Gustavo Arellano is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering Southern California everything and a bunch of the West and beyond. He previously worked at OC Weekly, where he was an investigative reporter for 15 years and editor for six, wrote a column called ¡Ask a Mexican! and is the author of “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.” He’s the child of two Mexican immigrants, one of whom came to this country in the trunk of a Chevy.
Latest From This Author
Ross is retiring next week after nearly a quarter-century heading one of the most important philanthropic forces in California. His legacy rests on how he helped transform charitable giving during his tenure.
Aug. 29, 2024
Albert M. Camarillo’s “Compton in My Soul” is a paean to an often stereotyped place that has changed dramatically from mostly Black to mostly Latino.
Aug. 27, 2024
Seven of the 10 inaugural inductees were entertainers or athletes, for chrissakes, while the three others were developers.
Aug. 22, 2024
Richard Alatorre, who spent his 28-year political career practicing ‘change from the inside’ and bringing other Latinos up with him, has died at 81.
Aug. 13, 2024
Villaraigosa seems to be banking on his main opponents running as wokosos in a state where Democratic voters are complaining about crime, homelessness, the cost of living and a lagging economy while not trusting the status quo to solve anything.
Aug. 7, 2024
Donald Trump is nothing if not consistent, and his Dumpster fire of an interview with reporters at the National Assn. of Black Journalists convention in Chicago this week showed the Republican presidential nominee in full, foul mode.
Aug. 3, 2024
A Latino VP pick for presidential candidate Kamala Harris is unlikely. Despite the Democratic party’s courting of their vote, it’s not surprising.
July 31, 2024
Damon Alimouri stood out from his fellow defense attorneys, and not just for his colorful nickname, coined by fans who swooned over his clean-shaven face, tailored suits, shiny pompadour and oratorical skills. His passionate yet unpretentious style contrasted with the showboating of some of the other lawyers.
July 25, 2024
A limping media ecosystem affects society in many ways — few of them good.
July 24, 2024
When Laura Pantoja immigrated to Santa Ana from Mexico City in the early 1990s, she could choose from about a dozen local newspapers in her native language.
July 24, 2024