Solo Residency with Las Fotos Project
In-Person Exhibition: Aug. 13, 2022 - Oct. 8, 2022

Thank you to my mentors Brittany Bravo and Piper Sellers for their guidance throughout the development of this project.

Memories that Make Home

by Kimberly Espinosa

I grew up in Koreatown with Bene’ Xtidxa (Zapotec) parents who told stories about what home back in Veracruz, Mexico was like. Often, I saw parts of their stories reflected in our experiences while living in Koreatown, especially in the celebrations and community fundraisers we went to that mirrored the same network of intergenerational support. At these events, jarabes play in the background by La Banda de Santa Cecilia de Los Angeles, there are danzas, and traditional foods from our pueblo are also served. Many relatives also reconnect during this time as it is usually the only time they are able to get together outside of work. These community fundraisers, commonly referred to as kermeses, are an important element of building solidarity and mutual aid networks. At kermeses, folks pitch in to help raise funds for an individual when faced with financial distress, for various community festivities held throughout the year, and sometimes, to also support community-based projects back in our hometown.

This year, I had the blessing of visiting our homeland where I felt many of my parent’s memories come alive. Memories like coming together to support one another as a community while honoring traditions like playing music, sharing dialogue with one another, and eating comfort foods. As I prepare to move and experience new spaces at college, I find comfort in being able to remember, celebrate, and honor the memories that make home. This exhibition is a documentation of my memories with family, community members, and places existing across Koreatown and the greater Los Angeles area, an extension of our hometown in Veracruz, Mexico.

“Welcome to Playa Vicente,” signage on the way home.

The band playing in front of “Koreatown” signage.

Going back home was as if I were free. I felt so much peace at the chance of being surrounded by so much nature. I then understood my dad’s joy when he was near green spaces, especially when we went hiking. This was the environment he grew up in. This is what it felt for him to be home.

Things that dad once told me started to come back, and it meant a lot to be in our hometown to process these memories.
A lot of things made sense during my time at home.

Home is Where You Are: Mom and Dad

Mom Lucha.

Self-portrait with mom.

Self-portrait with dad’s portrait.

I have been away from my physical home a few times. Eventually, I always feel homesick. Sometimes, more than others. I am so used to being open about my daily experiences with my parents and going to places I grew up going to with them. I will soon be leaving for college in a new city, hundreds of miles away from the community I have called home for the past seventeen years.

There are many things I will miss, but I will miss coming back home to my parents
and their stories the most.

Oaxacalifornia: The ninth region of Oaxaca —
an extension of the motherland present throughout Koreatown.

This two-day event, hosted by The Getty, was a celebratory reunion of the many communities making the neighborhood of K-Town. It was very exciting to see the Oaxacan and Korean diasporas connecting through the same sentiment of finding a place to call home like Koreatown.

“Banda Santa Cecilia from Los Angeles”
An intergenerational band formed by relatives playing traditional music.

I have many fond memories of our community events growing up. When I was in elementary school, my mom had a workplace accident that did not allow for her to return to her daily activities, such as working. My family and I were encouraged by our relatives who held a fundraiser to raise funds in support of my mom. I was probably six-years-old when this happened, but it is still a memory that I value very much. Celebrations and community fundraisers would not be possible without the collective support folks provide.

From Oaxaca to Veracruz

The ride from the airport to our family’s pueblo located in Veracruz, Mexico was approximately five to six hours. We drove through Oaxaca, which is common in order to arrive home. My uncle, cousin, and I used this time to catch up on many things while I also appreciated the beautiful landscapes around. I have also always felt a special connection to Oaxaca just as I have to Veracruz. It is the land my grandparents are from. The land of our ancestors then and now

Our pueblo has given me a unique perspective on my identity too.
Lozoga’ is a town in the state of Veracruz where many of our ancestors, originally from Oaxaca, found a new community to call home.
The Zapotec language variation from Lozoga’ is also quite special as it is a blend of the diverse variations from different regions in Oaxaca.

Sugarcane trucks on Mexico’s roads.

A drive through our family’s pueblo.

Hiraeth, it’s a word I learned not so long ago. It’s a word that has no direct translation to English but that means to be longing for place, for home.
When I was on my way to my family’s pueblo (hometown), a wave of grief was inevitably present. Finally arriving at the place where many relatives, like dad and mom hope[d] to one day return to, felt so heartrending.

Place is special, but having the people you call family around you is special too.

Manuel (left) & Alan (right)

“Chepe”

Made by Grandma

Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Elementary

Grandma “Lola’s” Sandals

It was hard to miss the details in the different places around our hometown. I thought about how long our family has been living in Koreatown and how ordinary things around us may seem at times.

From photos on the fridge to the bus stops around the city, they are all elements that make our environments unique. It was the same back home. My grandma’s sandals and the elementary school my siblings went to are part of their stories. I appreciated seeing spaces as they usually are and thinking about what someone’s relation with it may look like day-to-day.

est. Koreatown, Los Angeles