LA Taco

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L.A. TACO
Logo fixed outline.webp
Type of site
Independent news and culture
Founded2006;19 years ago (2006)
Headquarters Los Angeles, California,
United States
Area servedLos Angeles
EditorJavier Cabral
URL lataco.com

L.A. TACO is an independent news and culture publication based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006, it covers food, culture, crime and politics in Los Angeles, with a particular focus on underrepresented communities and street food.

Contents

History

L.A. TACO was founded in 2006 as a food blog focused on taco culture in Los Angeles. [1] It gradually expanded its coverage to include broader cultural and political topics.

In 2017, journalist Daniel Hernandez joined as editor-in-chief, further developing the publication's news coverage. [2] Hernandez described the media company's name and vision as “The taco is the unit that binds, it’s the most natural unit that represents who we are as a city and as a culture” [3]

In 2020, L.A. TACO received a James Beard Foundation Award in the Emerging Voice category for its contributions to food journalism. [4]

In 2024, L.A. TACO announced its financial trouble and appealed to readers to raise funds. [5]

In 2025, L.A. TACO received widespread attention and acclaim for its coverage of ICE raids and immigration issues in Los Angeles. [6]

Content and coverage

The publication has been praised for its in-depth reporting on issues affecting working-class and immigrant communities in Los Angeles. [7]

L.A. TACO is known for its Taco Madness festival, an annual event the Los Angeles Times describes that "competition is fierce and underscores the impact that L.A. Taco has on the community." [8]

The publication co-produced a podcast, The Sellout, which centered on the Los Angeles Latino community and its relationship with City Councilman Jose Huizar. [9]

In July 2025, the publication was profiled by The Washington Post for its evolution from a food site into a trusted source of on-the-ground reporting about immigration enforcement and community resistance in Los Angeles. [10]

Also in 2025, L.A. TACO was featured on CBC Radio's As It Happens for its on-the-ground coverage of ICE raids in Los Angeles. [11]

Awards and recognition

L.A. TACO has received several awards for its journalism, including:

References

  1. ↑ Gardiner, Dustin (June 18, 2020). "How L.A. Taco Became the City's Indispensable News Source". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved November 18, 2024.[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ Schmidt, Christine (December 11, 2019). "The year of the local news startup". Nieman Lab. Retrieved November 18, 2024.[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ Medina, Jennifer. "L.A. Taco, a Website, Brings the Flavor of a Fractured City". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  4. ↑ "The 2020 Emerging Voice: L.A. TACO". James Beard Foundation. September 25, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  5. ↑ Gustavo, Arellano (April 16, 2024). "Column: L.A.'s ultimate heartbreak industry isn't Hollywood. It's local journalism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Essential Journalism: How L.A. TACO Covered an ICE Crackdown". Pressing Issues. March 11, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  7. ↑ Trounstine, Jessica (May 23, 2019). "How L.A. Taco combines food and culture with serious reporting". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved November 18, 2024.[ dead link ]
  8. ↑ Breijo, Stephanie (June 14, 2024). "'L.A. Taco deserves to be alive forever.' Taco Madness fest marks 11th-hour fundraising". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 23, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  9. ↑ Ray, Justin (December 9, 2021). "'Latinos are at center of two powerful projects by L.A. TACO., The Times". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  10. ↑ Telford, Taylor (July 4, 2025). "In Los Angeles, a taco site becomes a voice of protest". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  11. ↑ "'We have to be out there': L.A. TACO editor explains why they're covering ICE raids in L.A." CBC Radio. April 3, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Southern California Journalism Awards 2019". Los Angeles Press Club. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  13. ↑ "The 2020 James Beard Media Award Winners". James Beard Foundation. May 27, 2020. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Anthem Award". Anthem Award. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Press Forward 2024". Press Forward. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2025 Cohort of Fellows and Newsrooms". UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
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