08/07/2024
Now in its 15th consecutive year of circulation as a print edition arts publication serving L.A. County's Greater East Side, BROOKLYN & BOYLE has surpassed, by far, the nine issues and/or three years a well-meaning but irredeemably cynical poet I used to know once predicted. Paper was dead, everyone said. A product of 1990s Austin, I knew this, but I also knew holding a masterful work of art, albeit just a reproduction on newsprint, in my hands would always beat scrolling over an image of it on a cell phone touch screen.
Along the way, we received praise in THE NEW YORK TIMES from award-winning indie filmmaker and best-selling novelist Miranda July, who described BROOKLN & BOYLE as "... a paper just for the arts in the Eastside... very Latino, historical, and radical in a community-minded way." Even as the pandemic made it all that much harder on an already shoe-string, bootstrap labor of love, we somehow still managed to win a National Association of Hispanic Publications "José Marti Gold Award for Outstanding Cover Design" (artwork by Pola Lopez) and a "Silver Award" for a best culturally-based feature article (a powerful, moving piece by UCLA's Dr. Lalo Valdez based on his COVID-era visit to Navajo Country.
Due out in 11 days (Aug. 16), our "Quinceñera Issue" celebrates the 49-year public art legacy of Wayne Healy and David Botello, founders and core members of the legendary East Los Streetscapers mural collective. We will also highlight an original, new biographically-based play inspired by late L.A. County Supervisor and lifelong East Side Chicana/o arts advocate Gloria Molina, written by REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES playwright/screenwriter Josefina López and slated to open on Aug. 29th.
If you care to support community arts coverage and neighborhood media by taking out a congratulatory ad on the occasion of our "quinceañera," an ad in salute of Los Dos Streetscapers, or you would like to offer a shout out in honor of Supervisor Molina, please DM me for details and prices, as well as a range of cool new discounts (up to 40% off published rates).
We could never have gotten this far without constant help, encouragement and sponsorships from so many of you, artists, readers and friends as well as leaders and staff at small businesses or community-based cultural as well as service organizations. Help us turn the page and begin a brand new 15-year chapter as a reinvigorated, plucky little arts paper. And stay tuned for news about the official "quince" festivities, por supuesto (of course)!