LA Taco
{{Short description|News publication based in California, US}}
{{Infobox website
| name = L.A. TACO
| logo = Logo fixed outline.webp
| foundation = {{start date and age|2006}}
| editor = Javier Cabral
| headquarters = Los Angeles, California
| location_country = United States
| website = https://lataco.com
}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
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.
History
L.A. TACO was founded in 2006 as a food blog focused on taco culture in Los Angeles.{{cite web |last=Gardiner |first=Dustin |date=June 18, 2020 |title=How L.A. Taco Became the City's Indispensable News Source |url=https://www.lamag.com/digestblog/la-taco-daniel-hernandez/ |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Magazine}} {{dl|date=February 2025}} 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.{{cite web |last=Schmidt |first=Christine |date=December 11, 2019 |title=The year of the local news startup |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/12/the-year-of-the-local-news-startup/ |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Nieman Lab}} {{dl|date=February 2025}} 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” {{cite web |last1=Medina |first1=Jennifer |title=L.A. Taco, a Website, Brings the Flavor of a Fractured City |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/us/california-today-la-taco.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=January 31, 2025 |ref=October 6, 2018 |archive-date=June 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623050026/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/us/california-today-la-taco.html |url-status=live }}
In 2024, L.A. TACO announced its financial trouble and appealed to readers to raise funds.{{cite web |last1=Gustavo |first1=Arellano |title=Column: L.A.'s ultimate heartbreak industry isn't Hollywood. It's local journalism |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-16/los-angeles-local-news-demise |website=Los Angeles Times |date=April 16, 2024 |access-date=November 19, 2024}}
Content and coverage
The publication has been praised for its in-depth reporting on issues affecting working-class and immigrant communities in Los Angeles.{{cite web |last=Trounstine |first=Jessica |date=May 23, 2019 |title=How L.A. Taco combines food and culture with serious reporting |url=https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/la-taco-food-local-news.php |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Columbia Journalism Review}} {{dl|date=February 2025}}
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."{{cite web |last=Breijo |first=Stephanie |date=June 14, 2024 |title='L.A. Taco deserves to be alive forever.' Taco Madness fest marks 11th-hour fundraising |url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-06-14/la-taco-madness-fundraising-news-los-angeles |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223213523/https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-06-14/la-taco-madness-fundraising-news-los-angeles |url-status=dead }}
The Publication co-produced a podcast, The Sellout, which centered on the Los Angeles Latino community and its relationship with City Councilman Jose Huizar.{{cite web |last=Ray |first=Justin |date=December 9, 2021 |title='Latinos are at center of two powerful projects by L.A. TACO., The Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2021-12-09/latinos-varying-experiences-throughout-the-pandemic-essential-california |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211193500/https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2021-12-09/latinos-varying-experiences-throughout-the-pandemic-essential-california |url-status=dead }}
Awards and recognition
L.A. TACO has received several awards for its journalism, including:
- Southern California Journalism Award for Best News Website (2019){{cite web |title=Southern California Journalism Awards 2019 |url=https://lapressclub.org/southern-california-journalism-awards-2019/ |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Press Club}}
- James Beard Foundation Journalism Award for Local Impact (2020){{cite web |date=May 27, 2020 |title=The 2020 James Beard Media Award Winners |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2020-james-beard-media-award-winners |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=James Beard Foundation |archive-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616225916/https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2020-james-beard-media-award-winners |url-status=live }}
- Anthem Award (2021){{cite web |title=Anthem Award |url= https://www.anthemawards.com/winners/list/entry/#!health/innovation/la-taco-covid-19-sms-updates-for-unhoused-community-in-la/1973/-1/387284 |access-date=May 22, 2025|website=Anthem Award}}
- Press Forward Journalism Grantee{{cite web |title=Press Forward 2024 |url=https://www.pressforward.news/grantees/all/ |access-date=November 18, 2024 |website=Press Forward}}