Vivid cameos, pungent slices of street life, and cutting insights into the Barrio and the underbelly of Los Angeles’s Eastside are just a few of the treasures in this remarkable collection. From a rap and rock band drunk on energy to a proud Chicana activist toa bar dancer as beautiful as a song of nature, the vitality and sometimes brutal realities of East L.A. comes alive.

The community itself is a character in these stories, as raw and unforgettable as the working men and women whose personal relationships offer glimpses into dreams and hopes we all share. The Republic of East L.A. is full of tender stories ringing with a truth fresh enough to challenge the imagination and satisfy the soul.