The Travel Diary: A nostalgic stroll through the streets of LA
- Text by Lorena Endara
- Photography by Lorena Endara
Many poems, songs, and conversations are about having a sense of belonging, or not belonging. I usually felt alien to this concept since I had never felt a sense of belonging – and this didn’t really matter to me. Recently, I realised that not belonging and not caring to belong allowed me a false sense of freedom. After exploring my fears and the trauma behind it, I suddenly awoke in LA, California, about 6,646 km away from Panama, the place where I am from.
My name is Lorena, and on my first trip to Los Angeles, my partner took me to Lorena Street in Boyle Heights. Aside from showing me the neighbourhood where he grew up, he was already trying to make me feel at home in his beloved city. I simply loved seeing pharmacies, clinics, restaurants, and schools with my name on it. Since that day, we romanticised the idea of walking the 3.2-mile strip of concrete and taking photos along the way. After all, Lorena Street is Los Angeles in all its beauty and depth.
As you cross the street you find a running track around the historic nine-acre Evergreen Cemetery; diverse family-owned businesses; post-World War II housing projects smothered in murals; a beautiful 1920’s open arch bridge; and the Interstate Five Freeway which connects the US to Canada and Mexico. Lorena Street is also a ten-minute drive from Downtown LA. The signs of gentrification are already present in Boyle Heights, indicating that this Mexican American community will soon be displaced.
If the American dream is about the praise of monetary wealth and endless consumption, the Latin American dream is about the praise of spiritual wealth and endless production. As dreamers, we can pursue an abundance of truthful connections, limitless creativity and intimate communication. These photographs, LA (Latin America) Dreams, are about being awake but maintaining this dreamy vision. They are about hope, intimacy, a sense of presence – and how I found the right place to find myself.
See more of Lorena Endara’s work on her official website.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Dalia Al-Dujaili: “When you’re placeless, nature can fill the void”
Babylon, Albion — As her new book publishes, the British-Iraqi author speaks about connecting with the land as a second-generation migrant, plants as symbols of resistance, and being proud of her parents.
Written by: Zahra Onsori
Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”
Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.
Written by: Angela Hui
Meet the hair-raised radicals of Berlin’s noise punk scene
Powertool — In his new zine, George Nebieridze captures moments of loud rage and quiet intimacy of the German capital’s bands, while exploring the intersections between music, community and anti-establishment politics.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The rebellious roots of Cornwall’s surfing scene
100 years of waveriding — Despite past attempts to ban the sport from beaches, surfers have remained as integral, conservationist presences in England’s southwestern tip. A new exhibition in Falmouth traces its long history in the area.
Written by: Ella Glossop
Southbank Centre reveals new series dedicated to East and Southeast Asian arts
ESEA Encounters — Taking place between 17-20 July, there will be a live concert from YMO’s Haruomi Hosono, as well as discussions around Asian literature, stage productions, and a pop-up Japanese Yokimono summer market.
Written by: Zahra Onsori
We are all Mia Khalifa
How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.
Written by: Alya Mooro
