Latino political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz honored by city of LA for work to inspire community

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Acclaimed political cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz was honored at L.A. City Hall for his contributions to elevate the Latino community. He's an influential storyteller who uses his cartoons to turn attention to issues like anti-immigration and racism.

Alcaraz says the inspiration for his work comes from his parents who immigrated from Mexico and faced many obstacles in the U.S.

"It's great. I feel very special today... the point is to communicate political ideas and make you smile at the same time," said Alcaraz.

Councilmembers also recognized Alcaraz for using his craft during the pandemic. Alcaraz drew cartoons to fight against misinformation on COVID among Latinos.

"You really helped digest information in a way that they could receive it, so that they could see the importance of protecting themselves, of moving through this pandemic. So, thank you for helping save lives in our communities in that way," said Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez.

Alcaraz is the creator of the comic strip "La Cucaracha." He has also worked in shows and movies like the hit film Disney Pixar's "Coco." The L.A. based artist was a consultant on the film.

"It was a really good feeling knowing that my kids could see this movie... their kids are going to see the movie," said Alcaraz.

Community members say Alcaraz not only advocates for the Latino community, he goes beyond that. His heart for his community gets the message across.

"You don't have to read. You can see the image and you can immediately see what you need to know," said Consuelo G. Flores.

As for his current project, Alcaraz is working to turn his comic "La Cucaracha" into a TV show.