Meet Guillermo “Memo” Alvarez (him/his), Cultural Organizer at LA Commons! Memo is from Wilmington, California (Togova Land) and has been working at LA Commons for 3 months.
What brought you to LA Commons?
The arts and culture brought me to LA Commons! Many artists in the community, along with cultural workers and community organizers are a big role to how I got introduced to LA Commons. I remember riding the Metro Expo Line a few years ago and seeing murals all throughout Exposition Boulevard and experiencing how vibrant and artistic the community felt riding towards Crenshaw. After finding out about all the art projects and festivals LA Commons has been a part of, I knew at heart LA Commons is a great team to build and connect with.
What has been your favorite part about working at LA Commons?
My favorite part about working with LA Commons is the people. The parents. The youth. The leading artists. All of the LA Commons' staff, and community members I meet along the way! The best part is crossing paths with people you've met before and being in alignment with a strong network of people dedicating so much to their community.
Do you do anything outside of work? If so, please describe!
Outside of LA Commons I do many things. I am a painter, film-photographer, and love to write stories. One of my ultimate on-going project is publishing my "Artist To Artist '' magazine featuring the stories of artists I've met along my journey. I also enjoy hiking, skateboarding, surfing, and learning about the cosmos and Mexica culture
Where's your favorite spot in LA? Why?
My favorite spot in LA is in Long Beach which both reside on the land of the Tongva Tribe. There's this park called Willow Springs Park where you can see a 360 degree view of the mountain ranges, the harbor, the Bay of Smokes in San Pedro, and all of Long Beach. This is my favorite spot because of all the native plants growing there, Farm Lot 59, Murals, and the memorial installations acknowledging the Original people of the land.
What are you listening to/watching/reading right now?
I am listening to a lot of Soul music! From Neo soul to Future soul, all the way to the legendary Reggae soul and Rocksteady. Also shout out to Hip-Hop culture and all the MC's and DJ's paying homage to real music. I am currently watching Cowboy Bebop, and reading The Science of Self by Dr. Supreme Understanding.