“We’ve launched a fierce fundraising campaign to save our sacred community space. Help us meet our goal, help us resist gentrification.”
The Eastside Cafe has existed as an autonomous space run by and for community in El Sereno of Northeast LA for 15 years. Now it’s in danger of being bought out by an outside investor. But the community is choosing to fight.
“When we were homeless, the Eastside Cafe took us in,” says Coach X of the Warriors BJJ program. The Warriors provide self-defense classes for kids, womyn, and all community members every week. They first experienced displacement from their home at Corazon del Pueblo in Boyle Heights. In 5 years, this is the third time their program confronts gentrification.
The Eastside Cafe houses Nahuatl (Aztec language) and English classes. Wombyn’s Circles. Son Jarocho music classes. Political education. Capoeira. Zumba. Reiki. And more. Here, families take Warrior BJJ Self-Denfense classes, learning how to defend themselves while befriending their neighbors. All programs are free or donation based run by and for community. For over 15 years, people have contributed labor, love, and power to build this.
Spaces like the Eastside Cafe are rare enough as it is. Especially when gentrification keeps evicting out of our homes. From Highland Park and Boyle Heights in LA, to Brooklyn, NYC and Eastie in Boston, so many of our neighborhoods across the country have been struggling against gentrification. Between noeliberalism and gentrification, our peoples have a history of displacement and forced migration. Enough is enough.
Click here to fight gentrification and displacement, support the Eastside Cafe and community owned spaces!
Artists Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter Support the Eastside Cafe. Donate and Share!
Warriors Community/Family Self Defense BJJ Classes
Please Support by Giving What You Can Here
“The Eastside Cafe is a warrior space, organizing space, support space, love space, healing space. A place where I know I matter in a world that seems set on telling us every day our communities don’t matter,” says BJJ warrior and community member, Gloria Campos. “This space supports our community’s mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health.”
We need more spaces like the Eastside Cafe, not less.
#QueVivaEastsideCafe Because our spaces matter. The Eastside Cafe matters, and your contribution matters. This beautiful, autonomous community space is in danger of being bought out by an investor over the next few days. We’ve fundraised over 34k, now you can help us beat gentrification and win. Every dollar and share gets us that much closer. Good energies and prayers are welcomed and appreciated. Gracias mi gente!
Donate Link: https://www.gofundme.com/savee
Eastside Cafe FB: https://www.facebook.com/Easts
#QueVivaEastsideCafe !!
Sofia Campos is a proud member of the Warriors family at the Eastside Cafe. She’s also a Capricorn who loves reading, dancing, and hot chocolate. Follow her at @campoSOFIA or @soulfiyah on IG