It's been more than four months since Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural was pushed out of its original location in Sylmar to be replaced by ... well ... washing machines.

Yeah ... I guess the residents of Sylmar can benefit more from another laundromat - there were already six in the area - than a cultural gathering place.

Too bad because people from Sylmar are not the only ones missing the original location of the coffee shop/bookstore/forum for discussion of ideas/art exhibit/cultural gathering place. It truly was ... and I'm glad to say, still is a destination not just for northeast Vals but people from all over.

Tia Chucha's continues to exist, and while it may not be the physical location we all grew accustomed to during the last five years, co-founder Maria "Trini" Rodriguez assures me that the essence of Tia Chucha's is alive and well.

This is due mainly to the fact that Tia Chucha's founders Trini, Enrique Sanchez and renowned Xicano writer Luis J. Rodriguez were quick to find another location at 10258 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, allowing Tia Chucha's to continue hosting plenty of events, workshops and most importantly, an open space for artistic minds to come together.

Event organizer for Tia Chucha's, Silverio Pelayo, brought up an important point that I believe rings true especially in the northeast when addressing community problems.

"To curb violence, they (policy-makers) bring in more police," Pelayo said. "(But) what we need is to give people hope and an opportunity to grow."

And in a community where many times politicians try and find what's wrong with the community and its members, Tia Chucha's offers community members a chance to showcase talent and what's right with the community.

"We try to offer things based on assets our community offers," Trini said. "We create a forum for the poets, book fans and offer a place of discussion. That's when you start seeing the wealth of the community. That's the strength of what a cultural center can do."

Obviously a cultural center like Tia Chucha's, where the goal is educate rather than make a profit, is a good thing for the community. So what stands in the way?

"I would say, in general ... not appreciating the power of art and literacy as a way of healing and growing," Trini said. "We would like to see a shift in that, with both property owners and policy makers," Trini said.

Pelayo added that "what we do here is not mainstream. We're trying to move forward, promote the vision (which is) literacy, culture, arts, music, anything noble in the human spirit that is often forgotten or lost in fast-paced American cultures."

Hopefully for the community, Tia Chucha's can continue to survive until a centralized location can be acquired. I know one much-desired spot would be on the grounds of the old Price Pfister facility in Pacoima.

Trini said the location is a possibility, although it's still too early to confirm anything.

The property, located at 13500 Paxton St., Pacoima, would be an ideal location allowing for a larger space where Tia Chucha's could see the return of its coffee shop and add even more features than before. Another big plus is that the center would be surrounded by the communities of its biggest supporters. But it'll be years before anything like that can happen.

Meanwhile, Tia Chucha's survives by attending various events to sell books and continues hosting open mics and workshops such as Mexicayotl 101, taught by Omeakatl. This class serves as an introduction to the collective knowledge and wisdom of the original inhabitants of Mexico and Central America.

Another workshop coming soon to Tia Chucha's is Music L.A. Summer 2007. This music education program offered to the community includes DJ/Mixing, Son Jarocho and guitar classes. Orientation will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 14, and the seven-week classes will begin Monday, July 16. Enrollment is $35.

Tia Chucha's will also hold its first annual Celebration of Community & Culture Benefit being at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at the Ford Amphitheatre. This event will include performances by Culture Clash, Tierra, El Vuh, Xela and more. Tickets are $30 for general admission, $12 for students and children.

I encourage everybody to support Tia Chucha's in anyway possible.

For more information, call (818) 896-1479.