Janette Villafana

Janette Villafana is an award-winning bilingual multimedia journalist. Her heart lies in community-based reporting, and her work is highly centered on showcasing and uplifting community voices, with a significant focus on the Latino community. She developed her beat at L.A. TACO, covering street vending communities in Los Angeles. Past work has been featured on NBC, LAist, Latino Rebels, and more. She is currently featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington in an exhibit titled “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking News.”
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Union Leader Released From Custody After Thousands Rally at Downtown’s Grand Park This Morning
Service Employees International Union California president David Huerta now faces a federal charge of conspiracy to impede an officer after his violent arrest and injury on Friday at a garment warehouse.
The 11 Best Places to Drink Ultra-Refreshing Tejuino In L.A.
A fermented, fizzy, corn masa beverage traditionally from Western Mexico and recognized for indigenous origins, tejuino packs a punch and delivers refreshing complexity with every sip. Here are L.A.'s best.
The 11 Best Tacos In And Around West Hollywood
From late-night legit taco stands to a luxe Mexican restaurant serving the original sweet potato tacos that started it all, here are the best tacos in and around West Hollywood.
The 34 Best ‘Hood Burgers In Los Angeles
It’s important to remember that these places have fed many inner-city families. When many classified parts of Los Angeles as “food deserts,” those $19.99 family value packs of burgers and fries were feeding many mouths, way before Smash Burgers.
The 11 Best Tacos In Whittier
Whittier is one of L.A.'s best cities for tacos. From a tender steamed tongue, to a taquero specializing in tacos de costilla, served with a grilled rib bone. Here is our vetted neighborhood taco guide to get you started on your own crawl.
The 11 Best Birria Tacos in Los Angeles
From goat to beef to birria de lengua, and even a jackfruit birria, these are the best birria tacos in L.A.
A Running List of Mom N’ Pop Businesses In Danger Of Closing That Need Community Support Right Now
It feels like almost every other month, we hear about a business closing its doors or attempting to stay open. To help these businesses stay open rather than report on them once they’ve closed, we created this ongoing list of restaurants and businesses in Los Angeles that need the most support. Did we miss any? Let us know which ones also need love in the comments.
The Nine Best Tacos In The Inland Empire
From tacos de canasta in Fontana to brain tacos in San Bernardino and insanely tasty puffy tacos filled with chile verde in Alta Loma, these tacos fuel the Inland Empire's working class and taco fanatics. All are worth the drive.
The Seven Best Tacos in Azusa
In Azusa, you'll mostly find CalMex and the simple joy of traditional taquería fare. But there are a few glorious outliers involving mole negro, fried quesadillas, and stewed spicy pork leg. Here's where to go.
The Eight Best Cemitas Poblanas In Los Angeles
Named after the type of bread they are made from—a giant, egg-enriched sesame bun—a cemita is like the torta's cousin from Puebla. It comes stacked high with milanesa, pápalo, quesillo, avocado, chipotle paste, and pickled jalapeño. Here's where to find the best ones from East L.A. to The Valley.