Stories

The Sonic Trace map, sonictrace.org is live!
Over the past year, we’ve been documenting immigrant communities across Los Angeles. We have gathered 200 stories inside La Burbuja – our portable soundbooth, produced seven documentaries and made two short films – with a third in production. Visit sonictrace.org and click on the radio icons to hear broadcast stories. Within the pop-up window click on arrows for …

This week, we will be launching Sonic Trace’s interactive story-telling map on sonictrace.org! Stay tuned to facebook, twitter and our blog to explore the stories of Los Angeles that we’ve gathered this past year.
For the past year, the Sonic Trace team has been hard at work documenting pockets of LA that become gateways into villages and towns across Mexico and Central America. You …

Mexican Chef with Boyle Heights YouthThe somber cafeteria at White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights is perhaps the last place in Los Angeles you would expect to find Aquiles Chavez, the high profile, Mexican celebrity chef that has his own show on the Utilisima network (Mexico’s equivalent to the Food Network). But last week, the Mexico city-born chef that sports dreadlocks and a handlebar …

The Sonic Trace team is currently embedded with La Burbuja – our portable sound booth – at Santa Cecilia Church in South LA. Every Sunday we gather dozens of interviews asking people why they left their country of origin, why they stayed in LA, and about the importance of going back. We also document many of the church’s activities. At Santa Cecilia Church, the …

KCRW’s Sonic Trace is part of Localore – an initiative produced by the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR). You may have heard a version of that line in all our crediting. So, what does it mean?
In short, ten producers were given the enormous task to ‘incubate’ at public radio and television stations across the country and innovate, collaborate and help take the …

If you grew up Latin American (or Spaniard) and Catholic, the Chrismas season isn’t over yet. This morning probably finds you celebrating with goodies left by the Reyes Magos, and having a wonderful sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes for breakfast with a huge cup of hot chocolate, atole or champurrado to wash it down. January 6th is El Día de Los Reyes Magos …

¡Feliz 2013! The beginning of a new year has arrived, but for the past three weeks millions of Angelenos have been taking part in holiday rituals and traditions imported from towns, cities and villages in Mexico. From posadas to processions, radish exhibits to pre-hispanic dance, Sonic Trace has been busy documenting moments of reverence, nostalgia and joy with Angelenos that share a deep bond …

Aldo Velasco was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco to an American mother and a Mexican father. At the age of five, he was taken on an ‘adventure’ to Los Angeles. At the age of five, he could not have imagined that this trip would change his life, forever.

Photo by Eric Pearse Chávez
For the next two weeks, KCRW’s Morning Edition will be airing profiles gathered …

December 12 is the day of the Virgen of Guadalupe. Across Mexico – and the world – devotees flock to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the heart Mexico City to celebrate and pay tribute to the patron saint that Catholics call the Queen of Mexico and the Empress of the Americas.
Los Angeles is the second city with the largest of …

Tune in today to NPR’s All Things Considered for a journey that explores Día de Los Muertos in Los Angeles and in Mexico. Or scroll to tune in here and now!
In Mexico, it is an important national holiday where people honor their loved ones that passed away by throwing them a party. The celebration is a tradition inherited from the country’s pre-hispanic …