Los Angeles Downtown News 03/13/2023

Moment of Reflection

DTLA residential market rebounds amid office flux

By Luke Netzley

LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

The Downtown Center Business Improvement District, a coalition of thousands of property owners in Downtown Los Angeles, recently released its annual report analyzing a variety of market trends across 2022, from the city’s residential recovery to its workplace woes.

After dipping to 85% at the height of the pandemic, Downtown’s residential occupancy exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2022, rising to over 93% throughout the year. New multimillion projects, like Onni Group’s 60-story Olympic & Hill development, have also broken ground to bring additional residential spaces into the neighborhood.

With the COVID-19 state of emergency lifted in Downtown, the hospitality and food and beverage industries have rebounded. The number of visitors to

Downtown climbed back to within 10% of the pre-pandemic monthly average of 10 million people per month, while hotel occupancies have risen to within 8% of what they were in 2019. A host of new bars and restaurants have also opened their doors, including Michelin-star chef Daniel Rose’s Café Basque.

Nick Griffin, executive director at Downtown Center Business Improvement District, attributes much of Downtown’s resurgence from COVID-19 to the city’s livability and residential appeal. Though it may have once been regarded as a “9-to-5 office district” by some, after the pandemic absented hundreds of thousands of workers, it was Downtown’s residential population that kept many businesses afloat.

“This is a 24/7 mixed-use neighborhood with a population of 90,000 residents, a world-class arts and culture scene, world-class culinary scene, and

a huge appeal to tourists with some of the coolest hotels and attractions in the city,” Griffin said. “While we often talked about the growth of the residential population, when you have such a huge office worker population, you’re not as aware of the importance of the residential. But when you remove the office, all of a sudden, the importance of the residential becomes so obvious. … It’s the largest residential neighborhood in the city by far. … You realize just how important these other sectors have become when the office sector sort of hobbled during the pandemic.”

The office market remains in flux as nearly half of U.S. employees reportedly work in a hybrid or remote environment. In LA, concerns have begun to grow as Downtown’s largest office owner, Canadian real estate manager Brookfield, recently defaulted on over $780 million of loans for two Downtown office towers.

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Brookfield’s Beaudry development at 960 W. Seventh Street will hold 785 residential units and 6,700

feet of retail space.

“You’re dealing with a one-two punch here, which is really challenging,” Griffin explained. “You have a once-in-a-century pandemic crisis, which upends the very nature of work, so all of a sudden you have half as many people coming into your office buildings. At the same time, you have interest rates just skyrocketing in the feds ’ attempt to get ahead of inflation. … On one hand, your revenues are dropping rapidly, and on the other hand, your financing costs are increasing rapidly. That’s simply a very hard equation to square.”

Downtown is home to 19% of the jobs in LA on just 1.4% of the city’s land mass, making it the largest office market in the city and an existentially important part of LA’s economy. Griffin insisted that real estate giants like Brookfield will be able to effectively renegotiate their deals in Downtown as the city and its office owners continue to restructure their positions following the pandemic.

“Folks are trying to figure out … what’s the new normal in terms of office utilization, but also, given whatever that new normal is, what do we do about that?” Griffin said. “Does that mean that we have more offices than we need as a market? … Does that mean that we should be converting some of those offices into much needed housing? It very likely does mean that, (and) that’s not easily done overnight. That’s a compli

cated thing that involves a number of factors ranging from the physical structure of a building, the current occupancy, the value and price of that asset, the regulations and zoning around use.”

Griffin related to the situation to Lower Manhattan in the wake of 9/11, when the neighborhood faced a radical oversupply of office space. Old Class B and Class C office buildings were converted into residential spaces, triggering a “reimagining and revitalization” of the area that proved “transformational.” Griffin described Lower Manhattan today as one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in New York with flourishing tourism and arts and culture industries. The burgeoning residential market, in turn, led to a greater demand for office spaces, and the neighborhood’s office sector began to increase.

“I think that a version of that is probably in the works in Downtown LA, where the older (Class) B and C office buildings, which are less appealing, and we’ve already seen … what they call a flight to quality, where the Class A buildings are doing better than the B and C buildings,” Griffin said. “There’s a world in which the office tenants from the B and C buildings move into the A buildings (and) the B buildings and C buildings get converted into residential. That increases the residential population as well as increasing the housing supply,

which is much needed in Los Angeles. And you end up, five to 10 years down the road, with an even more dynamic Downtown LA because you have more residents, and that means more amenities, and you have a better balance between the office and residential population.”

Griffin explained that his hope for Downtown’s future is also inspired by its new developments, from high-rise projects like Olympic & Hill, which will be the city’s fourth-tallest building and tallest residential high-rise at over 760 feet; Brookfield’s 64-story Beaudry, which will contain 785 residential units; and Mitsui Fudosan’s 41-story Eight & Figueroa to affordable housing developments like Weingart Center Foundation’s 19-story, 278-unit Weingart Tower 1A.

He also raised the idea of the “missing middle” and a lack of workforce housing in Downtown, forcing many of the neighborhood’s employees to commute from outside the city. It’s a problem that Griffin believes could be addressed through legislative changes.

“If the city were to unleash and accommodate more robust development, if there were less limitations, less regulation, if the zoning and the approvals enabled developers to build more and bigger, I think that the market would then more effectively provide that missing middle housing,” he said. “Sure, they

might build for the luxury housing first, but once they tap out of that market and that market is sated as full, then they’re going to move down the ladder to the next opportunity, and the next opportunity will be the sort of high middle. Then you’ll get to the middle, and I think that that is where the real opportunity is.”

According to Griffin, Downtown has the capacity to build a plethora of new housing units given the amount of surface parking lots and single-story warehouses that could be developed, continuing the neighborhood’s renaissance of growth that it’s enjoyed over recent decades.

“I think that would be good for Downtown, good for the city and the region because you provide significantly more housing,” Griffin said. “When you build housing in Downtown LA, it’s at the center of the metro system, the mass transit system, so it’s much greener housing simply by the fact that people don’t need to use their cars as much … and they very often can get a job and work and play and do everything else in their immediate vicinity, where they’re walking or biking.

“Overall, Downtown’s growth is good for Downtown, good for the city, good for the environment, and we should really be unleashing as much of it as we can.”

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By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

In the northwest shadow of the Downtown LA skyline, Echo Park Lake has become the center of a local debate on public safety and homelessness after Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez declared that the chain-link fence surrounding the park will be removed. The fence was built in the aftermath of the March 2021 homeless encampment cleanup effort that removed nearly 200 people from the park and led to the arrest of over 180 people.

“The fence symbolizes division and the biggest failure of homeless police in the history of Los Angeles,” Councilmember Soto-Martinez said in a statement. “Just 8% of people experiencing homelessness at the lake (were connected) to anything resembling ‘permanent’ housing. … We will take down the fence, and we will take painstaking care to do it right, with more transpar-

ency, so the city can see once and for all that criminalization and segregation don’t solve homelessness.”

For several residents, however, the fence symbolizes a return to normalcy after a period of unrest. Echo Park resident Gil Mongaoang explained that, after the lake’s $45 million renovation in 2013, “it was an absolute charm and a gem for the city because it was a place where families could congregate. Multiethnic communities would be there, celebrating quinceañeras … wedding parties, picnics.

“During the day and even at night, to see the swan boats lit up and seeing them reflected in the water with a city skyline in the background, it’s just magical. And there’re always international tourists who come down to the park. Walking around the park, I hear people from many different countries, from Europe, from Asia; they’re speaking their native languages. They know about the park, and they come

to see it.”

Mongaoang has lived in an apartment adjacent to Echo Park Lake for 11 years and recalled seeing encampments begin to grow in the park during the pandemic. He said he witnessed prostitution, drug use and violence before the March 2021 removal effort.

“It was a very unclean location for anyone to be living in, much less trying to take a recreational walk through the park,” he described. “During that particular period, virtually all of the recreational activities had stopped. Many of my neighbors are grandparents, and they were capable in the past, before the encampments took place, of taking the grandchildren there to enjoy the green space, which is a very limited thing in any neighborhood of Los Angeles.

“(There are) children who are in the neighborhood who enjoy, after school, coming into the area to do their recreational activities. There’re running clubs of youth that go around there. It was outrageous when I heard that they made attempts early on in the running club (to pass) through the park. Many of these are young girls, middle school aged, and they were exposed to guys masturbating.”

Mongaoang said that after the encampments were cleared, there were approximately 45 tons of garbage removed from the park’s deteriorated lawns and that graffiti had to be removed from sidewalks, benches and fence posts. While he insist-

ed that members of the Echo Park community, himself included, empathize with the homeless populations who lived at Echo Park Lake, Mongaoang stated that removing the fence around the park would do little to solve LA’s homelessness crisis.

“We feel that no one should ever have to live under the sky. That’s just not acceptable,” Mongaoang said. “It really requires a direct partnership of Councilman Soto-Martinez with Mayor (Karen) Bass’ initiative. She’s beginning to set up a program, and that, to me, would be much more productive, for the councilman to join hands with the mayor’s program and provide the necessary services that Mayor Bass is actually indicating, the all-encompassing (program) that gets you in housing, that provides you social services. … This is where I believe Councilman Soto-Martinez should be putting his energy.”

Mongaoang described Echo Park Lake today as a “thriving” gathering place for communities throughout LA, and fears “a terrible setback (if it were) returned back to the scenarios that existed” when there were encampments in the park. He said the councilmember’s office should invest in building a permanent wrought iron fence around the park, similar to the one that surrounds Chinatown’s Los Angeles State Historic Park, as well as in installing security cameras that could monitor vulnerable locations like the boathouse or outdoor restrooms.

“What we’re asking of the councilman is that if there is an increase in crime, in violence, in graffiti, in the destruction of the environment, and if people are killed, will you agree to put a fence back up, and this time not a temporary fence, but a permanent one?” Mongaoang said. “(Echo Park Lake) really brings the concept of community into your day-to-day image when you see people picnicking in the green areas, you see parents … in the exercise area

pushing their strollers. The babies are there beside them as the mother or father is using the exercise equipment. They’re modeling good behavior for their children. I’m seeing grandparents come out once again with their kids.

“It’s really a thriving atmosphere … where a multiethnic and diverse community and multi-age groups can really cherish a much-needed green space that is safe, secure and clean.”

@flyLAXairport

Chris Mortenson/Staff

The fence surrounding Echo Park Lake is seen as a symbol for both public safety and social division.

Covered California will help DT CONSIDER THIS Of Florida and Goddesses Here’s a starting point for Women’s History Month

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

“What should I read if I want to learn about women’s history?” my student asked. I’ve been promoting Women’s History Month in my March writing classes. “How far back do you want to go? I could start you off with the Greek or Nordic pantheon of badass women. They’re mythological but also historical.” “I’d prefer women who actually lived,” she said.

I said, “I would start with an influencer of great depth and breadth, Mary Wollstonecraft.” Often referred to as the “grandmother” of Frankenstein, Wollstonecraft’s daughter, Mary Shelley, is considered the first science fiction author. Ironically, Shelley’s birth killed her mother, Wollstonecraft — not the childbirth itself, but eight days later from “bed fever” due to unsanitary practices by male physicians.

In 1792, Wollstonecraft was a British firebrand, philosopher, traveler and writer. She shook up the English-speaking world with her book “A Vindication of the Rights of Women,” the first-known societywide conversation about the essence of feminine versus masculine as a social construct instead of biological. For the most part, it’s been the initiative of women to challenge so-called gender norms, norms that are impossible to live up to and equally impossible to ignore.

Two-hundred-thirty years later, we now have a plentiful public discourse beyond simply women’s studies geeks. … Hallelujah! A classic indicator of this progress is the pushback that inevitably arises. Case in point: Florida non-Gov. DeSantis, a wanna-be full of totalitarian aspirations if ever there was one. He now wants to ban women’s history in the classroom.

I never thought I’d see our current conversations around “toxic masculinity,” partially due to the recent decade’s cascade effects of #metoo, #timesup, the Kavanaugh confirmation, etc. Some men react to all this by whining like little boys: Their delicate egos are offended as their “god-like” societal status is finally being broadly chal-

Ellen Snortland

lenged. Hey, man up! The men we love, who value relationships, family and the more elegant aspects of life, have instead used these discussions for reflection.

On the other end of the spectrum is hyper-femininity, which I assert, in its most extreme expression, is also toxic. In my book “Beauty Bites Beast,” I describe the extremes of masculinity and femininity as “pathological.” According to the Collins Dictionary, pathological refers to people who behave in extreme and unacceptable ways and have powerful feelings they cannot control.

DeSantis has signed several pieces of pathological legislation at the state level; Tennessee dictator Bill Lee followed suit by signing a law squelching drag performers. Florida is a petri dish of anti-progressive germs. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the “Don’t Say Gay” state’s repressive policies would spread elsewhere to counter the growing societal awareness of gender fluidity. The question of personhood — who are the arbiters of whether one is “enough” — is central to such legislation.

For me, I have behaviors that are simply human and yet are considered masculine, like my right to set and maintain boundaries. The influential men in my life have all been artists of one type or another and

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.

didn’t belong to the “Men’s Club,” preferring to relate to others as humans. They had enough self-esteem to allow me to shine like a goddess.

Speaking of goddesses, once again, I will be a “Goddess Guide” for a women’s wellness retreat. Say the word “goddess,” and many of us experience negative reactions, especially if we fall outside the narrow window of what conventional wisdom says a goddess is or isn’t. Not white? Not blonde? Not cisgender? Not “feminine” enough? Not commercially or conventionally beautiful? Not young or too young? That leaves out a lot of us! Not surprisingly, even the women whom others would call a “goddess” rarely relate to themselves that way, focusing on their deficiencies instead of their divinity.

Thanks to my hubby’s research, he discovered Elli, the perfect goddess role model. Elli is the Norse Goddess of Age and Wisdom, two qualities American women feel obligated to hide! Elli rose to prominence in the Norse myths by — drum roll, please — wrestling Thor to the ground. Yes, Thor was dominated by an older and stronger woman! Let that sink in, then allow yourself to ponder why Elli has been historically invisible for so long.

Elli is my exemplar: As a Norwe -

gian-American, my childhood nickname was Ellie! At my current age, I’m supposed to go to pasture by most traditional standards of female power. I have genuinely grappled with gender norms for decades now, and I’m clear that I don’t want to damage or maim men; I do want to wrestle archaic notions of so-called male superiority and unhealthy “maleness” to the ground until they yell “Aunt!” instead of “Uncle!”

Please join me at the Goddess Getaway in Sedona from March 27 to April 2! For more info, visit https://ilumn8.life/ summit-imagining-in-action and click on the pulldown menu for Goddess Living —> Next Getaway, or call Susan at 972360-9694. It’s going to be a restful blast! Many women do all the work planning their families’ vacations and never fully experience one for themselves. If that’s you, this is exactly the getaway you need!

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column. She also teaches creative writing online and can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

Do you have type 2

Covered California will help DTFEATURE

‘Full-Circle Moment’

Composer Ben Shirley returns to Los Angeles’

By Karina Romero Cronkite News

Even when life got rough, music never left Ben Shirley’s side.

After playing in small-town bars in Texas, the concert and film composer moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in rock ‘n’ roll. But alcohol addiction took its toll and Shirley found himself homeless on Los Angeles’ notorious Skid Row, where the city’s most desperate downand-out have slept on the sidewalks for decades.

He credits the Midnight Mission, one of the charities caring for the unhoused on Skid Row, for turning his life around.

“Gladly, my drunk (expletive) stumbled upon those steps, and my life truly changed,” Shirley said in making a triumphant return to the mission recently, now sober with his career back on track.

Shirley said he orchestrated music for a major motion picture and the animation short “Umbrella” and composed pieces for the independent short film “Dr. West’s Fervor.”

A tall, bearded man with stars tattooed on his forehead and neck, Shirley lived an itinerant life from an early age. He lists his hometown as Newark, Ohio, but said in his bio he was “born and raised” all

over: Berlin, San Francisco and Texas.

Shirley left Texas for Los Angeles, playing whenever and wherever just to be noticed. In 1999, Shirley signed with Epic Records as a bassist. He was an original member of the LA rock band U.P.O., which released its first studio album, “No Pleasantries,” in 2000.

Shirley blames years of enduring the heavy metal music culture for his downward spiral. His addiction drove him to homelessness, forcing him to try to survive on the mean streets of Skid Row in 2011.

From those depths, he remembers the day that life changed for the better: May 26, 2011. It was then that he sought help at the mission.

The Midnight Mission is a homeless service center on Skid Row that provides families with food, shelter and guidance. The mission creates a tranquil home for those looking to escape the desperate, chaotic sea of sidewalk tents, boom boxes, squeaking grocery store carts and dangerous behaviors outside.

The mission offers a 12-step recovery program to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

With the help of the Midnight Mission, Shirley rekindled his love for music. After

Skid Row

26 hard months on the road to sobriety, he completed a certificate in electronic music at Los Angeles City College. He said he then attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a student in the inaugural class of the technology and applied composition program.

Shirley is part of the Composing Earth program at Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music, which is aimed at informing musicians about the severity of climate change.

Shirley was one of those profiled in the documentary “Skid Row Marathon,” which chronicled his musical journey from the Midnight Mission to the San Francisco conservatory over four years.

Shirley expresses gratitude for his time at the mission. He stressed the importance of having your “full-circle moment” by giving back to the community that gave you so much.

That moment just came for him.

On Feb. 23, Shirley stood before a couple dozen staff and inhabitants of the mission to share the music he had so worked to cultivate. He invited Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic, and the Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet to preview a new piece, “High Sierra Sonata.”

McGill and the quartet traveled to Los Angeles to give the piece its world premiere that evening at the The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

“I was volunteering for an ultra marathon in the high Sierras one day, and I was watching the sunrise as a clarinet

melody popped into my mind,” Shirley said at the Midnight Mission event. “Well, not like a genius or anything, but I tried to soak it all in.”

He credited the mission for making it possible.

“The point I’m trying to make is if it were not for this place (Midnight Mission), I would have never been in the high Sierras that day, and I would have never done all this stuff,” Shirley said.

Warm hugs and goodbye high-fives from residents of the Midnight Mission closed the performance. Familiar faces engulfed Shirley to thank him for stopping by, just as Shirley thanked them for his full-circle moment.

The mission had already discovered the power of music as an element of recovery.

“Music is a survival tactic for many people in dealing with life’s difficulties and our Music with a Mission program is aimed at bringing our community together through music,” according to Georgia Berkovich, director of public affairs at the Midnight Mission.

For the mission, his visit was proof that even those with the most painful experiences can regain a bright future.

“Ben’s dark past has become his greatest asset. By sharing his lived experiences with the people we serve, he shows them by his extraordinary example that there is hope for them, too, and anything is possible,” Berkovich said.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

Midnight Mission/Submitted

Composer Ben Shirley, wearing glasses, poses with clarinet player Anthony McGill, second from left, and members of the Pacifica Quartet who came to perform one of his new works at The Midnight Mission on Los Angeles’ Skid Row on Feb. 28. Shirley credits the mission for turning his life around.

Midnight Mission/Submitted

Ben Shirley called the premiere of his “High Sierra Sonata” for staff and residents at the Midnight Mission last month his “full-circle moment.” The Skid Row mission that helped him turn his life around, from addiction and homelessness in 2011, to rekindling his love for music and letting him get back to school and become a composer.

Covered California will help DT

Read Across America Day

Hope

Street

Margolis Family Center celebrates Dr. Seuss’ birthday

By LA Downtown News Staff

Each year, National Read Across America Day is held on Dr. Seuss’ birthday as a nationwide reading celebration that embraces the significant impact books have on children and their cognitive development.

Countless studies have demonstrated just how essential reading is for young children, not only to stimulate their senses but also to spark their imagination and knowledge of the world. In fact, studies have shown that children who began reading earlier in life developed stronger

reading skills, were more likely to perform better in school, and have higher levels of intelligence as young adults.

The Hope Street Margolis Family Center, a community health, education and recreation resource of Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center, impacts

thousands of underprivileged families and children each year through its program in Downtown Los Angeles and has participated in its annual support for years.

California Hospital’s CEO Alina Moran read stories and shared in the birthday celebration of Dr. Seuss.

Featuring The Black Real Estate Development Roundtable

Van

Michael

Michael

Rami Jandali/Contributor

On National Read Across America Day, preschool-age children at the Early Childhood Center of the Hope Street Margolis Family Center gather around Alina Moran, president/CEO of Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center, as she reads Dr. Seuss books to them in hopes of inspiring their love of reading.

Rami Jandali/Contributor

The Early Childhood Center at the Hope Street Margolis Family Center welcomed Alina Moran, president/ CEO of Dignity Health - California Hospital Medical Center, on National Read Across America Day. Moran spent time reading Dr. Seuss books to the preschool-age children to inspire children to read and expand their imagination.

Covered California will help DT COVER STORY

Legendary Ladies Businesswomen of ROW DTLA embrace the village mentality

By Leah Schwartz LA Downtown News Staff Writer

The large flux of women-owned businesses at ROW DTLA is no coincidence.

They say they are stronger together and use their success to inspire and uplift, creating a microcosm of women-owned and -operated businesses, paving paths for others to follow. This is a phenomenon Rhea Patel Micel of Saucy Chick Rotisserie calls “the village mentality.”

While 40% of businesses nationwide are owned and operated by women, 50% of ROW DTLA businesses are women owned.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, ROW DTLA hosted a culinary popup, Smorgasburg, on Sunday, March 5, in collaboration with the national nonprofit organization RE:Her, an advocacy group that supports women-identifying and nonbinary food and beverage entrepreneurs.

Regarding Her, or RE:Her, was founded by nine women restauranteurs during the height of the pandemic in 2020 in response to the devastating impact of

COVID-19 on the restaurant industry. Since then, the organization has grown to more than 500 members in Los Angeles and 120 in its Washington, D.C., chapter.

At Smorgasburg was the rotisserie chicken pop-up, Saucy Chick Rotisserie. Before starting Saucy Chick, Rhea and her husband, Marcel Rene Michel, were corporate professionals struggling to put “decent meal” on the table. They wanted something convenient and tasty that the whole family could agree on. They found rotisserie chicken.

When the pandemic hit and the Michels were furloughed from their jobs, they decided it was the perfect opportunity to start their Mexican, Indian-inspired rotisserie chicken venture.

“We were quickly entering a space where everything felt transactional. We both believe in village mentality and community,” Rhea explained. “I really missed knowing neighborhood small businesses.”

Rhea, who is Indian, wanted to draw on her culture and her husband’s Mexican heritage to create a business rife with warmth and hospitality. “I joke that no one

leaves an Indian or Mexican household or party underwhelmed,” Rhea said.

It started with friends and family buying meals from the Michel’s kitchen and grew from there. They opened their first brick-and-mortar store this past January on Third Street in Beverley Grove in collaboration with The Goat Mafia — friends they made during Smorgasburg.

Saucy Chick Rotisserie is a member of RE:Her and participated in the recent Smorgasburg. Last year, Saucy Chick Rotisserie was accepted as part of RE:Her Academy, a combined grant and education program that awards participants a $20,000 grant and a 10-week educational program with industry experts. Rhea noted that the grant ultimately made their brick-and-mortar space a reality.

“When it comes to this industry, women are underrepresented, and (RE:Her) is an incredible network of women who are championing women and ensuring that there’s a path to success and that we are given as many opportunities to succeed and have connections, education, knowledge and insights, and to build,” Rhea said.

In turn, the Michels are using their success to support other small businesses,

which they use to source their wine, beer, baked goods and tortillas. Their mission is to create an ecosystem where small businesses can grow from the bottom up together as a community.

“I’ve never felt so connected to the heartbeat of LA. … I’ve met such incredible, generous giants from a guest perspective and a peer perspective,” Rhea noted. “When you think about the village mentality, if you think about community, if you think about the human experience, being a business owner in food has been so rewarding and enriching. My goal for Saucy Chick is to be a catalyst for generating community and generational wealth. I want to be able to set up a business that supports refugees as well as second-chance employment.”

Miriam Yoo is the owner of Flask & Field, an artisanal natural wine, craft spirits, gifts and goods shop. She wasn’t always a successful business owner. Before opening her shop at ROW DTLA in 2019, Yoo worked as a lawyer in the entertainment industry for nine years.

But Yoo has no regrets about making the jump. “It has been very challenging. It’s also been probably the most exhila-

ROW DTLA/Submitted

Rhea Patel Micel founded Saucy Chick Rotisserie, an Indian Mexican-inspired rotisserie chicken shop, with her husband, Marcel Rene Michel, in 2020.

ROW DTLA/Submitted

Bel Kazan founder Belinda Kazanci began her company 20 years ago but recently moved into her communal space at ROW DTLA last June.

rating, thrilling experience of my life,” she said. “We were open for about a year when the pandemic hit. … For me, (being an owner) means being ready for whatever the next challenge is and trying to face it with a positive attitude and creativity, being relentless in your optimism.”

Yoo never debated about where she would open her first brick-and-mortar shop; it’s always been ROW DTLA. “There’s a magical energy, and I just fell in love with it,” she said. “I love being surrounded by highly intelligent business owners who are also deeply empathetic and sensitive. That’s an expression of strength and leadership we don’t always see portrayed. … I love being surrounded by not only women but also an array of representation.”

Eventually, the couple hopes to scale their business to multiple locations, deep-

ly rooting themselves in the community.

Running a minority-owned small business, Yoo felt it was imperative to give back. Through her store’s wine club, 5% of the proceeds are reinvested into the community, going directly to social justice initiatives and organizations.

Belinda Kazanci, founder and creative director of Bel Kazan and tenant of ROW DTLA, founded the brand 20 years ago after a trip to Bali, where she fell in love with local textile designs.

Soon after, she began employing local seamstresses and eventually opened her own factory, where she employed and skill-trained women from surrounding villages, many of whom are still with the company 20 years later.

The small-batch clothing line focuses on in-house-designed prints, either

hand-printed or made via batik.

“Our focus is very much on the production of ethical, sustainable and eco-conscious clothing,” Kazanci said. “I get the opportunity to be a responsible business owner, creating a brand for customers to shop consciously. I’m always working hard to be an example of what it is to run an ethical business, to care for your workers, and to care for humanity and earth with your platform.”

The brand moved to its home at ROW DTLA last June. The space also houses the

brand Maebel, which Kazanci runs along with her business partner Mae Ho, featuring art, gifts and home goods made by local artists.

“Our focus is a space has always been that we would make it more of a community space where we would be throwing events and bringing communities together through arts and music,” Kazanci said. “The store isn’t just about selling clothing for us or selling products. It’s more about creating a space for community.”

ROW DTLA

777

ROW DTLA/Submitted

ROW DTLA is home to one of the highest concentrations of women-owned and -operated businesses in California.

ROW DTLA/Submitted

In honor of Women’s History Month, ROW DTLA partnered with the national nonprofit organization RE:Her for its monthly Smorgasburg.

Covered California will help DT BUSINESS

From a Dream to Reality

Jose Andres Group is betting on Downtown Los Angeles

By Frier McCollister

LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

For those unfamiliar with the wide swath of activity and interest being generated by chef Jose Andres over the years, a simple recap can be challenging.

Most recently, Andres is best known for his humanitarian efforts as evinced by his influential nonprofit World Central Kitchen. Activated to provide meals to the victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010, the organization garnered wide attention at the onset of the pandemic as well.

Andres first drew attention as the creative partner of chef Feran Adria at the now-legendary birthplace of molecular gastronomy, El Bulli, in Spain. After splitting with Adria in 1990, Andres moved to the United States and established a base in Washington, D.C., where he launched successful restaurant concepts that he later exported.

He is the only chef in the world with two double-star restaurants and four Bib Gourmand citations from Michelin. Now with a portfolio of 19 brands — from fast casual to fine dining — operating internationally, Andres has most recently extended his reach here with a focus on DTLA.

His company Think Food Group recently changed its name to Jose Andres Group and has been quietly but forcefully staking a claim for the attention of greater Los Angeles. Notably, he has chosen DTLA as his primary beachhead for new restaurant operations as well as for his West Coast headquarters.

Jose Andres Group CEO Sam Bakhshandehpour said the name change was needed.

“We decided to do a name change last year to further reflect the ethos of what we were already doing, and that’s really supporting the mission of changing the world through the power of food and uniting all things under Jose,” Bakhshandehpour said. “Our primary business lies in the restaurant space, and we launched a media company about a year and half ago as well.”

Still, Andres has a history here. He opened the original Bazaar at the SLS hotel in Beverly Hills in 2008, which was Andres’ first branded venture outside Washington, D.C.

“It quickly became apparent that the Jose Andres/Bazaar brand in particular

was larger than life,” Bakhshandehpour said.

“Larger than frankly anything we could have imagined at the time. That was my first experience with Jose. We went from Beverly Hills to Miami with the Bazaar. Then we went to Vegas with the Bazaar,” Bakhshandehpour recalled.

Andres is a longtime fan of LA, added Bakhshandehpour, who has been based in the city for some time. DTLA was a logical move.

“In typical Jose fashion, he said, ‘Look, let’s make a big bet on Downtown and create this hub for our restaurants and we’ll take it from there and expand beyond.’ The main focus is all based in LA right now,” Bakhshandehpour added.

In July of last year, JAG opened new restaurant concepts as a part of the Conrad Hotel’s opening at the Frank Geh -

ry-designed The Grand LA development, across from Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The San Laurel serves as the hotel’s full service, all-day fine-dining option. The menu trends toward Andres’ Spanish influence while taking full advantage of fresh, local seasonal produce. Agua Viva is the hotel’s rooftop venue as imagined by Andres, with a more casual menu that incorporates Latin and Asian touches to the dishes. The outdoor terrace features a sweeping view of the San Gabriel mountains.

Apart from his presence at the Conrad, Andres is also set to open his LA iteration of Bazaar Meat, his popular and unconventional steakhouse concept that has garnered acclaim in Las Vegas and Chicago. Bazaar Meat will open in the central atrium of The Grand LA later this year.

“The retail podium is where we will

have our Bazaar Meat restaurant, the same side of the tower where the hotel is and then there is a center bar concept, attached to the Bazaar, which will be the main center bar for the entire Grand project,” Bakhshandehpour noted.

“We said we want to elevate the brand and put it into the premiere projects in the respective cities. The Grand Los Angeles is arguably one of the top mixed-use development projects in the history of LA. With Frank Gehry doing what he did with Walt Disney Concert Hall and this being the second act across the street — 20 years in the making — we are very fortunate and thrilled to be part of this dynamic project that’s taken so long to bring to life.”

In October, Jose Andres Group extended its reach further into DTLA when it established its West Coast headquarters and the home of their media company at the historic Trust Building, the art deco landmark on Spring Street.

A new rooftop dining venue will soon open at that location as well.

“Part of the commitment to Downtown Los Angeles was to bring other concepts across various price points and cuisines to Downtown LA,” he said.

“We will have a pretty significant operation at the rooftop of the Trust Building, in addition to housing our offices there.”

Bakhshandehpour elaborated further on the prospective operation at The Trust and the challenges facing restaurateurs in general.

“The rooftop (at The Trust) will be a midprice point concept,” he explained.

“It’s a luxury experience, but the price point will not be. As restaurateurs, everyone has the same challenges. Staffing has been an issue. The cost of labor has been an issue. Procurement with inflation has been an issue. Obviously, landlords and the high cost of rent. … Nothing I’m telling you is unique to Jose Andres or any of the other restaurateurs. What is unique to JAG, we have multiple channels of storytelling happening.”

That storytelling now includes a media platform, Jose Andres Media, which launched its first six-episode series — “Jose Andres & Family” on Discovery+ — in December.

“The whole impetus in launching JAMedia was to take that storytelling and bring it to the masses through the form of books, podcasts, scripted, unscripted

Jose Andres Group/Submitted

Sam Bakhshandehpour is the CEO of Jose Andres Group.

shows,” he said.

“That’s the spirit of what we’re doing with that show: six cities around Spain, where he is really uncovering some of the best stuff and showcasing it for his family … a travelog, where Jose and his daughters travel throughout the big cities in Spain,” Bakhshandehpour mused.

“We launched the media company to bring storytelling and discovery to the forefront of (food) media, which histor -

ically has been primarily competition shows. Jose being this humanitarian food-as-unifier, (bringing together) people from all cultures and walks of life and celebrating around food.”

That, he added, was the impetus to launch a media company that would bring those stories to life.

“There’s no shortage of content or storytelling within our company, whether we distribute that through our restaurants or

now with the media platform,” he said.

“It’s about bringing people together. When you bring people together around a good meal, you can walk away disagreeing on a lot of topics, but you have a more fond feeling toward the person sitting across the table, when you experience a meal and have a good bottle of wine.”

Andres and his ever-growing span of attention and activity has again chosen well in landing in DTLA. It’s an association

that is natural and only adds to the rich diversity of LA’s vibrant food culture.

“It is a commitment to the people of DTLA and the communities adjacent to DTLA to really celebrate the diversity, the culture and the incredible history that is there,” he said.

“We are (part of) the grand reopening of DTLA. We see the vibrancy of DTLA and are doing our small part to bring that dream to reality.”

Jose Andres Group/Submitted

Conrad Los Angeles hotel at The Grand LA includes this Agua Viva Promenade.

Jose Andres Group/Submitted

A lovely Terrace is one feature of the San Laurel restaurant at Conrad Los Angeles hotel at The Grand LA.

&

Covered California will helpDT

Margaret Garcia Debuts

‘Arte para la gente’ solo exhibition reflects 37 years of art

By Leah Schwartz LA Downtown News Staff Writer

Pre-eminent Chicana artist and activist Margaret Garcia has come home. Her retrospective exhibit, “Arte para la gente, The Collected Works of Margaret Garcia,” is her first hometown solo exhibition.

“This is the first time I’ve been able to put a body of work together that is definitively my own,” Garcia said. “I’m just grateful that I’ve finally been able to show the strength of my work and the vision that it gives.”

The show runs through Sunday, June 11, at the Mexican American cultural center and museum La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

The curation includes pieces created during the last 37 years of Garcia’s career, featuring 105 brightly colored landscapes and portraits and contrasting black and white prints from her “Stamp Project.”

In 2010 Garcia started the Stamp Project: Creating Cultural Currency, a program dedicated to empowering women and Chicana artists. The project’s goal is to help artists sustain themselves through their art.

Multiple artists pool their resources to create prints on large sheets of silk screening split into segments reminiscent of postage stamps. The cost to produce these prints is minimal, so the return is high, allowing artists to create revenue and a body of work to exhibit.

“You’re sort of printing your own money. That’s why it’s called Creating Cultural Currency, but you’re using your culture to do that. … There is an economic value to art if people would just recognize it and know how to use it.” Garcia explained.

“I would always say to people, tell me what you’re about. Don’t tell me what you’re against. I get that you’re against the war. You have to be in favor of peace. What do you contribute in terms of your culture? What is it that you’re contributing as an artist and as a member of this culture, and that’s what the stamps were about?”

The exhibit also features an interactive portion, where patrons are encouraged to design stamps inspired by the prompt, “What do you contribute to your community?” Those who choose to can take their designs home or leave them to be displayed at the museum.

“It’s a hands-on interactive so people can think about what they contribute and how important it is that one person can make a difference in a person’s community,” said Karen Crews Hendon, director of exhibitions and senior curator at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

“We wanted to open up this print project where anyone can come in and be a part of it because that is the nature of her activist work as an artist, as a woman, as a Chicana, and as someone who continues the dialogue about what it means to survive as a female artist or what it means to give back to a community and create opportunities for others who maybe did not realize that it was on the table. She has mentored so many artists, specifically female artists.”

Garcia, who is 71 years old and a sixth-generation Angeleno, has been

deeply entrenched in the Chicano community since birth, and her work reflects that. Not one for gimmicks, Garcia’s goal is simple — authentically relay her experience and that of her community.

“People always say, ‘How do you define Chicano art?’ I always say, ‘By creating it.’ My brief that I personalize is to be authentic,” Garcia said. “You have to be able to reveal something about yourself and permit yourself to be vulnerable to say something authentic about your experience as a human being.”

The subjects of her paintings span from the iconic neighborhoods and landscapes of LA to portraits of people in her community, from family and friends to street vendors.

“People recognize themselves in her work; they recognize the places. She creates heroes,” Hendon said. “Wherever

she goes, she is always thinking about her community. That’s why the exhibition is called ‘Arte para la gente.’ It’s art for the people and art of the people.”

Garcia’s calling card is her rich use of color, and the bright indigos and rich vermilions throughout her body of work are integral to her story and community.

“I feel that color is part of my inheritance as Chicana because I use high-key color pigment, which is part of not only my aesthetic and the things that I like, but it’s part of my history,” Garcia said. “I am a person of pigment. … It is our inheritance. It’s part of our language. It’s part of the way I see the world and the way that I speak. And I speak through my images.”

As a known mentor in the community, it was important for La Plaza de Cultura y Artes to provide a platform for Garcia

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes/Submitted

Margaret Garcia’s retrospective exhibit, “Arte para la gente, The Collected Works of Margaret Garcia,” at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes will run until Sunday, June 11.

to exhibit her work.

“Her artwork is activist in nature because she is creating images that historically have never existed in art history. She purposely paints black and brown faces and portraits because, typically, those folks have not been the subject of portraiture, especially in European com -

munities,” Hendon said. “Her work represents that you can change the community by being a part of it, but you can change the community by giving back to it. She’s a renegade and someone who never believed that you had to stay in your box. She’s broken a lot of boundaries as a female artist.”

“Arte para la gente, The Collected Works of Margaret Garcia”

WHEN: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, until Sunday, June 11

WHERE: La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main Street, Los Angeles

COST: See website for details INFO: lapca.org

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes/Submitted

Margaret Garcia’s work features the brightly colored places and people of her community.

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes/Submitted

“Arte para la gente, The Collected Works of Margaret Garcia” is Garcia’s first solo exhibition in her hometown of Los Angeles.

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

The Resurrection of Rock Theory of a Deadman defies extinction with new album, ‘Dinosaur’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown Executive Editor

Vancouver-born Theory of a Deadman’s four musicians are speckled throughout North America.

Singer/guitarist Tyler Connolly lives in Los Angeles, while guitarist/backing vocalist Dave Breen is in Montgomery, Alabama; bassist Dean Back is outside of Vancouver, British Columbia; and drummer/backing vocalist is in Las Vegas.

So, Back is anticipating a reunion with his Theory of a Deadman bandmates on the upcoming dates on the Rock Resurrection Tour with Skillet and Saint Asonia. The jaunt comes to The Wiltern on Sunday, March 26.

“Since COVID, we haven’t been out on an extended touring run,” Back said. “We did a quick little run of Australia and New Zealand with Halestorm. The Skillet/Saint Asonia tour is going to be a lot

of fun. The four of us live in different cities around North America. Unless we’re on tour, we don’t spend a lot of time together. I’m excited to get back with the boys and join my other family.”

The band is pushing the next chapter of its career, the album “Dinosaur,” which releases on Friday, March 17.

“We’re going to bring big production,” Back said. “It’s going to be a big rock show — so much fun.

“We’re going to have some new songs, some old songs. We’ve been at it for over 20 years. This is our eighth record. It’s getting harder and harder to pick a set list.”

With “Dinosaur,” the title track, which opens the collection, packs a powerful punch musically and emotionally, with the lyrics, “Hey kids, boys and girls, now we’ve really done it, it’s the end of the world. … Now, we’re going out, going

out like the dinosaur.”

“Head in the Clouds” shows off Theory of a Deadman’s ability to flawlessly harmonize and write the quintessential rollicking pop song.

The breezy breakup song “Two of Us (Stuck)” takes the refrain of the Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers classic “Just the Two of Us” and twists it into trademark Theory of a Deadman aggression.

“‘Two of Us (Stuck)’ is a cool song,” Back said. “Tyler wrote it while everyone was in quarantine. You hear so many songs of couples not really surviving the pandemic and being quarantined together for so long. It starts off nice and romantic but turns a little darker toward the end.”

“Dinosaur” is Theory of a Deadman’s follow-up to 2020’s “Say Nothing.” The forthcoming record was produced by

Martin Terefe, whose credits include Jason Mraz and Yungblud, and recorded in Sweden’s Atlantis Studios.

Terefe also turned the knobs for Theory of a Deadman’s 2017 album “Wake Up Call,” but that was recorded in London.

“‘Dinosaur’ came together really great and organically,” Back said. “It was a cool, new experience for us. We recorded the first half in Stockholm, Sweden, at the studio ABBA used to record at. They did some other rock records there. Ghost was just recording there.

“We were there for three weeks. We banged out all the drums, bass and guitars. It was cool to live in Stockholm for three weeks. My family is from Denmark, so I love being in Scandinavia.”

Working with Terefe is “incredible, super comfortable,” Back explained.

“Martin’s like a fifth member,” he added. “He’s a crazy scientist. He hears all

Jimmy Fontaine/Submitted

Theory of a Deadman performs Sunday, March 26, at The Wiltern.

these things we don’t hear. He comes from more of a European musical background. He hears samples and mood stuff, synth sounds, etc. He’ll be playing a song and he’ll say, ‘I have an idea. Let’s add some keyboard and cool, moody sounds’ that really bring the songs even more to life.”

Theory of a Deadman has sustained its popularity for 20 years. They founded the band while jamming together in basements throughout high school in their hometown of North Delta, British Columbia.

Founded in 1999, Theory of a Deadman was the first band signed to Chad Kroeger’s 604 Records in 2001. The following year, they released their self-titled record.

In addition to 2008’s double-platinum breakthrough album, “Scars & Souvenirs,” Theory of a Deadman has released the gold-certified “The Truth Is…” in 2011. The band has scored a procession of hits, including the gold-certified “All of Nothing,” Bitch Came Back” and “Low-

life” and the platinum-certified “Angel,” “Hate My Life” and “Not Meant to Be.”

“Bad Girlfriend” went double platinum, while “RX (Medicate)” saw triple platinum. “Say Nothing” featured “History of Violence,” which landed at No. 2 on the Billboard Alternative Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Rock Albums Chart.

When the bassist looks back on his two-decade career, he immediately thinks of the early days.

“It doesn’t seem like that long ago,” he said. “I think about all the records we’ve released and what we’ve done since. We’ve been at it for quite a while.

“I just love performing. I love seeing fans and feeling the energy of being in a live venue with music. It’s addictive. During the couple years of lockdown, it was something I really missed in my life. Being able to tour again and getting it back feels like home.”

Skillet and Theory of a Deadman w/Saint Asonia

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday, March 26

WHERE: The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles

COST: Tickets start at $35

INFO: ticketmaster.com

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Honoring Persian Heritage The Midnight Mission supports community with comedy fundraiser

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

LA Downtown Executive Editor

The Midnight Mission is honoring the community that has supported it with a comedy fundraiser coinciding with Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

The nonprofit partnered with Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada to host the third annual Nowruz Comedy Night Fundraiser from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, March 20.

The comedic lineup includes Maz Jobrani, Alonzo Bodden, Melissa Shoshahi, Chris Bader and Dan Ahdoot, with Teh -

ran Von Ghasri hosting the event.

It’s the 12th year of honoring Nowruz, however. Previously, The Midnight Mission held a street fair until the COVID-19 pandemic shut it down.

Katya Askar of The Midnight Mission said the organization, like many, thought the pandemic would last few weeks — not a couple years. When the future of gatherings looked grim, Askar recommended a Persian comedy night, as she has connections to them. It came to fruition first as a virtual event.

“That night, I want to say we fundraised more than we ever had our first

year with a virtual comedy show,” she said.

“There were some glitches, but everybody hung in there. The next year, as things started to open, we still had restrictions but we sold out the in-person event.”

The second and now the third year will be in person and virtual. Askar is excited.

“Tehran, Maz and Melissa, it’s their third year doing this. Tehran is our host, and he is just hilarious,” she said. “He does a great job, talking about worldly events. He’s a deep thinker, and he’s fun -

ny, too. He’ll be there.

“Maz Jobrani, he’s one of the most popular comedians in America and in the Middle East as well. Melissa is hilarious. She does all these impersonations. They’re all so funny.”

Bader and Ahdoot are new to the event.

“Chris Bader is from Chicago,” she said. “He was raised here but he lives in Chicago. He has a huge following in Chicago and agreed to fly in just to be at this event, at the request of Jamie. We’re very excited to hear his comedy.

“Dan Ahdoot is new to us. We’re excit-

Alonzo Bodden/Submitted

Alonzo Bodden returns to the Nowruz Comedy Night Fundraiser for the second year on Monday, March 20.

ed to see how he gels with the other comedians.”

Bodden has been friends with Askar for 35 years. She said he canceled a trip to New York to perform during the benefit. He performed at the second iteration.

“He had one of the best audience reactions last year,” she said. “He’s a brilliant comedian. His comedy can reach any kind of audience — young, old, any ethnicity. He reaches them all.”

Nowruz coincides with the first day of spring; however, it is less about a single day than a commemoration of being able to wipe away the dust, grime and sadness to start anew, she said.

The Midnight Mission embodies the spirit of Nowruz year-round and has been a source of revival and renewal for the homeless population of Los Angeles since 1914, according to a statement from the nonprofit.

The Midnight Mission offers paths to self-sufficiency to individuals and families who have lost direction, it continued.

Its emergency services and 12-step recovery, family living, job training, education and workforce development programs offer a bridge to achieve and maintain healthy, productive lives.

It removes obstacles and provides the accountability and structure that people who are experiencing homelessness need to be productive in their communities.

“The Midnight Mission has multiple programs to help those who are less fortunate than us,” she said.

She compared it to a well-known proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

“We have men’s, women’s and family programs that not only help them get on their feet, but on a path to come back and be a productive member of society,” she said.

“We try to remove the obstacles. There are so many reasons why someone ends up homeless. It’s not a onesize-fits-all. The care is all very individualized.”

Nowruz Comedy Night Fundraiser

WHEN: 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, March 20

WHERE: The Laugh Factory, 8801 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles

COST: Tickets start at $20 (virtual); $75 (in person)

INFO: midnightmission.org/nowruz

Covered California will help DTSPORTS

Meet and Greet

WWE Superstars visit with Downtown Women’s Center

By LA Downtown News Staff

Following a multimillion deal with Bank of Montreal, the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park has been renamed BMO Stadium.

WWE Superstars visited various community centers in advance of WrestleMania, which comes to SoFi Stadium on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2. On International Women’s Day (March 8), WWE Superstars Sonya Deville and Tam -

ina Snuka, along with WWE host Cathy Kelley, visited the Downtown Women’s Center. The WWE funded a volunteer kit packing event and brought Superstars to participate and meet women at the center. The following day, Snuka and WWE Hall of Famer Titus O’Neil stopped by US Vets in Inglewood, followed by a visit to Urban Scholar Academy. Photographer Chris Mortenson captured the visit at the Downtown Women’s Center.

FEMBA Program ideal for working professionals

By Alison Stanton LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

For decades, busy executives and professionals who wanted to earn a Master of Business Administration would either have to find a way to juggle work and school or put their academic dreams on hold due to scheduling conflicts.

Thanks to the Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA) Program at Cal State LA Downtown, people who wish to pursue an MBA while continuing to work full time can do just that.

The FEMBA Program, which debuted at Cal State LA Downtown LA (DTLA) Campus in the spring of 2017, is an accelerated degree program where students can earn their MBA in only 16 months through a rigorous curriculum that includes in-person class meetings on Saturdays and remote assignments.

As Faculty Director Dr. Mine Üçok Hughes notes, the goal of the program is to provide an accelerated pathway to obtaining an MBA for midcareer business working professionals with three to five years of work experience who want to advance their careers while also keeping their jobs.

“In doing so, this allows them to build upon their experience; enhance their management, leadership and communication skills; all while remaining competitive in a global economy,” Hughes said.

Since its launch, the FEMBA Program has definitely become a popular choice among full-time working professionals, Hughes added.

“The nine-week intensive Saturday in-person classes enable the students to balance their work during the week with their studies on the weekends. It helps the students strike a good balance,” Hughes said.

Cal State LA’s FEMBA Program is open to stu-

dents who have earned their undergraduate degree in a variety of fields, including business, economics, marketing, engineering, math/statistics or science.

The 41 students in the recent FEMBA cohort completed the program in November 2022 and the 36 students in the new cohort are scheduled to complete the program by fall of 2023. Over 90% of students who enroll in the FEMBA Program go on to graduate.

This accelerated MBA program is offered by Cal State LA’s College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE), in collaboration with the College of Business and Economics, an AACSB-accredited institution, Hughes noted.

Classes are taught by accomplished, award-winning faculty who teach at Cal State LA’s main university campus. The FEMBA Program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) as well.

The per-unit cost of the FEMBA Program is $975, Hughes said, and the total program cost of the program is $35,100 — a very affordable price when compared to other local MBA programs. The FEMBA tuition includes all program course materials, lunches and parking.

“Financial aid opportunities are available to students, but we also have students with employers who are willing to pay for their tuition as part of their professional growth,” she noted.

The application window opens each year on Oct. 1 and ends on May 31. Each accepted applicant belongs to a cohort, Hughes said.

Applying for the FEMBA Program requires an online application to Cal State. Apply at calstate.edu/apply, followed by the submission of a resume and official transcripts to the university.

“After submitting the required documents as noted on our program website, applicants who meet the requirements are invited to an interview for the program to determine the applicant’s qualifications within the program,” Hughes said, adding that the interview also provides the applicant with an opportunity to ask questions about the program.

Upon the Office of Admissions and Recruitment’s final review, qualified applicants are then notified that they have been formally accepted into the FEMBA Program.

Through her role as faculty coordinator, Hughes said her main function is to serve as the liaison between the College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE) and the College of Business and Economics.

“In addition to enhancing program quality and student experience, I facilitate each term’s course schedule and faculty appointments,” she said.

Hughes said she enjoyed seeing first-hand how working professionals who may have thought an MBA was out of their grasp can now earn a graduate degree that will help them to advance in their fields.

“Among the many reasons why people want to

pursue an MBA are knowledge acquisition and skills development, new job opportunities and promotion, and career development,” she said.

“One of the biggest advantages of an MBA is its appeal to students from various backgrounds as diverse as anthropology and criminal justice.”

In addition, she noted, an MBA allows working executives and professionals to build upon their experience; enhance their management, leadership, analytic and communication skills; and make an impact on their careers in an increasingly global economy.

While Hughes is definitely passionate about her work, and Cal State LA’s dedication to engagement, service and the public good, initially she was not sure she wanted to pursue a career in education.

“I come from a long line of university professors, and I am a fourth-generation college graduate, so I guess you can say it’s in my DNA,” she said.

“Despite resisting it at first, by happenstance, I found myself teaching at a university as well. Twenty-four years later, it is the part of my job that I found most rewarding.”

Hughes said she is proud to be part of a college whose mission is to transform lives and foster thriving communities across greater Los Angeles.

“FEMBA’s unique curriculum that provides a well-rounded, comprehensive professional education prepares the students to become future business leaders,” Hughes said.

Cal State LA’s DTLA Campus is located at 801 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 600, Los Angeles. For more information about the Fully Employed MBA (FEMBA) Program, call 1-888-541-3852 or visit https:// bit.ly/FEMBADTLA.

Cal State LA/Submitted

Faculty Director Dr. Mine Üçok Hughes says the FEMBA Program is a popular choice among full-time working professionals.

Cal State LA/Submitted

The FEMBA Program at Cal State LA Downtown LA (DTLA) Campus is an accelerated degree program where students can earn their MBA in only 16 months.

Covered California will help DTSPORTS New Beginnings

Banc of California stadium changes its name to BMO Stadium

By Luke Netzley

LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

Following a multimillion deal with Bank of Montreal, the Banc of California Stadium in Exposition Park has been renamed BMO Stadium.

The venue is the home to 2022 MLS Cup Champion LAFC and new franchise Angel City FC.

“For us, it was always about more than just winning on the field,” said LAFC lead managing owner Bennett Rosenthal, who was joined by LAFC, Angel City FC

and BMO executives in a recent renaming ceremony. “We also wanted this club to raise the bar, to make a difference and to represent the people of the city in a way that is — best in class. From the beginning of our discussions with BMO, it was apparent that they had a similar vision, whether it’s on the field or off. BMO has already proven that they have a love for the game and hold their values of growing the greater good.”

The new deal with BMO, the eighth-largest bank in North America

and one of Canada’s “Big Five,” awards the company with naming rights for the next 10 years at $10 million per year. It’s the largest agreement for a soccer-specific stadium in the United States.

“We could have gone out and got any partner, but it’s about the right partner,” LAFC owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson explained.

“You’re right in the heart of a Black and brown community, and if they don’t touch this stadium (through) job opportunity, business opportunity, then we all have failed. So, BMO, I want to thank you for what you’re going to do, and what you’ve been doing with minority-owned businesses. And that’s why I’m excited, because when I go into my community and talk about BMO and this stadium, they know they get to be a part of that.”

After the renaming ceremony, LAFC and BMO hosted a youth soccer clinic on

the field for Los Angeles Unified School District students. The clinic represents the type of community involvement that BMO CEO Darryl White said that LA deserves.

“Through our partnerships with LAFC and Angel City FC, we are going to demonstrate our commitment … to the Los Angeles community, bringing to life our purpose to boldly grow the good in business and life,” White described. “Our purpose informs our strategy, and it helps drive progress for a thriving economy, for an inclusive society and for a sustainable future.”

White pointed to BMO’s previous investments in MLS clubs like Toronto FC, CF Montréal and the Vancouver Whitecaps, and in the promotion of youth soccer. He said that, since 2005, BMO has supported over 150,00 young athletes and invested $25 million in growing the

Magic Johnson, alongside fellow LAFC and Angel City FC owners, joined BMO executives at the stadium’s renaming ceremony.

sport across North America.

For Angel City FC co-founder and President Julie Uhrman, the new partnership with BMO represents the birth of opportunities to provide broader access to soccer for young girls in LA.

“When Natalie Portman, Kara Nortman and I conceived Angel City Football Club, we wanted to build a team and a movement that transcended sport, to create a cultural shift that ultimately achieved

true equity for women,” Uhrman said. “In sports, a lot of that cultural shift is amplified on a team’s home pitch. … Our fans came out in droves and were treated not only to some incredible football, but to an amazing game day experience.

“In addition to having their name on this gorgeous stadium, and as our business banking partner, we are already activating our sponsorship model where we take 10% of the value of every spon-

sorship dollar and put it back into our community with our partners. In BMO’s case, we chose to support Girls Play LA, an organization that works directly with school-age girls and nonbinary youth across Los Angeles to provide them free access to soccer as well as leadership development.”

On Sunday, March 26, ahead of Angel City FC’s NWSL home opener against NJ/ NY Gotham FC, BMO Stadium will host

50 high school girls through the Girls Play LA program for a day of activities, including soccer clinics, leadership panels and a stadium tour. The participants will also be given tickets to attend that night’s game.

“There’s no doubt that BMO is for soccer,” Uhrman said. “We’re so glad they’re here representing us and LAFC as we continue to make LA the best soccer market in the United States right now.”

Luke Netzley/Staff

BMO Stadium, formerly Banc of California Stadium, opened in April 2018 after two years of construction.