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Los Angeles’ Top Vocational Trade Schools

Edgar Esparza March 11, 2024

As a large, bustling city, Los Angeles has more than its fair share of trade schools. If you’re looking to learn a trade, you’ll have no shortage of options. There’s something to cover pretty much any skilled trade or vocation that you can think of. The state of California has a huge demand for skilled trades across a variety of industries ranging from construction and agriculture to tech and entertainment. According to TopTradeSchools.com, Los Angeles is home to some of the best and most versatile vocational trade schools in California.

Here, we want to look at Los Angeles’ top vocational trade schools. These are the schools that have a wide variety of courses available and often rank highly among their students. This is by no means a complete guide to every vocational trade school in the city, but it is a good starting point if you’re not quite sure where you want to study.

Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center

This vocational trade school has been in Los Angeles since 1966. It, mostly, specializes in technical courses. Those who attend the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center can study to become electricians, construction workers, welders, and security officers. Recent courses include healthcare and medical tech, child development, and the culinary arts. The trade school is popular among non-native English speakers, due to their English as a Second Language course.

Los Angeles Trade Technical College

The Los Angeles Trade Technical College provides a wide variety of courses, with specialism in construction, culinary arts, and cosmetology. They also provide a variety of courses in medical practice, including Registered Nursing. The technical college places a massive focus on internships, and regularly encourages their students to learn ‘on the job’. Those who may not have the skills required to take a full technical course can brush up on their qualifications in math and English before entering one of the main courses here.

East Los Angeles Occupational Center

One of the primary focuses of the East Los Angeles Occupational Center is to get adults into new jobs, and they often work with disabled people and veterans. There is a huge number of courses here, covering most trades. This includes healthcare, construction, media, cosmetology, and even fashion design. It is one of the smaller colleges on this list, so you may not be able to study toward a complete trade education, but it can be a good place to provide the foundations of learning.

Angeles College

Angeles College is one of the newer trade schools on this list. It only offers vocational nursing programs. Because Angeles College was formed to help bring more nurses into Los Angeles (which was sorely lacking nurses for a while), there are often numerous scholarships available for the more talented applicants.

Harbor Occupational Center

The Harbor Occupational Center is all about getting people into their vocation as quickly as possible. The Harbor Occupational Center offers a wide variety of courses, both short and long. This includes quick forklift operation courses, as well as a complete electrical course. The trade school also covers positions that other trade schools may not (e.g. computer operations, and office administration.)

Newport International United College

The Newport International United College is one of the highest-rated Los Angeles vocational trade schools. Most of the courses at Newport are for those planning to get into the medical industry e.g. medical assistants, nurse assistants, medical technicians, etc. However, they also offer training for basic positions in law, business, and finance.

NTMA Machinist Career College

Founded in 1968, this is one of the more specialized vocational trade schools in Los Angeles. As the name suggests, it is only for machinist training. However, when it comes to machinist training, we don’t think there is a better trade school in the US, let alone Los Angeles. CNC machining is a rapidly expanding trade field and NTMA Career College is recognized by many to offer the best CNC machinist programs in L.A.

Cinema Make-up School

This is one of the more unique trade schools in Los Angeles, but one that produces talented students who are very much in demand. Cosmetologists who plan to work in the film industry, particularly in effects, would find the Cinema Make-up School a great place to start, although you’ll only get very specialized tuition here. It isn’t for more general cosmetology.

California Electrical Training

This Los Angeles vocational trade school provides online and offline courses for those planning to get into electrical work (not all courses are available online, as they require practical work). Courses are offered in both English and Spanish.

Career Development Institute, Inc.

This trade school aims to get people into nursing in as little as 13 months. It does provide heavy tuition, but those looking to break into nursing quickly may wish to check it out.

GSF Driving & Truck Training School

This is one of only a few dedicated truck driver schools. With a huge decrease in the number of truck drivers in the US, salaries have increased in a bid to attract new drivers to the industry. If you’re looking to become a truck driver, there’s no better school to get started than here.

ABC Bartending Schools

Again, another unique vocational trade college, but one that is very much in demand in Los Angeles. This huge bartending school will provide hands-on training to help people learn to work behind top bars.

Considering Your LA Trade School Options

As you can see – there are a lot of trade schools in Los Angeles, and we’ve barely scratched the surface here. If you’re looking to attend a trade school, we suggest you investigate the ones we listed above. They should provide most of the courses needed for whatever trade you plan to get into.

South Central Los Angeles Exudes Culture, But Can It Break The Black Monolith?

Calvin Dobbins September 13, 2022

Can a region’s geography stigmatize its reputation? South Central Los Angeles is pretty much the answer. The area is located within the city limits in the Southwestern part of LA County.

It’s a rectangular-shaped region placed like a puzzle piece in the heart of Los Angeles. According to a KCET report, it was renamed South Los Angeles in 2003. The area has undergone much unrest and racial oppression, which results in stereotypes by outsiders.

Who would forget the article published by the UK’s Daily Mail in September 2016? The derogatory headline with a subtle hint of racial slur writes about the area where the mother of Meghan Markle resides.

An excerpt from the article: “Plagued by crime and riddled with street gangs, the troubled Los Angeles neighborhood that Doria Ragland, 60, calls home couldn’t be more different to London’s leafy Kensington. But social worker Ragland might now find herself welcoming a royal guest to downtrodden Crenshaw after Prince Harry was revealed to be dating her daughter…...”

It shows that the British press fails to make a clear distinction between the geographical and historical aspects of South Los Angeles—a derogatory statement without much research. In reality, Meghan’s mother lives in the Crenshaw neighborhood of View Park, an affluent part of the region.

South Central LA has a population of over 800,000, which many assume are predominantly blacks. That’s what the outsiders think generally. However, the region comprises different races enriched with culture that needs to be embraced instead of sidestepping because of the stigma around it.

Can it break the stereotype? Many people paint this region badly because of its location. They often stigmatize the area or see it mainly as the African-American community. But beneath it, the place has a different story to offer.

Geographical Aspect Of South Los Angeles

The region is 51 square miles and has over twenty-five neighborhoods and five unincorporated areas. One of the attributes that makes this region invisible is because of the boundaries. It doesn’t have clean boundaries and determines mainly on the imaginary borders.

Take Historic South Central, a prominent neighborhood in the region that is 2.55 square miles. The area is bounded by Washington Boulevard, Vernon Venue, and Flower Street and runs along the historic Central Avenue to the east.

Central Avenue became the epicenter of African Americans after the 20^th century. The community-owned various business establishments and residences. It was also referred to as the “Black Belt of the city.”

Another instance is Tom’s Market- A one-story high brown brick building located at the center of the infamous 1992 conflict caused by the Rodney King trial’s verdict. It’s away from the intersection of Normandie and Florence Avenues.

It is situated within the imaginary borders of the South Central but geographically outside of the historic South Central. Leimert, Baldwin Hill, and Crenshaw neighborhoods are also located outside this perimeter.

Transcending Geographic Limit Through Race

South LA demographics have changed massively. The early 1970s saw South American immigrants relocating to this region. The 1980s saw street gangs becoming more powerful and dominant in different areas. These attributes made the outsiders paint this region as notorious or ghetto.

The Crenshaw Boulevard expands over twenty-three miles long with vehicles taking this route from Mid-Wilshire to North Via Central LA. The boulevard passes Crenshaw district, which includes affluent areas such as Windsor Hills and View Park. It ends in the Rolling area, which is also a wealthy location.

Regardless, anywhere there are African Americans, the east side of Interstate 405 is culturally called ‘South Los Angeles.’ It also comes with a subtle hint of derogatory remarks. The same can also be said for border cities such as Compton, Long Beach, and Inglewood, which share similar demographics. These cities are not part of South Central geographically.

Like in any place or area, the inhabitants of South LA live an ordinary life. Movies and pop culture may have shown a different image, but quite a contrast when it comes to reality. It’s not surprising that many have formed a notion of this region based on what they have seen in different forms of media.

Mr. Ronald, a writer and doctoral candidate comments that South LA differs from other parts of Los Angeles. He said it’s a region comprising multiple types of citizens holding different job positions from higher levels to a simple designation.

He also added the region is working class like any other neighborhood in Los Angeles. Furthermore, Ronald said that South LA is also home to well-known personalities like Ray Charles, Tina Turner, and Steve Wonder.

Amidst prominent personalities residing in this region, violence, crime, street gangs, and illegal drugs exist. Since the African-American became the face of South Central LA, the community has suffered from stereotypes the most.

However, when we refer to the 2000 census, Latinos are the majority, comprising 87.2%. The black community makes up to 10.1 % of the historic South LA. Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park, and Crenshaw district are the areas that are predominantly black. The affluent African-American resides in Ladera Heights, Windsor Hills, and Baldwin Hills, located on the West Coast.

However, the place of African Americans in this region is continuously disappearing. Raymond, a South LA resident for almost seventy years, moved here from Texas in 1955.

He states that the biggest issue in the Black community is selling properties the parents have left. One of his pals sold his grandmother’s house and moved to Moreno Valley. His friend lived rent-free in his grandma’s duplex but eventually sold off the property after she passed away.

It’s understandable why some want to leave this area and start anew. Regardless, the region is not what it was years ago. Crime rates have declined by the early 2010s, police patrol has improved, and there is redevelopment. Various initiative programs to lower crime rates and gang activities have also started to improve the community.

South LA may have witnessed some of the worst social unrest and racial oppression, but the region has thrived regardless. Outsiders may think of this place as a ghetto or area with gangs, but not many have seen it beneath the area. The region has more to offer than what it’s portrayed in the media.

People from different races and communities live in peace and acknowledge each other. Once seen as a Black monolith, South LA now comprises multiple races. With time, the existence of various races has somehow broken stereotypes.

Of course, crimes and violence still exist, but they have improved than what it was years ago. People residing in these areas have no complaints, and most have said that their neighborhoods are quiet and peaceful.

A Brief History of South LA And Its Culture

Historically, South Central LA has undergone complex changes that encapsulate spatial inequality. It’s a region that has witnessed some of the largest protests against racial oppression. Despite many unrests and racial wars, South LA has withstood against time.

The 1980s saw massive migration of Central Americans and Mexicans to the South Central. Due to economic instability, many have moved to this region. Despite the indifferences, peace between these communities was maintained as time passed.

Pre-WWII-South Central LA was diverse, like the Eastern neighborhood of Boyle Heights. Mexicans, Jews, Italians, Chinese, Japanese, and Blacks lived together as they were prohibited from residing where the Whites lived.

The region is an architectural delight with prominent historic places. For instance, there is an 80-year-old theatre with Spanish-style art deco in Leimert Park. As per culturela.org., this vision theatre was once run by Fox West Coast Theaters.

Also, there is the famous Los Angeles Coliseum, which is the place of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. Furthermore, who can forget the Watts Towers? It is a group of seventeen interconnected structures built by Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant, which took over thirty years.

Kendrick, a sixteen-year-old high school student, is pursuing software coding. He said the people are surprised that many reputed institutions are situated within the area borders of South Los Angeles.

Swiveling his gaming chair, he proudly said there are excellent universities and a Natural History Museum. Also, commenting on his neighbors, he said some are nice, while he grew up with some of them. He added that some are not safe.

It’d be unfair to paint the citizens of South LA as bad people or the region unsafe. The area is blessed with a Mediterranean climate and has fantastic neighborhood policies. In short, it’s an amalgamation of good and bad.

One may encounter the Crips and Bloods gang in these areas, at the same time come across scholars, students, anime nerds, celebrities, doctors, and dentists. There are affluent families, as well as those that are struggling.

Which city or region doesn’t have this socioeconomic disparity? Eventually, you have a narrow mind if you consider everyone in South LA to be avoided. They are not degenerate, nor are they hopeless.

Features

Figaro Bistrot in LA’s Los Feliz Gets Featured in Unique TikTok Trend

Cheyenne Grippa February 7, 2022

Local French eatery Figaro Bistrot at Los Feliz invites passersby with its cozy indoor ambiance and relaxing curb-side tables.

Many residents claim that this quaint little bistro has the best escargots in the city. Other times, it’s common to see local influencers dropping reviews of their Steak Tartare and pastries on social media.

The cafe is usually swarming with regular patrons and teeming with first-time visitors of the neighborhood, too. Local TikToker Casey Kramer shared spot-on impressions of how tricky it is to walk past the curb when regulars are seated along the patio.

With over 50k likes and a few thousand reposts, the video has garnered quite the buzz among locals and fellow Tiktokers.

For one, residents are all too familiar with the distasteful looks you get from some diners as you walk past the cane chairs lined up outside the establishment. And Casey’s followers agreed that her impressions of these diners were on the money.

Other viewers loved the characters she played while making these impressions. The artsy Instagrammer constantly on her phone and swiping through the latest filters, the singer-songwriter discussing the new equipment in his studio, and the small-time actor sharing about their next big break coming up soon were a few of the characters she nailed during the sketch.

Casey’s Tiktok drew so much attention that some viewers latched on to the smallest and pettiest of observations. For instance, a handful of viewers pointed out her apparent mispronunciation of ‘Los Feliz,’ while others debated whether Figaro Bistro’s location qualifies as Eastside LA.

Either way, the somewhat viral nature of the video did bring a lot of attention to Casey, herself an actor and songwriter. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to resonate with so many people. Moving forward, I’m going to be doing more impressions for sure!” she admitted.

Features

LASD Whistleblower Reveals Big On Deputy That Shot Andres Guardado

Della Ford August 25, 2020

In another turn of events over the murder of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, a LASD whistleblower might have opened a can of worms.

LASD whistleblower Austreberto “Art” Gonzalez’s alleged reveal brings to the attention of the violent clique ‘Executioners’- a group of deputies based at Compton Sheriff’s station. As revealed by the whistleblower, the deputy who shot Andreas Guardado was a potential member of the violent group. However, some officials deny or claim to be false against the allegations.

About ‘Executioners’ As Revealed By The Whistleblower

The violent clique comprises deputies at the Compton Sheriff’s station. In order to become a member of the group, one should resort to violence, as testified by the whistleblower.

As per the report by Gonzalez, some deputies belonging to the Executioners sports Nazi imagery tattoos and AK-47s. Reportedly, members become a part of the clique by committing violent acts such as executing members of the public.

The testimony of Gonzalez obtained through Spectrum News 1 also discloses information about the violent clique. It reveals deputies attempting to impress Executioners, which is infamously called ‘chasing ink.’

It also revealed that deputies throw ‘998 parties’, which is a code for ‘officer-involved shooting.’ In law enforcement, it’s a situation where a deputy or an officer shoots somebody.

The LASD whistleblower further discloses that it was an act to welcome a new member or celebrate someone getting ‘inked.’ Several claims have been made regarding the gang.

What Happened On June 18, 2020 And The Aftermath Situation

Deputy Miguel Vega, on June 18, 2020, shot and killed Andres Guardado in Gardena in an alleyway. As per the autopsy, the teenager was shot five times in the back by the sheriff’s deputy.

Guardado’s death is quite a complex situation. As per reports, he was an unofficial security guard at an auto body shop. The deputies spotted the teenager having a chat with someone in a car. As per claims by the deputies, Guardado saw them, showed a gun, and fled.

The deputies chased after the teenager, and on reaching a nearby alley, Deputy Miguel Vega shot Guardado. Officials reveal that they have found a ‘ghost gun’ from the scene without a serial number.

Gonzalez, under oath, reveals that deputies involved in the shooting were prospects when asked if they were ‘inked members.’ However, Vega’s lawyer denies the report, saying it’s false.

The situation would have been less complex if the deputies had worn body cams, but those rolled out were only from October 1. Also, the video footage from across the streets fails to show the shooting.

Amid the violent incident, there is also a report about these deputy gangs, which have cost millions in lawsuits to LA County. It is not the first time related to violence by deputies. In 2018, The Banditos, an East LA group, got into a brawl with fellow members at a party. It led to the disciplining of twenty-six employees in connection with the episode.

White Return In Inglewood

Cheyenne Grippa July 27, 2020

Hal Miller was a criminal lawyer who died recently. He and my father have been friends since their teens. I knew him but never spoke with him in-depth until sometime in the mid-90s when I was doing a story for the L.A. Times. It was a story about Eastside Boys, a group of black men born prior to 1940. My father and Hal were both members, but the latter was the group’s unofficial leader, expert, and historian. His house was like a permanent venue for reunions for years. But the yearly occasion wasn’t just a gathering; it was a homage to black life in Los Angeles in the early part of the twentieth century, which, when looking back, were its best years.

To grasp the magnitude of the gentrification taking over black neighborhoods in metropolitan L.A., it’s necessary to know what Eastside meant to black people. Of course, not everything was ideal; racist tradition forced blacks to reside in different neighborhoods on Eastside. The areas on Eastside were west of Alameda Street and east of Main Street and are currently called South Central. But despite the circumstances, the Eastside Boys, including Hal and my father, celebrated the gigantic possibility that L.A. appeared to provide what they could see from a small view of their surroundings. They celebrated it not only at reunions but every day of their lives.

The city was modern, with a sense of horizontalness, mixed economy, and inexpensive homes. It looked like a place accessible to everyone, irrespective of color, class, or status, unlike New York or New Orleans. The climate also encouraged people to keep that belief because it’s moderate, and anyone from any climatic region can adjust quickly. The success of the Eastside community in the mid-twentieth century also increased hope for a wonderful life that seemed to take form for future generations despite the segregation.

It did happen; hope turned to reality in one way after the 50s and 60s civil rights movement, but it came with a cost. When restrictions on racial housing disappeared, the white community left the area en masse leaving blacks in segregation once again. But prosperity continued, especially in the middle-class communities of Baldwin Hills, View Park, Leimert Park, and Crenshaw. These areas were off-limits to black people before.

As white people left the areas, it was Inglewood from where they left last and in large numbers. It was a different city for two reasons; first, it opposed integration historically, and second, its location was to the extreme west if you consider Eastside. Though many white people left, there was still a significant number of households residing even in the 1970s. Many blacks arrived and made the place their home, but the good life didn’t last long. Proposition 13, which limited the funding of various services, including public schools, had a disastrous effect. It later led to the onset of an epidemic in the form of crack cocaine which multiplying street gangs oversaw. The wave of immigrants from Mexico and Central America also changed the racial makeup of South Central and Inglewood.

As if all these weren’t enough, the rising cost of housing, sometimes called “the destabilizing force of the 21st century,” poses a threat and may take away any hope of a good life for the black community of L.A. The one factor, “affordability,” which made Eastside thrive, is no more prevalent. Los Angeles is sharply vertical now, and only the wealthy and elites can afford housing. Besides, race and class are also intertwined, so anything expensive isn’t accessible to blacks as a group. The trend that the Eastside generation and Hal started is reversed now as the famed Los Angeles’s “good life” is scarcely accessible to blacks. The success which the Eastside Boys saw and hoped for it to continue is stalled or closed in most sectors. Various aspects are pushing out the black community from blocks and neighborhoods.

Return of White Community

This was an expected crisis so nothing to be surprised about.

As per a study conducted by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, the increase in housing costs and the decrease in wages are the two main factors for the decline of South L.A. The price of houses is more than three times what it used to cost in the 60s. The scarcity of jobs, high cost of living, and rising prices of homes are some reasons for the gentrification taking over Crenshaw and starting to envelop Inglewood. The latter has become a much sought-after area in L.A. The real estate business has boomed in recent years, with housing costs soaring at least 63%, according to a study by Property Shark. The research also indicated that the catalog of two-bath and two-bedroom homes gave a feeling of “sub-urbanity.”

Gentrification wasn’t an event that Hal and my father imagined when they were growing up in blossoming L.A. It is one thing about white people fleeing and entirely another thing about them returning. The phenomenon has, of course, been reshaping black neighborhoods historically – Bed-Stuy, Harlem, to name a few – but never has it happened to such a vast extent as now. It’s a fact to be worried about because the black population of L.A. has gone down to less than ten percent of the total population and poses a danger of being pushed out entirely.

The New Inglewood

The danger is more pronounced in Inglewood, where I grew up and reside today. It isn’t an ordinary black neighborhood in L.A. under threat. It’s a city with a 50% black population. But several things, such as gentrification and impending economic and racial change, look very realistic for a place that has its separate culture, public image, school district, and government.

Many people, including my neighbors, say that even though gentrification has negative aspects, it’s the answer to reviving our image, which has been tainted for a long time. It’s also the perfect timing for a revitalization. There is plenty of development going on as the city is the location of a huge NFL stadium that will house two teams, the Chargers, and the Rams. The surroundings consist of condos, various facilities, retail, and amenities. In a way, it looks like the phoenix rising from its ashes and appears to hold a promise to improve Inglewood and make it better. James Butts, the mayor, said that Inglewood is one city that has undergone a vast transformation in only 4 years from being a crime-ridden, lack of jobs, and poverty-stricken city to something worthy and affluent.

However, there is one probable reality lurking around once the development completes. The designs of gentrification in every area seem to oppose the idea of blacks and Latinos of Inglewood staying around to benefit from the revived city. If nothing is done, then the history of the black community, which thrived even under dire circumstances, could be wiped out.

But there is hope because something positive is happening, and one of the first steps towards that has been regarding the MTA rail line, which is under construction. Crenshaw Subway Coalition, a transportation justice organization founded by Damien Goodman, fought, and now the rail line is accountable to the communities of Crenshaw’s and Inglewood’s requirements. The organization has been working to oppose gentrification in both areas.

According to the coalition founder, every aspect is being transformed into something white people can accept and like. If it continues, then the people (blacks) who built the place and lived there for decades will be pushed out eventually. To prevent this catastrophe, the coalition plans to form a non-profit community land trust.

More Hurdles Ahead

But it isn’t going to be easy because black neighborhoods may have missed the opportunity. The leaders and politicians are at fault here because they depended heavily on government funding, but it hasn’t helped. Instead of leaning on unreliable financing of the authorities, leaders could have intensely tried to acquire private development funding. It would have enhanced standards of living and created stable jobs. Another reason for the missed opportunity is that black people often aim low in life just to survive and not to flourish.

If the community were forward-thinking and tried aiming higher, it might have been a different scenario. The 1990s were when black neighborhoods could have done something and transformed the city. But that’s long gone, according to Michael Anderson, a developer, and an architect.

Now, it seems that only gentrification or the return of whites can make things happen, such as safe streets, good schools, and ideal retailers. What black communities wanted and needed is slowly happening, but it’s coming at a significant cost.

My uncle was one of the few people who obtained the Los Angeles dream. He bought a house in the 50s near Slauson Avenue, considered the demarcation line between white and black. His home was in the south of Slauson, and so he had a cross being burned on his property, but he stuck there.

Gentrification has many positive aspects too. However, it doesn’t do much for black people because it involves them leaving and not arriving. There isn’t any neighborhood in L.A to go to.

Eastside L.A – Where Does It Start? Where Does It End?

Anthony Pierson January 21, 2020

The answer may appear to be simple for some. But in reality, many people, including the residents of Eastside, struggle to give a correct and straight answer. Besides, a debate continues to rage as to where East L.A. starts because everyone has an opinion.

While some long-time residents mention a particular place, most new residents say they don’t know. Others are hesitant to say anything because they feel the question is a political one.

For instance, actor Leonardo Di Caprio, who grew up in East Hollywood and Echo Park, said he lived in East L.A during his younger days. However, most residents disagreed with that statement, and someone corrected him.

The reason why a white guy with blue eyes described the areas where he lived as East L.A. is because he couldn’t venture further east beyond there. Why?

It may not be well-known to many new residents and youngsters, but Downtown L.A. was like a ghost town at night during the 1980s. On the other hand, people felt intimidated by areas such as Boyle Heights and Highland Park because they supposedly were filled with various gang members.

But there is one point to be noted, and that is Los Angeles didn’t come into existence in the 1980s or even the 1880s but in the 1780s. Black, white, brown, and Native Americans all had a hand in establishing Los Angeles.

This new settlement was called “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles.” When translated, it reads “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels,” it comprises present-day Downtown L.A.

So, for all those residents and curious people who regard the history of L.A. more than geography, designate Eastside L.A. in connection to Olvera Street, often considered the location where Los Angeles was born.

But with the scenery of L.A. changing rapidly, people make weird assumptions, too. Just recently, Sera Gamble, when talking about shooting locations for the Netflix series “You,” mentioned something along the lines of Leo Di Caprio.

She said that if anyone truly wished to capture the essence of Los Angeles, they should begin in the east. However, by that, she meant the areas Leo Di Caprio also mentioned, namely the east of Silver Lake and Echo Park, and not the real Eastside.

With so many varied opinions from various individuals, it’s hard to come to a conclusion. That’s why it became necessary to do a ground report and find out what new and old residents had to say to the question, “Where does Eastside L.A begin?”

Silver Lake

Eddie Spaghetti, a homeless person for 22 years, earns his livelihood by selling things that he finds or that people give to him for five dollars. That’s why residents in the area also call him the $5 Guy.

On this day in January, he has a big smile on his face, and when asked where Eastside starts, he is quick to reply, “East L.A.” Next, I asked when he went there last, and he replied, “Yesterday, eating tacos at King Taco on Soto Street and Cesar Chavez.”

Next are two UPS drivers, Victor and Louis, parked near a former Silver Lake vegan and juice shop. When asked where Eastside starts, both had different opinions.

Victor said to go to Main Street in Downtown L.A. and head east, and that’s the beginning of Eastside. But Louis had another answer. According to him, it starts at “1st Street in East L.A.”

Echo Park

Archena, who originally hails from South Pasadena, was entertaining visitors from Oakland on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. She was standing in line at Konbi, and when asked where Eastside began, she hesitated and didn’t provide a straightforward answer.

According to her, it was a “political conversation,” and she wasn’t the right person to answer. However, she said she knows which part isn’t Eastside and mentioned two areas, Beverly Hills and Brentwood.

She was chatty and lively but didn’t mention many names besides the two. She owned that she was playing safe, and maybe that was a clever move.

DTLA

A group of young men were skateboarding near Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, also called “VAPA” by its students.

The school is near Chinatown, and when questioned regarding Eastside, Alex, one of the young men, said, “L.A. Trade Technical College.” It was probably a joke, and he said that because he, along with his friend Nick, studied there.

Nick, on the other hand, said, “East L.A.” All the young men said “Spence” and pointed to another youngster when asked who was the best skater among them.

Strange, but this Spence also had another answer to where Eastside begins because he said “Eagle Rock” and skated off. Another young man named James (he had great hair) said “Las Feliz” in a weird way, which made everyone laugh.

Boyle Heights

The neighborhood had a huge Jewish population in the past, but not so much now. It’s predominantly inhabited by Hispanics and Latinos and some white, black, Asian, and Jewish residents.

Moni’s Party World is a shop for various party items. Eva, who graduated from Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School, has been employed in the shop for around five years.

When queried regarding Eastside L.A., at first, she wondered if it was between Boyle Heights and Commerce. But then she mentioned it’s “more east than Boyle Heights.”

El Norteño De Savy is a store that has been dealing in menswear for more than forty years. The store has also converted a considerable portion of its area for a card game known as Yu-Gi-Oh.

Two young men engrossed in the game had quick replies related to the game. But when asked regarding Eastside L.A., they said they didn’t know.

But since I wanted to know their thoughts, I asked what they think when someone says a party is on the Eastside. Their reply was somewhat hilarious.

Andreas, one of the two boys, said they were introverts and stayed in the same spot. Jonas, his friend, agreed with that statement, and both confessed that they never wondered where Boyle Heights fits in L.A. regarding directions.

But it was way different with Maria, who works as a cashier at the original Guisados. According to her, Eastside starts at Lorena St. She was firm regarding her point and said Boyle Heights wasn’t connected to Eastside.

Another long-time resident, Eduardo Garcia, who has lived in the area for more than 45 years, said that Eastside used to start at Boyle Heights, but now it begins at Lorena St.

He explains it by mentioning a few things about the neighborhood but doesn’t exactly arrive at the point. But from his explanation, I did learn several things, like the lively older man was in the theater business and that he came from Guadalajara, Mexico.

Luis Vega, the City of Angels Tattoo shop owner, said Boyle Heights was where Eastside began in the past, but not anymore. But he ponders a bit and explains if you look in the west, there’s L.A., and when you look towards this side, it’s the Eastside.

A customer called Fatima had a different opinion. She said that Eastside starts at Indiana St.

Luis Vega’s two teenage sons were also in the shop, and when I asked them, Luis Jr. replied, “Whittier,” but his brother wasn’t sure what to answer as he never considered it.

Lorena Street

Javier smoking a cigarette in the Lorena Drive-In parking lot has a separate view. He disagrees that Lorena Street is the beginning of Eastside. He says that the east of L.A. River is where the Eastside starts, and the river is the divider.

According to him, he judges things by what Mother Nature provides and not by what people say. He also says that Boyle Heights ends in Indiana Street, and East L.A. begins from there. But he disagrees that Eastside starts there.

Johnny’s Shrimp Boat

I headed towards the west and went inside Johnny’s Shrimp Boat, a restaurant a few blocks away. If you watched “Rampart (2011)”, which starred Woody Harrelson and Ice Cube, you must have noticed this restaurant.

Two people were in the restaurant: Victor, who was working the Grill, and George, a customer. When I questioned them regarding the beginning of Eastside, they both replied differently.

The customer, George, said it started in El Sereno. But Victor disagreed and said it began after Lorena St. corrected himself and said, “Indiana, my bad.” When asked why, he said, “It is what it is.”

Indiana Street

I move back towards Indiana Street again and notice a mini market called Indiana Dairy. A friendly Asian lady in charge of the market chats with me, but when I asked where Eastside begins, she said she couldn’t speak or understand English well.

But I am not deterred by this since I want some answers, so try to obtain opinions from her customers.

I met Raphael, who was scratching a ticket and had just won. As he entered the Indiana Market, I asked the all-important question, and he replied that Eastside began on this street. When asked why, he said, this place is Boyle Heights, and east of here is East L.A.

Another customer, Jose, was also trying his luck on the ticket. He was sitting in his classic car, a 1966 Mustang. When I enquired regarding the beginning of Eastside, he wasn’t sure but said it was Indiana or Lorena. He resides in the area.

When he learns the question is asked because many people consider Silver Lake or Echo Park as the starting point of Eastside, he is amazed or even finds it hilarious.

His exact words are “Silver Lake?”, “I’m lost on that one.”

Features

Contemplating Joker – Insight Into The Psyche Of Psychopaths And Sociopaths From A Psychiatrist’s Perspective

Edgar Esparza October 24, 2019

Dr. Kate Wilson is bright, funny, and bold. She’s a highly experienced and skilled psychiatrist with extensive knowledge of mental disorders. She has quite a reputation and is known for treating aggressive criminals with severe mental illness, including patients like the supervillain character “Joker,” played by Joaquin Phoenix.

So indeed, she’s the perfect person to discuss the movie’s portrayal of mental illness. Right?

Our 90-minute conversation will give you a clear picture of how society treats or think about mental illness from Dr. Wilson’s point of view.

What Made You See The Film “Joker”?

I used to enjoy watching the Batman cartoon in college and thought of the Joker as the weirder version of Krusty the Clown with violent behavior. But I knew instantly that it was an origin story.

What piqued my interest in the movie was none other than Joaquin Phoenix. He’s one of the finest actors of his generation and is famously known for playing unconventional roles. So without much thought, I went to the theatre to watch it. He goes all in when it comes to playing a character, whether it’s gaining weight or looking mentally ill. No wonder he won an Oscar for his exceptional performance in the movie.

Some time ago, I came across an article where the director said he wanted the character of the Joker to be challenging to understand. But I can’t help it; I’m a psychiatrist!

So here I am going to read The Joker like a book!

Is The Jokers Laughter A Real Condition?

Sadly, yes! While watching the movie, I learned he has PBA (Pseudobulbar affect). This condition can happen to people with traumatic brain injury. Sometimes, people with Parkinson’s can also suffer from this disorder. I’ve never seen anyone act like that unless they’re seriously ill. Kudos to Joaquin Phoenix for portraying the character so well. Crying and laughing at the same time? The act was spectacular!

Usually, this illness can be controlled by taking Nuedexta, an FDA-approved medication. So I thought that if he had taken this medicine, things might have been different, and maybe he would’ve been a little better. The princess of pop, Britney Spears, seems to have this condition, and it’s extremely sad.

What About Joker’s Mother?

Not only was she delirious and mentally ill, but she was also diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. Narcissism is a personality disorder and cannot be treated. Narcissists are extremely selfish people who will never see any fault in them and can’t accept their wrongdoings. So if you address their mistake, they will try to prove that you’re wrong and display hostile acts.

Do you think the Joker was aware of his madness?

Most likely because he attends therapy and takes medication.

I almost teared up when he wrote in his notebook about how people expect you to behave. It was sad.

As A Psychiatrist, How Do You Portray Joker’s Unnamed Therapist?

Being relatable to patients is something that we focus on, and so I was somewhat relieved when his therapist told him about how people don’t care. They don’t care about you or me. What I appreciate in the movie is that the people who evaluated his symptoms were both black women. Is there a diagnostician better than a black woman? I don’t think so!

No wonder, without hesitation, she got straight to the point because that’s what we usually do, cut to the chase.

In One Scene, Joker Kills One Of His Cohorts And Allows The Other One To Escape. Do You Think Showing Compassion Is Normal In A Psychotic Person?

The answer depends on whether a person is a sociopath or a psychopath.

Joker’s behavior is distorted because his mentally unstable mother mistreated, neglected, and abused him. He suffered enough abuse as a child that it created a monster in him, thus the name Joker.

Is he a psychopath?

He definitely is because sociopaths are magnetic and have a very likable quality that would attract you toward them.

The perfect example of this would be the American serial killer Ted Bundy. He was a charming, intelligent man, so people would usually say that he could not do such things. But when he gets drunk, he becomes Mr. Hyde and behaves wildly.

Psychopaths are experts in wearing masks and using their charm to persuade you to get what they want, and sociopaths often display unpredictable mood swings.

Do You Think People With Mental Health Problems Like Joker Should Receive Treatment From Hospital And Asylum Or Prison Suits Them Best?

The answer would depend on the mental condition of the person. Because if a person’s illness is the root cause of his insane behavior causing him to commit a crime, he should be admitted to a mental hospital for treatment.

We have Twin Towers Correctional Facility in L.A., the country’s largest psychiatric hospital. They have a bunch of mentally ill patients and a full squad of psychiatrists. The facility has different floors and levels that accommodate patients depending on their mental condition.

I can say that mental hospital patients can improve a lot, so it’s best to send them to a mental hospital for treatment. Since it’s a place made for them, they sure can get better with time.

You Have Met People At The Twin Towers Correctional Facility Who Have Committed Heinous Acts. So How Would You Feel If You Met Them While Walking On The Street? Would You Feel Safe Or Get Scared?

There are several services available for people recovering from mental illness to help them get back on their feet. It can be a group discussion, exercise, yoga, training their social skills, etc., and these people take recovery very seriously because it’s no joke. There’s no room for error.

It’s because we tell them that living in a society is an honor because people like you could be kept in a mental hospital forever. So there’s no way I’d get scared or intimidated by their presence because they’re trying their best to recover and live in a society like a normal person.

Do You Think The Joker Wanted To Get Better?

Absolutely! He was aware enough of his mental condition and even went on to ask to increase his medication, but his therapist seemed unconcerned. I felt like stepping in for a moment because this guy wanted to get better; he was looking for help.

Seeing someone searching for help and consistently going to appointments was heartbreaking. But society doesn’t care at all, and we are all to blame.

What more? People with behavioral or mental disorders don’t have the same societal value as those people who don’t have disorders. That’s the sad reality. Most people avoid receiving help or delaying treatment for fear of being treated differently in society, and this discrimination is a huge problem.

People with mental illness are discriminated against in many ways that create a barrier among people.

Society doesn’t care about the mentally ill person at the grocery store, park, or anywhere and treats them as nonexistent. Reality is heartbreaking, and this movie portrays it perfectly. He didn’t get the chance he so desperately wanted.

What Do You Think Is The Cause Of Mental Illness? Is It Hereditary? Is It Associated With Trauma? What Do You Think Is The Reason For This Disorder?

Some mental disorder is genetic and can run in families, but this does not guarantee that you will develop the same illness. Researchers are yet to find the exact cause, but genetics play a major role. Besides, mental illness can also result due to upbringing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentions that mental illness can be caused due to several factors, such as drugs, alcohol, traumatic experiences, loneliness, and brain abnormalities.

At present, there are no genetic tests that can help determine your gene combinations to know if you’re susceptible to any mental illness. However, your family history may be able to provide you with clues. If a close family member has a mental condition, you might also be at possible risk.

Understanding and recognizing the risk may help you stay alert and diagnose the illness early.

Is mental illness curable?

Mental illness is treatable, but it cannot be cured. The best you can do is receive medication to alleviate the symptoms to function and work normally. There are various effective treatments available, and they can significantly help improve the symptoms and prevent any danger.

If You Were The Joker’s Psychiatrist, What Would You Do?

The Joker has a bipolar disorder type 1 characterized by maniac episodes and also suffers from a neurological condition called Pseudobulbar affect (PBA).

Luckily this condition can be treated with medication. To control his mania, he should take a mood stabilizer and antipsychotic medicine to help reduce his delusions. He would also need to take Nuedexta to treat his pseudobulbar affect.

Moreover, he needs therapy to help him deal with his emotions due to his traumatic childhood experiences.

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