Sowing Harmony With Trees, Dance

A performance of Aztec dances and the planting of 15 trees attracted about 100 neighbors to a recent morale-boosting gathering along the 2100 block of Estrella Avenue, an area neglected by absentee landlords and victimized by illegal dumping, said Patsy Carter of the 23rd Street Neighbors, one of the principal organizers.

Father Mike Crotty of St. Vincent Church said the 15 cinnamon camphor trees, which are smog-resistant and drought-tolerant, are “a living sign of the life we want for our neighborhood.” The Los Angeles Conservation Corps provided the trees and helped residents plant them.

Organizers Maria Gonzales and Patty Valladares, who were surprised by the turnout for the tree-planting, said residents on Estrella Avenue agreed to take care of the trees and to help keep the street clean.

“Usually, people just stay inside,” Gonzales said. “I hope this will bring people on the block together.”

Added Valladares: “We don’t like living here when the street is dirty and there are no trees. We said ‘Let’s do something about it.’ ”

Dunza Cora, St. Vincent’s first folk music and dance troupe, performed several Aztec dances. “This shows that kids from the barrios just need an outlet for their talent and creativity,” Crotty said.