Tamales de la Paz

For Immediate Release

Reyes, City and Community Leaders Unite for Tamales de la Paz (Peace)
Event to demonstrate solidarity at MacArthur Park the day before May Day marches

Sponsored by Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA), The Boeing Company, and Mama’s Hot Tamales.

WHEN: Today, April 30, from 5 p.m. to dusk

WHERE: Along Seventh Street Between Alvarado and Lake Streets in front of Mama’s Hot Tamales Café - 2122 W. Seventh St.

WHAT: Community leaders will gather today for Tamales de la Paz in a show of solidarity on the day before the May 1, 2009 International Worker’s Rally and March. Tamales de la Paz aims to help bring peace and healing to the MacArthur Park neighborhood following the the May 1, 2007 confrontation between rally and march supporters, media, police, and others.

WHO: Los Angeles Councilmember Ed P. Reyes, City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, Los Angeles Police Department Chief William J. Bratton, and CA Assemblymember John A. Pérez - 46th District. Additional speakers include May Day march organizers Angelica Salas, Executive Director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), and Bethany Leal, Network Director of the Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Worker Organizing Network (MIWON).

WHY: Tamales de la Paz (Peace) will further the existing Rediscover MacArthur Park Campaign which is dedicated to revitalizing the neighborhood and surrounding areas through community partnerships that provide local health, safety, business, festive, educational, recreational, and social service activities.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: The event will highlight past and future community reinvestment activities to renew the MacArthur Park community. Approximately 30 agencies will be displaying their contributions to the revitalization effort on tables.

Councilmember Reyes will present Certificates of Appreciation to various organizations for helping reverse decades of disinvestment into neighborhood reinvestment within the MacArthur Park/Westlake District.

Also, Sandi “Mama” Romero of Mama’s Hot Tamales on behalf of the Rediscover MacArthur Park Alliance will present an award to the “10 Top Hot Tamales of Los Angeles” who are 10 community builders whose efforts have had a significant impact on the MacArthur Park neighborhood. Councilmember Reyes and Police Chief William J. Bratton will be two of the recipients of the award. The event will end with all participants dining on a unique 10 foot long “peace tamale” created by Mama’s Hot Tamales.

# # #

Tour de MacArthur Park

Councilmember Reyes joined the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition at MacArthur Park today to help hand out free bicycle lights to people pedaling by on their way to work. The event, on Car-Free Friday, was part of the Coalition's new "City of Lights" program targeting L.A.'s vibrant Latino bicycle community. "Countless residents traverse the City’s congested streets daily on bicycles to get to work,” said Reyes. Sporting eco-friendly bike button on his suit lapel, the Councilman helped a local cyclist secure a blinking safety light on his bicycle. "Many ride their bicycles more out of necessity than recreation. The safety of our City’s bicyclists, especially in my district, is just as important as that of our drivers and pedestrians. We need to do everything in our power to ensure their safety. That’s why programs such as City of Lights are so important.” Today's event was the latest in Reyes' efforts to make L.A. more bike-friendly . These include legislation that has led to the moratorium on the Bicycle License Law and a City Council motion prioritizing bicycling in the City's congested streets and along the Los Angeles River. "With the City of Lights program, as well as other upcoming events such as the Los Angeles River Ride in June, we hope to encourage bike safety, as well as promote the environmental, health and recreational benefits of riding bicycles."

Reyes Honors River Keepers on Earth Day

Councilmember Reyes today honored the Los Angeles River Keepers, a team of enviro-minded young adults, at the Earth Day 2009 Celebration in the Tom Bradley Tower. The River Keepers combines environmental education with an outdoor work program focused on improving the Los Angeles River. Sporting blue t-shirts, the 12-member group picks up trash, removes bulky items in the channel and cleans up storm drains. The Los Angeles Conservation Corps program, launched in August, educates local youth about the River as a natural resource and provides an ongoing presence at the River as it undergoes revitalization. Councilmember Reyes thanks the River Keepers for working with him to renew the Los Angeles River!