George

George Cabrera
Tire Shop Owner
East LA, Los Angeles, CA USA

El Sereno was founded in 1905 as a working class suburb of Los Angeles. Very ethnically diverse until World War II when the non Mexican descended population moved to other suburbs in Los Angeles. In the mid 70's gangs became a problem and since then the neighborhood have been stuck with a little bit of a negative rep. But for some there is no better place then El Sereno. George Cabrera, owner of El Sereno Tire Shop declares his thoughts about his neighborhood:

“I can't say it is the greatest community but for me it is the greatest community. I can't say this is the safest neighborhood but for me it is my safest place. I can walk the streets. I can lock up the gates and leave here at one in the morning. I don't suggest it for other people but for me it works that way. The people around here, I love them and they love me and we try to work together, trying to make living in the hood a lot better and smoother. What are we going to get by complaining everyday? We just throw that out of the window and try to get together and make a better day. Sometimes we get together and have some water and sometimes we get together and have some beers. That's the way it is in the hood. You just have to go out there and make the best of it.”

George is determined to be a good role model for the community and show the kids that there is a future in the neighborhood and that you can succeed without doing dumb shit. Stay in your neighborhood and do something good for your community. You can succeed and make something good of what you have around you. And George is definitely a true and living example of that!

George is wearing black work short and black short sleeve work shirt