The changes to mi lindo Echo Park

Echo Park is well known for the iconic movie “Mi Vida Loca “ (1993) and car shows hosted by El Clasico Tattoo shop. Restaurants like Rodeo Mexican Grill, Señor Fish and Mayas’ Tacos Restaurant have exposed the community to Latin cuisines. The beautiful lake of Echo Park used to be filled with street vendors selling various items inside the park, from esquites and raspados to Baja blankets and a variety of other Latin American treats. However, through the years, there have been changes to the community that have harmed these small businesses. 

The community is predominantly made up of low-income Hispanic people — an estimated 64% of the population, with the Spanish language spoken in 63% of homes. Additionally, 24.5% of the residents are below the poverty line. 

Stores like Crown Shoes, Jumbo Bargain, La Guadalupana Market and local 99 cent stores served the community with affordable resources ranging from school uniforms, low-cost groceries and affordable house supplies. The stores each offered different but beneficial services to the community. Now, they have dissipated into thin air with stores like Hey Hey Boba, American Barber Shop, and Hammer & Nails taking their place but doing nothing to make up for the resources taken away in their stead.

But it’s not just the resources that have been diminished — it’s also the culture. On the building of the luxury lingerie store Cantiq, a mural painted by Ricardo Mendoza in 2000 named “Sculpting Another Destiny” is displayed. The painting illustrates a lotus flower blooming from Echo Park Lake, with figures representing the individuals who were part of previous generations and were key to the nurturing of life within the area. The mural is not just pleasing to the eye, but holds significant meaning to those who resided in the area for decades. Since Cantiq’s move into the building, pieces of this art have been lost as the store painted over portions of the mural. As an Echo Park resident, seeing the green and teal colors be painted over with yellow presents how fast the community is changing. It doesn’t just feel as though these murals — which have been there for over 20 years — are being painted over, but the entire community itself is being repainted to suit the needs of those who don’t even live in the area.

Outside of the expensive grocery options that now reside in Echo Park are inaccessible to the residents who live there, the diverse food options that were once a hallmark of the area have become much harder to find. Groceries aren’t just more difficult to attain, but creating Latin American dishes that hold dear to many residents has also become much more inconvenient. 

First, the murals were broken apart. Then, the stores and food diversity chipped away. And, in March 2021, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’ Farrell’s plan to evict the unhoused residents living in Echo Park Lake began. 

With the coronavirus pandemic at its peak and many residents uncertain of their living situation for the months to come, living in the park was the safest and, at times, the only option for many. While residents were told they would be provided housing, UCLA interviewed 41 of those residents, and found 31 still unhoused, six having passed away and only four living in housing at the time of the interview. During this eviction, a fence covering the entirety of the park was placed and is still present to this day, sparking protests and discomfort to Echo Park residents.

Echo Park has forever been a home to me, but the changes to the community make me feel unsettled and displaced. I remember the La Guadalupana Market as I came out of the bus from middle school to grab snacks before entering the tutoring program El Centro Del Pueblo offered. There were esquites sold inside the market and music playing inside the park. Small details like these defined Echo Park, and the changes made these past few years have done nothing to improve the area.

As this continues, the resources for the neighborhood are being cut down, leaving community members to fend for themselves. The community of Echo Park is known for its one-hour swan boat rental and annual lotus festival. But, there is much more to the community. 

Mi lindo Echo Park has car shows on Sunset Boulevard and art inside El Clasico Tattoo Shop. Sunday’s Best, a thrift store, is filled with hidden treasures and iconic Spanish rock songs recognizable to even my Mexican mother. Their addition of dollar racks and price range with thrift items below 10 dollars provide access to sustainable and affordable clothing that L.A. is lacking much of. 

We must all acknowledge the community these gentrifiers have entered and learn about the history of the area rather than dismissing the grounds they have moved into. We can’t afford any more of Echo Park’s beauty to be tarnished or lost in the depths of these unnecessary urban changes.