At De Los, we’re working hard to bring you the best stories daily. Whether it’s trending news moments, features or commentary — we are proud of every piece of journalism we produce.
But sometimes it’s hard to keep up with it all. Every Friday, we’ll put together a short recap of some of our best work to help you stay on top of our coverage.
Carin León: ‘Mexican music is no longer regional. It’s global’
Regional Mexican music is everywhere — from packed venues around the country to the top of streaming lists. Despite its massive popularity, one of the genre’s biggest stars wants to make one thing perfectly clear— Mexican music is a global phenomenon.
Carin León, born Oscar Armando Diaz de León, raised eyebrows earlier this summer during a performance with Colombian singer Camilo at the Premios Juventud in Puerto Rico by sporting a T-shirt that read “F— Regional,” a statement made to show how limiting the label has been.
Columnist Suzy Exposito spoke with León about his rise to stardom, his hometown of Hermosillo, Mexico and his musical inspiration.
Latino restaurant association calls on James Beard Foundation to add more Latinos to board
Representation isn’t just important in television and film. Latinos need to be visible in all areas and none more important than in the food and beverage business where Latinos make up the majority of the workers in the back of the house.
This week reporter Alejandra Molina dove into the lack of Latinos in the board of trustees of the James Beard Foundation, one of the most influential institutions in the restaurant and food worlds. Only one out of the 27 board members is Latino.
Leading the call for change is the Latino Restaurant Assn., an association that represents more than 1,300 Latino restaurant owners across the country.
This quote from Christy Vega, owner and president of the historic Casa Vega Cali-Mex restaurant in Sherman Oaks, sums up the issue:
“We’re not always the guy that owns the restaurant and in the white coat in the front, but we man every restaurant, and we pick all the food. Latinos deserve a seat at the table, just like everybody does.”
‘Slop on a tortilla:’ Why the defense of Mexican and other cultural food is personal
De Los contributor JP Brammer has a way of putting into words, ideas most of us just bat around in our heads. This week he tackled #slopgate, the viral controversy that exploded on X, formerly known as Twitter, after a French user categorized Mexican food as slop.
Brammer’s column goes beyond the silly arguments about which country’s cuisine is better, and focuses instead on why people are so quick to fight for their food’s honor.
This Mexican artist is spotlighting immigrants in the South
Contributor Daniela Cintrón brings us the story of Mexican-born artist, activist and public speaker Yehimi Cambrón Álvarez, who through her art has been championing the immigrant experience in Atlanta.
“Monuments: Atlanta’s Immigrants,” one of her biggest murals is near Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which means that the tens of thousands of fans get to gaze upon it as they make their way to their sporting event.
One of the goals of De Los is to not only show how Latinidad is expressed in Southern California, but around the country as well. Yehimi Cambrón Álvarez is certainly an example of Latinos shining in the Deep South.
Latinx Files: U.S. was a soccer country way before Messi’s arrival
Last Sunday, the focus of the sports world was on BMO Stadium and the game between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami against LAFC. The match served as a good opportunity for De Los editorial director and Latinx Files writer Fidel Martinez to dig into The Times’ archives to see how we covered the last time one of the greatest soccer players of all time played in Southern California.
Pelé played several games in Los Angeles during his career. He drew the biggest Angeleno crowds as a member of Brazilian side Santos FC, which played six matches against Mexican and Argentinian clubs. Unsurprisingly, many of those who went to see Pelé play were Latino.
