Ronnie in Anaheim (January 2016). Photography © Angela Boatwright
When the first wave of punk hit Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, it was a predominantly male scene – but women quickly brought their voice to bear. While many musical trends have come and gone over the past 40 years, punk continues to speak to a new generation of teens.
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Punk’s DIY ethos empowers people to be the change they want to see in the world, giving them an outlet for their rage at injustice, hypocrisy, and fraudulence. The artists do not need formal training – just guts to get up on the stage and expose themselves.
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While making the documentary Los Punks: We Are All We Have over a four-year period, photographer and filmmaker Angela Boatwright connected with a group of young women in East LA’s backyard punk scene, a DIY movement led by the city’s Latinx youth, and created an incredible collection of never-before-seen photographs – presented here for the first time.
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Boatwright’s work inspired us to delve deeper into the culture’s history. Here, we spotlight five women in the LA punk scene who share their thoughts on the women who inspired them to join the cause.
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Moshpit during South Central Riot Squad in a tow truck parking lot in Watts, Los Angeles (September 2016). Photography © Angela Boatwright
Janet practicing with her band Paradocks in Watts, Los Angeles (October 2015). Photography © Angela Boatwright