Across Los Angeles, for the past few years, community activists, inspired by the idea of the Social Center/Infoshop from Europe, or the Cafe Cultural in Mexico, have started non-governmental community centers. In LA, they're primarily by and for the people living in predominantly Chicano neighborhoods, but there are projects that exist within different contexts, with different social goals. Some, like Koo's and Workmen's Circle, have been around for years in one form or other, while others, like the Eastside Cafe, have been in formation for years, but only opened recently. Many come from a hybrid culture of punk and grassroots politics, like Flor Y Canto, Centro Cultural de Mexico, and Casa del Pueblo.

These centers don't exist in an historical vacuum. An early effort at an infoshop was formed in Highland Park as the (de)center. Also, there's a long tradition of radical bookstores like Sisterhood and Pathfinder, as well as Eso Won and Midnight Special. Also, there are the religious centers like the Islamic Centers, Jewish Shuls, and Christian Science Reading Rooms, which all function as community centers. They are also paralleled by community-oriented performance spaces, like Kulak's Woodshed, the Un-Urban Cafe, the old Iguanaland, Beyond Baroque, the World Stage, and Koo's.

This article is an attempt to map some of the progressive community centers around Los Angeles. Please post photos of your favorite community spaces as comments. You can upload one image per comment.

This was taken during the intl womens' day events at the Eastside Cafe in El Sereno. (Unfortunately, I didn't have a photo of the center, which looks very nice.) It's located on Huntington right at the Alhambra border. According to the literature there, the Eastside Cafe existed as a concept long before the physical space, and they have been organizing against the 710 freeway cutting through El Sereno.

The band is Candela. They were playing the music of Veracruz. The following article explains some of this music. (Try and ignore the touristy stuff.)

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/jcar/jcbamba.html

things have changed in ten years. this is a recap for the historians reading up on LA in 2024.

There's a new location called the Leftside Lounge up new View Park. The eastside has Corazon del Pueblo, which is having trouble making the rent.

The Antigua coffee has come and gone, and seems to be back. IMC did meetings at Rocotitlan for a while. Espresso Mi Cultura is still rolling along.

Radio Sombra's space has been active and present a while, but I haven't been there. 1st St is kind of gentrifying on the art side.

F Square printing run by Fernando Fernando moved downtown, and had a cafe going, but it seems to have gone away.

KIWA has a community space on 8th St near their office.

There's a warehouse near 31st and Maple that used to be called Infest, but it's now something else more political. They hosted the anarchist bookfair.

Echo Park Film Center and Machine Project are still operating.

A gallery in Chinatown called The Public School does some projects.

C-Level no longer exists as far as I know.

Human Resources is a gallery in Chinatown that has done some stuff.

The increase of galleries and gentrfiication in Chinatown spurred Asian American activists to open Bamboo Lane Gallery. It went on for a while but eventually closed.

Same thing is happening in other areas, like Lincoln Heights.

Centro Cultural de Francsico Villa was supporting Ron Gochez for city council. They've had events.

The AFIBA Center is connected with Jabari Jumaani who ran for city council. They've had events.

There are also bookstores, which are all suffering these days, but some still hang on. Shop and support, folks. There's Eso Won in Leimert Park Village. There's Skylight Books in Los Feliz. There's Revolution Books on Hollywood. And there's the Last Bookstore in downtown. Seite Books in East LA is hosting eastside zine fest and has a store up near the bus stop on Rowan, I think.

ArtShare LA in the downtown arts district hosted the anarchist bookfair.

The Brewery sometimes has events. I get a cold feeling there, though. I've been told the operation there is racist - probably true of a lot of this gentrification trend.

Flor Y Canto closed up a long time ago, and Sandpaper Books was in there a while. I think it's gone now, but next door is the Bike Oven.

The Bicycle Kitchen and Eco Village are going strong. Aside from the Bike Oven, some other bike diy spaces opened up. Also, a lot of bike shops have opened up as biking's become very trendy the past few years.