Friendship, services and dancing at the Lincoln Heights Senior Center

Written by Ruxandra Guidi and Bear Guerra Aug. 29, 2016 Los Angeles

160804_bwaystories_3482 — An elder dressed for the occasion walks past a portrait of President Lincoln (for whom the neighborhood and center are named) as the popular weekly dance is about to begin. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

This year, the Lincoln Heights Senior Center turns 40 years old.

The one story, brick-and-cement building opens its doors at 8 a.m. every weekday, welcoming a largely Mexican community from throughout East LA. From El Monte to Highland Park, the Lincoln Heights Senior Center has the reputation of being one of the most lively places in the neighborhood.

Only one of its original founders is still alive: Doña Estela Alfaro. Back in 1976, there weren’t any local resources for people over 60, and the population was mostly Italian. At the time, she wasn’t old enough to be considered a senior, but Doña Estela saw the need among her fellow Mexican neighbors.

160603_bwaystories_6370 — Zenaida Hadloc is a 73-year old immigrant from the Philippines who came to the U.S. to be with a son about 6 years ago after her husband passed away. She has been working at the Senior Center for a little over three years, and says that she prefers to stay busy by working. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

“I came together with a group of women —most of them older than me— and we came together regularly for club meetings,” she says. Their “club” was informal and itinerant, traveling from home to home. Once a week, the ladies would knit together, listen to music, and cook food for the group.

Today, Doña Alfaro still shows up at the Lincoln Heights Senior Center occasionally. She sits on her walker, in a corner of the main hall. Hours go by as she watches people come and go.

160603_bwaystories_6217 — Among other activities like ESL classes, bingo, arts and crafts, and organized trips, the center offers weekly exercise classes given by Cal State University students. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

“Back when we started the center, everyone volunteered their time,” she reminisces.

Now there is a cost for most things offered inside the building: a subsidized lunch costs $2.50 and a weekend trip to Las Vegas costs about $50 a day. Seniors can load up on classes, too, learning everything from guitar to English to computer literacy. There is also a monthly food bank that feeds around 300 families in need.

160707_bwaystories_9833 — During the week, many seniors enjoy a subsidized lunch at the Center. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

160502_bwaystories_2038 — Seniors from the Lincoln Heights neighborhood line up during the monthly Food Bank food distribution in June 2016. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

There are 28 senior centers run by the City of Los Angeles, in wealthy and working-class neighborhoods alike.

“This is their social network,” explains Theion Perkins, the mental health clinical program manager for the LA County Department of Mental Health. “Seniors don’t necessarily want to hang around with a bunch of young people. They like being with people their own age, so they can relate.” Furthermore, the Lincoln Heights Senior Center is a place where Spanish is dominant, and so is Latino culture.

160512_bwaystories_3622 — Among other activities like ESL classes, bingo, arts and crafts, and organized trips, the center offers weekly exercise classes given by Cal State University students. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

And then there’s the Thursday baile. For $5 a pop, men and women over 60 spend three straight hours dancing to bachata, cumbia and norteño music. Some come as part of a couple; others come alone eager to meet strangers. A live band plays on stage while the center’s kitchen serves nachos with cheese. By 4 p.m. the baile is over and an hour later, the center closes its doors for the day.

160502_bwaystories_2102 — One of 28 senior centers operated by the LA City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Lincoln Heights Senior Center offers a place for the neighborhoods elders to gather and enjoy a sense of community and shared experience. (Photo © Bear Guerra) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)