The Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Community Map

The SELA Community Map documents the stories of people and spaces in Southeast Los Angeles through writing, oral histories, and illustration. 

Originally an online community mapping project, today the SELA Community Map has expanded to host in-person pop-ups, develop civic bulletins, and map resources in SELA. 

Ultimately, the mission of the project is to reclaim SELA’s narrative and promote community exchange through storytelling and art so as to create a “third space” for community connection.

The RJRI grant funded 3 in-person story gathering sessions across public parks in Southeast LA. Over a cup of free café de olla, we reminisced over the places in our communities that make SELA home, and archived our stories through recorded interviews and participatory mapping. Through these events, we significantly increased our story collection. In the spring, I also released an online submission call for stories, which reached over 2,000 people, and as a result, we gathered a diverse range of stories of life in Southeast LA.

Led by: Alejandra A Martinez (MCP '25)

Geography: Southeast Los Angeles, California