(Photo illustration by Diana Ramirez; photos by Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times, Sarahi Apaez, Juli Perez, Diana Feil)
10 places to pick up a new hobby taught by Latino Angelenos
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In a pinch, a flashy TikTok clip can get you out of a cooking rut by walking you through a new recipe from the comfort of your home. There’s a lot the Internet can teach you. But there’s a whole three-dimensional world outside your electronic devices waiting for you — one where you can find community, pick up a new craft and learn a thing or two about yourself.
Our 10 picks for new hobbies taught by Latinx creatives will challenge you or could serve as inspiration to explore something new. Maybe you need to rewire how you work with your hands or find a new way to express yourself creatively or quiet your noisy mind and just focus. Whatever the goal, there’s an activity here for you.
And you might find there’s a certain beauty that comes with getting out of your comfort zone. Especially when you’re stuck in a routine and all of a sudden a new hobby speaks to a part of you that has gone ignored. There’s so much to unpack when it comes to you and your ever-changing story.
Whatever the motivation might be, consider this a sign from the universe (hear it in the wind whispering ¡échale ganas!) to learn from creatives who love their craft. You might just find a community of like-minded people or even awaken an untapped corner of your soul.
Showing Places
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
El Sereno Community Garden
El Sereno Gardens
The slice of land that makes up El Sereno Community Garden has been carefully cared for since 2002, when a group of neighbors banded together to reclaim a seemingly abandoned yard owned by Caltrans.
Like most community gardens, El Sereno’s is open to any enthusiasts who want to get their hands dirty. But it’s also a chance for newcomers to learn how to tend the earth in a welcoming community.
New members are encouraged to take a silent meditation walk around the space to introduce themselves to the garden.
“It’s something that we seem to forget in our lives,” said Erika Crenshaw, co-chair of El Sereno Community Garden. “That’s a way of grounding folks to the place and to the land. If they can hear and listen, then they’ll come back and get the vibe of what we’re trying to grow here.”
That means embracing the rituals of gardening like digging, seeding, pruning and harvesting much in the way the ancestors did when they fed and nourished their families.
“You’re building a community that’s willing to connect to the land,” Crenshaw said.
Annual memberships are $125 and the renewing cost is $85, which goes to pay maintenance and water expenses. Members can adopt their own plot of land and learn how to till the soil and conserve water.
There are several community gardens throughout the city of Los Angeles managed by volunteers and representatives with the L.A. Garden Council. Find one in your area or make your way to El Sereno.
Like most community gardens, El Sereno’s is open to any enthusiasts who want to get their hands dirty. But it’s also a chance for newcomers to learn how to tend the earth in a welcoming community.
New members are encouraged to take a silent meditation walk around the space to introduce themselves to the garden.
“It’s something that we seem to forget in our lives,” said Erika Crenshaw, co-chair of El Sereno Community Garden. “That’s a way of grounding folks to the place and to the land. If they can hear and listen, then they’ll come back and get the vibe of what we’re trying to grow here.”
That means embracing the rituals of gardening like digging, seeding, pruning and harvesting much in the way the ancestors did when they fed and nourished their families.
“You’re building a community that’s willing to connect to the land,” Crenshaw said.
Annual memberships are $125 and the renewing cost is $85, which goes to pay maintenance and water expenses. Members can adopt their own plot of land and learn how to till the soil and conserve water.
There are several community gardens throughout the city of Los Angeles managed by volunteers and representatives with the L.A. Garden Council. Find one in your area or make your way to El Sereno.
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(SELA)
SELA Art Center
Huntington Park Art school
The impulse to sketch while on a Zoom call or in the middle of a meeting is your creative side trying to stretch its legs. Don’t lie to yourself. The margins of your notebooks are no place for your brilliant works of art. Let them breathe.
Consider the life drawing classes hosted by the SELA Art Center, a roving collective that has hosted events throughout southeast Los Angeles County.
“We’ve created a family of local artists and other people interested in just being part of the scene,” said Teresa Arias, programming director of SELA Art Center.
Live models pose for about three hours during the in-person sessions, which occur at least once a month. The whole affair follows a sip-and-paint model with the occasional bottle of spirits or dark wines.
Arias and her brother, artist Hector “Tetris” Arias, started SELA Art Center to give the local community access to an art scene they felt was being offered only to people on the Westside.
“There just didn’t seem to be any art programs provided to low-income families here,” Teresa Arias said. “You would have to drive out of the area if you wanted to take advantage of any type of art classes. Why should those opportunities be foreign to the people of SELA?”
As luck would have it, the art community was there but just needed a banner to gather under.
Teresa Arias said, “Locals are welcome, but so is everyone else.”
SELA Art Center suggests a $25 donation to cover the costs for models and venue.
Consider the life drawing classes hosted by the SELA Art Center, a roving collective that has hosted events throughout southeast Los Angeles County.
“We’ve created a family of local artists and other people interested in just being part of the scene,” said Teresa Arias, programming director of SELA Art Center.
Live models pose for about three hours during the in-person sessions, which occur at least once a month. The whole affair follows a sip-and-paint model with the occasional bottle of spirits or dark wines.
Arias and her brother, artist Hector “Tetris” Arias, started SELA Art Center to give the local community access to an art scene they felt was being offered only to people on the Westside.
“There just didn’t seem to be any art programs provided to low-income families here,” Teresa Arias said. “You would have to drive out of the area if you wanted to take advantage of any type of art classes. Why should those opportunities be foreign to the people of SELA?”
As luck would have it, the art community was there but just needed a banner to gather under.
Teresa Arias said, “Locals are welcome, but so is everyone else.”
SELA Art Center suggests a $25 donation to cover the costs for models and venue.
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(Diana Feil)
Good Dirt LA
Del Rey Pottery
Lina Alvarez wanted to create a second home for people to learn how to make pottery.
The Colombian-born artist found her opportunity in 2015 when she stumbled upon a pottery studio for sale on Craigslist. She raised $12,500 in about 20 days and was handed the keys to the space she renamed Good Dirt L.A.
“Seeing that goal just gave me the drive,” Alvarez said. “I want to share this with other people. To me, it’s not just about building pottery but building a community.”
While Good Dirt L.A. is a business first and foremost, Alvarez also understands that once a person takes to pottery they can find it to be a healing practice, a place for meditation and Zen.
Classes offered at the studio space cover the introduction to wheel throwing, hand building, pinch-and-sip building and getting your hands messy. Students can sign up for single-session classes or six-week courses.
While all skill ranges are welcome, students should abandon any impression of whipping together an earthen pitcher like some professionally edited TikTok video on their first try.
“Leave all your expectations at the door,” Alvarez said. “Pottery has become accessible through social media and it looks so easy but it’s actually so hard. It’s about becoming patient with yourself, especially in the first class. It can look really easy but it does require some practice.”
The Colombian-born artist found her opportunity in 2015 when she stumbled upon a pottery studio for sale on Craigslist. She raised $12,500 in about 20 days and was handed the keys to the space she renamed Good Dirt L.A.
“Seeing that goal just gave me the drive,” Alvarez said. “I want to share this with other people. To me, it’s not just about building pottery but building a community.”
While Good Dirt L.A. is a business first and foremost, Alvarez also understands that once a person takes to pottery they can find it to be a healing practice, a place for meditation and Zen.
Classes offered at the studio space cover the introduction to wheel throwing, hand building, pinch-and-sip building and getting your hands messy. Students can sign up for single-session classes or six-week courses.
While all skill ranges are welcome, students should abandon any impression of whipping together an earthen pitcher like some professionally edited TikTok video on their first try.
“Leave all your expectations at the door,” Alvarez said. “Pottery has become accessible through social media and it looks so easy but it’s actually so hard. It’s about becoming patient with yourself, especially in the first class. It can look really easy but it does require some practice.”
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(Be Nice, Have Fun)
Be Nice, Have Fun
Highland Park Art school
When was the last time you sat down to craft? If the answer is when you were a child, then you should consider sitting in on a creative workshop at Be Nice, Have Fun.
The Highland Park gift shop offers a variety of classes centered around crafting, including DIY scrapbooking and designing tote bags. The space also hosts a book club, which drives home the point that these sessions are not just to create but to relearn what it means to be part of a creative gathering.
“It’s becoming so rare to find places where you can be vulnerable and let your guard down in public these days,” said shop owner Destinie Escobedo. “The pandemic probably forced a lot of us to be like, ‘Oh, I can only do that at home.’ And people forgot how to interact with others.”
Skill levels be damned — there shouldn’t be any pressure to create something that looks professional or screams DIY, she said. Beginners and advanced crafters are invited. The shop hosts a revolving series of workshops led by local artists.
Each workshop includes limited tuition paid for by the shop to ensure that everyone can enjoy the creative process.
“A huge ethos in our shop is to make sure to advocate and create access to BIPOC joy,” said Escobedo. “Things like this should be accessible for everyone.”
The Highland Park gift shop offers a variety of classes centered around crafting, including DIY scrapbooking and designing tote bags. The space also hosts a book club, which drives home the point that these sessions are not just to create but to relearn what it means to be part of a creative gathering.
“It’s becoming so rare to find places where you can be vulnerable and let your guard down in public these days,” said shop owner Destinie Escobedo. “The pandemic probably forced a lot of us to be like, ‘Oh, I can only do that at home.’ And people forgot how to interact with others.”
Skill levels be damned — there shouldn’t be any pressure to create something that looks professional or screams DIY, she said. Beginners and advanced crafters are invited. The shop hosts a revolving series of workshops led by local artists.
Each workshop includes limited tuition paid for by the shop to ensure that everyone can enjoy the creative process.
“A huge ethos in our shop is to make sure to advocate and create access to BIPOC joy,” said Escobedo. “Things like this should be accessible for everyone.”
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(Jill Connelly / Los Angeles Times)
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Downtown L.A. Cooking school
For some Latinos, the kitchen is a holy ground where tías, abuels or even mothers and fathers cook all the favorite meals that tell the family story.
Because, of course, your mother’s albondigas is the best and why would you ever even try to make it or have it at a restaurant?
That’s one of the walls that chef Nicole Presley wants to tear down with her classes at LA Cocina de Gloria Molina located at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Cooking should not be intimidating, even if a certain dish holds a special place in a person’s memory, she said.
Presley taught a class on how to make chile rellenos, and a group of elderly Latina women told her that they were a bit afraid to tackle the dish.
“It’s all about how you approach the dish and cooking from a different perspective,” Presley said, who won over her students in the end by showing them how not to overthink the recipe.
“If you can make the recipe approachable, relatable, then it’s really the most natural thing,” she added.
The culinary series offered at LA Cocina is meant to show that Mexico’s cuisines are not just the few notes that people associate with the country.
“Mexican culture is so much more than tortas and burritos,” said Ximena Martin, director of programs and culinary arts with LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. “We want to show that the cultural landscape is diverse and varied, with dishes from different regions of Mexico highlighted for all to enjoy.”
Because, of course, your mother’s albondigas is the best and why would you ever even try to make it or have it at a restaurant?
That’s one of the walls that chef Nicole Presley wants to tear down with her classes at LA Cocina de Gloria Molina located at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Cooking should not be intimidating, even if a certain dish holds a special place in a person’s memory, she said.
Presley taught a class on how to make chile rellenos, and a group of elderly Latina women told her that they were a bit afraid to tackle the dish.
“It’s all about how you approach the dish and cooking from a different perspective,” Presley said, who won over her students in the end by showing them how not to overthink the recipe.
“If you can make the recipe approachable, relatable, then it’s really the most natural thing,” she added.
The culinary series offered at LA Cocina is meant to show that Mexico’s cuisines are not just the few notes that people associate with the country.
“Mexican culture is so much more than tortas and burritos,” said Ximena Martin, director of programs and culinary arts with LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. “We want to show that the cultural landscape is diverse and varied, with dishes from different regions of Mexico highlighted for all to enjoy.”
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(Juli Perez / For De Los)
Chola Vision Productions
Monterey Park Live Theater Group
There is something to be said about expressing yourself. Why not do it on a stage in front of strangers?
The No Fronts Actors Workshop at Chola Vision Productions is an opportunity to hone the craft of acting in a conservatory-like program. There are four tiers that build on one another and prepare budding actors for the stage or film, including the fundamentals of acting, practice drills and rehearsing for a role. The 16-week semester is $50 per session, but Chola Vision also offers standalone workshops for curious participants.
“Any seasoned actor knows that if you’re not working, then you should be training,” said co-founder Blanca “Moon Chola” Espinoza.
For years, people of color have either been typecast in roles or had their personalities sanded down to fit into a character. But the thrust of the workshop is to make the actors feel like they can make their backgrounds an asset and not something to be muted.
“Part of our mission statement is creating stories that reflect who we are as people, that speak to the vibrancy of Los Angeles,” said co-founder Alex Alpharaoh. “Inclusivity is not a catchphrase but genuinely something we push for.”
The No Fronts Actors Workshop at Chola Vision Productions is an opportunity to hone the craft of acting in a conservatory-like program. There are four tiers that build on one another and prepare budding actors for the stage or film, including the fundamentals of acting, practice drills and rehearsing for a role. The 16-week semester is $50 per session, but Chola Vision also offers standalone workshops for curious participants.
“Any seasoned actor knows that if you’re not working, then you should be training,” said co-founder Blanca “Moon Chola” Espinoza.
For years, people of color have either been typecast in roles or had their personalities sanded down to fit into a character. But the thrust of the workshop is to make the actors feel like they can make their backgrounds an asset and not something to be muted.
“Part of our mission statement is creating stories that reflect who we are as people, that speak to the vibrancy of Los Angeles,” said co-founder Alex Alpharaoh. “Inclusivity is not a catchphrase but genuinely something we push for.”
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(Sarahi Apaez)
Self Help Graphics & Art / Cultivarte
Boyle Heights Art school
Self Help Graphics has taught generations of artists how to screen-print their art. Just about any stencil applied to a screen can turn into a message on a shirt, poster, sticker, tote bag or more.
“The items that can be created with screens are endless,” said Rey Sepulveda Soto with Cultivarte. While Self Help Graphics is undergoing renovations, Cultivarte is overseeing the screen-printing workshops.
Teaching a person to screen print gives them the tools to express themselves but also gives them the means to convey a message to the world. “There’s a dangerous simplicity that comes from screen-printing and that serves as a means of self-sustainability for artists who want to sell their prints,” said Sepulveda Soto.
Students get to see how a silkscreen is made, learn how to expose a stencil to a lamp and how to build a frame from basic materials at their local hardware store. It’s an introductory course that often sees educators learning the craft so they can take it back to their own students.
“We encourage people to bring in their own stencils and art if they want. Then we print it out,” said Sepulveda Soto. “We like to bring community through art. It’s a great activity to meet some talented teachers and classmates.”
“The items that can be created with screens are endless,” said Rey Sepulveda Soto with Cultivarte. While Self Help Graphics is undergoing renovations, Cultivarte is overseeing the screen-printing workshops.
Teaching a person to screen print gives them the tools to express themselves but also gives them the means to convey a message to the world. “There’s a dangerous simplicity that comes from screen-printing and that serves as a means of self-sustainability for artists who want to sell their prints,” said Sepulveda Soto.
Students get to see how a silkscreen is made, learn how to expose a stencil to a lamp and how to build a frame from basic materials at their local hardware store. It’s an introductory course that often sees educators learning the craft so they can take it back to their own students.
“We encourage people to bring in their own stencils and art if they want. Then we print it out,” said Sepulveda Soto. “We like to bring community through art. It’s a great activity to meet some talented teachers and classmates.”
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(Grupo Folklorico de West L.A.)
Grupo Folklorico de West Los Angeles
Dance Studio
Learning baile folklórico is just a few steps away for anyone willing to give it their time.
“We have like a ground-zero lesson for anyone learning,” said Rachel Estrada, an instructor with Grupo Folklórico de West Los Angeles. “I’ll teach the basics of foot movement as long as they want to.”
In 1977, Estrada’s father, John, launched his acting dreams and founded the dance group. While he no longer is the main choreographer, he left the business in good hands with Rachel carrying on his legacy.
The younger Estrada recalls dancing with her family when she was 3 years old.
“From the moment I was born I had a costume,” she says. Now, Rachel aims to make the Mexican folk dance accessible to all willing to learn.
The 12-week beginners class is meant to show students the basic footwork, and by the end they should learn a dance from a specific region of Mexico.
Participants should be able to build up their confidence by the end so they can dance in a live performance.
Students don’t have to commit to the whole semester, but each month is $40 and a costume can be made available for the live performance.
“We have like a ground-zero lesson for anyone learning,” said Rachel Estrada, an instructor with Grupo Folklórico de West Los Angeles. “I’ll teach the basics of foot movement as long as they want to.”
In 1977, Estrada’s father, John, launched his acting dreams and founded the dance group. While he no longer is the main choreographer, he left the business in good hands with Rachel carrying on his legacy.
The younger Estrada recalls dancing with her family when she was 3 years old.
“From the moment I was born I had a costume,” she says. Now, Rachel aims to make the Mexican folk dance accessible to all willing to learn.
The 12-week beginners class is meant to show students the basic footwork, and by the end they should learn a dance from a specific region of Mexico.
Participants should be able to build up their confidence by the end so they can dance in a live performance.
Students don’t have to commit to the whole semester, but each month is $40 and a costume can be made available for the live performance.
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(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Casa 0101
Boyle Heights Live Theater Group
Finding your voice as a teenager can be tough. But a platform for self-expression can build confidence and give Gen Z the space to grow their ability to speak in public.
You can find all that at the acting workshop at Casa 0101 for teens.
“It’s really remarkable to see these young people really blossom and build themselves into public speakers,” said Executive Director Emmanuel Deleage.
The Boyle Heights theater offers a 10-week acting program that meets once a week for teenagers up to 18 years old. The program is free, and participants who complete two semesters have the opportunity to participate in a live performance.
The most recent performance was a run of “Shrek the Musical JR,” and students were able to see their hard work pay off.
“The students learn to memorize their lines and their choreography, but more importantly they learn to build a lasting relationship and a community,” said Deleage.
You can find all that at the acting workshop at Casa 0101 for teens.
“It’s really remarkable to see these young people really blossom and build themselves into public speakers,” said Executive Director Emmanuel Deleage.
The Boyle Heights theater offers a 10-week acting program that meets once a week for teenagers up to 18 years old. The program is free, and participants who complete two semesters have the opportunity to participate in a live performance.
The most recent performance was a run of “Shrek the Musical JR,” and students were able to see their hard work pay off.
“The students learn to memorize their lines and their choreography, but more importantly they learn to build a lasting relationship and a community,” said Deleage.
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(Arlene Mejorado / Las Fotos Project)
Las Fotos Project
Boyle Heights Art school
There are so many stories to tell in Los Angeles, and sometimes words fail to capture the full picture. For any teenage girls and gender-expansive youth looking to explore the city, Las Fotos Project in Boyle Heights is interested in helping open the faucet for expression.
“Photography tends to be an expressive medium,” said Executive Director Lucia Torres. “We offer young people the opportunity to explore a new art form that not everyone has access to. It’s for those who are unable to express themselves with their peers at home or at school.”
Founded in 2010, in response to budget cuts to art programs in public schools, Las Fotos Project has provided a place for novice photographers to flourish. The nonprofit organization provides access to professional equipment, a luxury not always afforded to students.
The 14-week semester at Las Fotos Project is open to teen girls and gender-expansive youth ages 13 to 18. The space now offers an extended program for those up to age 24, and it’s looking to expand their workshops to young adults.
“We’re hearing that young people who are out of the age range for some of our programs are really interested,” said Torres. “That really speaks to the fact that these types of resources are not always accessible outside of the space.”
“Photography tends to be an expressive medium,” said Executive Director Lucia Torres. “We offer young people the opportunity to explore a new art form that not everyone has access to. It’s for those who are unable to express themselves with their peers at home or at school.”
Founded in 2010, in response to budget cuts to art programs in public schools, Las Fotos Project has provided a place for novice photographers to flourish. The nonprofit organization provides access to professional equipment, a luxury not always afforded to students.
The 14-week semester at Las Fotos Project is open to teen girls and gender-expansive youth ages 13 to 18. The space now offers an extended program for those up to age 24, and it’s looking to expand their workshops to young adults.
“We’re hearing that young people who are out of the age range for some of our programs are really interested,” said Torres. “That really speaks to the fact that these types of resources are not always accessible outside of the space.”
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