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Friday Farmlab: The Story Behind 'Jesus is My Homeboy'
Today at noon, the Farmlab Public Salon welcomes Van Zan Frater, the person behind the Jesus is My Homeboy image that graces a number of t-shirts these days. The inspiration for the image came from Frater’s terrifying brush with gang violence -- and it's not about cashing in on a kitschy image. In 2007, Frater started the Jesus is My Homeboy Foundation in LA, which provides assistance with burial expenses and grief counseling for innocent victims of gang violence. Hear him tell his harrowing and inspirational story. Admission to the Farmlab lecture is free.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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