As a photojournalist with The Rafu Shimpo (Los Angeles’s Japanese American newspaper since 1903), Mario Reyes has documented the milestones, the tragedies, and the victories of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles. A new pop-up exhibition at JANM features photographs that record the moments and people that make up life in Little Tokyo, from Nisei Week Parades and political protests to schoolchildren and sports stars.
Reyes was born in Mexico City and immigrated with his family to LA when he was four years old. Eventually, his family settled in Boyle Heights. He started working at The Rafu as a senior at Roosevelt High School. Through his work, Reyes was a fixture in the Japanese American community for four decades.
“During the day, I lived in Japanese culture, then I’d go home and go back to living in Mexican culture at night,” said Reyes, who retired earlier in 2024.
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As a photojournalist with The Rafu Shimpo (Los Angeles’s Japanese American newspaper since 1903), Mario Reyes has documented the milestones, the tragedies, and the victories of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles. A new pop-up exhibition at JANM features photographs that record the moments and people that make up life in Little Tokyo, from Nisei Week Parades and political protests to schoolchildren and sports stars.
Reyes was born in Mexico City and immigrated with his family to LA when he was four years old. Eventually, his family settled in Boyle Heights. He started working at The Rafu as a senior at Roosevelt High School. Through his work, Reyes was a fixture in the Japanese American community for four decades.
“During the day, I lived in Japanese culture, then I’d go home and go back to living in Mexican culture at night,” said Reyes, who retired earlier in 2024.
Media Sponsor:
As a photojournalist with The Rafu Shimpo (Los Angeles’s Japanese American newspaper since 1903), Mario Reyes has documented the milestones, the tragedies, and the victories of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles. A new pop-up exhibition at JANM features photographs that record the moments and people that make up life in Little Tokyo, from Nisei Week Parades and political protests to schoolchildren and sports stars.
Reyes was born in Mexico City and immigrated with his family to LA when he was four years old. Eventually, his family settled in Boyle Heights. He started working at The Rafu as a senior at Roosevelt High School. Through his work, Reyes was a fixture in the Japanese American community for four decades.
“During the day, I lived in Japanese culture, then I’d go home and go back to living in Mexican culture at night,” said Reyes, who retired earlier in 2024.
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