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A moment for Los Angeles

Empress Of, who lost her home in the Los Angeles fires, is featured on this week's episode of Alt.Latino.
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Corbis via Getty Images
Empress Of, who lost her home in the Los Angeles fires, is featured on this week's episode of Alt.Latino.

Los Angeles is home for me and always in my heart. Watching the fires from afar in my current city, New York, has me thinking a lot about what makes my hometown great: breathtaking mountains, stunning beaches and above all a hodgepodge, tapestry community that comes together in powerful ways during a painful moment.

The good and bad of LA's history — redlining and rebuilding, previous fires and displacement, immigration and annexation — have all been building blocks for an exchange of culture that shows up in layers in its music and art. This week on Alt.Latino, we've decided to shine a light on some of the sounds that feel most quintessentially LA, while also specifically honoring the creativity that has come from communities most affected by the fires.

We're thinking of family and friends, and the beating heart of the city as a whole. There's nothing quite like LA and we hope this episode is an intro to some and an invitation for others to celebrate what makes it so special. —Anamaria Sayre

Songs featured on this episode:

  • José Feliciano, "California Dreamin"
  • Ry Cooder feat. Lalo Guerrero, "Barrio Viejo"
  • Banda MS feat. Becky G and Snoop Dogg, "Que Maldicion"
  • Jasper Bones, "Amor de mis sueños"
  • Gerardo Ortiz, "Dámaso"
  • Empress Of, "For Your Consideration"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Editorial support from Hazel Cills. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.


Resources for the Los Angeles community:

National Day Laborer Organizing Network / Pasadena Community Job Center

http://pasadenajobcenter.com/

Anti-Recidivism Coalition Firefighter Fund

https://antirecidivism.org/firefighterfund/

LA Regional Food Bank

https://www.lafoodbank.org/fire/

Pasadena Humane Society

https://pasadenahumane.org/give/donate/

LAIT911

https://lait911.org/

California Community Foundation Wildlife Recovery Fund

https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/

Musicares

https://musicares.org/

Copyright 2025 NPR

Felix Contreras is co-creator and host of Alt.Latino, NPR's pioneering radio show and podcast celebrating Latin music and culture since 2010.
Anamaria Artemisa Sayre
Anamaria Sayre is a multimedia producer for NPR Music with a focus on elevating Latinx stories and music. She's the producer for Alt.Latino, NPR's pioneering radio show and podcast celebrating Latin music and culture, and the curator of Latin artists at the Tiny Desk.