Everybody has a story. Some stories are boring. Others are riveting. Some leave you feeling good inside, while some make you depressed. Some stories have an end, others have no end in sight.
Los Angeles is a story with no end in sight. The streets go on for miles, the buildings go up forever and the people come by the thousands. To capture Los Angeles in one blog isn't enough. To even attempt to capture L.A. in a book would only scratch the surface.
Today, I began my new found love affair with L.A.. I grew up an hour northwest of here, but I really don't know all that much about the city itself. I know downtown, and I know Dodger Stadium. That's pretty much it. When I found out I was going to East L.A., I was happy because it was a place that I would probably never go unless I was forced to. Driving down to Boyle Heights, as soon as we got off the freeway, it was just as if we had stepped into Ensenada, Mexico. Shops and restaraunts lined the streets with open doors. Reds, greens and whites jumped out, each color trying to outdo the other in grabbing the attention of the public. Lunch was as authentic as a Mexican meal can be. I was surprised to find the Pico de Gallo sauce to be hotter than the salsa itself. Is this how they do it in East L.A.?
At Homeboy, we were greeted by an ex-gang member named Joey Ray. He has tattoos on his arms and under any other circumstance, would have been a very intimidating figure. In fact, everyone in Homeboy was visually intimidating. Tattoos, Locs, baggy jeans, Adidas Shoes, buzzed heads - all characteristics of a gang member. That's because all of these kids in Homeboy were just that - gang memberrs. But in here, they were just kids looking for a decent job. Homeboy has a slogan - "Jobs, not Jail." They get kids jobs, reduce their criminal record and even remove tattoos. In Homeboy, the kids can get away from life on the streets and focus on bettering their lives.
While it was inspiring to hear the story of Homeboy, I was much more interested in the story of Joey Ray. I wanted to sit down with him and start from the beginning. "When did you start banging?...why did you turn to crime?...what are the meaning of your tattoos?..." I wanted to barrage him with questions. His story of triumph is a story that should be told. But my questions weren't limited to him. I wanted to ask every single person in the room the same questions.
I wanted to run from him, talk to him, hug him and hang out with him - all at the same time.
And that is what left me yearning for more. I want to interview all 100 people in the building. I want to interview all 1000 people on the block. L.A. has millions of people, which translates to billions of stories. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell them all. As a journalist in L.A., I have the feeling that I will constantly be yearning for more.