![Valentina standing against wall](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/823c12e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x4000+1000+0/resize/1000x1000!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc8%2F6f%2F914072794fafa19ca7a02c4b6fc4%2F1316990-la-de-los-valentina-drag-race-mexico-19.jpg)
Drag performer, actor, television personality and singer Valentina is the 2023 co-host of “Drag Race Mexico” July 26 at Mariachi Plaza.
(Junior Santillan / De Los)
When De Los launched in July 2023, our goal was to tell stories that helped contextualize the Latino experience in the United States. We realized that our storytelling had to involve more than just the printed word and that our platform needed to highlight the creative work of our photographers.
Over the last six months, we’ve tried to pair our great reporters and contributors with equally talented photographers. Here you’ll find some of the best De Los photos, as selected by photo editor Raúl Roa.
(Click the photos to read the stories.)
![Flower market worker, Angel Soteloa, unloading a fresh cempasuchil (Marigolds) truckload in downtrown L.A.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/36ab6be/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3977x2651+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2F48%2F22dd1351432295a10a27411e1790%2F1356811-la-de-los-flowermart-marigolds-dia-de-los-muertos-vendors-19.jpg)
Angel Soteloa, a worker in the flower market, unloading fresh marigolds Oct. 14 in downtown Los Angeles.
(Nalani Hernandez-Melo / For De Los)
Emily Navarro, 7, dances in front of an altar as part of a celebration of the Virgen de Guadalupe on Dec. 11 at a Santa Ana home.
(J. Emilio Flores / For De Los)
![Muxes, Alexis and Misteca proudly march arm-in-arm alongside fellow muxes during street parade in Juchitan de Zaragoza, MX](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cf70ce1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4592x3448+0+0/resize/2000x1502!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa2%2Ff0%2F985de90340989c1012c0b66f77ec%2Fla-de-los-muxes-juchitan-de-zaragoza-2.jpg)
Muxes, Alexis and Misteca march arm-in-arm during a street parade Nov. 18 in Juchitan de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mexico.
(Mirja Vogel / For De Los)
![Romeo and Juliet dance for the first time at Lord Capulet's party](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a3b5be/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4708x3139+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F80%2F0d%2F2d20aae148f3b01146a09ae09818%2F1383672-la-de-los-romeo-juliet-rolling-through-east-los-angeles-7.jpg)
The two young lovers dance in a scene from “Romeo and Juliet: Rolling Through East L.A.”
(Juli Perez / For De Los)
![Henry Vargas of the Red Pears sings and plays lead guitar during Viva Pomona musical event](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/99a7fd6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1695x1144+0+0/resize/2000x1350!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F24%2Fbd%2F26a29c854def9043e0f0acfe0209%2F1321047-la-de-los-viva-pomona-photos-2.jpg)
Henry Vargas of the Red Pears sings and plays lead guitar during Viva Pomona musical event at the Glass House Concert Hall in Pomona on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
(James Carbone / De Los)
Goddess Mercado organizer Diana Diaz of East L.A. celebrates Mexican Independence on Sept. 16 during the 81st annual El Grito at Gloria Molina Grand Park.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
Garfield Bulldogs’ Evanie Macias, left, fights off pressure from Roosevelt Rough Riders’ Katie Molina, center, and Brandy Escobar during the East L.A. Classic Girls Flag Football Game on Oct. 27 at East Los Angeles College Weingart Stadium.
(Ringo Chiu / For De Los)
Casandro — seen backstage with his costume train, carried by the Los Angeles De Cassandro team — before “Lucha VaVoom Presents: Cassandro Queen of the Ring,” a lucha libre wrestling tribute show Sept. 22 at downtown’s Mayan Theater.
(Jill Connelly / De Los)
![Gale poses for a shot as she arrives at the Latin Grammy 2023, at Fibes Conference and Exhibition Center in Seville, Spain](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/be8d733/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3840x4946+0+0/resize/2000x2576!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F72%2F7d%2Fec912a24408c9884195bcfdd1656%2F1374106-la-es-latin-grammy-2023-97.jpg)
Gale arrives at the Latin Grammys on Nov. 16 at Fibes Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain.
(Raul Roa / De Los)
Pilgrims carrying a clay figure of the Virgin walk out of the Basilica of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 in Mexico City. Every year, about 9 million pilgrims visit the cathedral around Dec. 12, the day on which Saint Mary of Guadalupe is celebrated.
(Alejandro Cegarra / For De Los)
![Templo Santa Muerte spiritual leader Sahara Garcia, 54 of Los Angeles, stands next to a large statue of the Santa Muerte](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b1613e6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd8%2F8f%2F2b3a033446fda73eba2cefbde520%2F1315837-la-de-los-unsanctioned-saints-templo-santa-muerte-20230630-1.jpg)
Templo Santa Muerte spiritual leader Sahara Garcia, 54, stands next to a statue of the Santa Muerte, or Holy Death, June 30 at the temple on Melrose Avenue.
(Raul Roa / De Los)
(Sarahi Apaez / For De Los)
![After 34 years of not seeing her, Alberto Martinez, 53, of L.A., hugs his mother Irene Hernandez Mejia, 81 of Morelos, Mexico](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d149e83/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F21%2Ffe%2F356f0b054724950f7ff3f0c7551e%2F1325357-la-de-los-viejitos-morelos-mexico-los-angeles-6.jpg)
After 34 years of separation, Alberto Martinez, 53, of Los Angeles, hugs his mother, Irene Hernandez Mejia, 81, of Ayala, Morelos, Mexico, during a family reunification event July 21 at El Paisa Restaurant in Long Beach.
(Raul Roa / De Los)
![Salina EsTitties and Jose Vasquez on stage at the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Queerceanera](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f86735c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F93%2Fbe%2F899974a94526ba8cc7e4a16192a2%2F1355232-la-de-los-queerceanera-lalgbt-center-24.jpg)
Salina EsTitties walks Jose Vasquez onto the stage Sept. 29 at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Queerceanera in Hollywood.
(Juli Perez / For De Los)
![Steve Corona, 31, wears ranchero style clothing while skating at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights on September 23, 2023.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/559c2bf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6402x4268+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Faa%2F7b%2Fef730f114a1285ab4796e8974f6f%2F349196-la-de-los-steve-corona-skater-14.jpg)
Steve Corona, 31, wears ranchero clothing while skateboarding Sept. 23 at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.
(Juli Perez / De Los)
![As dusk settles over Los Angeles members of The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners make their way across the Sixth Street Viaduct](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e4cffdb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F47%2F0b%2F3e0c7ef0404991927b4200b5b965%2F1329878-me-0802-boyle-heights-bridge-runners-gem-002.jpg)
The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners, a community ground founded in 2013, make their way across the Sixth Street Viaduct on Aug. 2.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, center, controls the ball during an MLS match against the Los Angeles FC on Sept. 3 in L.A.
(Ringo Chiu / For De Los)
Participants of the Gran Cabalgata march on the streets of Whittier toward South El Monte as part of a rally to defend their rights, land, culture and traditions.
(J. Emilio Flores / For De Los)
![Cynthia Lewis talks about a Wanaragua warrior dance costume Garifuna Musuem of Los Angeles in Los Angeles](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cf1c4f5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8256x5504+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F26%2Fc1%2F72fb642c4a78ba60892870fde746%2F1328364-la-de-los-garifuna-museum-elders-na-0006.jpg)
Cynthia Lewis talks about a Wanaragua warrior dance costume Aug. 4 at Garifuna Musuem of Los Angeles.
(Nick Agro / For De Los)
Patricia Esquivel poses during the Self Help Graphics 50th annual Dia De Los Muertos event Nov. 4 at Civic Center Park.
(Sarahi Apaez / For De Los)
![Roller derby Rocket Queens vs. Misery Loves Company](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8c49868/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5760x3840+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2F6b%2Ff93cb583442f946423b5655ef37f%2F1319928-la-de-los-borderless-roller-derby-angel-city-5.jpg)
The Fuego Latino Roller Derby competition July 8 at Charles H. Wilson Park in Torrance.
(Raul Roa / De Los)
![Pepi Meneses from Santiago, Chile drove from Orlando to San Diego to attend Comic-Con cosplay dressed as Deku](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4a52075/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3600x2400+0+0/resize/2000x1333!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7b%2F64%2F64c96ce54cd49acfc8f2238303a6%2F1325381-la-de-los-comic-con-san-diego-latinx-poc010.jpg)
Pepi Meneses of Santiago, Chile, drove from Orlando, Fla., to San Diego to attend Comic-Con, where he dressed as Deku from Boku No Hero Academia.
(John Gastaldo / For De Los)