Cultural Walking Tours
February 23, 2023 at 2:00pm2 hrs
If you RSVP’d to join your fellow Convening attendees for one of the cultural walking tours, we’re excited to share LA’s diverse neighborhoods with you!
12:00–1:00 pm Check in at the Convening registration table to pick up your name badge, which will serve as your all access pass for Convening activities and events. The registration table is located near the escalators on Level B of the Sheraton Grand.
1:15 pm Meet in the hotel lobby at 1:15 pm for a 1:30 pm departure. Each cultural walking tour begins promptly at 2:00 pm.
Hosted by the Levitt Foundation, each walking tour will highlight the historical and cultural significance of the featured neighborhood. You will need to walk or rideshare to the starting point of your selected tour. You will be able to select your tour prior to the Convening or upon your arrival in Los Angeles; please note the tour arrival time listed in your RSVP.
Art in the City
DTLA Arts District – Come check out the vibrant world of graffiti art and the mural scene in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District which has been fueled by an amazing cadre of local artists and globally-known talents. Be inspired as you view over 100 individual works of art, from building-sized murals to hidden treasures. Your guide will be a local street artist and longtime member of the Arts District community who is also an expert on the history, culture, arts, and artists that make this district an important part of the LA creative community.
Arrive by 2:00 p.m.
Downtown in the City
Downtown LA – Come explore some of the best architecture in the world in the heart of DTLA, including beautiful examples of the Beaux Arts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, modern and post-modern styles. The tour will include a stop at the famed Grand Central Market, Los Angeles’ largest and oldest public market which opened in 1917, and where you can explore a range of tastes, from legacy vendors to artisan cuisine that reflect the history and diversity of the city. Your tour will be led by a docent from LA Walking Tours.
Arrive by 2:00 p.m.
Heritage in the City
Boyle Heights – This historic neighborhood has preserved Chicano/Mexican art and culture for decades and serves as an emblem of cultural heritage preservation and resilience. There is plenty to see in Boyle Heights: from small coffee shops and bookstores to cultural spaces and murals that tell the story of the Chicano Movement. The area has also been a sanctuary for mariachi musicians since the 1950s. Your tour will be led by Self Help Graphics and Art, an iconic cultural arts organization with deep ties to the Boyle Heights/East LA community.
Arrive by 2:00 p.m.
Origins of the City
Olvera Street / Chinatown – Witness the transformation of Los Angeles from a pueblo into a world-class city by experiencing the sights and monuments that helped shape LA and learn how the city’s history continues to evolve. You will explore Olvera Street, the birthplace of Los Angeles with its Mexican marketplace keeping old traditions alive, and Chinatown, the first such neighborhood in the U.S. that was owned and planned by Chinese residents as a new community in 1938. Your tour will be led by LA Walking Tours.
Arrive by 2:00 p.m.
Zen in the City
Little Tokyo – Travel back in time and marvel at the crossroads of the past with the present as you tour one of the last remaining Japantowns in the nation. Little Tokyo is a major cultural and civic center for Japanese Americans living in Southern California. Dating back to the 1880s, the neighborhood is home to historic Buddhist temples and well-maintained gardens for rest, relaxation, and reflection. Your tour will be led by the Little Tokyo Community Council which was formed to protect, preserve, and promote this historic community.
Arrive by 2:00 p.m.