her grandmothers, and memories.
