Julia Barajas
I explore how college students achieve their goals — whether they’re fresh out of high school, or going back for the first time in years — and what support they get along the way.
My exposure to college began when I was a high school senior. In all my years of schooling, I’d never been assigned anything written by a person of Mexican descent, despite growing up in L.A. County. So when a brochure for East Los Angeles College appeared in my family’s mailbox, I tried out dual enrollment, and took an introductory Chicano Literature course. We read everything from Tomás Rivera’s “... And the Earth Did Not Devour Him” to Bernice Zamora’s “Notes from a Chicana ‘COED.’” And what I learned there — about writing, about history, and about myself — stayed with me. It informed my decision to major in literature and Latin American studies when I went on to earn a four-year degree, and it continues to shape the work I do now.
My hope is that all college students will get a similar chance to chart a course for themselves, guided by their own curiosities and ambitions.
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Florence-Firestone residents who organized against the demolition have mixed feelings about the new space. -
Tens of thousands of people have been waiting for help since they won a lottery last year.
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Staff members and volunteers at a Boyle Heights nonprofit are helping renters navigate the labyrinth of local housing rules.
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Staff and volunteers at InnerCity Struggle will go door-to-door through neighborhoods on the Eastside.
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The L.A. County Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to expand the region’s guaranteed income program to make it more widely available to former foster youth.
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Pandemic-era eviction protections in place since March 2020 expire across L.A. County on Friday.
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Parents and students pivoted while a three-day strike shut down Los Angeles Unified School District. There were teachable moments, some more successful than others.
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Labor and environmental groups say wealthy corporations are using these initiatives to overturn laws.
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More than 3,300 Angelenos have already weighed in. But we’re still waiting to hear from you!
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From biking to volleyball, these homegrown groups are open to all.
