5 Family-Friendly Things to Do in East L.A., According to a Local Educator
This story is part of a series of stories and education resources featuring East L.A.and its surrounding neighborhoods and communities.
A busy parent isn't a challenge for Jessica Cardenas, an educator who trains parents and caregivers on early education concepts in the greater East L.A. area. In fact, she welcomes parents who multitask but still make time to attend her sessions during busy days.
She remembers a mom once said, in Spanish, "I'm here cooking, but I'm listening to you."
Cardenas doesn't mind if mothers juggle tasks during workshops because she knows her students are committed to assisting their little ones on their learning journeys. She particularly enjoys working with Spanish-speaking families.
“It makes me feel like I’m at home,” Cardenas said.
Cardenas, 34, grew up in the heavily Latino Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Spanish-speaking families she works with often remind her of her family and others in her old neighborhood. The families were hard working people who faced financial struggles and language challenges. Most people spoke Spanish and little or no English. They pushed ahead trying to make their way in a mostly English-speaking society.
Cardenas works full-time coaching teachers at Children’s Institute, a Los Angeles nonprofit that helps families overcome adversity. Three years ago, she became a family facilitator with PBS SoCal, after the station began conducting workshops in partnership with Children’s Institute. While supporting PBS SoCal representatives, Cardenas noticed parents' interest in the workshops and their desire to help their children have successful educational experiences.
Today, she teaches the PBS SoCal STEM Parent Academy and PBS SoCal Family Math curriculums. These tools are part of a PBS SoCal initiative that provides workshops designed to give parents and caregivers resources to help teach their children at home. This helps children develop skills that improve school readiness and lead to greater academic outcomes in the future.
Cardenas said she understands adults are constantly juggling responsibilities. When she became a parent facilitator, she saw how some parents struggled to attend in-person workshops. As the coronavirus pandemic forced workshops to go online, she noticed increased family participation. Before the pandemic, five or 10 families turned out for in-person workshops. Online access has attracted double or triple the number of families and brought additional family members.
"It's multiplied, and it's all bigger and bigger," Cardenas said.
Cardenas, who is preparing for the arrival of her first child in mid-February, said that becoming a mom isn't stopping her from continuing to serve as a parent facilitator. She enjoys working with families and with the PBS SoCal team.
"The team is really amazing. You don't feel like you're working. It's like you're part of a family," she said.
The expecting mother is constantly on the go with a busy personal and professional schedule, much like her students. But she has places in the greater East Los Angeles area where she likes to spend time with family and friends. Below are her recommendations for five family-friendly spaces where people can slow down and unplug together in the community.
1. City Terrace Park
1126 N. Hazard Ave., Los Angeles, CA. 90063
The park, located in the eastside community of City Terrace in unincorporated Los Angeles County, is an excellent place for children and their parents. "It's somewhere to just be a kid," Cardenas said. The park has sports fields, picnic tables and a children's play area. During the summer, the park draws visitors who wish to take a dip in the pool. Little ones can also cool down in a series of splash pads.
2. Olvera Street
Downtown Los Angeles
Part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, Olvera Street has changed over time, and today it's a draw for tourists, but it still offers visitors more than just a place to purchase a colorful trinket. Olvera Street is one of several historic structures in the area and hosts numerous events, including Day of the Dead activities in November and Las Posadas in December. Olvera Street is a place to learn about the origins of Los Angeles all year long. "It's about getting to know history and getting to know culture," Cardenas said.
3. Mariachi Plaza
East First Street and North Boyle Avenue in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles
For decades, Mariachi Plaza has been a gathering place for mariachi musicians. Those in search of a mariachi group for a birthday, anniversary or other celebration can count on finding a soloist, a trio or a complete mariachi group at this spot. "They don't make a lot of money, but they (perform) with heart," Cardenas said. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Mariachi Plaza was also home to a farmers market and community events. The plaza, a stop on the Metro Gold Line, is also a good place for people-watching. "One of my favorite parts (of visiting) is just seeing the gentlemen and ladies dressed in their (mariachi) outfits," Cardenas said.
4. El Tepeyac Café
812 N. Evergreen Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 90033
The restaurant has been in operation since the 1950s and has a loyal following. It's not just the food and the generous portions that attract people. "It's the atmosphere," Cardenas said. Longtime employees greet everyone as if they were welcoming a relative. Cardenas appreciates this because, she said, it provides "this sense of security, a sense of family."
5. Los Cinco Puntos
3300 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Los Angeles, CA. 90063
Generations of hungry customers have been going to Los Cinco Puntos to buy what Cardenas said are the best tacos served in handmade tortillas that women prepare on site. Cardenas would visit the eatery with her mother and sibling as a child. Her family wasn't wealthy, Cardenas said. Los Cinco Puntos allowed her mom to stretch her dollars and provide a tasty meal for her two children. Cardenas continues to visit Los Cinco Puntos. She and her husband often enjoy a meal and purchase some carnitas and freshly made tortillas to have at home.
