It’s been said, by Jorge N. Neal, co-curator and museum educator at the Boyle Heights Museum, that “all roads lead to Boyle Heights, it’s a place of intersection.” Boyle Heights, part of the original Spanish land grant that established the city of Los Angeles in 1781, covering roughly 6.5 square miles located 3 miles east of Downtown, is one of LA’s oldest and most historically significant communities in the region. Historically, it’s been home to generations of immigrants (being called the Ellis Island of the West), serving as home to some of the largest populations of Japanese and Jewish residents in Southern California.

As CivitasLA celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2022, we’re joined by Josefina Lopez, Founding Artistic Director of Casa 0101 Theater and screenwriter, and Alfred Fraijo Jr., attorney and community leader --- both raised in Boyle Heights and actively engaged in the civic and business life of the community -- for “Community Spotlight: Boyle Heights” as we explore this unique community; consider its rich history, its place at the center of the Latino experience in LA and central role in Chicano culture and social justice movements.

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