Intro to this guide, and Welcome!

Posted: June 20, 2011 by admin in Amenities, Drinks, Food, Fun Stuff, Local Projects, Public Parks and Libraries, Radical History, Transport
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Eleven years ago a few of us Los Angeles based Anarchists did a quick zine for the Anarchist Conference happening back in 2000, during the DNC. It was our attempt to give a quick roundup of things we found interesting and worthwhile and far away from the spectacular notion of what the city implies. I’m not sure if anyone actually used it but it was fun for us to put it together. Aside from being a way to document the world we lived in, a working class reality far from the Hollywood Spectacle, it was also a chance to share a bit of why we love this city that Anarchists from all around find very easy to dismiss as inconsequential. No, we ain’t like Frisco, but we like it that way!

Since the 2011 Anarchist Bookfair is happening in Downtown, an area with which we are a bit familiar, we figured we might just do a quick guide in that same tradition, for whatever its worth. Just to give you, the out of towner, a quick way to get a sense of where the fuck you are. As you can see, its all a bit rushed but we have a few posts up already, but we plan to update them as we get new submissions. So if you see something that seems half finished, check in later to find it 3/4 finished. If you are an LA local and have a place or spot you wish to share, send us a note and we will try to post that too.

Welcome to Los Angeles! The city of multiple interpretations!

We hope your stay is memorable, and maybe even pleasant.

No Refunds!

Colectivo Acratas Los Angeles

Anarchist History in Los Angeles

Posted: June 23, 2011 by admin in Radical History
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Unfortunately, we are not going to get to this section of the guide before the bookfair. So for now, we invite you to check out these links of interest.

The Black Rose Society
The Black Rose Society is determined to generate a rebirth of our movement into the vital community and culture that once existed. The first step in this endeavor is to reconnect our current community with our roots, to reintroduce us to our past.
They also host excellent Anarchist Historical Walking Tours.

LA-ABCF
LA-ABCF’s LA Radical Landmark site. Featuring information about historical sites and struggles in the Los Angeles area.

A People’s Guide to Los Angeles
List of interesting and working class history sites around Los Angeles.

Llano del Rio’s Map for Another L.A.
The full-color, two-sided map sites and describes locations that support, dream, act and aid in the creation of an other Los Angeles. Beekeepers, greywater operators, hacker spaces, cooperatives, collectives, art spaces, radical places, gardens, swimming holes, cooking collectives, think tanks etc….

Anarchist and Radical Projects in Los Angeles

Posted: June 21, 2011 by admin in Local Projects
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Los Angeles is a gigantic city, full of little metropolises. Some Angelinos are extremely mobile, whizzing around the city while others may rarely leave the few square miles of their neighborhood due to economic reasons or simply because there is no need for them to do so. Often times groups of people in this city never meet. This means there could be a number of amazing projects happening simultaneously, popular and dynamic projects that may only be known to certain geographic/demographic groups in the city. Even if there is a large amount of people involved, if one is not moving in these circles, it might be difficult to participate. One of the reasons we feel this guide can be important is to help link up these various projects and also to document the anarchist movement in Los Angeles which many outsiders see as non-existent. It’s here, it just doesn’t look like what others are used to seeing.

The following list in by no means representative of all the various anarchist, anti-authoritarian and radical projects happening in the greater Los Angeles area. Despite numerous requests for submissions to this part of the guide, few groups or organizations responded.


ORGANIZATIONS AND COLLECTIVES

Anarchist Black Cross Federation-Los Angeles
http://www.abcf.net/la/
Information on political prisoner support, origins of the ABC/ABCF, statements issued by the LA ABCF and historical information about the radical movement in Los Angeles.

Colectivo Acratas de Los Angeles
http://www.acratas.com/
We are a group of autonomous comrades who like to hang out with each other, discuss radical politics, organize events/lectures/discussions/actions and eat good food.
Facebook page

Free Association of Anarchists
Miguel Felix
562.552.0437
tainobirth@yahoo.com

IDP-Los Angeles
http://www.flyingpickets.org
Los Angeles chapter of this mostly Bay Area-centered class struggle group.

IWW-Los Angeles
P.O. Box 811064
Los Angeles, CA 90081
iwwgmbla@gmail.com
http://www.iww.org/
Facebook page

LA Workers Solidarity Alliance
Facebook page

Palmtree Proles
http://www.ptproles.com/
Facebook pageAnti-state Marxist reading and discussion group which meets on Red Hill aka Barnsdall Park.

RE:Press (I.E.)
http://www.repressdesign.com/
We are a collective seeking to establish an anarchist printing press & design studio in Riverside, CA.

Revolutionary Autonomous Communities-LA
http://revolutionaryautonomouscommunities.blogspot.com
A revolutionary federation of community councils and liberated spaces based in occupied communities made up of oppressed people of color.

Youth Justice Coaltion
http://www.youth4justice.org/
freelanow@yahoo.com

INFOSHOPS AND SPACES

Blood Orange Infoshop (I.E.)
http://bloodorangeinfoshop.blogspot.com/
Facebook page

Centro de Comunicación Comunitaria
1214 East 1st Street, Boyle Heights, CA 90033
The physical hub for Producciones Cimarrón. This independent multimedia center is located in Boyle Heights. Currently the project is developing a community based video news show, video editing bays, audio production and info/book shop.
Info/Book Shop open on weekends from 11am-4pm.

Centro Cultural Papalut/Gaian Mind Gardens
3201 Maple Ave. L.A. 90055 C.A.
Collectively run space located in a large warehouse space offering silk-screening, activity space and a garden.

Chuco’s Justice Center
1137 E. Redondo Blvd.,
Inglewood, CA 90302
Home to Free High School of Los Angeles, Youth Justice Coalition and community space.

South Central Farm Centro
1702 E. 41st St
LOS ANGELES, CA 90058

FREE SCHOOLS

Free Schools Figueroa Corridor
Facebook
The philosophy has yet to be decided upon, but, generally, the urge is to create democratic, horizontal learning spaces where anyone who wants to can teach a class, take a class, or participate in the organizing of the learning collective.

Freedom Schools – Los Angeles
freedomschoolsla@gmail.com
An autonomous, grassroots collective organized by community members, students, and educators to address the educational needs of our communities.

FOOD NOT BOMBS AND FOOD JUSTICE GROUPS

Guerilla Food Not Bombs
818.303.4185
wemoonwitch@earthlink.net

Santa Ana FNB (OC)
Serves every Sunday around 3pm at Civic Center Park in Santa Ana near the intersection of Civic Center & Ross, across from the library. Volunteers can meet them there to help serve and get more info.

Revolutionary Autonomous Communities-LA
Food distribution every Sunday at MacArthur Park at Wilshire and Park View St.

PUBLICATIONS AND DIGITAL MEDIA

DIY Zine
http://www.diyzine.com/
A website which passionately has documented anarchist events in Los Angeles since the early 90s. Excellent source for photos of bookfairs and conferences.

Fronteras Desarmadas
http://vimeo.com/user2937102
http://staticoponx.com/

Journal of Aesthetics and Protest
http://www.journalofaestheticsandprotest.org/

Los Angeles Anarchist
http://www.laanarchist.org
Calendar and blog covering anarchist events in Los Angeles

LA Eastside
http://www.laeastside.com/
LA Eastside is a group blog started in 2008 to challenge the common media perceptions regarding the city of Los Angeles and to present a voice that is very common to most of us, yet is little heard on your average LA blogs. Many of us come from the Eastside, east of the LA River, but we get around to all parts of town. Our aim is to describe all of LA, as we see it, even as we endure the glare of indifference from the rest of the city. We understand being invisible in plain sight.

Los Angeles Indymedia Center
http://la.indymedia.org/
A non-commercial, democratic collective of Los Angeles area independent media makers and media outlets, and serves as the local organizing unit of the global Indymedia network.

Occupy Everything
http://occupyeverything.org/
Occupy Everything is an artist-run platform dedicated to militant research, critical pedagogy and public practices that include mediatic intervention, feminism and the anti-enclosure movement.

Handy Map

Posted: June 20, 2011 by admin in Map
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View Anarchist Book Fair Guide in a larger map

Most of the locations we’ve mentioned in our guide can be found in this handy Google map. Also available here.

Ammenities, Essentials, Resources

Posted: June 16, 2011 by admin in Amenities
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Some basic things you might need.

Art Share, site of the bookfair.
801 East 4th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1805
(213) 687-4278
www.artsharela.org

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Where to Eat

Posted: June 14, 2011 by admin in Food
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At some point in the day you’ll want to sit down with a proper hot meal, let’s see what can be had nearby. If you go North on Alameda it will turn into Spring St by the State Park, which is where you will find Nick’s, a basic American diner with good coffee, crispy hash browns, burgers and sandwiches. Meat eaters have many options, veggies have a few.

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Where to Drink Nearby

Posted: June 13, 2011 by admin in Drinks
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After a long day of browsing through radical literature you are going to want to pop out for a quick drink, and you have a few nearby choices. Angel City Brewery is just down the street at Alameda and Traction, and they serve decent beers at $5 a pint, plus you can bring in your own food to eat.  A longer post can be found over here.

Angel City Brewing
216 South Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.angelcitybrewing.com

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Transportation

Posted: June 12, 2011 by admin in Transport
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Public Transportation to Art Share

Metro Gold Line: exit at the Little Tokyo / Arts District Station.

Union Station is also close-by and a ten minute walk from the bookfair location. It’s also the terminus for many Metrolink trains and Amtrak trains. It’s a gorgeous train station as well and worth a visit, full of Mission Revival architectural details and old school Los Angeles atmosphere. Pull up newspaper in front of your face while sitting in one of the old leather chairs and pretend like you’re in a noir film as you spy on the crowds around you.

Click here to download a Metro pdf map of the Little Tokyo train station and environs.

Bus

Many Metro bus lines cross through Downtown Los Angeles and are a few minutes walk to the Art Share space. Bus lines running down Alameda, Los Angeles Street or Spring are your best bets. See the Metro chart for more information here.

Walking

To get to Art Share from the train station head south on Alameda (towards the large apartment buildings, Senor Fish and Office Depot), turn right on E 4th Pl. It’s a funky intersection (across the way, the street changes names to #rd St) so stay on the left hand sidewalk. At Hewitt St. turn left and the entrance to Art Share will be on the right hand side. Approximate time to get to Art Share is 6 minutes and the distance is 0.3 miles. See map for visual route.
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