East Side of the River is a Community Based 501c3 Nonprofit
Who We Are
- ESR is a collective of artists from the Eastside of Los Angeles (East LA, SGV & SELA) dedicated to cultivating respect and empowerment in our communities through art and mentorship. We provide creative outlets and positive activities that beautify our neighborhoods while developing community leaders. We create murals events in communities that lack sufficient art resources.
WE ARE THE CHANGE WE SEEK!
Our Programs
Our work is organized into 3 areas:
1. Murals- We are comprised of professional artists that use their craft to beautify neglected spaces with vibrant art, tell our stories, and provide create outlets in LA's frontline communities.
2. Education and Mentorship- ESR develops curriculum, art and environmental workshops and indigenous healing ceremonies to mentor our youth and cultivate strong homegrown leadership.
3. Environmental Justice- We take kids from the city into nature, and bring nature back to the inner city. Educating youth about historical inequity is reinforced by teaching the indigenous tradition of environmental stewardship and respect for mother earth.
Our Impact
A Tree needs strong Roots to thrive, We are the soil that nourishes the Roots of our Community! Over the past year, we have worked with hundreds of youth and locals to paint 11 murals, facilitate 13 art workshops, and participate in several natural area cleanups and environmental justice workshops. We are small but MIGHTY!
Our Staff
ESR was founded by community members from East LA, SELA and the SGV who used their art and community activism to escape the negative cycles of the streets, gangs and the prison industrial complex. We work to share this recipe for success with youth and community members who grew up in the same circumstances, providing healing, education and the betterment of our communities. ESR is a grassroots organization founded BY OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
Our Partners
Our work is about collaboration with the communities we are a part of and serve as well as other organizations putting in work. We have partnered with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, LA's Best (LAUSD), Nature For All, LA Neighborhood Land Trust, Communities for a Better Environment, LA Department of Cultural Affairs, Mictlan Murals, Creative Art Solutions, River In Action, LA Conservation Corps, LA Country Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, Council For Watershed Health, Amigos de los Rios, Cal Poly Pomona Mott Street Jardin.
Our History
East Side of the River was founded in 2023 by a group of Eastside artists dedicated to improving our community. We began creating our art on the banks of the Los Angeles River and the alleys of East and South LA, and share our work and the stories of our community for positive healing and education. All of our founders have worked in education, social work, environmental justice, urban planning and art healing for decades.
Empower East Side of the River
Join us in empowering individuals and communities through your generous donation to East Side of the River. Together, we can create positive change!