By Ashton Jeffers

The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the local East Los Angeles community by providing opportunities for economic growth and development through a business model. Established in 1968, the organization came about from the activism and efforts of the United Auto Workers of America (UAW) to support the Latino population in East L.A., and since then continues to engage the community by providing access to resources for work, education, and housing. Throughout the years, TELACU has undertaken several projects and business enterprises that have benefitted the Los Angeles community.

• “The East Los Angeles Community Union” by Ashton Jeffers- This StoryMap presents a comprehensive history of The East Los Angeles Community Union, sharing how the organization began as an effort to organize workers in the East Los Angeles area who were part of the Labor Movement in the 1960s. This covers the history of TELACU and how they went from involving themselves in political protests and movements to creating a business model that would reinvest the resources and programs they created back into the community.
• “TELACU: A Cultural Landmark” by Ashton Jeffers- Other involvement in community culture included the Goez Art Studio, formerly located in the TELACU Industrial Park, and the creation of the Community Research Group (CRG), a subsidiary of TELACU that conducted surveys of historic buildings and murals located around Los Angeles. These efforts were made to reach out to East Los Angeles residents and provide job opportunities for them to showcase the importance of understanding one’s local community.
• “A Closer Look of Tamayo Restaurant & Art Gallery” by Carly Bagley- One of these ventures became Tamayo Restaurant, a Mexican restaurant started by TELACU and in operation today. Originally built in 1928, The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) restored the building to its former glory and opened it in 1988. Named after the prolific 20th-century artist, Tamayo operates simultaneously as a successful Latino business, a cultural gathering place, and a strong community symbol of preservation. Tamayo serves as both a community gathering place for TELACU and the larger East L.A. community due to the work and influence CDCs can garner.