A year after Emmery’s death, a now-notorious Los Angeles City Council member became interested in her unsolved case and led a rallying cry for LA to crack down on party crews. But the battle between the city and party crews wasn’t new. In this episode, we learn of LAPD’s strategies in the 2000s to police party crews and attempt a citywide crackdown. For the kids, dealing with the cops was just part of being in the scene.

A year after Emmery’s death, a now-notorious Los Angeles City Council member became interested in her unsolved case and led a rallying cry for LA to crack down on party crews. But the battle between the city and party crews wasn’t new. In this episode, we learn of LAPD’s strategies in the 2000s to police party crews and attempt a citywide crackdown. For the kids, dealing with the cops was just part of being in the scene.

For many Latinx kids in the ‘00s, the party crew scene was a safe space to express themselves as they came of age in the grit and glitter of Los Angeles. A space to make friends, forget about your problems and dance the night away. But the scene wasn’t always physically safe. There were shootings and police raids. Many adults saw the scene as gang-adjacent and the media fueled negative stereotypes of kids who were out of control. One of the teens who got caught in that easy narrative was Emmery Muñoz, after she was murdered in 2006.

Host Janice Llamoca goes on a Y2K-filled journey back in time to her own party crew days to find out what this scene meant for teens like her and Emmery, and why – to this day – Emmery’s case remains unsolved. From iHeart, VICE, and LAist Studios in partnership with My Cultura Podcast Network

For many Latinx kids in the ‘00s, the party crew scene was a safe space to express themselves as they came of age in the grit and glitter of Los Angeles. A space to make friends, forget about your problems and dance the night away. But the scene wasn’t always physically safe. There were shootings and police raids. Many adults saw the scene as gang-adjacent and the media fueled negative stereotypes of kids who were out of control. One of the teens who got caught in that easy narrative was Emmery Muñoz, after she was murdered in 2006.
Host Janice Llamoca goes on a Y2K-filled journey back in time to her own party crew days to find out what this scene meant for teens like her and Emmery, and why – to this day – Emmery’s case remains unsolved. From iHeart, VICE, and LAist Studios in partnership with My Cultura Podcast Network

Party Crews: The Untold Story

Ep. 5 Cat & Mouse

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/be3ce022-7414-4d75-ab6d-afbe013e8360/transcript

Photographer Eddie Ruvalcaba started his professional career capturing snapshots of party crews for Street Beat Magazine, an indie magazine for party crew teens of the ‘90s. His photographs have become part of an archive of ‘90s LA Latinx teen life. Thirty years later, Eddie reflects on his beginnings with Street Beat andhow photography became a staple in his life.

*A note that Eddie was the staff photographer at Homeboy Industries from 2016-2021, and this interview was recorded in 2021 when he was still on staff. You’ll hear him mention it in the interview. He continues to work as an independent contractor for Homeboy Industries.

Photographer Eddie Ruvalcaba started his professional career capturing snapshots of party crews for Street Beat Magazine, an indie magazine for party crew teens of the ‘90s. His photographs have become part of an archive of ‘90s LA Latinx teen life. Thirty years later, Eddie reflects on his beginnings with Street Beat and how photography became a staple in his life.
*A note that Eddie was the staff photographer at Homeboy Industries from 2016-2021, and this interview was recorded in 2021 when he was still on staff. You’ll hear him mention it in the interview. He continues to work as an independent contractor for Homeboy Industries.

Bonus: Eddie Ruvalcaba on Capturing Party Crew Life

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d09c8bd4-9675-4fc8-a1aa-afbe0148f089/transcript

Carribean Fragoza is a writer, artist and co-founder of the South El Monte Arts Posse. She writes about Latinx women and girls whose narratives aren’t always portrayed in the mainstream. In 2014, she wrote a short story for Bomb Magazine titled “The Vicious Ladies'' — inspired by the news coverage surrounding Emmery Muñoz’s real-life party crew following her murder. 

Carribean Fragoza is a writer, artist and co-founder of the South El Monte Arts Posse. She writes about Latinx women and girls whose narratives aren’t always portrayed in the mainstream. In 2014, she wrote a short story for Bomb Magazine titled “The Vicious Ladies'' — inspired by the news coverage surrounding Emmery Muñoz’s real-life party crew following her murder.

Bonus: Carribean Fragoza on Writing “The Vicious Ladies”

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8cb200ed-364f-4a00-9306-afbe0145482a/transcript

What does the party crew scene ultimately tell us about what it means to have a safe space - and how might that shape the way Emmery is remembered? Janice looks back and learns that the rosy memories are not the only ones worth remembering.

What does the party crew scene ultimately tell us about what it means to have a safe space - and how might that shape the way Emmery is remembered? Janice looks back and learns that the rosy memories are not the only ones worth remembering.

Ep. 8 Safe Space

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/577bc8de-453b-4208-831d-afbe01448ca1/transcript

Ep. 5 Cat & Mouse

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Party Crews: The Untold Story

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