Sofia Alvarez, Local Neighbor & Wellness Center Worker

Martha interviews Sofia Alvarez, a local resident who recently relocated to Boyle Heights and works at the Wellness Center. Recorded at the Sounds of California: Boyle Heights Festival (October 2021).

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Sofia Alvarez grew up in Orange County but recently relocated to Boyle Heights to work and take care of her grandmother. During her conversation with Martha, Sofia talks about her recent involvement with the Wellness Center and how living in Boyle Heights has allowed her learn about her family's history in beautiful ways. She shares sentiments of wonder, gratitude and excitment in expressing the ways that the neighborhood has allowed her to discover new pieces of her cultural identity.

ACTA · Sounds of CA - Boyle Heights
What is like living in Boyle Heights?
"I think moving here and just being around community and driving around and going to eat at a taqueria or going to the corner store, I feel like I've gotten to know my mom and understand how she grew up. Part of the mosaic of who my family is has been slowly filling in, and that's a really beautiful thing to discover on my own."
Do you associate any specific sounds with Boyle Heights?
"I think of a warm hum. Kind of like a street lamp at night, where you can hear the electricity current going through it, but it's almost harmonizing with other areas of the block. So it never really feels quiet, but it feels harmonious at the same time."

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