"The coyote is a teacher of hidden wisdom with a sense of humor."

"A trickster and a jokester in Native American folklore, using deception and humor to rebel against social conventions"

"Coyotes Active In This Area" warns a sign at the side of the path close to our neighborhood. I came to stretch my legs and get my blood pumping after too many hours in front of a computer.

Are coyotes cowering behind bushes watching me walk by? Are solitary animals howling from these hills at night? If the traffic noise rising from the streets below would stop, would I hear woofs and growls, huffs, barks, yelps and whines? I look around ...

"It is inspiring to see art and music and get a feeling of community."

"To see a punkshow, peacefulness and friendliness - it was a really good time."

"In Los Angeles you don't know your neighbor. Everybody does their thing.

To see people out and connect - I love it!"

I could not believe what I was experiencing when I discovered the Mar Vista ArtWalk about two years ago: artists on every sidewalk, open businesses until 10 PM, a furious tapdancer interpreting music from a fierce guitar while a painter created a new piece of art with colorful brush strokes next to them. Most of all I felt a sense of community. It was all a bit funky and super fun.

I fell in love on the spot.

Now I am part of the glorious team that puts this event together every three months.

One of our main tasks: keeping it fun and funky. Hear what the neighbors have to say: 

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Among the avocado stands, falafel samples and activists hoping to reverse bike friendly lane changes on a major thoroughfare her cards stand out: dream like visions of women in splendid colors.

Third eyes.

Story lines on open hands.

Skulls and wings.

Roots, leaves, lace and butterflies.

"Want to pick a card?" the artist dares me with a warm smile and sparkle in her blue eyes. She is ready to play. Am I? Sure!

I pick a card from her set. Fire red is the first thing I see. Or is it bood red? Eyes looking right at me. Is that the setting sun behind her or a rising moon? An underwater bubble? Winter fields in Eastern Europe? Full lips. A butterfly at the throat.

"Find Your Voice", the card encourages me.

Well, you would think that as a radio journalist that's what I do all day: find and use my voice. Speaking into a microphone. Heard through speakers. So what about my voice?

Yellow Rose

Bright from just a bit of rain

and morning moisture

Me

Barefoot in our front yard

Feeling the cool grass

     between my toes

And soothing rays of sunlight

     on my back

Moment of California happiness

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"My grandmother was born in Belize. She came here when she was in her 20s. I appreciate her, because if it weren't for her decisions, I probably would not be here."

I met Bernadette through the story telling of her grandson J., a high school student in South Los Angeles. For a book project we collect memories he shares with her, and compare his life with Bernadette's. The way J. talks about her, I can tell, he loves his grandmother a lot. She likes to laugh and to shop, works hard and tells him about times when she was able to walk the streets of his neighborhood without a care in the world.

She came here from Belize, where she spoke Garifuna, a language - and a culture - I had never heard of, and almost nobody understands in the USA. It is the language of a proud people. Bernadette left her mother and her young daughter behind looking for education and a job in California. She built a new life, her daughter joined. J. was born in Los Angeles. 

One thing he vividly remembers is, how one day when his grandma and his mother picked him up from school, they  started speaking this language he did not understand: