In 2000, a young reporter began their career at KPCC 89.3, now known as LAist 89.3, marking the start of a 25-year journey in Southern California.
During this time, they have gathered rich experiences traveling across the region, engaging in conversations that captured the essence of its diverse communities.
From discussions on genocide involving Armenians, Cambodians, and Jews to the celebration of the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s red-carpet inauguration, the reporter has witnessed both historical milestones and the personal narratives that shape them.
In addition to their journalism career, they have pursued a long-standing passion for performance poetry, co-founding the influential Taco Shop Poets in the 1990s.
This duality is explored in their first collection of writing, “California Southern: writing from the road, 1992-2025,” which encapsulates their experiences as both a reporter and a poet.
The book’s themes delve into the emotional landscape of returning to Mexico, a place that shaped their childhood, while connecting with individuals—both Mexican and other ethnicities—who share narratives of leaving their homelands in search of belonging in Southern California.
One poignant piece, “Vine a Los Angeles (I came to Los Angeles),” intertwines the Aztec origin myth from their childhood with reflections on the complex history encountered in L.A.
The poem opens with an evocative image:
“The eagle
perched on the cactus
called me to Los Angeles.”
The words unfold the layers of history beneath Los Angeles, from the Templo Mayor of Mexico City to the contemporary landscape marked by adobe forts and post-war tract homes.
Each line captures the city’s evolution and the cultural crossroads where various immigrant experiences intersect.
In the recent past, the reporter joined LAist colleagues to cover major protests that surged across Southern California.
Notably, during a protest in Long Beach in 2020—held in memory of George Floyd—they faced a harrowing event when a foam round shot by local police struck their throat, leaving a mark that would lead to further reflections in their writing.
This traumatic encounter is woven into the fabric of their book, where writing serves as a means to process the chaos of the outside world.
Another poignant piece, “Boom Town National City,” recounts a heart-wrenching 2018 incident when Border Patrol agents detained a woman while her daughters screamed.
As someone who experienced the struggles of being undocumented, the author relates to the girls’ terror, highlighting the emotional impact of such events.
Through these experiences, the author contemplates the role of writing in helping individuals come to terms with trauma and displacement.
A call to write emerges from the text, encouraging others to capture their stories:
“Fill your fountain pen with blood, fill it with the rainbow ink sliding down the corner of your eye. Write your own postcard. Write it multiple times. Write it when you love. Write it when you’re lonely. Write it when you feel that you’re returning to your original self, your whole self.”
The journey of self-discovery and community engagement weaves through the narratives shared in the collection.
In the closing poem, the author invokes phrases from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848.
This treaty, marking the end of war between Mexico and the United States, carries language intended to safeguard the civil rights of Mexicans in the newly acquired U.S. territory.
The resonance of the treaty’s words is profound nearly 180 years later, serving as a reminder of the call to action towards the harmony the treaty envisioned.
In a world often fraught with conflict, the author reflects:
“In the name of almighty god
animated by a sincere desire
to put an end to the calamities of war
and establish relations of
peace and friendship.”
These themes of friendship, limits, and settlement form a significant thread in the book, encouraging readers to envision a more peaceful future for diverse communities across Southern California.
image source from：laist
