Downtown LA (KABC) — Renowned political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz was honored at Los Angeles City Hall for his contributions to uplifting the Latino community. He is an influential storyteller who uses his cartoons to draw attention to issues such as anti-immigrant and racism. Alcaraz said he draws inspiration for his work from his parents, who immigrated from Mexico and faced many hardships in the United States.
“It’s great. I feel very special today. My goal is to convey a political message and make you smile at the same time,” Alcaraz said.
City council members also praised Alcaraz for using his skills during the pandemic, when he created cartoons to combat misinformation about the coronavirus among Latino residents.
“You’ve really worked together to help residents understand the information in a way that’s easy to understand, to help them understand the importance of protecting themselves and getting through this pandemic. Thank you for helping us save lives in our community in this way,” said City Council Member Eunice Hernandez.
Alcaraz is the creator of the comic strip “La Cucaracha” and has appeared in other shows and movies, including the Disney Pixar hit “Coco.” The Los Angeles-based artist served as a consultant on the film.
“It’s so nice that my kids get to see this movie … their kids get to see this movie,” Alcaraz said.
Local residents say Alcaraz does more than just advocate for the Latino community, he gets the message across in the way he does.
“You don’t have to read it. You just look at the image and you get the information you need,” Consuelo G. Flores said.
Alcaraz is currently working on adapting his comic, “La Cucaracha,” into a TV show.
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