High Country News and Mother Jones: Reclaiming LA
Imagine a utopia: communities reclaim post-industrial lands for parks, gardens, and green spaces. This transformation is already taking place in Los Angeles and is often spearheaded by communities of color impacted by environmental racism. In this regenerative process, the communities and groups doing this work are healing the land, our cities, and our people. My hope for this photographic survey of sites across Southern California is to inspire communities to reclaim post-industrial sites in their own neighborhoods.
I was responsible for photography and reporting for this photo essay that I pitched. This was a close collaboration with High Country News photo editor Roberto (Bear) Guerra and was supported by photo editor Mark Murrmann at Mother Jones.
The Chen Lin brothers at Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown
Los Angeles State Historic Park opened in 2017 at the former site of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company’s River Station in one of LA’s landmark environmental justice victories.
Stacey Gray and Alex Kellerman, visitors to Los Angeles State Historic Park.
Los Angeles State Historic Park, Chinatown, Los Angeles
Brian Jobst, co-founder of Livable West Covina photographed at the top of BKK Landfill in West Covina, California.
Sheep graze the artificial hillside of a decommissioned landfill in California’s San Gabriel Valley to help mitigate the risk of fires.
Lennox Community Garden was a vacant site left over following the construction of the 105 Freeway in the 1980s. The community garden opened in 2012.
Frank Alvarado, gardener at Lennox Community Garden.
Corn growing at Lennox Community Garden.
Lawrence Dotson, hike leader with Hike to Yoga, Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles.
The BKK Landfill holds the potential to preserve hundreds of acres of open space in the highly developed West Covina area to benefit local communities and wildlife.
Irma Muñoz, founder of Mujeres de la Tierra, Los Angeles.
Part of Baldwin Hills Parklands
Cynthia Medina, assistant director of the Del Amo Action Committee, with her daughter Valerie Medina.
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in the foreground with oil extraction in the background.
Carina Lizárraga spent Memorial Day with her parents and siblings at Los Angeles State Historic Park.