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I Hope You Know How Loved You Are Couple spreads a message of compassion through art
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Top projects that will reshape LA By Timea-Erika Papp os Angeles has maintained its status as a nexus for development despite recent challenges, and while developers stayed the course, they adapted to a new reality shaped by the pandemic. From procuring permits online to integrating touchless technologies, companies are emphasizing the importance of features needed to navigate the “new normal” and are responding to shifting consumer preferences. While LA continues to gear up for major sporting events, including the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, the 2022 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympics, one massive project has already debuted — the 3.1 million-squarefoot SoFi Stadium hosted its opening game in September. Here is a list of notable projects, ranging from sprawling mixed-use developments to major infrastructure improvements, all with a focus on enhancing mobility, promoting housing and sustainability, and creating civic destinations.
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ness advocacy group Central City Association. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, The Grand is set to become “the linchpin of the Grand Avenue Arts Corridor,” Rick Vogel, senior vice president at Related, told Commercial Property Executive. The project has been in the making since 2004, with work advancing even amid the pandemic. “Our biggest challenge was the Great Recession. During this time, we focused on
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completing other components of the larger Grand Avenue project: Grand Park, a 12acre public park, completed in 2012; The Emerson residential tower, completed in 2014; and The Broad contemporary art museum … completed by The Broad Collection in 2015,” Vogel noted. The pandemic has shifted development and design trends with outdoor experiences becoming increasingly sought after. Comprising public spaces such as a landscaped plaza with open seating, The Grand will include features needed to navigate the new reality. Related intends to integrate touchless, frictionless and cashless technologies into the project, Vogel explained. Developed in partnership with Core USA, The Grand also brought infrastructure changes and investment to the area. The Metro Regional Connector — a $1.6 billion, 1.9-mile light rail subway underway — will expand and improve mobility access to the Grand Avenue Arts Corridor.
West Edge Rising at the corner of Bundy Drive and Olympic Boulevard on a 4.8-acre site in West LA, the fully integrated neighborhood node is slated to feature 200,000 square feet of creative office space and 600 luxury apartments, landscaped terraces on five floors, restaurants, a full-size grocer and an openair plaza — spanning 0.5 acres — with dining, retail and fitness options. Located on the former site of the Martin Cadillac dealership, the project is a joint venture between Hines, USAA Real Estate and Philena Properties. The transit-oriented development is promoting a car-free lifestyle, Hines Associate Matthew Hines said. “By building high-density housing and retail next to transit, we are investing in the growing public transit infrastructure in LA,” he noted. The developers are committed to improving traffic flow in the area as well as promoting sustainability — 20% of the on-site park-
The Grand Related Cos.’ long-anticipated $1 billion mixed-use development in Downtown LA is expected to serve as a vibrant center of community and commerce upon completion in 2022. A public-private civic project spanning three city blocks, The Grand is set to incorporate a 39-story apartment tower, a 20-story Equinox Hotel, and a host of shopping, entertainment, culinary and outdoor elements. Affordable units make up 20% of the 400-unit residential component — “a positive step for making Downtown LA a place to live for people at all income levels,” according to Jessica Lall, president of busi-
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The Grand. Rendering courtesy Related Cos. and Core USA
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ing stalls will accommodate EV charging. The partnership is also investing in technology infrastructure and the undergrounding of the overhead power lines and telecom infrastructure along Olympic Boulevard. Distributed antenna systems are set to deliver 5G coverage, and Wi-Fi will be available in public and amenity areas. The project is also addressing housing concerns, with West Edge set to include 121 affordable and workforce units. Plans call for safety elements such as an HVAC system that incorporates 100% outside air economizers and touchless features in access controls, elevator systems and public restrooms. Additionally, the health crisis has prompted West Edge developers to accomplish certain processes differently. “We have had to adapt to working with the city to procure our building permits remotely instead of in person. We have also taken a close look at our material supply chain to actively predict and mitigate potential project delays. However, the project remains on schedule for initial delivery in the second quarter of 2022,� Hines said.
The LAX Landside Access Modernization The $5.5 billion program aimed at improving ground access to Los Angeles International Airport is well underway after nearly a decade of planning and site preparation
West Edge. Rendering courtesy Related Cos. and Core USA
work. Part of the larger $14.3 billion Capital Improvement Program, LAMP includes five elements: the $2 billion automated people
mover (APM); the $1 billion Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility; two Intermodal Transportation facilities (ITFs) totaling $220 million; and roadway improvements.
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Development has progressed recently, with workers taking advantage of lower passenger and vehicle volume. Roadways were CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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TOP PROJECTS THAT WILL RESHAPE LA, 3 closed for longer periods of time, without impacting airport operations, according to Jake Adams, deputy executive director at Los Angeles World Airports & program executive for LAMP. “Prior to the pandemic, work in the LAX Central Terminal Area (CTA) only took place at night, but we have been able to work multiple shifts to continue the construction progress. Our ITF-West facility will open this summer, while the remaining elements are slated to be completed in 2023,” Adams said. The 2.25-mile APM — the program’s centerpiece — will connect the central terminal area with the ITFs and the rent-a-car facility. When functional, the APM will operate with nine trains, with rides taking 10 minutes or less. “With trains arriving at stations every two minutes during peak hours and with a yearly capacity of 87 million, the APM will move travelers in and out of the LAX CTA at a high frequency in a timely manner,” Adams said. The car rental facility will consolidate operations in one location, resulting in the removal of 3,200 rental car shuttle trips to the CTA per day and more than 1,000,000 per year, he explained. Roadway improvements include the widening of La Cienega Boulevard, Arbor Vitae Street and Century Boulevard, as well as the extension of 98th Street and Concourse Way. LAWA has made the local community and small businesses a top priority. “The contracts in place to build the future of LAX require a minimum 30% local-hire workforce on the APM and Consolidated
LAX Central Terminal Area.
Rendering courtesy LAWA
Rent-A-Car facility projects during the design and construction phases. The contract also requires utilization of small and local businesses, minority-owned businesses, disabled veterans’ businesses and so on,” Adams said. Future plans include connecting the APM with a $500 million light rail transit hub to be developed at the intersection of Aviation Boulevard and Arbor Vitae Street. In addition to various bus lines, the station will be served by the Metro C and Crenshaw/LAX lines.
The Metro Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project The 8.5-mile light rail line broke ground in 2014 and was approaching 97% completion as of late October, Metro Communications Manager Jose Ubaldo told CPE. Slated for delivery in 2021, the $2.1 billion project will extend light rail transit service from the Expo Line’s Exposition/Crenshaw station to the Green Line’s Aviation/LAX station. The line will provide transportation options along Crenshaw, Inglewood, Westchester and LAX, and will feature eight new stations. Ubaldo explained this will allow residents to travel throughout the county, from Crenshaw to the airport, Santa Monica, Downtown LA, the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Long Beach and Azusa. Moreover, the Airport Metro Connector and LAWA’s people mover will provide a reliable connection to LAX. “A very complex undertaking, the project features nearly every type of light rail alignment. … Due to the dynamic nature of the project, the highly complex construction required and the critical testing components necessary for re & life safety, our contractor is making progress as we near the finish line,” Ubaldo said.
The Metro Purple (D LINE) Extension
Metro Crenshaw/LAX train testing along Florence ROW. Photo courtesy Metro Los Angeles
The much-anticipated Purple Line — renamed the D Line — subway transit project is considered “the most complex engineering feat in the modern history of LA Metro Rail construction … traveling through some of LA County’s most densely urbanized neighborhoods and underneath some of the most challenging geologic conditions,” according to Dave Sotero, Metro communications manager.
The multibillion-dollar project is split into three sections, with the first two segments already underway. The 7-mile extension will include seven stations along Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood, with the sections expected to open in 2023, 2025 and 2027, one year prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics. Metro began construction on the first segment in 2014. Section one extends the line by 3.9 miles, with more than 85% of the tunnels and excavation for all three planned subway station boxes beneath Wilshire Boulevard complete, Sotero explained. “Metro anticipates completing the last mile of tunneling to Wilshire/La Cienega this winter,” he added. By taking advantage of low traffic due to COVID-19, Metro was able to expedite some construction work in Beverly Hills. “The extension will be transformational for Downtown LA and the city,” Central City Association’s Lall said. Once complete, the extension will fill a critical gap in Metro Rail service, connecting the region with Downtown and beyond. According to Sotero, the extension to the planned Westwood/VA Hospital station “will generate about 49,300 daily weekday boardings at the seven new stations. … There will be about 78,000 new daily trips on the full Metro Rail system as a result of opening this line.” Furthermore, when the entire project is complete, it is projected to take about 25 minutes to travel between Downtown and Westwood.
The Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project The $588 million project led by Los Angeles City Engineer Gary Lee Moore and the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering is consid-
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ered the largest bridge project in the history of LA. Spanning 3,500 feet between Downtown LA and Boyle Heights, the bridge replaces the original 1932 viaduct. Developers started work on the new bridge in 2015, with the demolition of the old viaduct completed in 2016. Stretching across the LA River, the Sixth Street Viaduct will be accompanied by a 12acre park in Boyle Heights and the Arts District. Developed as a separate project, the green space will provide access to public art and recreational activities, among others. Both sides of the roadway will feature pedestrian paths across the river, with stairways and access ramps for pedestrians and cyclists. “As Downtown continues to grow, we need to ensure that it is connected to an even more expansive and reliable transit service and that we continue to improve pedestrian and bike connectivity with infrastructure projects,” Lall said. Funded by the Federal Highway Transportation Administration and the California Department of Transportation, along with city funds, the new viaduct was designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture and is slated for delivery in 2022.
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s $1 billion museum is rising in South LA’s Exposition Park, spanning more than a quarter-mile along the east side of Vermont Av-
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enue. Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, the highly anticipated project broke ground in March 2018. Plans call for a 300,000-square-foot building on an 11-acre site, surrounded by 6.7 acres of parkland and gardens designed by Studio MLA. The founders will oversee construction, collection and endowment costs. The project is estimated to generate some 1,500 construction jobs and 350 permanent positions when delivered later this year. The five-story facility will include 100,000 square feet of dedicated exhibition space, a library, theaters, digital classrooms, event spaces, restaurants and offices. The museum will feature “bold new architectural design and will be a one-of-a-kind gathering place to experience exhibitions, films and programs dedicated to the power of visual storytelling,” Lall explained. The museum’s collection includes book and magazine illustrations, comic books and comic strips, paintings, drawings, photographs, posters and visual materials from the arts of filmmaking. The exhibitions will feature works from the collection. In addition to the Lucas Museum, several other major museum projects are underway in LA. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is working on its Miracle Mile campus replacement project, which entails demolishing four structures to clear space for a Peter Zumthor-designed building, with costs projected to amount to $750 million. To the west of LACMA’s campus, the $400 mil-
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Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Rendering courtesy Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
lion Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is nearing completion, with delivery pushed to 2021, due to pandemic-generated delays. Also in South LA, the $100 million outdoor museum dubbed Destination Crenshaw broke ground in February 2020. De-
signed by Perkins + Will, the 1.3-mile open-air museum dedicated to public art celebrating Black history and culture will feature community gathering spaces and parks as well as landscape and streetscape improvements.
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Couple spreads a message of compassion through art By Matthew Rodriguez t 8 years old, Noah Reich took a handful of pills and went to bed. As his eyes closed, he thought he made the right decision. Ashamed of his sexual orientation and after the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard — a gay college student who was beaten, tortured and left for dead — Reich wanted to spare his family the grief and decided to try suicide. “I had learned from all these different authority figures that being gay was unacceptable — that it would bring harm to my family or to my loved ones” recalled Reich, now 31 and living in Encino, California, with his partner David Maldonado. “And so, as a little kid, I ended up taking a handful of pills with the intent of not waking up.” Fortunately, Reich woke up. Tucked into his “blankie” — which always protected him from the monsters of the night — his first sight as he awoke were his mother’s eyes and smile. “At some point, my mom had tucked me into my blankie,” said Reich. “I remember waking up and just seeing my mom’s eyes and smile. In that moment, I knew how loved I was.” R e i c h c a r r i e d t h i s l o v i n g fe e l i n g throughout his life and decided to share it with everyone, through his nonprofit Classroom of Compassion. With his partner Maldonado, Reich first spread the message of love at the 2018 Los Angeles Pride Parade. “We found that, for us, creating a space and creating a practice where we can honor the lives that we’re losing in this American story, that became something that we knew was more and more important by the day,” Reich said. Saddened by the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, and as the second anniversary of the Pulse nightclub attack approached, the pair made a memorial with an important message. They took to the streets of West Hollywood with a banner made out of baby blankets, some with patterns of baby birds and lions, with a message spelled out with silver balloons: “I Hope U Know How Loved U Are.” “It’s this reminder that you are worthy of love, you are worthy of care just as you are,” Reich said. “I think that’s become our rallying cry and our reminder from community to community that you are worthy
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of love, you are worthy of being here and that we need you here and that humanity needs you here.” In the years following their debut at the LA Pride Parade, Maldonado and Reich continued to spread that message through memorials at sites of mass shootings such as Newtown, Connecticut, Las Vegas and Pittsburgh. “With our altarpieces and our memorials, we’re really trying to just reclaim that public space,” said Maldonado. “So often it’s drenched in tragedy.” “With all of our memorial pieces, we hope to just remind people of the humanity of each of these stories,” Reich added. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their work and memorials slowed down as the two sheltered in place. Soon they realized the privilege they had. They felt gifted “with the ability and the means” to keep themselves safe indoors while many didn’t have that luxury. Like many others, in the summer of 2020, they decided to hit the streets to protest and also continued their work by creating memorials for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and, more locally, Anthony McClain and Juan Carlos Hernandez. Hernandez, a community college student, disappeared after he clocked out at VIP Collective, a cannabis dispensary in South LA. Fearing the worst, his mother Yajaira Hernandez launched a public information campaign in hopes that someone would find her son. From September to November, law enforcement searched for the missing student. They finally found him in a shallow grave near dozens of miles away Barstow. “A lot of times the family (doesn’t) have access to their loved ones’ bodies,” said Maldonado. While Yajaira still did not have access to her son’s body, Maldonado and Reich hoped to give her closure with a memorial. The couple created a memorial Downtown on the historic Olvera St. to honor the young man’s life. “His mother reached out, and she just expressed her eternal gratitude,” said Maldonado. “She hadn’t had access to her son’s body.” The altar, like the many other memorials the couple has made, is relatively simple yet reverent. In the case of Hernandez, his picture posted on a wooden frame was surrounded by flowers and candles. This simple gesture, with accompanying vigil, gave his mother the closure she needed.
David Maldonado, left, and Noah Reich dressed in their “loving-kindness” shirts. Special to LA Downtown News
David Maldonado, left, and Noah Reich hold their “I Hope U Know How Loved U Are” banner in West Hollywood in 2018.
Special to LA Downtown News
“She described it as that closure of having a physical representation of Juan Carlos and being able to mourn him in that way,” said Maldonado. “The altarpiece specifically has been really healing for the family.” Even though 2020 had been traumatic for many including Maldonado and Reich, the couple believed that it was their job to forge on ahead and spread this message of
love even more so. “Compassion is being in touch with the suffering of the world and reaching out in some way in hopes to alleviate the suffering of another,” Reich said. “That need for love, that need to remind people of love, that message of care and that reminder to care for one another and to care for ourselves — we have found (it) to be more and more necessary.”
Classroom of Compassion classroomofcompassion.com
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Covered will help NEWS - California COVID COUNT
and surrounding areas as of Jan. 24 Chinatown: 628; Little Tokyo: 347; Los Feliz: 878; Silverlake: 2,693; South Park: 6,579; Wilshire Center: 4,629; Total confirmed cases in DTLA: 3,255 Total deaths in DTLA: 27 Total confirmed cases in LA County: 1,064,887 Total deaths in LA County: 15,162 Los Angeles Count y surpassed 15,000 coronavirus deaths Jan. 23 and Jan. 24. More than a third of the deaths happened after Christmas, which is what health officials feared would happen when people gathered together during the winter holidays. There are 6,881 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 24% in intensive care. The hospitalization number is the first time the county has reported under 7,000 pa-
tients in nearly a month. Although case rates are lowering, hospitals remain busy across Los Angeles County and Southern California continues to have a 0% ICU capacity. As of Jan. 22, 441,140 coronavirus vaccines have been administered in the county, according to Dr. Paul Simon, the county department of public health’s chief science officer. All Los Angeles residents 65 years or older are eligible for the vaccine, joining health care workers and front-line workers on the list of people who can be vaccinated. As supplies are extremely limited in Los Angeles County, only a small number of appointments are available for eligible residents. Although there is no such thing as a standby line, large crowds have gathered near clinics to receive leftover or soon-to-expire vac-
cine doses. Many of these individuals do not qualify under the county’s distribution system, but some people are given doses that would otherwise be wasted. According to health officials, less than 10% of people with vaccine appointments do not show up. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent efforts to increase vaccine rollout have caused the conversion of Dodger Stadium to a vaccination site. The stadium was originally the largest COVID-19 testing site. Its redeployment to vaccines along with the closing of another testing center has led to a one-third decrease in government COVID-19 testing in Los
Angeles County. Reduced testing capacity could lead to longer waits for appointments and a higher likelihood of infected people exposing others. However, infection rates have dropped since Dodger Stadium converted to a vaccine center, and demands for testing have decreased by half, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti. Many officials agree that prioritizing the vaccine is the right move, but with high numbers of patients and mutant strains threatening new outbreaks, testing remains incredibly important in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. —Information compiled by Doyoon Kim
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Trimaine Davis with his daughter, Faye, and his wife, Ashlie.
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UCLA’s Trimaine Davis named NFL honorary captain By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski ne of three Super Bowl honorary captains, LA resident Trimaine Davis doesn’t feel worthy when so many fellow educators are trying their best to make it through the pandemic. “I’m ecstatic and emotional,” he said. “I feel so thankful for the opportunity, but it’s
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a bit overwhelming. I work with so many educators who have supported me. I do my best to honor them in the work I do every day. I’m going to do my best to represent them and make them proud come Super Bowl Sunday.” Davis will step on the field with nurse manager Suzie Dorner and veteran James Martin for the official on-field coin toss ceremony. Before the honorary captains are recognized on-field, Presidential Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman will recite an original poem about these three individuals in recognition of their tremendous impact during an unprecedented year. The recitation of the poem will air nationally on CBS and be featured in-stadium. According to the NFL, the three captains were chosen because of their dedication and selfless commitment to helping others. “We are honored to recognize these three individuals who represent the best in all of us,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “During this incredibly challenging time in our lives, Trimaine, Suzie, and James have
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Photos courtesy NFL
exemplified the essence of leadership, each in their own way. We are grateful for their commitment and proud to share their stories and recognize them during this special moment on Super Bowl Sunday.” Serving the LA and Pasadena communities as the retention coordinator for the UCLA VIPS Program, Davis provides critical support in coordinating all diversity events and ongoing activities related to the recruitment and enrollment of transfer and firstyear prospective, diverse students. “I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a dynamic program,” he said. “There are a lot of outreach programs that do not see students from high school all the way through college. We stay with our students, even if they want an advanced degree.” Amid the pandemic, Davis made it a priority to ensure his students and members of their households had devices and internet access to help bridge the digital divide. Not only did Davis secure hotspots, laptops and tablets for his students, but he hosted tech workshops for families to learn how to make use of the devices. Throughout his career, Davis has prioritized the academic success of Black students through his work with organizations like the CSU Northridge Black Male Initiative, San Diego State’s Student African American Brotherhood and Afrikan Student Union. While at San Diego State University, Davis advised the Student African American Brotherhood, Afrikan Student Union, and
consulted as an education specialist for holistic identity development for Black Student-Athletes. While working at CSU Northridge, Davis served on the committee that launched CSUN’s Black Male Initiative, which ranks as one of the nation’s best support programs for African American students. For his research on issues related to Black academic achievement, Davis has been featured on panels and has presented at conferences including the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE), College Board, Cal-SOAP, Urban League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). A Pittsburg, California, native, Davis is a longtime football fan, who played Pop Warner Football from the sixth through eighth grades, before playing in high school. “Then a growth spurt hit, and I transferred over to basketball,” said Davis, who is a Warriors and 49ers fan. “There are so many life lessons from football, so many tangible lessons from working together and sacrificing for the greater good.” Being on the basketball court at San Diego State University gave him a glimpse at being in the spotlight. But nothing compares to the stage he’s taking at the Super Bowl. “I have a lot of jitters being out there on the field,” he said. “I’m just going to do my best and take a deep breath.”
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News flash — women are human! Go figure By Ellen Snortland
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t’s January 1990 … something, and a black stretch limo is waiting for me in the portico of a luxury hotel in Boston. I run over as the driver opens the back door for me. As a dyed-in-the-wool Californian, of course, I have no winter coat on, even though it’s cold. I quickly slide into the warm vehicle. The other woman already in the car — I’ll call her Evelyn — says a polite “Hello.” My teeth manage to chatter, “Good morning.” The producers of a large network affiliate had flown me in from California the day before. They told me that I didn’t need to put on makeup in the morning — it would be done for me at the studio. Nevertheless, I’d daubed on some eye makeup and a little bit of lipstick. I was wearing a nice outfit. The producers even apologized when they asked me if I would mind sharing the limo with the other guest, also from out of town. It was the first time that I’d been billed as “The Feminist” for a relatively big regional morning talk show. I was thrilled. The other guest (Evelyn) and I chatted amiably as the car wound its way through Boston on its way to the affiliate station. She asked, “What will you be doing on the show?” I said, “I’m the feminist.” She looked at me like I had just said, “I rip baby’s arms off, roast them for supper, and serve them with fava beans and a nice chianti. Then, I recruit women to become lesbians. Wanna?” She subtly slid a bit farther from me on the slippery black leather bench seat. Then she said, “You’re the feminist? But, but … you’re so nice! And you have makeup on!” “I also shave my armpits,” I said with a big smile. “And I’m happily married to a man, who is also a feminist. But he doesn’t shave his pits.” The image of feminists that the mainstream white cis-male media has burned into the minds of innocent and often progressive people is formidable and ironclad, even here in 2021. Compounding the negative image Evelyn already had, the patriarchs in the white evangelical Christian cabal she belonged to amplified those negative images 100-fold through hypocrites like Pat Robertson. You may recall he once famously declared that “Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” No wonder Evelyn was scared of me!
On the other end of the spectrum of demonizing and dehumanizing feminists are the men and women who say, “I can’t believe a woman would do that — they’re supposed to be better!” Talk about loselose: We’re either feared as Satan’s bride or placed on a pedestal. I rarely hear people cast aspersions on all white men for the actions of another white man. All of us being held to account for the actions of just one of us, regardless of color, is exhausting. A classic example is the current “Karen” craze. Another was the time a producer actually asked me, “You’re a blonde; how do blondes feel about this, Ellen?” It’s truly insane. Have I got news for you — women are merely human! Yep. Women can be as bad to the bone or as saintly as men. Most of us are in the middle somewhere. I assert that it’s sexist and racist to expect women and BIPOC to do or be “good” all the time, then slam an entire group when they aren’t. We’ve just seen some potent examples of this with the DC insurgency on Jan. 6. Although there were far fewer women involved, the ones participating were just as nuts, violent and misinformed as to the guys. One of the alleged terrorists may even be a trans woman. That surprises me, but why? Can’t a trans woman be just as complicated and flawed as a cis white male? Ashli Babbitt, the QAnon-embracing female veteran who was shot and killed in the riot, was, according to her loved ones, doing what she believed in when she died. That is sad on many levels. Sad is one thing; nausea is another. The woman who really turns my stomach is Jenna Ryan, a real piece of work. Jenna is a real estate agent from the Dallas area who took a private jet to answer Drumpf’s call. She recorded herself during the insurrection and practically orgasmed on camera, telling her fans (and potential clients) she would be as fervent in representing them in buying or selling a house as she was in storming the Capitol building. Ewww. So back to my main point: Women are not one size fits all. Give us a break! We are no better or worse than the dumbest or most brilliant men. Ellen Snortland has written “Consider This…” for a heckuva long time, and she also coaches first-time book authors. Contact her at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com
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.
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College Match’s Harley Frankel set to retire By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski arley Frankel has dedicated his career to improving education. He led the National Head Start program, was involved in the federal student financial aid program, served as a senior executive for the Children’s Defense Fund and helped the Carter administration select the first secretary of education. Now almost 80 years old, Frankel is preparing to retire from College Match, the DTLA nonprofit that helps talented students from low-income families get into and graduate from the nation’s top colleges and universities. His legacy will be celebrated with a fundraiser on Tuesday, Feb. 2, with the creation of the Harley Frankel Scholarship Fund. Frankel moved to California to work in professional sports with the owner of the Portland Trailblazers, who lived in Los Angeles. Frankel served as the team’s general manager.
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“I’d fly up every week and spend two to three days up there,” he said. “I did that for about 12 years. I also worked in Major League Soccer.” Frankel made sure his children had a good education but realized other kids didn’t have that opportunity. He then founded College Match. “My children had enormous advantages,” he said. “I worked hard to help my children get what they need. I realized we should start a program for low-income kids in LA.” College Match focuses exclusively on low-income students with strong academic records at participating high schools. The students in the program are eager — they’ve already jumped through many hoops to get this far in their high school careers. For every dollar raised, College Match generates a return on investment of 2,000% in total financial assistance for its students.
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To help teens get admitted to the top schools, Frankel hired accomplished SAT instructors, who makes a living teaching private school kids. “We started small,” he said about College Match. “Then word got around quickly.” At College Match, students are assigned a dedicated college counselor to guide them through the process from application to graduation. About 95% of College Match’s students are admitted to a top 50 school. SAT scores increase by an average of 344 points (under the old SAT). Six students have been admitted to eight-year Brown Medical School. College Match boasts six Fulbright Scholars and 40 Gates Millennium Scholars, which covers undergrad and graduate financial needs. “We’re very proud of that,” Frankel said.
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Frankel’s successor is executive director Erica Rosales, who helped start the first charter high school in LA. After graduating from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, she attended Wellesley College. She went on to earn her master’s in education from UCLA. “She is marvelous,” he said. “She runs the program a lot better than I ever did. She has great management skills. I couldn’t be happier for her to be taking over the program. I am delighted with Erica. I couldn’t be more pleased.” He doesn’t have plans yet for his retirement, but he is hoping to pen an autobiography for a special audience. “I’d like to do it for my own kids, who are in their high 30s now,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to have great jobs. I may write that for them.”
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CASA/LA’s virtual event helps foster children By Amanda Coscarelli mid the ongoing pandemic, some of the city’s most vulnerable individuals, such as the children in the welfare system, have been affected most brutally. “From COVID-19, safer-at-home-orders, calls for racial justice, high unemployment and isolation, CASA/LA and children in foster care have been placed under more strain than ever,” said Avery Bell, special events manager for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Los Angeles, also known as CASA/LA. Though the pandemic has made public engagement difficult this year, the nonprofit organization is still determined to raise funds for the children. On Saturday, Feb. 6, CASA/LA will host its
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seventh annual fundraising event: Wine + Art 2021: A Guided Culinary & Cultural Experience Benefitting Children in The Child Welfare System. This year the event will be hosted by Ser’Darius Blain, best known for his roles in “Jumanji” and “Charmed.” It will also include a virtual wine tasting with influencers and TV personalities Erin and Sara Foster. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the event to be hosted virtually via livestream, but CASA/LA is still working to raise enough funds to help children in the foster system, who have especially been affected by these circumstances. “ Through the COVID-19 crisis, CASA volunteers are continuing to provide life-changing one-on-one advocacy to children in LA County’s child welfare system,”
Bell said. CASA/LA is a nonprofit organization built on the support of volunteers and those dedicated to helping child victims of severe abuse and neglect by forming trusting relationships with the children. In doing so, the victims are provided with a friend and someone in whom they can confide. “For 40 years, CASA has recruited, trained and managed volunteers to provide oneon-one advocacy services to children in foster care who have experienced abuse, neglect and abandonment,” Bell says. “CASA volunteers deal with a wide range of challenges that affect Los Angeles’ 30,000 children in the dependency court system, aiding in safe family reunification, education, addressing medical issues, housing and homelessness, and adoption.” In the past seven years, CASA/LA has raised thousands of dollars toward charities to benefit children in need. This year the community’s support is more vital than ever. While the city of Los Angeles hosts a number of fundraising events, organizations often fail to engage the city’s diverse community. Wine + Art connects guests with Los Angeles local artists and wineries alike, providing guests with a range of opportunities
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to get involved. “Wine + Art is such a unique event in that it pairs the beauty of visual expression with stories of real-life love and loss, overcoming adversity and undeniable hope,” said Wende Julien, CEO of CASA/LA. “We have a wonderful program lined up, with the help of our CASA volunteer Erin Foster, and all of our amazing food, drink and financial partners in the community, that promises to fill the belly, and the soul, with nourishment.” Tickets are on sale on CASA/LA’s website and are available in two tiers. General tickets are $125 and include a food and wine box available for pickup or delivery. The box includes delicacies from some of the most popular Los Angeles cafés and wineries. A charcuterie plate can be added for an additional $50 donation, and for an extra $150, guests can participate in preshow wine tasting with the Fosters. Wine + Art is an event that seeks to bring light in dark times. This fundraiser is a oneof-a-kind opportunity to experience the heart of Los Angeles arts and entertainment while contributing to the city’s most susceptible youth. To get involved with wine, cheese, celebrities and more, visit CASALA. org/wineart.
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Singer Kimber Kristy pays tribute to health care workers By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski uarantining at her LA home, musician Kimber Kristy couldn’t help but think of the folks who help others and risk their safety, like first responders, nurses and doctors. “I could tell how much they were really struggling,” she said. “I could tell they were exhausted physically and emotionally.” Kristy paid tribute to them with the song “Hard Times” and its corresponding video, which features health care workers from LA and Glendale, Arizona. “I recorded it in April 2020,” she said. “I started asking my friends who were first responders or in the health care industry for photos of themselves and anyone they knew who they thought should be recognized as well. “The response to the video has been so touching and overwhelming. I never expected the pandemic would have lasted this long. The video and song are still relevant today.” Kristy, who moved from Connecticut to DTLA in 2018, rereleased the song in light of the recent COVID-19 surge and the struggles that have been reignited. “It’s worse now than it ever was,” said Kristy, who runs public programs at the Grammy Museum. “That’s what inspired me to start circulating the song again. I’ve gotten so many comments and messages from people who were so touched. I’m glad I could help in some small way. “The people I know who are health care workers, it means a lot to them. They play it after a hard day at work. It’s very touching.” Kristy has wanted to be a musician since she was young. Her first concert was seeing Jackson Browne with her parents. “They loved listening to music,” Kristy said. “The two of them really love Bruce Springsteen. Most of the time, they went to Bruce Springsteen shows. I’m surprised that wasn’t my first concert.” Christy started playing cello in high school and, upon graduation, attended the Berklee College of Music. She moved to LA because she wanted to be surrounded by people who loved music as much as she did. “I love the environment here,” she said. “I love being at shows. With the Grammy Museum, we were seeing live performances all the time. It’s difficult now. It’s very, very difficult not having those parts of our lives. It’ll make it exciting when we go back.” Kristy has spent her quarantine making music. Last December, she released “A Different Kind of Christmas,” about the experience many had about the holidays. It was played on her hometown station in Connecticut. “It was really nice — especially because I wasn’t able to go home for Christmas this year,” she said. “It was nice that, in place of it, my parents could hear my song on the radio.”
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Kimber Kristy “Hard Times” https://youtu.be/FAh25vlUOcg Kimber Kristy recently released the song “Hard Times,” with an accompanying video on YouTube.
Photo courtesy Kimber Kristy
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Covered California will help ARTS & CULTURE Alice Cooper enjoys playing arenas, but his heart is in small theaters like the former Detroit landmarks the Grande Ballroom and Eastown. Photo by Jenny Risher
Alice Cooper pays homage to Detroit on new album By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski lice Cooper and his longtime producer, Bob Ezrin, like to create conceptual albums. The topic of the original shock rocker’s forthcoming collection is something close to his heart — his hometown of Detroit. “Detroit Stories” is set to hit stores February 26. “It’s easier to write in concepts,” said Cooper, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, now. “I didn’t want to just write 12 good, hard rock songs. I said, why don’t we dedicate it to the home of hard rock. “We didn’t stop there. We wrote the album there with Detroiters and have the entire band from Detroit.” Those legendary musicians included MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, Detroit Wheels drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, jazz and R&B bassist Paul Randolph, Grand Funk Railroad’s Mark Farner and the Motor City Horns. The group recorded at Royal Oak, Michigan’s Rustbelt Studios. “Mark Farner, Wayne Kramer and Johnny Bee were great, and then we got some studio guys to play bass, keyboards and horns. The only guy who wasn’t from Detroit was Joe Bonamassa. I just thought he was good for the songs ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and ‘Drunk and In Love.’ “I’ve known Wayne Kramer since the MC5 days. I think he’s playing better than he ever has. Johnny Bee is a premier drummer. Mark Farner is a modern guitarist from Grand Funk.” Cooper didn’t anticipate the funk undercurrent of the songs. He listened back to the songs, and soul was revealed as well. Normally, he said, he would ask to remove it. But Detroit had such a great relationship with Motown that he asked to keep it in. “When we played the Eastown back in those days, it was Alice Cooper, the Stooges
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and The Who and I’d see Smokey Robinson in the audience,” Cooper recalled about the east side Detroit club. “We’d see members of the Supremes and the Temptations at hard rock shows. Back then, it was just music. It wasn’t something they were shocked by. They loved hard rock. When they did shows at the Roostertail, we’d go there. There was nothing racial about it. You were part of the gang.” That, Cooper added, is the difference between Detroit and the rest of the world. Music there is authentic and real. “Bands playing Detroit had better be real,” he said. “What the Stooges did was the absolute beginnings of punk. It didn’t matter that they weren’t the greatest players. “When they got on stage and did play, they never flinched about who they were. It’s the same with the MC5 and us. We were theatrical hard rock bands, and we didn’t try to change for Detroit.” That music is reflected in “Detroit Stories.” He calls “$1,000 High Heel Shoes” a Motown song. “Go Man Go” is rockabilly, and “Drunk and In Love” is blues. “I tried to include every bit of Detroit kind of rock,” Cooper said. The acknowledgments in the liner notes even reflect his love of the Motor City by thanking the likes of Creem Magazine, WABX, Soupy Sales, The Grande Ballroom, Al Kaline, Bobby Layne and Gordie Howe. “They were our sports heroes,” Cooper said. “They were such a big part of my life when I was a little kid. The Tigers, Lions and Red Wings were the biggest things. “We had a great time playing big arenas all over the world, but the coolest rock ‘n’ roll time was at the Grande and Eastown with Suzi Quatro and maybe Ted Nugent. You go and every one of these bands brought it every night. Nobody was up there going, ‘I hope you like us tonight.’ You grab them by the face and shake them.”
Preorder “Detroit Stories” here: https://alicecooper.lnk.to/DetroitStories
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Yess Aquatic: Zen and the art of fresh fish from a food truck By Frier McCollister sleepy stretch of Mateo Street on a random Monday afternoon seems an unlikely spot to find a bright orange food truck specializing in fresh locally caught seafood and craft kombu beverages. It’s even more of a surprise when the genial person taking your order at the window is chef Junya Yamasaki. A former darling of London’s avant-garde food scene, Yamasaki has very recently resurfaced Downtown on the corner of Mateo and Seventh streets in the Arts District. The food truck is merely a transitory teaser for larger ambitions to come. Five years ago, Yamasaki closed Koya, his cult-hit noodle shop in London, after a ragingly successful six-year run. It was the beginning of a profound personal journey. A native of Hyogo, near Osaka, in Japan, the retreat from the restaurant in London propelled him back to Asia for personal exploration. “Restaurants are exciting, but so busy,” Yamasaki said. “So, I closed the restaurant, and I traveled a lot in China and Japan. It was my recreational time. I needed to think about many things.” A nascent interest in Buddhist philosophy and meditation also informed a cultural investigation of local culinary traditions. “I got very interested in Zen,” Yamasaki said. “I wanted to study Zen properly and I attended meditation sessions in many temples. The origins of Japanese cuisine have their roots in Zen, so, philosophically, I got interested in temple cuisine.” His travels in Japan culminated in an extended stay at an isolated monastery. “I found a very austere Zen monastery in the mountains, where they had a farm,” said Yamasaki, who stayed at the monastery for three months. “I was learning Buddhism through a self-sustainable life.” Yamasaki said these days his meditation is free diving. “I really got into free diving. It’s all connected,” he said. It may not seem apparent or obvious as we chat in front of the construction zone that will be the housing for his next restaurant venture, but when Yamasaki says it’s all connected, it’s all connected. “I got into (free diving) because of my meditation. Many free divers also practice meditation. It’s more of a mental sport. You have to be in tune with your mental and physical state,” he said. The practice also informed his local culinary research. “I wanted to learn what kind of fish you have here. How can I learn? The best way to learn is to dive. I want to be connected to the sea. It’s a spiritual connection to the sea,” Yamasaki said. That interest and inspiration is reflected in the fresh seafood and sashimi served up at the truck’s window. Yamasaki developed relationships with three small-scale commercial fishermen sailing out of Ventura and Oxnard: Capts. Eric Hodge and Bailey Raith and Capt. Evan and Cat Jones of Ventura Fresh Fish. All the fish served at the truck is linecaught fresh. The freshness, flavor and texture of the fish is further informed by the ancient Japanese practice of ikejune. A method of killing fish in a manner that avoids the release of stress hormones, it enhances and preserves the flavor and texture of the freshly caught fish, while mitigating spoilage. “You can age the fish to develop the flavor,” Yamasaki said. “You need to have a good technique and understanding to do it.” Yamasaki taught the method to the commercial fishermen with whom he regularly works. Arriving in Los Angeles two years ago, Yamasaki and his accomplices quickly staked out their corner of the Arts District as a basecamp. That team includes Giles Clark, Yamasaki’s sous chef from London, who trained at Chez Panisse, Alinea and St. John; as well as Jacob Himmel, a Chicagoan and an accomplished alum of Momofuku in New York. Himmel joined the team last year. “It’s a huge help having (an) American as a apart of the core team, because all of us really are outsiders,” Clark said. Clark and Himmel did time in Japan as well. Clark studied with a craft tofu master, while Himmel apprenticed at a natural sake brewery.
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Yess Aquatic chef Junya Yamasaki is a former darling of London’s avant-garde food scene.
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Photo by Luis Chavez
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Sauteed fish curry with vermillion rock fish ($18). The fish curry is made as a bouillabaisse and served with 50% freshly polished brown rice and crunchy pickles. The fish changes based on the catch of the fishermen. Photo by Luis Chavez
Sashimi salad features wild, line-caught, SoCal fish sashimi mixed with fresh greens, radishes, seaweed, herbs, roasted chili oil, fried almonds and a citrus dressing ($16).
Photo by Luis Chavez
The band of outsiders also includes the sommelier Yukiyasu Kaneko, who most recently served as the first non-European sommelier at Noma in Copenhagen. Kaneko specializes in organic wines and sakes. He is in Japan cultivating relationships with small craft sake brewers to supply the restaurant’s inventory. Finally, the apparent wizard behind the curtain, although she was affably available on the sidewalk by the truck, is Kino Kaetsu, who describes herself as the “producer” and team spokeswoman. Yamasaki generously offered a tour of the former bank building that will house the restaurant and café. Though the buildout is in the early phase, his vision’s outlines are apparent. “I don’t want to have a big restaurant,” Yamasaki said. “We’ll divide it into two parts. Everything has to be cozy.” The front section will serve as the more formal restaurant and wine bar, while the back will be a daytime café. “We like everything to be transparent,” said Yamasaki, as he gestured to the structural elements that will comprise a fully open kitchen and counter area. There is a back patio area as well, which will likely be deployed first, whenever outdoor dining is permitted again, if only to serve patrons of the truck. The bright orange truck hosts three guys inside — each dressed in navy blue and white horizontally striped shirts and neon watch caps. They are Yamasaki, Clark and Himmel. It’s a formidable lineup for a food truck on Mateo Street. Also know that although the menu is limited, there are no wrong choices. The menu features three cold dishes, two curries and two sandwich options along with a variety of flavored kombu-infused Aquatic Water. Daily availability of some items is informed by the amount of fresh-catch inventory. Highlights include the sashimi salad with market greens, radishes, fried almonds and roasted chili oil tossed in a mixed citrus dressing ($16); fish katsu curry “made in the style of bouillabaisse” and served with “50% freshly polished brown rice” and fresh pickles ($18); and the “Ridgeback Prawn” sandwich served banh mi style, albeit on a brioche bun with pate, sambal and pickled carrot, daikon, cucumber and cilantro ($14). The Aquatic Water beverages are infused with seaweed and different flavor combinations including grapefruit, mandarin orange, tomato and apple with green pepper ($8). Noting the challenges of sustaining the food truck with fresh, locally sourced, linecaught wild fish, Yamasaki also offered a proviso on the impending brick-and-mortar operation. “It’s not going to be a seafood restaurant. The restaurant will be progressive Japanese, but I don’t want to be strictly Japanese. I’m a very curious person. My philosophical viewpoint is influenced by Zen. I try to be mindfully orientated.”
Yess Aquatic Food Truck 2001 E. Seventh Street at Mateo Street, Downtown yessaquatic.com; @yessaquatic
Fish katsu sandwich combo comes with homemade mayonnaise, horseradish and green tea pickles. Photo by Luis Chavez
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