L.A. TACO, an LA-based independent community newspaper, is launching Post-style print editions, as well as starting production of a magazine. Ivan Ehlers, L.A. TACO’s in-print creative director, said the idea for print was a direct response to The New York Post moving into California.
“It parodies the structure and format of the New York Post,” Ehlers said. “[Print] was something we would put out on the streets [and] give away [to] make an introduction to people who might not know what L.A. TACO is or what it does.”
Javier Cabral, editor-in-chief of L.A. TACO, said the publication witnessed their online material dip in viewership, and print seemed to be a natural next step. Cabral said L.A. TACO has drop-off points across East LA where readers can pick up print copies.
According to Cabral, L.A. TACO co-founder Alex Bloomingdale is focused on design, and was excited about the publication’s new visual capacity with Ehlers.
“We’ve never had this much talent at L.A. TACO,” Cabral said. “We just saw the writing on the wall.”
According to Cabral, L.A. TACO covers stories that more corporate media outlets would be hesitant to publish, and hires writers by unconventional means.
“My approach is always to go with people that [don’t] necessarily consider themselves writers,” Cabral said. “I’ve published at least five dozen first-time authors. […] [For] topics that need a more insular looking-out approach as opposed to the general news way, I always go to […] community leaders.”
According to Ehlers, the print campaign includes L.A. TACO POST and L.A. TACO Magazine. Ehlers said the Post is aimed to be a free introduction to L.A. TACO, while the magazine targets subscribing members who are more familiar with the publication’s work.
“Newsprint doesn’t tend to last very long, but the L.A. TACO magazine was meant to be something that people hold on to,” Ehlers said. “It’s something that you could come back and look at five to 10 years from now, get a snapshot of how things were and have an appreciation of art and culture.”
According to Ehlers, making the L.A. TACO Post free is integral to L.A. TACO’s values; however, the publication relies on its members’ contributions in order to remain accessible.
“If we can get more members supporting it, that gives us a whole lot more freedom,” Ehlers said. “It keeps reporters covering the stories out in the streets. It keeps the lights on in the offices and it helps keep the truth alive.”
Poet Mike Sonksen, who freelances for L.A. TACO, said there is nothing like print journalism, for himself and many other members of Generation X.
“Print is sacred and it’s a lot of fun,” Sonksen said. “There’s something beautiful about tangibly holding the magazine in your hand.”
Sonksen said L.A. TACO is a publication that combines both the old-school and new-school journalism style.
“L.A. TACO is really kind of the voice of the street, the voice of the people, sort of the people’s history,” Sonksen said. “[L.A. TACO] is very progressive, but also it is the people’s choice.”
Sam Ribakoff, reporter for L.A. TACO, said his introduction to journalism was through reading local print projects.
“What’s important to me about print is that it focuses your attention on what you’re reading,” Ribakoff said. ”If you sit down and take the time to read a magazine, you’re committing yourself to focusing on that and not trying to rush through it, which is my experience of reading stuff online”.
According to Ribakoff, he grew up writing for print publications like the LA Weekly and the OC weekly and sees the importance of print journalism.
“It shows that we exist, and not just online as an ephemeral thing,” Ribakoff said. “[Having a print issue] shows that we exist in the community itself that we cover, not only as real people and real reporters, but the product of heart and soul.”
Wednesday, Sept. 30, L.A. TACO hosted a launch event for their first issue of the second volume of their magazine at Skylight Books in Los Feliz. Ehlers said L.A. TACO contributors and staff spoke about their work at the event, which included Head of Investigations Lexis-Olivier Ray, cartoonist and illustrator Lars Kenseth and photographer Ariel Rucker.
Ehlers said the most compelling piece to see in the first issue of print was an investigative piece by Ray about a man who was falsely imprisoned, which he read a portion of during the Skylight event.
“[Ray] has been [doing] a great amount of research,” Ehlers said. “I think I was able to publish about a third of it […] This is the most compelling article that’s still an ongoing, developing story.”
According to Cabral, the publication is committed to connecting with its viewership through partnership events with local businesses and hosting an open Discord server. Cabral said L.A. TACO received requests from readers for live readings of reporters’ work.
“Everyone is really desperate for real human connection and community,” Cabral said. “As a journalist in 2026, if you expect to be successful, you really have to be in tune with the needs of your readers.”
Contact Lucinda Toft at ltoft@oxy.edu and Marco Zapien at mzapien@oxy.edu
