Erika Morillo

OLIVIA'S ROOTS

In 2017, I was invited to document a week-long quinceañera celebration happening between Los Angeles and Tijuana, Mexico. What I experienced was much more than a quinceañera party. These are some photos from my documentation of Olivia's Roots.

Olivia looks out the plane window on her way to Los Angeles for her quinceañera party.

The sun sets as Olivia arrives to Boyle Heights, a primarily Mexican neighborhood where her mother grew up and where she escapes the New York City summer heat every other year.

Doña Ofelia, Olivia's grandmother, welcomes us with her homemade chilaquiles and frijoles, the family's favorite.

Homemade chilaquiles. According to Olivia’s mom, nobody makes frijoles like her mother.

East Los Angeles. A vibrant, culturally rich area of LA that encompasses the land east of the Los Angeles River, including Boyle Heights, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights.

La Favorita, a tortillería owned by Olivia’s aunt and uncle Rosa and Alfredo Luévano. Rosa is one of seven children in the Barrios family. Alfredo started working in this tortillería more than 40 years ago and later on became the owner.

El Mercadito, a three-floor indoor shopping center that sells traditional Mexican food, indigenous herbal treatments, household items, clothing and more. They also have live Mariachi bands in the basement. Olivia’s mother has fond memories of visiting El Mercadito with her father, who brought the family there to eat and listen to Mariachi bands, often until as late as 2 am.

Aguas frescas at El Mercadito.

Olivia's family throws her a welcome party before her quinceañera celebration the next day.

Elvira applies mascara before Olivia’s welcome party starts. A tattoo on her left hand reads “Somos o no somos.”

blury-preloadresized-preloadDoña Ofelia makes Birria for Olivia’s welcome party, a spicy Mexican meat stew originally from the state of Jalisco.
blury-preloadresized-preloadThey dance to norteño music and share a laugh after "la mordida", where the cumpleañera's face is pushed into the cake.
Doña Ofelia makes Birria for Olivia’s welcome party, a spicy Mexican meat stew originally from the state of Jalisco.

They dance to norteño music and share a laugh after "la mordida", where the cumpleañera's face is pushed into the cake.

Olivia embraces her cousin Darla.

The big day has arrived. Admitting she rarely wears makeup, Olivia is curious to see how she'll look.

8 month pregnant Nohemi, Olivia’s aunt, gets ready for the Quinceañera party.

Cynthia, Olivia’s cousin, fastens the laces on her corset. On her arm, a tattoo that reads “La vida no vale nada”(Life is worth nothing), lyrics from a popular Mexican song by the same title.
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Olivia parades her quinceañera dress around the murals of East Los Angeles and El Pino.

Perched atop a hill and surrounded by breathtaking views of the city, El Pino is one of the most distinctive natural Landmarks of East Los Angeles.

Quinceañera service at Lady of Guadalupe Church, where the Barrios family have celebrated weddings, baptisms, confirmations, quinceañeras and funeral services in their family for over two decades.

The Barrios family celebrates into the morning. Here Sophia imitates her uncle on the dance floor.

A child falls asleep after a night of dancing.

Nohemi, one of the six daughters of Ofelia and Cruz Barrios shows a tattoo on her pregnant belly that reads “Somos o no somos”(Are we or are we not). Cruz Barrios used to say this phrase constantly to his family: “¿Somos o no somos?”, referring to their Mexican identity. Each of the six sisters has this phrase tattooed on their body.
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An elegant oak and glass stand in the living room holds a photo of Olivia’s grandfather, Cruz Barrios, and his son Valentín. This photo was taken in 1984 in East Los Angeles.

Valentín visits his father in prison during the 90′s. He is Cruz Barrios’ only son.

The Barrios family 25 years ago when they purchased their first house in Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles. All the kids were helping to deweed the backyard in style with their cowboy hats.

Nopales in the family's backyard.

Doña Ofelia holds a precious gift from her husband, a gold necklace he gifted to her during a trip they took to Tijuana. Cruz Barrios passed away five years ago.

Half the necklace reads “Te Amo”. The other half is with him in his resting place in East Los Angeles.

Olivia gets a standing ovation as she sings “Dos botellas de Mezcal”, a song her grandfather loved and which she sang at his funeral.

She looks in the mirror in her grandmother’s bedroom. Above her, an oil painting of her grandparents.

Doña Ofelia shows me Olivia’s school photos she has received throughout the years from New York City. She has seen her granddaughter grow up from afar.

She puts “El Listón” on Olivia’s hair, a ritual in the Quinceañera tradition.

Olivia's mother, Ofelia, tells me one of the fondest memories she has of her father: during her 7th birthday (having recently migrated to Los Angeles) Ofelia was really upset because none of her school friends agreed to come to her birthday party. When she mentioned it to her father, he told her not to worry, that he would fix it, and proceded to put up posters around the neighborhood inviting everyone to his daughter's party. Over 100 people showed up and Ofelia had an unforgettable birthday.

Every year, Ofelia honors her father by visiting him in his house in Tijuana, where he lived after he was deported.

Three of his children engraved the tree outside his house on his 70th birthday.

Doña Ofelia and five of her daughters share a laugh in the family’s backyard. Missing from this photograph are her daughter Rosa and her son Vicente who lives in Tijuana.

Valentín is Olivia's uncle and Ofelia and Cruz Barrios' only son. Just like his father, he was deported and now lives in Tijuana. His mother communicates with him through letters and often looks at his baby photographs.

Doña Ofelia and Valentín.

Valentín shows Olivia's mother his new Santero outfit. Religion has helped him cope with being away from his family in Los Angeles.

La Virgen de Guadalupe sits in front of the ocean in Valentín's hometown of Rosarito, Tijuana.

An image of Olivia’s grandfather in the arm of her cousin Daniel.

Nohemi's boyfriend, Vincent, has his arms and chest tattoed with important aspects of his journey and beliefs.

Jesse shows me his tattoo with the name of his daughter Darla. Tattooing names of family members is a source of pride in East Los Angeles.

PEPPY

I asked a stranger in the street in New York City if I could take a portrait of her in her home. This is what I learned about her.

PEPPY

I asked a stranger in the street in New York City if I could take a portrait of her in her home. This is what I learned about her.

OLIVIA'S ROOTS

OLIVIA'S ROOTS​

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OLIVIA'S ROOTS