Aurora Gonzales, Pasteleria Luceros

If you heard the word celebrity what comes to mind? Is it some huge movie star that has millions of dollars, or some sports athlete that plays in a famous sports team? What about some sweet lady in charge of a family owned bakery? Well in East Los Angeles celebrities are exactly that. Right along East First Street there is a small bakery named Pasteleria Luceros that is known for its delicious Tres Leches cakes and churros. The woman in charge is Aurora Gonzales Perez. She has been living in East Los Angeles since 1993. She was born in Zacatecas, Mexico in 1950. She came to the United States when she and her boyfriend got married. When she arrived in the United States, she worked in Downey. Later, she started to work in Pasteleria Luceros, where she served the people of East Los Angeles, bringing a smile to anyone’s face once they walked the door.

Since Aurora came to East Los Angeles, she has seen some significant improvements in the community. She has seen the streets get prettier and improve in safety. Aurora has spent a lot of time in East L.A. Even if it is just her workplace, East Los Angeles holds a special place in her heart. She enjoys the culture here and feels more comfortable because the majority of people are Latinos, making her feel right at home.

Since Aurora works at a bakery she has to wake up earlier than most people. She has to make sure the bakery is filled with the right supplies and that there are cakes and churros. She has been working in the bakery for about 23 years now, and she is most proud of still being able to have that bakery there. Since the baking industry is very competitive, she is grateful to have loyal customers who enjoy her delicious breads, cakes, and churros. She is also happy that she can make people personalized cakes that make their way into family homes and make everyone happy.

It isn’t hard to tell that Aurora is a hard worker. At 66 years old, many people look up to her. She represents the people of East Los Angeles who  came from Mexico to find work. She started from nothing, but now runs a very successful bakery. The thing that makes Aurora a true celebrity is how nice she is and how often  she can make others smile. While talking to her you really feel at home because she treats you as if you were a child of her own. You even might confuse her for your own mother or grandmother. Her hospitality,combined with the smell of fresh cakes and churros, can really make a bad day take a much better turn.