With less than two weeks to go before Election Day on November 5th, here are my unapologetic positions for this year’s measures in California: (3:14) – NO ON PROP 2 (9:54) – YES ON PROP 3 (12:31) – NO ON PROP 4 (18:14) – UNDECIDED ON PROP 5 (23:35) – YES ON PROP 6 (26:52) – YES ON PROP 32 (28:02) – UNDECIDED ON PROP 33 (33:34) – UNDECIDED ON PROP 3…

Got a ballot recently? Reporter at L.A. Public Press Elizabeth Chou and I get into a handful of the choices on the ballot this November to get you started on your voting journey! We discuss Prop 36, or the innocuously titled “Drug and Theft Crime Penalties and Treatment-Mandated Felonies Initiative,” Prop 33, or the “Prohibit State Limitations on R…

On this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we speak with Renee Rose, who is the Deputy-in-Charge of the Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Unit in Los Angeles County. With over thirty years of experience in the courtroom, including as a prosecutor for the Hardcore Gang Unit, she’s now running for Superior Court Judge, Seat 48, which we f…

On October 12th the city of Los Angeles brings back a major block party in “Broadway Night Lights” at the center of downtown L.A. Formerly “Night on Broadway” by Jose Huizar and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI), an association of business owners in downtown L.A., the event is now being funded by Art Development Fees (ADF) maintained b…

It was my people with the Sueño team who connected me with the Los Angeles Conservancy, which was first founded in 1978 in defense of none other than our dearly beloved L.A. Public Library; more soon, but for now, thanks again to Alex Inshishian for allowing us to speak with him about this incredible backstory for the Pueblito. Videography by CLVRK…

On this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we’re joined by Phoenix Tso, who chats with us about The Tenant Association, a new podcast on the Chinatown Hillside Villa Tenant Association, which formed in 2018 after residents there received a 300% Rent Increase without any prior notice from their landlord; in addition to the origins of t…

The return of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast features Eric Solis, an L.A. born architect and designer now living and consulting in Mexico City, where the rise of a new, international gentrification has pushed residents like himself to fight back and organize. Solis’s roots in Los Angeles also run deep, however, especially given his time with HNT…

There is no podcast this week since yours truly is busy just prepping for the official 10 year Anniversary Bash for JIMBOTIMES.COM, but the podcast will be back with new guests and Cuentos in no time! In the meantime, it’s my great pleasure to invite you to the official ten year gathering for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller at All Power Books in Mid-City…

Let the city know! This summer, both J.T. the L.A. Storyteller and Rhymefest Los Angeles turn ten years young in the game; our coming together is thus going to be the hip hop and Los Cuentos event of the summer. The entire block and every family is invited! Yours truly also extends the biggest shout out to 2Mex, of L.A.’s Visionaries, who is just n…

George A. Turner is a father of three and is originally from the city of Inglewood, where he continues to live with his family. Turner has served as a Public Defender for L.A. County for the last 16 years and is now running for L.A. County Superior Court Judge, Seat 39. To learn more about Turner and his campaign, visit his website here. To follow …

Ericka Wiley is running for Superior Court Judge Seat 48 this November after serving as a Public Defender in Los Angeles for nearly 24 years and garnering over 47% of the vote this past March. We discuss how Wiley entered the race to begin with, just what she believes qualifies her for the Superior Court Judge Seat over her opponent in the race, Re…

On Wednesday, July 3rd, the Rios-Vela family attended the first court hearing for the alleged and primary suspect behind the murder of The Rios Brothers, Marcos Navarro, 33 years old. It was an extremely emotional day, yet Amalia Vela in particular spoke out with clarity and courage about what she seeks in terms of accountability for her two slain …

With L.A. City Council recapped, let’s place LAUSD elections from March into perspective. LAUSD has a board of seven members, each of which is elected every four years. The board meets regularly on Tuesday afternoons, and by a long shot, its most important job is managing L.A. Schools’ annual budget, which in the 2023 – 2024 fiscal year was nearly …

Henry Lara is the one and only Angeleno Heart. In this special episode at the Los Angeles Public Library’s Octavia Lab, we discuss his upbringing, his inspiration, and what’s next for his work as the rawest photographer born and raised in Los Angeles. This week also marked a horrendous loss for yours truly and the whole city. Please support the Rio…

It’s official! There are now just 136 days before it’s “high-key” time for elections again. This is because in California ballots for the election are sent to voters some 29 days before Election Day. So then, even if Election Day is on November 5th, many of us will have the opportunity to vote on L.A. City, LAUSD, L.A. County, and even California e…

You can also catch this WRAP-UP on YouTube. On Friday, May 17, the L.A. City Council presented a number of local celebrities with some proclamations. May 17th was declared “Shohei Ohtani day,” while May 19th is now “Father Greg Boyle” day, at least on the official calendar of the L.A. City Council chambers. Afterwards, a number of different speaker…

Today the Los Angeles Dodgers are worth $5.4 billion. But for the land they took to play ball, Vincent “Chente” Montalvo’s family received what his grandfather John De Nava called peanuts. His grandmother, Adela De Nava–now 91 years old(!)–also continues to stand by this claim. It’s not just about the money, though. Earlier this year, California As…

First up, enjoy a new Intro for the podcast! Followed by a few notes on the week from yours truly, including on the tragic passing of Mirna Soza while boarding L.A. Metro’s B Line on Monday, April 22nd, as well as on the Armenian Genocide of 1915, commemorated every year on April 24th. Then, from Columbia University to USC, this week belonged to St…

In this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast yours truly sits down with P, the horrible vandal, to discuss L.A. City Council’s recent approval of over $4 million to “remove graffiti covering three abandoned skyscrapers in downtown L.A., secure the site, and restore the public right of way on the adjacent sidewalks.” We also go over the …

In this update for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we reflect on our two year Anniversary Party for the Making a Neighborhood newsletter at local Bellevue Park, which included a dazzling Healing Circle by Koreatown and Pico-Union’s very own Monica Garcia, MFT. To subscribe to Making a Neighborhood for free, please do so here. Also, did you know t…

With Election Day finally over with it was an absolute pleasure to speak with Marty Hillard of the legendary Ebony Tusks crew out of Lawrence, Kansas; from Los Angeles to the Midwest, it’s time for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast to branch out, and I could think of no better way to do so than with support from Hillard, a powerhouse of talent and …

Los Angeles could definitely use more Public Defenders in the County’s Superior Court, where judges overwhelmingly hail from the prosecutorial side. Before you leave the Superior Court Judge section of your ballot blank, tune into this podcast to learn about Natasha Khamashta’s write-in campaign and that of her colleagues’, the Defenders of Justice…

In the first official update from yours truly since our special Election Journey to El Salvador, let’s get into some final details for L.A. County’s March 5th Primary Elections and how to vote–including at the last minute–between now and then. Plus, we rebroadcast the Launch Party for Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia’s campaign out of New York …

On this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we speak with Konstantine Anthony, the former mayor of Burbank and a current representative at the Burbank City Council who is now running to replace Kathryn Barger for Los Angeles County District 5. Keep up with Council Member Anthony’s campaign through his IG, and find your Voting Center or…

On this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast we speak with Jillian Burgos, the treasurer of the North Hollywood Neighborhood Council, which is known to issue more Community Impact Reports than any other Neighborhood Council! Burgos has called Los Angeles home since 2009 and is now running a people-powered campaign to replace Paul Krekor…

In the first full episode for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast this 2024, which is also doubling as an episode for K-Town Is OK, we sit down with filmmaker and journalist Vladimir Santos—who also forms one half of Ey Foo You a Rocker?—as well as Indigenous Arts and Healing Practitioner, the one and only Monica Garcia. Plus, the latest from via Mak…

In the first update for J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast this 2024, our Cheat Sheet on L.A. City Council Races in March via Making a Neighborhood. Then, yours truly returns to El Salvador this January, this time as an Election Observer for presidential elections in my papa’s homeland. To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for the delegation…

In the final episode of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast for 2023, yours truly breaks down the upcoming L.A. City Council and LAUSD Elections. Mail in ballots across California should reach voters as soon as February 5th, 2024, or just thirty-eight days away from the publication date of this recording! To learn more about the candidates, see jmbtm…

Thanks to matching funds! Los Angeles, meet Ysabel Jurado for Council District 14. (02:15) What is Council-District 14? Which neighborhoods does it include? (03:42) Ysabel is another Highland Park native and graduate of Immaculate Heart High School (05:38) Sharing the Highland Park area with Council-District 1, which takes the side south of York Bl…

On this edition of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, yours truly sits down for an extensive conversation with the Social Primate Podcast’s Eddie Aguirre. Eddie is a graphic designer by trade and has hosted the Social Primate Podcast since 2017. We discuss Eddie’s roots on the Southeast side of Los Angeles, better known as SELA, the city of Cudahy …

A second special edition episode with Guadalupe Carrasco Cardona. Guadalupe is the daughter of migrant farm-workers and hails from Oxnard, California, among other communities in the Southwest. She has been an Ethnic Studies, English, Social Studies and Journalism educator for 24 years and has taught in California, Arizona and Texas. She is currentl…

In this special edition episode with Council Member Hernandez of L.A. City Council’s 1st District, we discuss upcoming rent raises in 2024 and their impact on housing insecurity in L.A.; we also discuss voting against the police budget earlier this year, new funding sources for the L.A. Ethics Commission, the race for new leadership in Council Dist…

(0:37) We are 5.4 million renters in Los Angeles County, which is the richest county in the nation by a long shot. But about 3 million of us are rent-burdened, or paying more than half our monthly income on rent (2:16) BTW: Remember to check out the latest from Making a Neighborhood (2:44) Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom debate. Why does it matter? (…

A special, December 1st episode with my good friend, collaborator and noona, Helen H. Kim. Enjoy! (1:16) Hello, if that’s OK (1:53) Living for and loving awkwardness (2:27) Shout out to the Robinson S.P.A.C.E. (3:26) Loving noona’s smiley-face sweater (3:58) Providing people with the opportunity to turn their necks (4:37) Items on yours truly’s to-…

Now enjoy time-stamps from J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast for those Los Cuentos listeners on the go! (0:47) Flying Solo (2:39) Raza educators and Unión del Barrio Rally in DTLA (3:25) Latinx, Latine, or Hispanic (4:44) Calling out UTLA for failing to make a statement against the genocide in Gaza (6:33) This LAUSD teacher is being sued for allged…

This is a special rebroadcast episode outside of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast’s regular schedule. On Wednesday, November 15th, Jewish Voice for Peace and the L.A. Chapter of If Not Now gathered in Hollywood for a rally and march demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The event was attended by over 1,000 people of various ages, ethnic groups…

This is a special rebroadcast episode outside of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast’s regular schedule. Today in Washington D.C. U.S. House Representative Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, Michigan), the sole Palestinian-American member of Congress, held a news conference alongside Rabbis for Ceasefire and fellow Congress members calling for an immediate cea…

This is a special rebroadcast episode for the first ever panel-discussion by K-Town Is Oaxacan Korean. On Thursday, November 2, 2023, K-Town Is Oaxacan Korean, also known as K-Town Is OK, brought together long-time and former residents of Koreatown into conversation. The panel, free and open to the public, was held just over a year after the public…

Tonny St. James is the Youth Policy Advisor at Lens Co. Tonny was born and raised in Kigali, Rwanda. In 2017, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion and culinary arts. But after struggling with homelessness and immigration issues, Tonny shifted his focus to advocating for young people facing homelessness. He has been an advocate sinc…

Allegra Padilla is the Executive Director of the Levitt Pavilion, which has hosted concerts at MacArthur Park in the Westlake area for sixteen years. During our chat, we talk about Allegra’s journey from South Pasadena to organizing on the streets of Los Angeles, including for Mumia Abu-Jamal and the South Central Farm; we also discuss how her Levi…

Andrew Ahn, the owner of Boo’s Philly Cheesesteaks in EastHollywood/Silver Lake and K-Town, joins us for this special bonus edition of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast. We discuss the making of Boo’s after his Korean-American parents couldn’t find a cheesesteak sandwich in L.A., how the city’s homelessness and rising gas prices have affected busin…

Mariah Castañeda is the co-founder of Los Angeles Public Press, “an independent, non-profit newsroom advocating for a better Los Angeles.” In this chat, we discuss her upbringing through Adelanto, California and Huntington Park, as well as her hosting work for one of the bests podcasts in recent memory for L.A., The Sellout. Mariah also tells us ab…

Suzy Exposito is a born writer, whose Belizean-American mom taught her to read as early as 3 years old. She is also the founder of “The Mixtape Club” at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in her ole stomping grounds of Jacksonville, Florida. Since 2020, she has been a music reporter with the L.A. Times and is now also a culture columnist with thei…

Fidel Martinez joins us to chat about Blood In, Blood Out, dog-walking to pay the bills in L.A., the L.A. Times’s Latinx Files and De Los platforms, and even the second season of This Fool on Hulu. To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for the 9th anniversary of JIMBO TIMES, please do so through jmbtms.com. To support the production of J.T. …

Mike Bonin of What’s Next, Los Angeles joins us to talk about the impending eviction of at least 500 renters at the Barrington Plaza in West Los Angeles this September, which if approved would be one of the largest mass evictions in Los Angeles since the forcible displacement of residents in the La Loma, Bishop and Palo Verde communities–more commo…

A few weeks ago, Ali Rachel Pearl and I went to the grand opening of a new housing project in our neighborhood, the Avenida. Last week, on August 4th, we had a conversation in the recording studio at the Robinson Space where we reflected on this specific housing project. More specifically we discussed what, exactly, constitutes a home or a communit…

“Fweago,” “Don Cee” and “Forbs24K” of the V.V’s stop by to chat about the local Family Arcade, the gentrification of Virgil avenue, and even the state of hip hop for Latino rap stars today, among other things. Forbs and Fweago also share a microphone in this session due to J.T.’s mishap! To see the video recording of this discussion and more, visit…

“DeuceSeis” and “SickAssHam” of the V.V’s stop by to chat about VIRGILVILLAGE, the album with yours truly in a brand-new studio setup for the podcast. J.T.بقلم J.T.