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Danny Calvo

English 101

Professor Batty

2 March 2017

We are Skid Row

Skid Row has been a staple of the city of Los Angeles since the late 1800s. Its primary

residents include anywhere from ten to eighteen thousand individuals. Those individuals include

woman, children, elderly, mentally ill, disabled persons, and veterans. Due to the location,

weather, accessibility, and assistance programs, Los Angeles has harbored the largest population

of homeless people for decades. Most are thought to be criminals, drug addicts, and a danger to

society. However, when you look past the stereotypical person passed out on the corner, you can

feel a sense of community within themselves. Whether it be sharing clothing in cold weather,

sharing scraps of food, or even sharing paraphernalia, it is a community that relies on each other.

In 2014, a group of artist who refer to themselves as Winston Death Squad, and is comprised of

current and former residents of Skid Row were led by community activist General Jeff Page to

create a piece of art that represented who they were. The Mural itself resembles a city population

sign with an ironic twist. This piece of art not only exposes the truth about the outrageous

mistreatment of the homeless population on Skid Row, it also works as a reminder of how

important the idea of Community is as well as creates a discussion among the community

about the treatment and alienation of those individuals.

Skid Row had been in existence in Los Angeles since the late 1800s. Over the years, there

have been multiple contributing factors that allowed it to evolve into the community it is today.

Since Los Angeles has prime location in the sense of accessibility, availability of resources, and
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optimal climate, the initial boom in the late 1800s and continued growth was inevitable. Over

the years, recessions, rising costs in goods, and unethical practices contributed to the current

state that Skid Row is currently in. The residents have been consistently targeted and mistreated

by government officials and people outside of that community for decades. In the 1940s,

hundreds of residents were arrested in an attempt to reduce crime in that area. Since the 1970s,

individuals sleeping on the streets have been targeted and treated as criminals in what some

would consider a targeted hate crime. And even as recent as 2005, hospitals were caught

dropping off mentally ill homeless people back onto the streets without any resources or support

system. All of these factors have a direct effect on what the current situation. Without proper

assistance, and a complete turnaround on how the public perceives those residents, Skid Row of

today will remain the same. The dangerous atmosphere which includes frequent drug use and

abuse, unsanitary conditions, and frequency in violent crimes make for a terrible life. Lee Ann

Salazar, a resident of Skid Row recalled a time when she was recently attacked and had all of her

possessions burned by gang members, saying, Living out here is like sliding down a 40-foot

razor blade.(Some Respite, if Little Cheer, for Skid Row Homeless). Yet, even with all of these

downfalls, the streets remain full, and shelters pour out onto the street with no end in sight.

Similar to how we view our favorite sports team or pride in our neighborhood school; the

pride of Skid Row is a powerful energy with its pros and cons. It has connected tens of thousands

of people over its existence. Bringing old residents and current residents together in the name of

community, solidarity is created. The mural was an idea led by Mr. Page, and assisted entirely by

former and current residents. In the past, there have been politicians that wanted to rename and

redevelop the area. However, voices within that community believe it should remain and stand as

an example for those who have lived there out of necessity and used the resources available to
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make a better life for themselves. One of the organizers reported an instance of charity from a

homeless resident, This guy lives in a tent and hes giving me money to help with the mural

Members of the community insisted on covering not only all costs of the mural but painting it as

well. With sharp lines, memorable font, this mural connects directly with LA natives. City

Councilman Juan Huizar stated Its community pride on the one hand, its cleverly done and it

creates conversation and debate, which often great public art does.

The mural, which was painted by organization leaders and residents of Skid Row,

resembles a city population sign. The words Skid Row are drawn with larger font, which shows

more importance to those words. They kept the same font style used in the traditional signs. The

letters for population and elevation are slightly smaller, yet still remain important by using the

bold lettering. The background of the sign is that same green color used in all population signs.

The healthy deep forest green colors, brings a calming, trustworthy feeling. By keeping the

traditional colors of a population sign, it allows the painting to become more realistic. The seal of

Los Angeles at the top of the mural almost makes it official. The details within the seal

automatically give a sense of power to the image. All of the straight lines throughout the image

also give it structure as if we are supposed to read the entire sign, and the words themselves are

pushed directly at the reader. The ironic information provided on the mural for population and

elevation twist the meaning of it just being an ordinary sign. Beneath population, it states Too

Many, and beneath elevation, its states 2008. Traditional signs include an actual population

count and elevation information, yet this mural plays on the idea that the community feels

overlooked as if they aren't real citizens.

The outcome that I hope for as a result of the mural is change. I would love to see a

debate about homeless issues rise from this mural. I would love to see measurable change in that
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community. I would love for the less fortunate to have a better chance at life. If this image can

continue to expose the mistreatment, continue to sparks debates, and continue to represent a

special community, the artists will have succeeded in their ultimate goal.

.
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Work Cited Page

Moore, Solomon. "Some Respite, if Little Cheer, for Skid Row Homeless." The New York Times

2007: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

"Los Angeles Struggles To Manage Rising Homelessness Beyond Skid Row." All Things

Considered (2015): Literature Resource Center. Web. 16 Feb. 2017.

Holland, G. (2014, Aug 29). For L.A.'s skid row residents, mural is a sign of survival. South

Florida Sun - Sentinel Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1558303613?

accountid=40027

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-skid-row-mural-20140824-

story.htmlgale.holland@latimes.com
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Appendix