We're back for our fourth event of the year, CicLAvia—South LA (Vermont Ave)! Join us on Sunday, June 18th, from 9am - 4pm as we transform the streets of South LA into a public park for the day.
Fun Fact: the majority of this route will be on Vermont Ave, one of the longest streets in the city and county of Los Angeles with a length of 23+ miles!
For this local gems blog, we are excited to highlight some of the Cultural Treasures of South LA. Cultural Treasures of South LA is an asset mapping and activation initiative of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), co-created and implemented in partnership with LA Commons, the South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone (SLATE-Z), Community Coalition, and the University of Southern California (USC)’s Neighborhood Data for Social Change (NDSC) Initiative.
Local Businesses
Village Market Place (VMP) Store and Soulful Cafe
6569 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
Serving the community since 2007, the VMP provides options for organic produce at an affordable price. They also aim to increase access to healthier foods in South LA, create jobs, and support regional small farmers. They’ll be open on CicLAvia Sunday from 10 am - 2 pm, be sure to check them out for made to order cafe drinks, fruit smoothies, teas and aqua’s, fresh baked goods, healthy take away salads and wraps, beyond organic produce & healthy groceries!
Coffee Del Mundo
7414 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
A Cultural Treasure of South LA, Coffee Del Mundo, is an Afro-Latino owned specialty coffee company based in South Los Angeles, California. Their mission is to help people rediscover coffee the way it was meant to be enjoyed, without any unnatural ingredients.
Trinistyle Cuisine
2159 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90047
Looking for authentic Caribbean food from Trinidad & Tobago? Look no further than Trinistyle Cuisine. From their comforting roti to their wide array of holiday pastries, Trinistyle prides itself in its authenticity and portion sizes!
Casa Honduras Restaurant
9131 Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
This Cultural Treasure of South LA, Casa Honduras Restaurant, has served traditional Honduran cuisine to the area since 2010. Whether you're there to catch a game, spend quality time with friends/family, or enjoy the music, Casa Honduras has got you covered.
Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen
1714 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90047
With a 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur Nomination, Greg Dulan (left) and brother Terry Dulan (right) carry on the family tradition of serving soul food to the South LA area since 1999. They continue to serve the area with two locations less than 4 miles apart.
Slauson Super Mall
1600 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90047
A Cultural Treasure of South LA, the Slauson Super Mall, has over 120 vendors and stands as one of the largest indoor swap meets in South Los Angeles. With vendors ranging from jewelry to clothing to perfumes, the Super Mall has something for everyone, and has been filling the gap of convenient shopping experiences in South Los Angeles since 1985.
Landmarks
Metro Regional Connector Transit Project
Metro A Line (Blue), E Line (Expo), and L Line (Gold)
Since 2013 Metro has been working on making commutes around the Downtown LA area more efficient. With this project, Metro will be connecting the E and L lines and the L and A lines so that commuters no longer have to make any transfers. Making trips like Santa Monica to East LA and Azusa to Long Beach with zero transfers creates a more streamlined way of getting around the LA area for all.
The project is scheduled to open on June 16 (CicLAvia weekend!) and includes three new stations: Grand Ave Arts/Bunker Hill Station, Historic Broadway Station, and Little Tokyo/Arts District Station. To celebrate the completion of this project, Metro rail and bus will be FREE all weekend!
Exposition Park
700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
Located at the northernmost part of the route is Exposition Park. This 160-acre location is home to a wide variety of museums, educational facilities, and stadiums. Swing by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the California Science Center, and the California African American Museum to learn more about nature, space, and the vital role African Americans have played in Western culture (check individual websites for schedule details.) Home to the USC Trojans, LAFC, and Angel City FC is the LA Memorial Coliseum and BMO Stadium, respectively. If you’re looking for an action packed sporting event or concert, these arenas have got you covered!
Jesse Owens Park
9651 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90047
With two heated indoor pools, recreational sports, and a golf course, this 20-acre park provides the opportunity to get active and spend time in nature for South LA residents and its neighboring communities. Named after famous track and field olympian, Jesse Owens, this park has been around since 1996 and continues to thrive in South LA.
Jesse Owens was best known for winning four gold medals in track and field at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. This feat was unheard of at the time and Owens doing so broke barriers for African-Americans in sports. His name and legacy live on all throughout the US and Los Angeles.
Along the route, adjacent to Jesse Owens Park will be the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair brought to us by Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. The free community event within the Juneteenth Hub, will uplift the impact of Juneteenth and create a space for redefining what freedom means today. There will be live performances, food trucks, activities, and access to community and county services. On-site record expungement, mental health services, support with tenant protection, and more will be available. All are welcome to attend. Please note: registration is required for attendees interested in accessing free on-site services. Sign up here.
"Strong Like A Madre" mural by Lapiztola
5800 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
Located on the El Pollo Loco at this address is another Cultural Treasure of South LA. In 2021, El Pollo Loco commissioned urban art group Lapiztola to paint this special mural to honor the strong and resilient mothers worldwide. This art piece also symbolizes El Pollo Loco’s commitment to reviving the culturally-significant presence of murals within Los Angeles, all while paying tribute to the Hispanic culture that drives El Pollo Loco and its community.
We can't wait to see you all at CicLAvia—South LA (Vermont Ave) on June 18. Don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list so you don’t miss out on future events. These events are made possible by contributions from people like you. To support more open streets, consider making a tax-deductible donation here today!
Photos courtesy of: Jon Endow, Community Services Unlimited - Village Market Place, Black Restaurant Week, Food Talk Central, USA Restaurants, Los Angeles Daily News, MapQuest, Wikipedia, Wikipedia (2), Eugenia Lazaris, TIME, Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation, and Restaurant News.
