Ethnography and Culture in Los Angeles

Homeboy Ind. mission is to assist at-risk and former gang involved youth to become contributing members of our community. Political, ethnic, and social identities serve as markers for social mobility and control. Cultural stories are codified in visual forms, i.e. graphic arts using walls (graffiti), paper (poetry/short stories), tattoo (body), and performance. This class explores the role of these expressions in communicating cultural values. The goal is to create a dialogue between trained artists (Otis students) and self-taught artists (Homeboy) to create a dynamic conversation in which these issues can be analyzed.