Los Angeles Downtown News 12-12-22

OPINION

Santa Yuk: Santa Ranta 2022

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist

If you’re a Santa worshipper, stop reading now as I’m not of your tribe. Lest you think I’m simply a curmudgeonly Santa-phobic crackpot, let me give you some background about why I go on my annual anti-Santa rants.

I was five years old and cute as a Norwegian fairy child. I was tow-headed, stubborn and prone to extreme displays of merriment or temper. You could say I was kind of “polar” without the “bi,” which was appropriate for the season: I only had moderation while sleeping. It was Christmas Eve and Mommy gussied me up so I could wait for Santa. My dress was grey and black diaphanous material with flocked dots, a red velveteen belt and accents, and a red satin petticoat. Kind of a hooker look, now that I reflect on it.

We lived on a small farm outside of Denver, Colorado. We had chickens, some cattle, a few horses, and Shad, my beloved German Shorthair pointer. My family was not doing well, as Daddy had been unemployed for months due to rumors about his being a communist. (He wasn’t.) Nonetheless, my parents were houseproud and did what they could with very little. The house smelled like pine and roasting meat.

“When is Santa coming?” I say.

“Soon.”

“Why is he coming?”

“To bring presents.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s Christmas.”

“Why?”

“Just wait.”

“Where’s Daddy?” Crickets.

The tree was lit up with bubble lights. My

two sisters also dressed to the nines, sat on the couch. Alane, the eldest, was bored; Mary, the middle daughter, was already focused like a shark on the chum under the tree. She liked presents. Mommy was herding us around to get pictures of “the girls” in front of the tree.

“Smile, girls.”

“When is Santa coming?”

“Soon.”

“Where’s Daddy?!”

Then hark! The yonder sleigh bells ring.

“Can you hear that, Ellen? That’s Santa! He’s outside. He’s parking his reindeer.”

“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas! Ho, ho, ho!” The bells are now in the house. Those malevolent bells, the soundtrack of my horror.

The door to our living room and eating area opened, and the ugliest, saddest, scariest creature I’d ever seen walked in. The monster wore nasty, stretched out and faded red long-johns, had a phony beard, a flaccid red pointy cap, some kind of belt … and those awful sleigh bells. As soon as he showed his face with glued-on cotton balls and rouged cheeks, I let out a bone-shattering scream. (Think Drew Barrymore in “E.T.”)

Never one to hide behind my mother, I launch myself at this monster that had breached our home. “Where’s my Daddy? Where’s my Daddy? Where’s my Daddy?” I scream as I beat his chest. My sisters are convulsing in hysterical laughter. My mother is frozen, presumably wondering if she should blow Santa’s cover to reveal that it’s Daddy after all. “Santa” scrams, jingling all the way with those horrible bells. Then he returns, throws the gift bag into the room, and runs out again.

This is a potent reminder that not all children think Santa is wonderful. Just think for a minute — stand back and let go of your emo-

Hey you! Speak up!

Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community.

Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

what this fellow represents. Who is he to be judging good and bad? He seems to be utterly corrupt! That red face and red nose? That’s not “jolly”; those are classic checklist items for chronic alcoholism. My parents exhorted me to never, ever talk to strangers, but Santa was the strangest person I’d ever seen.

His human rights abuses are legendary! He’s a white male exploiter. He enslaves “elves” that work in his factory. How did that make us feel, accepting toys while knowing they are made on the backs of children? Unions, anyone? And then there’s his immense ego: Mrs. Claus does all the work, and he gets all the praise.

smoking is fine; it’s OK to exploit short people in workshops, etc., etc. Instead of a rotund white man with a slapped-on smile, imagine these attributes with a woman or any other ethnic group. We wouldn’t stand for it.

I am fond of the original St. Nicholas and his claim to fame: leaving money for two young women who were going to be sold because their parents couldn’t afford a dowry. An anti-human trafficking St. Nick? Sign me up! But the Ho Ho Ho, naughty and nice guy? Yuk.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero

So, my friends, I come by my Santa contempt honestly. Join my “Santa Stinks” Facebook group to join other Bah-Humbuggers. Bah, Humbug with the best, and have a Merry Un-Santa Christmas!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

We collectively whine about how Christmas has become so materialistic, yet the source is right in front of us. Christmas is about gifts and one-night delivery; it’s OK for little children to sit on the lap of a man they’ve never met if he’s in a shopping mall; it’s OK to be loud and rude if you have a big bag of gifts; breaking into homes through backdoors or fireplaces is acceptable behavior; it’s OK to smuggle ex-

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jeff Moeller, Ellen Snortland

STAFF WRITERS: Alex Gallagher, Morgan Owen

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Jeff Forney, Timothy Norris

ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261

Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548

Denine Gentilella (323) 627-7955

Ellen Snortland has written this column — and despised Santa — for decades and teaches creative writing. She can be reached at: ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ beautybitesbeast

EMERITUS:

tional attachment or sentimentality — about

pensive items in bags; public drunkenness and

Covered California will help DTNEWS

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer

6th Street Viaduct wins grand prize

Nearly 500 architects, designers, building owners, developers and public officials gathered on Dec. 1 to honor over four dozen projects recognized for their design innovation at the LA Business Council’s (LABC) 52nd Architectural Awards.

The 6th Street Viaduct took the grand prize. The eight other project winners from Downtown LA included 7th & Witmer, 843 N. Spring Street, 8th & Broadway (Restored Merritt Building), Beaudry, Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, Downtown Women’s Center, Grand Avenue, and SP7/San Pedro House.

“The design of the new Sixth Street Viaduct is an architectural, engineering and cultural triumph,” said Deborah Weintraub, AIA, the city’s chief architect and the chief deputy city engineer, as she accepted the award. “It reflects the city of Los Angeles’ ambition to create a new standard for infrastructure that is a community destination, a key element of our multi-modal transportation network, and visually captivating.”

The 6th Street Viaduct, also known as the 6th Street Bridge, is a 3,500-foot network of ten tied arches that connects the Downtown LA Arts District with the Boyle Heights community. The project replaced the Historical 6th Street Bridge, originally built in 1932, which the city demolished in 2016 due to concerns about its structural integrity

and seismic capabilities.

The original art deco bridge was beloved, with an impromptu memorial wake taking place the night before its demolition. But the new “ribbon of light,” which took six years to build and cost $588 million, has been well received as a public space.

The main controversy over the new bridge stems from the community’s enthusiasm to climb, tag and race on the bridge, which many say the city should have expected. Since its opening, the bridge has garnered a heightened police presence and several nighttime closures. There is also concern that the bridge opens the door for gentrification in Boyle Heights, a predominantly Latino community.

The 6th Street Bridge is not the only project honored at the Architectural Awards amid concerns about gentrification. Destination Crenshaw, an outdoor museum that features permanent and temporary art from the Black community, walked away with the Community Impact Award.

The 1.3-mile public space runs along Crenshaw Boulevard and the new Crenshaw/ LAX Metro line. Although the project was conceived as a “reparative development project” in celebration of Black Los Angeles, the new development and metro line play into concerns about rising property values in South LA that could push out the local Black community.

Mayor-elect Karen Bass and LA Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson support the project.

“Destination Crenshaw is a bold infrastructure project that encapsulates the aspirational and political experience of the Black community while stimulating the conversation around equity and urban development,” said Harris-Dawson as he accepted the award.

Bass, who could not attend the ceremony, said, “Los Angeles continues to set the standard for design and construction that strengthens our communities, and celebrates cultural and social change. … Projects like Destination Crenshaw are important because they work with communities to plan and design their shared future. Together, we will continue to build a better, more livable Los Angeles for all.”

Covered California will help DTNEWS

Downtown LA architect Mia Lehrer honored with Legacy Award

This year’s Architectural Awards also took the opportunity to honor Mia Lehrer, president of Studio-MLA, with the second annual LA Community Legacy Award. She earned the award based on her utilization of landscape architecture to improve the quality of life for Angelenos.

Lehrer’s public and private projects include the Hollywood Park Racetrack redevelopment, SoFi Stadium, the LA County Natural History Museum Gardens, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and the Annenberg Community Beach House.

In her keynote speech, Lehrer emphasized how her upbringing in the rural parts of El Salvador inspired her love for landscape architecture. Lehrer also highlighted Studio-MLA’s commitment to advocacy through design and working with the local community on pro-bono projects.

“Advocacy by design is about the power of imagination in making and remaking the world. This year’s LABC awards offer the people of Los Angeles a legacy of projects that center on nature and generate social dividends for our communities,” Lehrer said.

“As landscape architects and urban designers, our team at Studio-MLA is privileged to collaborate and be recognized alongside our incredibly smart and like-minded project partners: bold and visionary clients and developers, contractors, leaders in government agencies and nonprofits, architects, artists, engineers and designers.”

In one of their pro bono projects, Studio-MLA has taken a lead role in revitalizing the LA River. Studio-MLA also designed and oversaw the construction of Eagle Rock Elementary School’s new green schoolyard (LAUSD), the first of LAUSD’s schools to utilize funds from Proposition 84 Urban Greening Planning Grant Program.

About LA Business Council

For over 80 years, LA Business Council has been an advocate and educator for public policy and progress for energy, housing, transportation and economic development. With over 500 members, LABC consists of business and civic leaders across all industry sectors. Their mission is to promote environmental and economic sustainability in the

LA region.

LABC’s Architectural Awards on Dec. 1 is just one of several events aimed at promoting community impact and sustainability. Other events include their Annual Sustainability Summit, Mayoral Housing, Transportation and Jobs Summit, in addition to other workshops and special events.

LABC’s advocacy extends to meeting needs amid the homelessness crisis, housing reform, renewable energy and creating a more inclusive economy.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

The 6th Street Viaduct Bridge team received the Grand Prize Award at LABC’s 52nd Architectural Awards.

Sheriff Luna assumes office

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer

After four years under former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, Robert Luna took office as the 34th LA County Sheriff on Dec. 5. During his inaugural ceremony, Luna expressed hope for the future of LASD and highlighted the principles he intends to lead with.

“None of us are above criticism,” Luna said after he was administered the oath of office. “Integrity, accountability, collaboration – If we embrace these three principles, I know we can be in a better place tomorrow than we are today.”

Luna continued to emphasize that he would bring new leadership and accountability to the LA Sheriff’s Department. During his campaign, Luna promised to turn around the department by focusing on five priorities: limiting violent crime, reducing homelessness, restoring public trust, reforming LASD jails and improving employee wellness.

“We must fully embrace 21st-century policing strategies that build partnerships with our community and tackle crime at the root of all the problems,” Luna said. “We must think about public safety in broader terms. If our streets are unsafe … if our homeless crisis causes desperation and mystery … then we will never have public safety.

“Most importantly, we can’t have public safety without earning the public’s trust.”

A lack of public trust and Villanueva’s scandal-marked leadership led voters to overwhelmingly pass Measure A, which amended the LA County Charter to allow the County Board of Supervisors to remove a sitting sheriff.

The need to rebuild public trust between LA County residents and LASD came into sharp relief during Villanueva’s tenure as sheriff. In 2018, Villanueva was the first candidate to unseat a sitting sheriff in over a century, leaving voters optimistic about reform.

However, Villanueva’s term was plagued by misconduct, abuse of power and corruption scandals. With questions over Villanueva’s fitness for office, the electorate again spurned a sitting sheriff, electing Luna with 60% of the vote.

“Running for office for the first time in the largest county in the country (by population) is absolutely not easy to do,” Luna said.

“But a lot of people came together. People were generous with their time, and they believed in our campaign. They knew this race was extremely important. And I promise I’ll work very hard every day to reach our goals and make each and every one of you very proud.”

Submitted

Robert Luna was sworn in as LA County’s 34th Sheriff by Judge-elect of the Superior Court of Los Angeles, Samantha Jessner.

Shows at Microsoft Theater, Crypto.com Arena

By LA Downtown News Staff

The Microsoft Theater and Crypto.com Arena are hosting a slew of shows in the next couple of months.

For tickets, visit cryptoarena.com or microsofttheater.com.

Microsoft Theater

• Metallica Helping Hands Concert: Friday, Dec. 16

• Stevie Wonder: Saturday, Dec. 17

• Junior H: Sunday, Dec. 18

• Katt Williams: Saturday, Dec. 31

• Tyler Henry: Saturday, Jan. 14

• Edicion Especial: Friday, Jan. 20

• Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure: Saturday, Jan. 21

• Spy Ninjas Live: Thursday, Feb. 23

Crypto.com Arena

• Calibash: Saturday, Jan. 21, and Sunday, Jan. 22

• Carrie Underwood: Monday, March 13

• Friday Night SmackDown/2023 WWE Hall of Fame: Friday, March 31

• WWE Presents NXT Stand & Deliver: Saturday, April 1

• WWE Monday Night Raw: Monday, April 3

• Muse: Thursday, April 6

Jeff Johnson/Contributor

Carrie Underwood recently released the video for “Hate My Heart,” the second single from her “Denim & Rhinestones” album.

OFF! brings ‘Free LSD’ to the stage and screen

By Alex Gallagher  LA Downtown News Staff Writer

When punk rock guitarist Dimitri Coats and vocalist Keith Morris revisited their band OFF! in 2015, they wanted to do more than music.

They wanted to create a punk sci-fi film and soundtrack that shares how the band and music are part of an alien conspiracy.

“It just seemed like the natural place to go,” Coats said.

“We are known for all these goofy music videos that I’ve done over the years, and they just kept ramping up into these pretty epic little, short films.”

Their late-September, 20-track release, “Free LSD,” was based on the film of the same name. It will debut at film festivals early next year.

“The film was a vehicle through which we were able to open our minds up to experimenting musically because we thought of it as a soundtrack to a strange sci-fi movie,” Coats said.

The film and soundtrack tell the story of a man who is given an experimental drug by a doctor to improve his life. As a side effect, he envisions himself as the lead singer of OFF! An alien subspecies is determined to wipe out the band before it can release its album that holds the key to awakening the human consciousness titled “Free LSD.”

The band began working on the film in 2015, however, the project was delayed.

Jeff Forney/Contributor

Punk-rockers OFF! — from left, drummer Justin Brown, bassist Autry Fulbright II, guitarist Dimitry Coats and vocalist Keith Morris — will play the Lodge Room on Saturday, Dec. 17.

“It’s really hard to make a movie, but we finally figured it out,” Coats said. “Then, we had to put together a new rhythm section,  which we didn’t anticipate and then COVID hit. There are a lot of reasons for the delay.”

The biggest delay ultimately wound up becoming the hunt for a new bass player and drummer—Autry Fulbright II (…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead) and Justin Brown (Thundercat, Herbie Hancock), respectively.

“I had known Autry just from the music scene and running into each other, and he was a big OFF! fan,” Coats said.

“Autry works for a management company that represents Thundercat (and) said, ‘I could ask Justin.’ When we brought him in, you could just feel in the room the chemistry between the four of us right away. (Justin) was excited about doing more with OFF! because he had never had an opportunity to play that style of music.”

When it came down to writing the album and film, Coats experimented with guitar tunings and used a capo — a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to transpose and shorten the playable length of the strings.

OFF! is now touring for the first time in nearly eight years. They’ll hit the Lodge Room on Saturday, Dec. 17 where they will play “Free LSD” in its entirety and older songs.

“Because this particular run of shows is in clubs, we just want to get down to the nitty-gritty and (see) how much stage production we can pull off in these smaller venues,” he said. “It seems like the reception to the record is strong, so I’m curious to see how people react to who is playing those songs on the stage.”

OFF! featuring Zulu

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17

WHERE: Lodge Room, 104 N. Avenue 56, Second Floor, Los Angeles

COST: Visit website for information

INFO: lodgeroomhlp.com, offofficial.com

ARTS & CULTURE

Leap of faith: the journey of Paul Daniels

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

After the Great Recession hit the global economy in 2007, Paul Daniels left his job in the real estate industry, where he had been working for over five years after graduating from Cal State Fullerton. After taking a leap of faith and pursuing a childhood passion for the arts, he would go on to become a professional portrait artist working with some of the biggest names in sports, music and pop culture.

“Once my parents saw what I was doing, they were astounded, but not shocked,” Daniels recounted. “My mom busted out this piece of paper from an assignment I did as a kid … in second grade. The assignment was to predict where you would be in like 20 years or 25 years, as an adult. … I drew myself with these thought bubbles over my head, and it said, ‘Artist.’

“This is what I was supposed to do. And I just kind of ignored that for all this time. You know, societal pressures, peer pressure, all that stuff influences you through life to sway back and forth on this path. But that really solidified it for me once I saw that. And that’s how the spark ignited.”

Daniels’ journey as a painter began 10 years ago, with no formal training. He drew

inspiration from his childhood drawings of baseball cards and comics, and began envisioning his depictions of athletes as fine art.

“A lot of us can still relate to the nostalgia of baseball cards,” he explained. “As an adult collector, this is something I would want to see as fine art on my wall. … They started selling right away.”

Within months, Daniels caught the radar of the Sports Museum of Los Angeles, who began commissioning him to paint for organizations like the Dodgers and Rams, before painting for icons like Mike Tyson and Muhammed Ali. Dodgers Stadium, Crypto. com Arena and the Reagan Library have all since exhibited his artwork, and his client list includes Sylvester Stallone, Swizz Beatz, Berry Gordy and other stars.

“The way I was linked up with (Ali) was totally surreal,” Daniels described. “I was expecting to just gift him the paintings because I was so in awe of the presence of a person like that. It’s just overwhelming. I met his whole family, and they’re the greatest. And they loved the paintings, so they acquired them from me for his museum in Louisville. … And then his wife, posthumously, she acquired another painting of him that I did for her home to remember him by, so it’s in her house.”

As a lifelong Angeleno, the sports histo-

Born in LA, Paul Daniels grew up idolizing teams like the Dodgers and Lakers. He has gone on to paint a mural of Kobe Bryant in DTLA and a tribute to Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium.

ry and culture of LA is ingrained in Daniels’ psyche and work. His first baseball painting depicted Kirk Gibson’s walk-off home run against the Oakland Athletics in the 1988 World Series, a historic moment for both the Dodgers and the city of LA. Daniels also has a painting in memory of sportscasting legend Vin Scully permanently installed at Dodger Stadium, who he described as someone who “practically everyone grew up with in LA, everyone knows that guy’s voice. … It was a huge honor.”

In 2020, Daniels made his first mural in DTLA, a tribute to Kobe Bryant along a 35foot wall at Hotel Figueroa across from the Crypto.com Arena. Daniels fondly recalled the Lakers championship parades of the early 2000s, and the impact that team had on him. With his mural, he wanted to portray Bryant in the way he best remembered him: “the kid, number eight.”

“It was more of a classic portrait that was in my wheelhouse, so mainly his head, little bit of the shoulders,” Daniels said. “The inspiration for it … it’s usually to bring out someone’s essence in the artwork and then infuse my style into it, which a lot of that has its makings in the LA culture … graffiti, tagging, obviously the music and sports is a huge part of the culture, hip-hop, that whole kind of LA street culture.”

While Daniels’ expressionistic style evokes the visual blend of color and grit found in much of the city’s graffiti, he also works with a personal focus on the detailed delicacy of each stroke of the brush.

“People don’t really think of the movement that goes through your body, from your mind and your heart through your arms and your hands,” Daniels said. “It’s almost like a ballet of waving your arms around and really controlling your hand … to create these strokes that have an energy in them, this energy that is reminiscent of the strokes you would see in graffiti. … But beautifully intricate is the way I’d like to

apply the technique so that it isn’t as rough around the edges as your typical street art”

Daniels explained that his artistic process involves combining two parts of himself: his physical body, which applies the paint to the canvas, and his spirit, which inspires him to create. He also draws inspiration from other artists, such as Pablo Picasso.

“Picasso started painting really advanced from a very early age, not only because of his inherited talent … he was classically trained from a young age and could do everything by the time he was already a teenager, if not sooner,” Daniels recalled.

“He said something about that it’s taken his entire life to learn how to paint as a child. It makes sense because you become tainted, or your perception of art becomes tainted, as you go along. And at some point, it can become rather constricting.

“I would like to break out of that too … because when you’re seeing with the eyes of a child, your imagination is limitless. The possibilities are limitless too. And I think that makes for some really special art. … When you can look at it with fresh eyes, I think that makes all the difference.”

From leaving a career in real estate and marketing to celebrating 10 years in multi-disciplinary portraiture, Daniels’ story is one that he hopes can inspire others to see that they can still accomplish their dreams, no matter their age or how big the task. Looking to the future, he said he wants to further diversify his skillset by experimenting in the worlds of music and digital art.

“What it’s all about for me as an artist, which I think a lot of artists can relate to, is just looking within and going with what inspires you, then expressing that however it comes out,” Daniels said. “It’s a very mystical experience, becoming an artist. In reality, it was rediscovering who I really am at my core. And I think that’s what a lot of people are searching for too.”

Submitted

After starting his art career 10 years ago with no formal training, Daniels has painted for clients like Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Sylvester Stallone, Swizz Beatz and Berry Gordy.

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

DTLA prepares for LA County Holiday Celebration

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

For many families across Los Angeles, the LA County Holiday Celebration is a sacred tradition. This year, the 63rd annual event will welcome a live audience into The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for the first time since 2019.

“People have been watching the celebration since their parents took them, since their grandparents took them,” said Emmy Award-winning TV host and mezzo soprano Suzanna Guzmán, who’s hosting alongside professional roller skater, skate choreographer and coach Candice Heiden.

“It’s a holiday tradition that is intact. And I don’t know if you’ve ever walked into your ancestral home or your elementary school and the flood of nostalgia and connection and the childlike wonder that we grew up with, that’s intact. That’s what they can expect. They can expect to see people lift their hearts. Performers who are children now, their grandparents came as children to the Holiday Celebration. And that legacy, that tradition, it’s tangible.”

This year’s Holiday Celebration, held on Saturday, Dec. 24, will feature 21 music ensembles, choirs and dance companies from across the county, including new performers like award-winning blues band Sista Jeans Blues Machine, hip-hop dance ensemble Temper Tantrum, all-kids a cappella group Squad Harmonix, secular a

cappella choir Voices of Reason, modern kathak ensemble Shivam Arts Dance Company joined by Clarita Corona of Arte Flamenco, tap dance ensemble Reverb Tap Company, keepers of the Ballet Russe legacy Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, and the California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley Vocal Arts Ensemble.

“There are groups this year that I cannot wait to hear,” Guzmán said. “I think what is most compelling is that we will have the audience back. Three years ago, we did the show from the Pavilion and the opening sequence … they pulled the camera back to reveal a completely empty theater. It makes my voice catch even now that we weren’t able to have an audience there. … It was just beyond heartbreaking to see an empty theater. … The whole beauty of live theater is that it infuses the live audience with a certain chemical. … It does something.”

The audience will also see returning favorites like the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles; gospel singers Lorenzo Johnson & Praizum; all-women global soul ensemble ADAAWE; Grammy-winner Daniel Ho with Hawaiian hula dancers Hālau Hula Keali’i o Nālani; Philippine folk arts dance company Kayamanan Ng Lahi; all-female mariachi ensemble Las Colibrí; Mexican folkloric dance troupe Pacifico Dance Company; current student and alumni ensemble Palmdale High School Choral Union and Sunday Night Singers; world chamber

music ensemble Quarteto Nuevo; Asian/ country fusion musicians Sound of China Guzheng Ensemble; children’s ensembles MUSYCA Children’s Choir and Our Lady of the Angels Children’s Chorus; and Urban Voices Project, a choir comprised of people impacted by homelessness on Skid Row.

“Music is so universal,” said Leeav Sofer, artistic director and co-founder at Urban Voices Project. “You could put someone from Beverly Hills and someone from Skid Row in the same room and ask them to sing the same note, it’s going to be one harmony. The music doesn’t see color, doesn’t see socioeconomic class. … Arts and the feeling of expression can help individuals who just feel like a number in not the cracks, but the canyons of our system.”

For Sofer, partaking in the Holiday Celebration is a labor of love. This will be his sixth year involved in the event.

“I used to watch it when I was young, growing up in LA, and when I first did it, I was like, ‘Wow, this is so special,”” Sofer described. “The whole Music Center team, they really care so much about doing things right, having inclusivity, that family vibe feel, even with all the artists that they include. I’ve felt really close to them because of that. (They) have such great intentions, not just to feature the holidays,

but to support the artists of the community, to really shine a new light and spotlight something new in the community through this lens and this platform. I’ve always been very proud to be a part of it.”

Though the Urban Voices Project choir is set to perform several songs during the Holiday Celebration, Sofer is particularly excited about their adaptation of William Bell’s “Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday.” The lyrics will be changed from “everyday will be like a holiday when my baby, when my baby comes home” to “when I finally come home.”

“The new lyrics we’ve adapted is our way of reminding all of us, whether it’s an actual home with four walls in a bed or a metaphorical home or whatever you believe makes a true home for you, that the holidays is a season that’s important to be merry and joyful,” Sofer said. “But also, let’s not wait until the holidays to feel like we can have everyone warm and cozy at home throughout the whole year. We have this platform now, but let’s hopefully carry the message through all seasons of the year.”

For audiences who can’t attend the event in person, the Holiday Celebration will be broadcasted live on PBS SoCal, streamed online at kcet.org and pbssocial.org, or via the PBS app from 3 to 6 p.m.

LA County Holiday Celebration

WHERE: The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m.

COST: Free admission

INFO: holidaycelebration.org

The Music Center/Courtesy

Emmy Award-winning TV host and mezzo soprano Suzanna Guzmán will present her ninth LA County Holiday Celebration this year.

The Music Center/Courtesy

The 63rd Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration will be held at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday, Dec. 24.

Urban Voices Project: Singing in Skid Row

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

Urban Voices Project cofounder Leeav Sofer believes music is both a humanizing and personalizing force that has the power to uplift people, regardless of race or socioeconomic class. It is a belief that stands at the core of Urban Voices Project’s mission as a choir for the people of Skid Row.

“The arts give people a sense of purpose and intention with motivation of getting to the next week of their lives, the next day of their lives, the next hour,” Sofer described. “We sing because we believe that art is wellness and art is maybe the answer to some of the gaps in our homelessness system.”

Sofer described the birth of Urban Voices Project as “an accident.” He was working as a choral conductor at the Colburn School, while cofounder Christopher Mack was an outreach worker at Skid Row’s Wesley Community Health Clinic.

“He had a lot of experience with the community, and then I was completely new,” Sofer said. “There was an opportunity that came up and someone asked through the network, ‘Hey, what about starting a music program in Skid Row?’ And I was the yes man that said, ‘That sounds like something I’m interested in.’

“I was looking for new things. … So I meet with Chris and he was a little skeptical, but basically he’s like, ‘Okay, Leeav, if you bring the music, I’ll bring the people.’ And that was eight years ago on an August afternoon.”

By September, the pair had held their first eight-week rehearsal and later celebrated their first gala performance at the Wesley Clinic.

“It was like a Cinderella story,” Sofer described. “We all got changed and got clothes from thrift stores and dressed to the nines and gala clothes for people who were still going home to tents that night. … (We)

sang our hearts out, tears are crying, and then that was it. The singers looked at us and said, ‘Well, what’s next?’ And we said, ‘Well, if you come back next week, we’ll come back next week.’ And it kind of continued grassroots for four years.”

As the choir grew, Sofer spent more of his time as a volunteer as people requested classes in songwriting, piano, music theory, music wellness, meditation and sound healing. Sofer said that he began to realize that they were creating something powerful and much needed for the community.

In 2018, Urban Voices Project became a nonprofit with the choir as the face of the organization, performing and spreading advocacy, and the workshops and classes as the heart.

Each week, Urban Voices Project host programs like Music Wellness Lab, a virtual workshop that uses music to manage stress and improve wellbeing, Performance Technique Lab, a virtual workshop where people can learn more about music theory and vocal technique, and Neighborhood Sing, the nonprofit’s flagship workshop every Wednesday that focuses on how music engagement benefits mental health as well as social and emotional learning.

“Some people call it church, but without religion because we’re a non-denominational organization,” Sofer said. “The workshop is basically a facilitated jam with mindfulness and wellness practices laced in between.”

At the end of the workshop, there’s a rehearsal where attendees are able to make a bigger commitment to Urban Voices Project’s performance group, which requires a weekly attendance. Though it’s held to a professional expectation, Sofer described the choir as “democratic.”

“That group is a different story,” he explained. “Instead of being all, ‘Let’s just jam and sing whatever harmonies that we want,’ we’re like, ‘Okay, this is the Sopranos, this is

Altos. … Let’s stay focused. Let’s practice our parts.’

“It’s all levels, so we have beginners as well as advanced experienced singers who’ve even had careers before all in the same room. We don’t believe in turning anyone away. And again, we do offer music education classes, so I just say to people, ‘If you don’t know how to sing or if you’re scared to sing, join us. And then you’ll get coaching just by joining us if you take the Monday music class. It’s a package deal.’”

At rehearsals, the performance group discusses upcoming events, like “A Holiday Called Home: A Skid Row Community Celebration” on Saturday, Dec. 17, and their “Christmas Day Caroling Crawl” on Sunday, Dec. 25. Sofer explained that performances like these can have a significant impact on the lives of the singers.

“We were, as a system, not ready for this amount of homelessness,” he described. “Nobody said, ‘Oh yeah, in five years we should expect 65,000 people to be on the streets, so let’s prepare for this.’ Nobody prepared for this, so we have a lot of cracks and that’s why we think that arts and forms of giving individuals expression and community, because

everything we do is an ensemble, is helping people jump through these canyons and have the motivation to go through the more jarring and intimidating systemic kind of reentry work that’s already flawed.

“They get that dopamine. They get that hit when they come to do music. They get their voice on a microphone. We have microphones in the room so people could get a chance to solo sing to each other. There’s a dopamine hit that says, ‘I can look forward to this. I don’t want to look forward to waiting for an appointment just to get to an appointment to get an appointment, but I can look forward to getting to music next week. I look forward to singing next Wednesday.’”

On Saturday, Dec. 24, their choir of Skid Row residents will join 21 music ensembles, dance companies and fellow choirs for the LA County Holiday Celebration at The Music Center. Sofer hopes that, through events like the Holiday Celebration, Urban Voices Project can continue to uplift individuals impacted by homelessness and strengthen the voice of Skid Row as a community.

“I hope that when people see arts and culture so thriving and alive in what people typically see as an elephant graveyard of a community, a community they’re scared of, a community where they see despair, I think it would flip the narrative on the neighborhood,” Sofer said. “Arts and culture tend to bring enfranchisement where people have a voice to advocate for themselves. And I think that, as a neighborhood as well, the arts in the next coming years can help speak to what the neighborhood needs when they shout it out in songs that are being recorded, in art exhibits, in murals.

“When we can show the culture and the arts of the community, the depth of the Skid Row artists that live there, even if they don’t have an address and they can’t vote because they don’t have an address … that they can be heard nonetheless.”

Timothy Norris/submitted

Urban Voices Project’s mission is to give a voice to the community of Skid Row.

Covered California will help DT

LA Mission feeds thousands at Thanksgiving celebration

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

For this year’s Thanksgiving celebration, hosted by social purpose enterprise Suitcase Joe, the Los Angeles Mission provided over 3,000 pounds of turkey, 700 pounds of mashed potatoes, 800 pounds of green beans and 600 pies, along with more

than 400 blankets and 1,200 tarps, to people experiencing homelessness.

“We like to say that we serve up our turkeys and with a side of hope and a slice of stability at our annual Thanksgiving celebration,” LA Mission president and CEO Troy Vaughn said. “It is really one of our cornerstone opportunities to give back and to demonstrate a level

of love to the individuals that need it… They know that we’re always here, but we learned something from our summer event that we want to continue to now embed in all of our holiday events, and that was the idea of incorporating service markets with our events going forward…We learned that people need services on top of a good meal.”

The LA Mission is one of the largest providers of services to the homeless in the country. Vaughn hopes that, by providing services such as haircuts at a salon or employment opportunities, the mission can make a long-lasting impact on the lives of those in need each holi -

day season.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Volunteers Madison Medina and Rebecca Delcid volunteered at this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Keven Early, Julie Anne Emry and Reza Farahan serve food for guests of the LA Mission.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Sheila Nguyễn from Warm Heart Mission prepares to donate goods to people in need at the LA Mission during their annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Troy Vaughn welcomes the volunteers for the annual LA Mission Thanksgiving dinner.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Justin Novick gives Glenda Orana a haircut at one of the LA Mission’s Thanksgiving activations.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Cassandra James, Kelly Thiebaud and Brook Kerr pose for a portrait before serving guests.

LA venue executive for SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater nominated for Pollstar Award

By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

In her industry, it is a top individual honor. For her venues, it is even more validation that the sports and entertainment venture has been an overwhelming success.

Christy Castillo Butcher serves as senior vice president of booking and programming for SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park and has been nominated for Venue Executive of the Year by Pollstar for its 2023 Award event.

Castillo Butcher was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Rowland Heights in the San Gabriel Valley. She now strolls the mammoth complex in Inglewood on a daily basis.

Hollywood Park is unique based on its size and scale. The 300-acre development includes the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium, American Airlines Plaza, the 6,000-capacity YouTube Theater and 890,000-square-feet of retail and residential. It’s is the largest urban mixed-use development under construction in the Western United States.

“This is truly a global sports and entertainment destination,” Castillo Butcher said. “I am responsible for programming the en-

tire development so it is not just events that fit inside one of our premier venues, but finding events that can accommodate any fan whether it be a farmer’s market or a large-scale music festival.”

Construction began November 2016 and completed less than four years later. The area is most known for SoFi Stadium, the home of the Los Angeles Chargers and reigning Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams.

“The Infinity Screen by Samsung is very impressive, and the largest videoboard ever created in sports at 2.2 million pounds and 70,000 square feet of digital LED, which creates a ‘wow’ moment. The Infinity Screen offers an immersive experience, enhancing the live entertainment experience, and is one-of-a-kind,” Castillo Butcher said. “Also, the stadium’s architecture is breathtaking, and it is the first indoor-outdoor stadium to be constructed. Fans feel like they are in an outdoor amphitheater with the production of an indoor arena. Plus, we offer a premium and unique experience unlike other venues with our technology, incredible sound and sight lines.”

As SoFi Stadium slowly sheds the “new” label, Castillo Butcher – an entertainment

industry veteran – leans on her vast experience. After all, she previously served as a top executive for Downtown LA’s Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) and Microsoft Theater, where she played a central role booking and managing some of that arena’s successful events.

Like with any change, Castillo Butcher was excited to continue her work to help build another sports and entertainment capital of the world in Inglewood. It’s just not always easy to describe her job duties to someone not associated with the industry.

“It is remarkably busy, exciting, and changes daily,” she described. “I, along with my team, am responsible for developing the programming strategy as well as securing events year-round throughout the entire development. It is important to stay up on trends, foster relationships, and book events that reach fans from diverse backgrounds. From lifestyle and music to culture and community, we strive to offer a variety of entertainment across all genres.”

It is also a huge job to say the least. When asked what the biggest differences are between working at a stadium and an arena, Castillo Butcher said, “The size. … SoFi Stadium is the largest stadium in the NFL. I definitely get my steps in. We can host up to 70,000 fans which is double an arena and takes a lot of planning to execute properly.”

A graduate of California State University Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Castillo Butcher originally used college internships to help get her start. That was some 20 years ago, when there weren’t as many entertainment and sports management programs available like there are today.

She applied for internship after internship. Soon she worked for the Orange County Sports Association as a media relations intern for The Freedom Bowl at Ana-

heim Stadium, the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro where she organized a golf tournament and VIP hospitality for the MCAS Air Show, and the Anaheim Arena (now Honda Center) where she was a marketing intern and box office assistant.

The journey of creating special memories and moments became her professional passion.

“One (memory) that I enjoy is our Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel,” Castillo Butcher said. “The LA Bowl is a new annual college football bowl game between the Mountain West Conference and the Pac 12. This event has allowed our team to build something from the ground up and make it our own as we try to build a new college football tradition in Inglewood.

“The game has allowed me to merge two of my passions in bringing sports and entertainment together to deliver a purpose driven event to our diverse community. For example, our team and I get to participate in year-round community efforts promoting higher education and college accessibility through our partnership with Inglewood-based One For All and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro LA and Harbor City.

“Last year was our inaugural year and this year’s game is quickly approaching, taking place on Dec. 17. I hope to see everyone there.”

The entire experience has also been personally rewarding for the mother of twin girls.

“Juggling is definitely the right way to describe it,” Castillo Butcher described. “Balls are dropped daily. I try to give myself grace, pick up the dropped balls and keep moving forward. I have a wonderful support system at work and home. I realize how fortunate I am to have this support and am incredibly grateful.”

The Pollstar Live Conference in Beverly Hills will take place in late February.

Steve Thrasher, Sofi Stadium/Submitted

The 300-acre Hollywood Park development includes the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium.

Submitted

Christy Castillo Butcher looks forward to hosting more global events in Inglewood, adding to a robust calendar of concerts and events including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Grupo Firme, Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks.