Los Angeles is helping Tiffany Garcia stay grounded.
Better known to the internet as TiffyQuake, the 36-year-old influencer has built a career around her love of video games. Since 2010, she’s amassed over 1 million followers who enjoy her playful, light-hearted content.
As she continues to share her life online, she attributes much of who she is to her East Los Angeles upbringing, saying she felt her confidence was nurtured by the neighborhood’s “good food” and “expressive arts.”
“Living in LA has allowed me to truly embrace my culture. It’s a place where my shine can shine, not be clouded. It gives me a sense of pride and makes me want to learn more about where I come from and my ancestry. Here, I’m not just accepted, I’m celebrated,” Garcia said.
With a Mexican-American background, she makes it a point to find events, businesses and restaurants in the city that allow her to experience her roots in every sense of the word.
“Living as a Latina in LA means being at the center of vibrant, constant inspiration; being surrounded by my roots at every turn; and being proud to have grown up here. LA is more than just a city; it’s a place that celebrates who I am,” Garcia said.
As part of our “Mi Los Angeles” series, we asked Garcia to share some of her favorite Latino-owned establishments in the city. Here are her picks: