Southern California

New Llano del Rio Guide: Utopias Of So.Cal available free now

UtopiasFront:72

Utopias of So.Cal. Guide, free now!

Llano Del Rio Guide #4 Available Now Free everywhere

Related events at Santa Monica Museum through July

As the present becomes more fixed in the destructive-ideology of hyper-capitalism, this guide locates places in Southern California where other ideologies have reigned.Utopias of So.Cal. is a free printed map/guide to current and historic utopian communes, colonies, and intentional communities in Southern California. Sited in the guide are collectives founded on ecology, socialism, spirituality, free expression, queer liberation, and feminism. 23 current and historic lebenskunst sites ( a San Diego group committed to facilitating interplanetary dialogue, a LA based community founded on Chicana/o art and consciousness, and a Santa Barbara colony credited with inventing the hot tub and the Renaissance fair). In coordination with the release of this guide, Llano Del RIo is presenting a series of public events (May 28, June 25, July 23rd) in a tree house located by the Santa Monica Museum of Art.

Utopias of So.Cal. contains reflections on the persistence of these colonies in our own utopian consciousness’  written by contemporary artists, filmmakers, and writers; Sandra De La Loza, David Frantz, Janet Sarbanes, Mady Schutzman, Jodie Willie and the Women’s Center For Creative Work (WCCW). This guide, like all Llano Del Rio guides, is free and available to residents of LA county through the mail (send llanodelrio@gmail.com your postal address) or around town (listed below). Utopias of So.Cal. was organized and written by the Llano Del Rio Collective with Erin Schneider, print design by Content Object.

Utopias Of So.Cal. Available Here (as soon as we get ‘em there)!

  • 1642 Bar
  • Ave. 50 Studios
  • Central Branch, LA Public Library
  • Echo Park Film Center
  • Erewhon Natural Foods
  • Golden Bridge Yoga
  • Highways Performance Space
  • Human Resources
  • Libros Shmibros
  • Los Angeles Eco-Village
  • Machine Project
  • Mandrake Bar
  • Mystic Journey Bookstore
  • Naturewell
  • One Life Natural Food Store
  • Otherwild
  • Santa Monica Museum Of Art
  • Self Help Graphics
  • Southern California Library For Social Justice
  • Thank You For Coming
  • The Public School
  • The Yoga Collective
  • Tribal Café
  • Urth Yoga
  • Santa Monica City Public Library
  • Venice Beach Branch, La Public Library

Sounds For Another Tomorrow- a night of Utopian Music
Date Wednesday, June 25
7pm

Utopia, A Double Feature: Dear Comrade and The Source Family
Wednesday, July 23
Dear Comrade at 7:30
Potluck dinner
The Source Family at 9p

A House Is Not A Home

Nearly $7 trillion dollars went up in smoke with the housing crisis in the United States. The loss in social capital has not been calculated.

The Trailer Trash Project is hitting the road, taking a mobile recording studio into Southern California neighborhoods to the tell stories of families fighting  to stay in their homes in the face of foreclosure.   A House Is Not A Home is the name of our new series of bi-monthly reports for KPFK 90.9 FM (Pacifica, Los Angeles). We’ll dig beneath the surface of housing crisis to pinpoint how one foreclosure can affect an extended family, a neighborhood and community.  We’ll also document how a coalition of activists have come together under the umbrella of the Occupy Movement to bring about much needed change. The series will also include a traveling exhibit will online access to material

Help us report from the road on the foreclosure crisis in Southern California.  We need to raise $3500  to buy an audio recorder and a used van to tow our 1972 mini camper. The camper will serve as  recording studio and home on wheels which we’ll take into neighborhoods around Southern California. (This 16′ camper is not to be confused with our 33′ Spartan trailer we are restoring as a performance space.)  Click here  to make a tax-deductible donation.

Javier Hernandez: "You hear stories of people who loose their homes and never get over it." Javier and his 4 year old brother are pictured at a rally in downtown L.A. to lend support for a lawsuit seeking redress of unlawful foreclosure practices.

We’ll tell the stories like these: Javier Hernandez was a 25 year old delivery driver in 2006 when Countrywide Finance him a $546,000 loan on a home.   Before signing, Javier, who planned to live in the house and share costs with mother, father and brother asked the lender if he thought the family could swing the $3,900 monthly payments that would require more than half the family’s income (The family had no   no credit medical or car payments debt.)   The lender assured him that after two years the value of the house would increase substantially and he could then refinance with lower payments.

In fact, the opposite happened. In 2008 Javier’s mortgage payments ballooned The lender assured him that the value of the house would increase substantially after two years at which point the family could lower their payments.  The opposite happened. In 2008 Javier’s mortgage payments balloonedThe lender assured him that the value of the house would increase substantially after two years at which point the family could lower their payments.  The opposite happened. In 2008 Javier’s interest rate ballooned, raising mortgage payments to $5,000. They asked to refinance but were told the value of their home had sunk; the only way to get help was to stop payments and go into default.  In 2008 they were given three months to vacate the house.  While the family remains in the house, they know the axe could fall at any time.  Meanwhile, Javier and his brother Ulysses – both previously apolitical,  have joined the Occupy Movement to support the fight to keep people in their homes.

When Bank of America bought Coutrywide,

Faith Parkerwho has lived in her South Central L.A. home for 50 years.  An educator

Mrs. Faith Parker and her eldest daughter Brenda outside Mrs. Parker’s South Central L.A. home of 50 years.

who has contributed much to children and families in her community, Mrs. Parker fell on hard times when she refinanced her home to get a loan to help care for her daughter who had contracted multiple-sclerosis.  Her mortgage payments shot up from $900 to $2200.  When Mrs. Parker asked for a second revision, Bank of America told her she would first have to default.    In a letter the Bank told her not to worry, trust the bank,  she didn’t need a lawyer.  After months of frustrating letter writing and calls, Faith’s house was put up for sale.

Bertha Herrera, a grandmother and volunteer chaplain for has lived in her home of more than 40 years.  Mrs. Herrera’s troubles started with an accident and ended with eviction from her home in January.  The Trailer Trash Project was there when deputies with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department broke down her door and evicted her.  On hand as well were more than a dozen “Occupiers” providing support and publicizing Mrs. Herrera’s plight. 

This post is part of a series documenting Sam Breen’a Spartan Restoration Project. Please see his first post here and check out the archive here. The CSPA is helping Sam by serving in an advisory role, offering modest support and featuring Sam’s Progress by syndicating his feed from http://spartantrailerrestoration.wordpress.com as part of our CSPA Supports Program.

Benefit party for Green Wave’s newest project, The Electronic Music Alliance.

Friday, June 3 at 9:00 PM to Saturday, June 4 at 3:30 AM

Belasco – 1050 S. Hill Street Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90015

It’s a bit last minute but we are being gifted for use the new multi-multi-million dollar club, The Belasco www.thebelasco.com in downtown LA for the night of June 3rd.  They club will open their doors to us with all staff for the evening for free. We get 100% of the door!

If you have ever wanted to contribute more to Green Wave, here’s your chance! Just show up & BRING EVERYONE YOU KNOW!  Reach out to people in your office that you have always thought of inviting.  Make it a pseudo work party for a great cause.  We can fit everyone -it’s a giant club!  Maybe we can create a competition -who can get the most people and help save the world ;)

Help us make this a special night!  If you have any ideas, I am open -just email or call.  Let’s party at a crazy awesome club and make a difference in the world!

Money from the door/ ticket sales and a portion of bottle service for the evening will go to EMA and our Million Acre Initiative.  Here is more info on the event.

On June 3rd, 2011 we come together in support of the Electronic Music Alliance (EMA Global) which is a project of Green Wave non-profit organization to celebrate leaders in our community, our DJ’s, Performers, Promoters, and all the People who create positive change in the world.

We are proud to be hosted on this evening by the world-class multi-purpose event and entertainment complex, The Belasco Theater (http://www.thebelasco.com/) which is also making its grand debut.  A relic of 1920’s Los Angeles, The Belasco recently underwent a $12 million dollar renovation and has the largest sound system in Southern California (which we can’t wait to hear!)

100% of the proceeds of the door will benefit EMA and with every ticket that is purchased, you will become a special member of our alliance.

Tickets are available through Groove Tickets at $10 for a limited time:

http://fla.vor.us/199667-EMA-Benefit-Show-tickets/EMA-Benefit-Show-Los-Angeles-The-Belasco-June-04-2011.html?afflky=X9SZQX

They will go up to $15 next week and $20 at the door.

Special Guests and Honorees:

  • Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method & DJ Rap (together for the first time)
  • Static Revenger

Duo Sets by:

  • DJ Eva & DJ Oscure
  • DJ Mike Teez & DJ Jim Carson
  • +More TBA!

The Electronic Music Alliance Official Launch event is put together by a handful of amazing individuals and companies that are donating their time and services to the cause and we’re really grateful for their support and services.  Thank you from EMA and Green Wave!

CLUI on Display: Through the Grapevine: Streams of Transit in Southern California’s Great Pass

Through the Grapevine: Streams of Transit in Southern California’s Great PassThe mountainous passage that separates the great population of Southern California from the rest of the state is a zone of transit, from one epic region to another. Located at the collision of the San Gabriel and Tehachapi Mountain Ranges, this steep and convoluted terrain lies between Castaic, the northern edge of the Los Angeles megalopolis, and the depopulated place known as Grapevine, at the southern end of the Central Valley. Layers of traffic, water, and energy move like a braided stream through the mountainous terrain, connecting here to there.From April 23, 2010This exhibit is made possible by a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles and the CLUI Remarkable Roadways Program.

CLUI on Display: Through the Grapevine: Streams of Transit in Southern California’s Great Pass.

World Water Day LA at Natural HIstory Museum



This Sunday at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles you will find a day long program of water and sustainability education. It is a non plastic event (however they are providing paper cups – which someone will need to talk with them about). I’m sure it will be a good turnout. It is always fun to go to events like these and educate the educators on how it could be even more GREEN.

Don’t miss the Water Justice Forum at 1:30pm where speakers will discuss water challenges for Los Angeles from the Southern California Watershed Alliance, Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy, Los Angeles & San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, and Urban Semillas.

Go to EcoLOGIC LA

Farmlab Public Salon: Kim Stringfellow and Chris Carraher

LECTURE EVENT: JRHS at FARMLAB Salon
Downtown Los Angeles | Friday, May 22nd, NOON

Join Kim Stringfellow along with Wonder Valley artist, Chris Carraher, for a presentation of and discussion about the JACKRABBIT HOMESTEAD audio tour project.

Stringfellow and Carraher will discuss the history and contemporary landscapes of jackrabbit homesteading, specifically how the cabins resulting from the Small Tract Act have helped to foster the thriving creative community located throughout the Morongo Basin region where Joshua Tree National Park is located. Several tracks from the freely downloadable car audio tour available at www.jackrabbithomestead.com will be presented.

JACKRABBIT HOMESTEAD is a forthcoming book and web-based multimedia presentation featuring a downloadable car audio tour exploring the cultural legacy of the Small Tract Act in Southern California’s Morongo Basin region near Joshua Tree National Park. Stories from this underrepresented regional history are told through the voices of local residents, historians, and area artists—many of whom reside in reclaimed historic cabins and use the structures as inspiration for their creative work. Funding for this project was made possible, in part, by a grant from the California Council for the Humanities as part of the Council’s statewide California Stories Initiative.

FARMLAB Salon provides free, healthy organic lunch for those who drop by for the weekly lecture series. For more info visit:  http://farmlab.org/2009/05/farmlab-public-salon-kim-stringfellow.html.

Visit & download the Jackrabbit Homestead audio tour at: www.jackrabbithomestead.com

via Farmlab