By Carlos San Miguel

When people think of Latino culture, many things cross their minds: music, language, appearance, dress, history, politics, and--most importantly to some people--very good food.

Food is an excellent way to be introduced to different parts of the world and easily allows people to understand and acknowledge the similarities we all share--no matter what culture we're from.

This year, the 10-year anniversary of the L.A. riots, offers an opportunity for communities across the city to come together and celebrate one another's cultures in a positive way. This year is a perfect year for the introduction of A Streetful of Tamales Festival.

Scheduled for Sunday, June 2, 2002, the festival will be held at MacArthur Park in the heart of Los Angeles. Here, many individual vendors offering tamales of all styles will offer visitors a chance to enjoy themselves and become immersed in the positive Latino culture that surrounds the area.

	Art by Mario Escalante Photo by Carlos San Miguel

For a long time, this area of Los Angeles has been considered an immigrant community where people from Mexico and many Central American countries first come when they arrive in Los Angeles. Regretfully there has also been a negative shadow cast on the MacArthur Park area due to crime. While no one negates that criminal activity occurs here (as it does all over Los Angeles, including more affluent areas), there is no reason it has to continue.

Using this belief as a driving force, the residents, businesses, organizations and political community of the MacArthur Park area are making an effort to change the way people look not only at MacArthur Park, but also at the people who inhabit this community.

The Streetful of Tamales Festival is just one such effort to improve the image of this predominantly immigrant community, bring some business to the area, and show that MacArthur Park residents contribute positively to the tapestry of life in Los Angeles.

The first of its kind in Los Angeles, this festival is being organized by the Institute for Research and Development (IURD) and the Light Bringer Project. Other major supporters and co-sponsors of the Streetful of Tamales Festival include the City of Los Angeles Council District One, the Cultural Affairs Department, the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Office of the Mayor and the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

With support from so many major offices in the city, the Streetful of Tamales Festival is bound to be a success and attract both Latina/os and non-Latina/os from all over Southern California.

The festival will take place at the site of the MacArthur Park Sidewalk Vending District. It is the first and only location in Los Angeles' history where sidewalk vending is legal. Vendors who work in this area are professionally trained to meet health standards and to operate as successful entrepreneurs, selling their wares from beautiful and professionally designed vending carts.

"We are celebrating the humble tamal, a traditional food that unites all of Latin America. Tamal is singular, tamales is plural. Every country--Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru--all have their own distinctive and tasty versions," says Kathy Padilla, a public relations liaison for IURD.

Padilla continues, "You can sample tamales wrapped in banana leaves and laced in mole [a tradition from Oaxaca, Mexico], tamales made from rice, chicken and chiles from Guatemala… and for dessert, sweet luscious tamales with strawberry, guava and mild cheese, and plenty more!"

Photo by Carlos San Miguel

For anyone who enjoys a good tamal, this is a can't miss event.

In addition to all the fresh tamales, tropical, fresh cut fruit and iced drinks will be for sale, all adding to the lively pedestrian ambiance of the Park.

In addition, over 30 artists from the ABSOLUT CHALK Street Painting Festival, a premiere event held each year in Pasadena, will gather to create beautiful, larger-than-life chalk art street murals.

Using 7th Street as a canvas, the artists will in some way include tamales in their murals. Participating artists include Maria Diaz, Javier Harriman and Mario Escalante.

Harriman, a recent graduate from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, is fairly new to the chalk art scene, but he's hoping to participate in more street festivals to get exposure for his art and give his time and talent to the Latino community. Harriman hopes to have his first art show later this year.

	Art by Mario Escalante Photo by Carlos San Miguel

Escalante has been painting and creating art for over 25 years. A native of Mexico, Escalante began drawing at an early age and received continued recognition for his work through childhood and early adulthood. After stints at his family's business and work as an engineering technician, Escalante decided to pursue his true dream in 1991 and became a freelance artist. Among other festivals and art-related projects, he has participated in Pasadena's ABSOLUT CHALK street festival for many years.

Padilla says, "These talented artists are donating their skills to highlight the 'new' MacArthur Park." The exciting revitalization of this long-forgotten and neglected area is bringing new life and vitality. The Park, once again, will become a safe and fun place for families and individuals to play and shop."

Art by Javier Harriman Photo by Carlos San Miguel

In addition to organizing the Streetful of Tamales Festival, IURD also runs Mama's Hot Tamales Café, Art Gallery and Bookstore. Mama's Hot Tamales Café is a full-service restaurant and hands-on training and apprenticeship program where street vendors learn the skills necessary to move into living-wage jobs. The food is fresh, authentic and Mama's is a very good place to stop for breakfast or lunch. Mama's Hot Tamales Café is located at 2122 West Seventh Street.

Organizers of the Streetful of Tamales Festival are hoping that the humble tamal will at some point replace the hot dog as the icon for street vending. With corn chips and salsa already taking the lead over potato chips and dip nationwide, they may be on to something.

If you enjoy tamales and have always wanted to know--or more importantly, taste--the difference in cultures, this is the event to check out. Come for the international tamales, stay for the amazing art, and have a fun-filled day celebrating Latino culture and food.


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