The Other Side of San Diego is a photographic memoir by Mike Valencia that focus on its streets, barrios, and communities shaped by gangs and addiction
Over several years, working largely with a Leica camera, Valencia gained access to individuals living in the shadows of San Diego County, some of whom chose to share their own words alongside his photographs. Raised in the Otay area of South Bay, near Main Street’s industrial corridors, Valencia grew up around crystal meth use, neighborhood gangs, and a network of relatives moving through recovery and halfway houses, experiences that inform his way of seeing and photographing.
With family roots in Shelltown and National City, these environments are both his personal history and the backdrop of his work. The series traces the evolution of San Diego’s barrios, from mid‑century immigrant communities to later decades marked by drugs, territorial violence, and shifting street economies. Homicides, gang wars, everyday gatherings, and moments of joy all sit side by side, echoing both Valencia’s memories and the longer histories of neighborhoods such as Logan Heights.
Combining his own images with vintage photographs, Valencia records lives that are often cut short by retaliation, incarceration, or the slow grind of the street. The Other Side of San Diego reminds viewers that the city is not only surf and sunshine, but also a place where struggle, resilience, and harsh realities coexist with community pride and identity.
Mike is a Millennium Images contributor and you can buy his book here.
