Photo by Chad Brady.
Anita Herrera is a curator, artist, and cultural consultant, born and raised in Los Angeles. Based in both L.A. and Mexico City, Herrera specializes in collaborations in fashion, music, and art. Before sitting on a panel for the Zócalo program “Are the U.S. and Mexico Becoming One Country?”—presented with Universidad de Guadalajara at LéaLA book fair at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes—she chatted with us in the green room about living in Mexico City, her specific L.A. culture, and what to expect at the backyard family party.
Tell us how you started the series “Diaspora Dialogues.”
“Diaspora Dialogues” was started from my experience living and working in Mexico City. I moved to Mexico City in 2018. And so many people asked me why are you so proud to be from L.A.? And it’s because I’m from a specific culture—multicultural, melting pot, immigrant culture. I was expressing my culture in Mexico, and also the disconnections and connections we have. We have roots that are connected. We’re disconnected because we grow up in different countries, different cultures, different languages—English, Spanish, Spanglish.
What’s one thing you think that connects the U.S. and Mexico?
The U.S. was Mexico, so it’s really only through an imaginary line, through colonization, that we’re separated. And that’s why this violent relationship exists between the United States and Mexico. But in reality, we’re more united than we seem.
Where is one place you like to go in Mexico City?
Casa de Toño, for the pozole.
What’s something people get wrong about L.A.?
When I went to Mexico, my friends had a fabricated idea of L.A. based off of what they saw in movies or media or reality TV. It was different from my experience of growing up in Huntington Park. I’ve always tried to express my version of L.A.
Who was your childhood hero?
Honestly, we lacked childhood heroes.
Would you consider yourself more of an optimist or pessimist?
I would say optimism. I feel like we’re finding the optimism in the pessimism.
It’s Saturday, and you’re headed to an L.A. backyard family party. What are you bringing?
Well, first of all, you need to bring something. Let’s just start there. At least offer! Maybe drinks or ice, the things that people don’t think about.
You’ve arrived, and you’ve gained control of the music. What do you play?
Well, the “Family Party”-specific soundtrack is all songs pre-2002. It’s all the classic songs that became staples in the ’90s and early 2000s. It’s a lot of the same songs that we still listen to today: a mix of corridos, banda, ’80s flashbacks, freestyle, oldies. It’s the soundtrack of L.A.
You’re looking around at the party. Who are you happy to see?
My tíos and tías. We’re all there to have fun at a family party. I think those are the moments that we remember.