THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LA SINCE 1972 August 22, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #34 NATSUMATSURIFESTIVAL 50 Years! SPACE RESERVATIONS: By September 21, 2022 SeptemberPUBLISHES:26,2022 Call Catherine 213-308-2261 or Michael 213-453-3548 to be part of the 50th anniversary issue + Monster Jam In Memoriam DTLA man remembered for generosity, kindness Photos capture Japanese American museum celebration
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Covered California will helpCONSIDER THIS My mother would hate this
DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley STAFF WRITER: Abigail LaCombe CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Jeff Moeller, Ellen Snortland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548 EMERITUS: Sue Laris
over the last few pan demic years at a Wallis Performing Arts Center online writing course. I’m sure she didn’t remember me, although she was too kind to admit it. Now we have the same writing coach, Claudette Sutherland. From there, Marcia decided she would write a book about her life. I often greet such news with a mixture of delight and dread.“Do you think you could review it?” she asks. More dread. “Please let me love it. Please, please, please let it not suck,” I pray to the Hindu deity Saraswati, Goddess of Writing Endeavors By Friends, and ask her to smile upon Marcia and me. Saraswati delivered! Not only did Mar cia’s book not suck, it kicked my delight ed butt! I’m not going to tip you off to the well-known people you’ll meet: You’ll sim ply have to read it yourself. I first thought, “I’ll just read for a bit…” However, the collection of essays flows so seamlessly that I read the entire book in one sitting. The brightest gem was “Grow ing Up and Away: Aunt Fritzi.” I would have given my eyeteeth (both of them!) to have had an aunt like Fritzi: an ambitious, drop-dead gorgeous, brilliant, bold role model who provided Marcia with a big dollop of love and glamor every time Mar cia got to visit her. Fritzi, whose real name was Frieda Hen nock, had ovaries of platinum. A pro to-feminist, Fritzi coached Marcia to not grow up to be like her mother, Fritzi’s sis ter. Fritzi was the youngest of eight chil dren: six girls and two boys. The family came from what is now Ukraine, escaping the rampant and often deadly antisemi tism of the early 20th century. Girls were raised to marry boys who would become physicians, lawyers — big shots. Instead, Fritzi became the bigshot herself. Reading about her on Wikipedia (look up Frieda Hennock), I was struck with how much courage it took to be herself at a time in the ’40s and ’50s, when few women had the chutzpah to go beyond the rigid rules of “proper” womanhood. Ms. Hennock got through law school against the wishes of her parents, who dreamed of her becoming a concert pianist. But Fritzi’s sisters pulled through for her and, working odd jobs, got Fritzi all the way to graduat ing from Brooklyn Law School. Aunt Fritzi would pick Marcia up from her family’s Long Island suburb in a big limo, take her to musicals on Broadway and then Sardi’s for supper afterward. Marcia’s lifelong love of lasagna began at the shoulder of Aunt Fritzi. Indeed, the subtitle to “My Mother Would Hate This Book” could very well be “But Aunt Fritzi is Kvelling and Plotzing!”
By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist “My Mother Would Hate This Book” by Marcia Seligson is a treasure. She says on her website, “I think it’s funny, intense, theat rical, silly, angry, political, sexy and deep ly personal.” I wholeheartedly concur that her late mother would have despised it and possibly sued her daughter over it. (Read the book!) But her mother’s sister, her Aunt Frit zi, would have adored it. Her aunt would have bought cases and used them as fa vors for a big Manhattan party for her be loved niece Marcia. Not only that, Aunt Fritzi would adore the adventurous, cre ative, wildly nonstereotypical, child-free woman that Marcia became, partnered with her beloved husband, Tom. I have known Ms. Seligson peripher ally for decades. We’ve been in overlap ping circles, mostly around charities that strive to end suffering and death by star vation, locally and globally. I was not cut of the same carat brilliance as she. Mar cia wrote for Rolling Stone, was an author of influential books, and knew John Den ver personally. I was a farshtunkene kid compared to her, a peasant to her queen ly presence. Her hair even looked like a crown. I was intimidated whenever I was around her and felt I reeked of my home state, South Da-expletive-Kota while she shone with Big Apple brilliance and so phistication.Weconnected
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When you watch public broadcasting, you have Aunt Fritzi to thank. Harry Tru man appointed Frieda Hennock as the first woman commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission, where she served with distinction. She made sure that the new medium had a permanent place for education. For more accomplish ments, Google her and prepare to have your mind Speakingdazzled.ofGoogle, I’d say the least shiny gem in this crowning achievement of a book is the rant “I Hate Google.” I kept waiting to find out if the headline was re ally about hating Google or more about book…
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hating being a beginner. I suspect the lat ter. I also hate not knowing what I’m do ing, and there I can relate. I enjoyed Mar cia’s self-effacement, although it was more about suffering from having to under stand and coming up with nothing. Even her less-gleaming jewel reflects her droll sense of humor and what is universal. Finally, I was reminded of how vital aunts and uncles can be to the growth and shaping of their niblings, the nonbi nary term for nieces and nephews. Let me know if anyone has a nonbinary label for aunt and uncle. Thank you, Marcia, for this delightful, laugh-out-loud journey through your ex traordinaryAvailablelife.at Vroman’s and Amazon on Aug. 29 or through marciaseligson.com. Downtown bookstore TBS. Check her website for readings in Southern Califor nia, where Marcia lives with her hubby, Tom Drucker, and adored doggy, Roxie. Ellen Snortland has written this col umn for decades and also teaches cre ative writing. She can be reached at: ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-win ning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ ondemand/beautybitesbeast.
Don’t look to California for ideas on homelessness
Covered California will helpDTGUEST COLUMN
By Jessica Lall Central City Association of Los Angeles President and CEO In fewer than 100 days, Angelenos will vote on matters ranging from women’s bodily autonomy to parks to homeless ness, which is on many of our minds. Voters will also get to elect new city wide leaders to address these top issues, including the LA city attorney who, per haps surprisingly, has extensive authority over the long-term solution to homeless ness — housing. If our next city attorney embraces and prioritizes housing solu tions, they could move the needle on our housing and homelessness crises, leaving a meaningful legacy of progress on two of our most intractable and interrelated issues.The LA city attorney’s role is often known for advising the mayor and city council, writing the city’s ordinances, prosecuting misdemeanors and repre senting LA city government in lawsuits. Yet, they also have vast authority and re sources to bring new housing for all in come levels online faster and more cost effectively; to improve tenants’ rights while balancing housing providers’ needs; and to make the city a better place to build through timely, clear and consistent implementation of regulations. The city’s top lawyer is responsible for critical projects that are unlikely to grab headlines, including helping LA imple ment its housing element and advising on the department of city planning’s long range and community planning docu ments. The city attorney’s office also re views affordable housing covenants for deed-restricted affordable housing units and drafts development and community benefit agreements for qualifying devel opment projects. Importantly, they will guide the department of city planning and Los Angeles Housing Department on the local implementation of new state housing laws like Senate bills 9 and 10, which carefully allow for more density in single-family zoned areas. Knowing that LA needs to allow for nearly 500,000 new housing units to be built by 2029, it should be clear how the city attorney candidates plan to proac tively support housing development and garner the requisite expertise to efficient ly review complex planning and envi ronmental review documents. Projects shouldn’t be stuck for months or years in the pipeline waiting for approvals to be gin construction. We also need the next city attorney to prioritize the review of long-range planning documents like com munity plans by allocating the appropri ate time, resources and staff. The plans and associated environmental review doc uments must be able to withstand intense legal scrutiny and be carefully but expe ditiously completed to drive sustainable growth.Digging ourselves out of the housing crisis will require every tool in the toolbox and then some. Voters must know how the city attorney will better position every city department to become pro-housing and that they will be committed to imple menting state laws that spur housing pro duction across all income levels and types.
We need a city attorney who can work with the mayor and city council to lead city departments in a coordinated manner toward the common goal of increasing our housing supply. The current city council, mayor and city departments have made important in roads in embracing this goal with acces sory dwelling units, transit-oriented de velopment, adopting a housing element that captures the existing and future need for housing, plus making progress on up dating community plans and a new zon ing code. Yet, bringing these items over the finish line will take continued focus, expertise and engagement from LA’s lead ers, especially from our next city attor ney, who could build a legacy solving our housing crisis unlike any of their prede cessors. Jessica Lall, president and chief executive officer, Central City Association of Los Ange les. CCA is a premier advocacy organization working to enhance Downtown Los Ange les’ vibrancy and increase opportunity in the region.
Covered California will helpDTGUEST COLUMN
Housing first is nothing more than a husk of a program because it doesn’t treat the root causes of homelessness, which for many are addiction or mental illness, and oftenDespiteboth.the shortcomings of housing first, California’s commitment to Project Homekey has racked up billions in expen ditures of federal and state dollars without having much if anything to show for all theInspending.LosAngeles, where a third of the state’s 161,548 homeless are located, Proj ect Homekey has not met expectations. The 15,000 rooms that were set as the goal were never provided, while the excessive costs of Homekey have made it unsustain able.Adifferent set of problems has beset homeless housing in San Francisco. An in vestigation by the Chronicle found that the city’s effort to shelter the homeless operate “with little oversight or support,” which has led to “disastrous” results. Ro dents infest rooms; crime and violence is common; and death, often from overdos es, is a frequent visitor. Nevertheless, the city, as well as oth er Bay Area communities where Project Homekey has shown itself to be insuffi cient, remains dedicated to the program and its poorly aimed spending. Here’s some advice for lawmakers across the country looking to beat homeless ness: Don’t ignore effective innovations from the private sector that are changing people’s lives. Treating the addictions and mental health struggles that are at the core of the problem must be a priority. California continues to insist its way is the only way. Until that changes, the state has nothing to offer other states in their struggle to reduce homelessness.
Dr. Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson are co-authors of the new Pacific Research Institute brief “Project Homekey Provides No Way Home for California’s Homeless.” Down load a copy at pacificresearch.org. attorney’s
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By Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson LA Downtown News Contributing Writers No matter how bad the homeless ness problem looks in other metro politan areas, they pale compared to California’s. While the state accounts for not quite 12% of the U.S. population, roughly 28% of the nation’s homeless are in California. The lesson: Don’t copy the Golden State’s policies for mitigating homelessness — they simply don’t work.
legacy should be housing solutions
California’s homeless population was not quite 139,000 in 2007. Within sev en years, it had fallen to about 114,000. From there, it grew sharply to more than 161,000 in 2020. Over the same period, the total homeless in the rest of the states fell from a little more than 508,000 to 419,000. This happened even though California’s economy expanded about 50% faster than the rest of the country from 2014 to 2020. Clearly California does not have the an swers.InApril 2020, as the coronavirus pan demic struck, Project Roomkey was intro duced in California. The program’s mission was to house the homeless in hotel and motel rooms, as well as trailers, to help flatten the curve of viral infections and “preserve hospital capacity,” the governor’s officeFromsaid.Project Roomkey grew Project Homekey, which directed state and federal funds for the purchase and renovation of hotels and motels, which would then be come permanent housing for the home less.While well intentioned, both programs have a structural flaw: They follow the failed “housing first” approach. Yes, the homeless need homes. But housing first, which has been the official state policy since 2016, is better described as housing and nothing else. According to a Cicero Institute study, at tempts to alleviate homelessness based on housing first appear “to attract more people from outside the homeless system, or keep them in the homelessness system, because they are drawn to the promise of a permanent and usually rent-free room.”
Next city
Assistance League of Los Angeles/Submitted
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Each backpack donated to the Hope Street Margolis Family Center contained hygiene kits and school stationery for the students to use.
Members of the Hope Street Margolis Family Center and the Assistance League of Los Angeles show donated backpacks in the facility’s library.
Assistance League of Los Angeles/Submitted
On Aug. 11, the Assistance League of Los Angeles and its Operation School Bell program teamed up to provide the Hope Street Margolis Family Center at Dig nity Health - California Hospital Medical Center with 150 backpacks filled with hygiene kits and school stationery for the students, many of whom come from under privileged communities served by CHMC. The Assistance League of Los Angeles exists to bring hope to impoverished children through donations ranging from new school clothing and grooming products to backpacks, school supplies, books and toys. For more info, go to assistanceleaguela.org/operation-school-bell.
DTNEWS
Vickie Kropenske, director of the Hope Street Margolis Family Center, welcomes the Assistance League of Los Angeles team as it donates 150 filled backpacks to the Hope Street students.
Assistance League of Los Angeles/Submitted
Family backpacks,studentscenterreceivesupplies
Linda Duncombe pauses when she speaks about her late colleague, Brooks Lambertson, one of the three victims of a lightning strike in Washington, D.C.’s Lafayette Park on Aug. 4. She finds it difficult to talk about the 29-year-old Lambertson, who was fondly remembered by his City National Bank co-workers for his generosity, kindness and unwavering positivity. “Even the people who didn’t know him have been devastated,” Duncombe said of the Folsom native. “They’ve heard of the kind of person he was — grateful, kind. The world’s just not as bright without him in it. I just can’t believe he’s gone.”
Lambertson worked major events, but McCarthy remembers his late colleague for the little things. “When I would walk into the LA office, I had to pass Brooks,” said McCarthy, who is based in New York. “He never missed the opportunity to look up and give me a wave. He had to have bad days, but it never came across to me.”
City National Bank/Submitted Brooks Lambertson was generous, kind and positive, according to his colleagues. He was killed in a lightning strike in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.
Nicole Oliha is senior vice president, creative and brand strategy of City National Bank. She worked closely with Lambertson on bringing the creative and brand ex perience to venues. She agreed with McCarthy. “He was always a host,” Oliha said. “He made the team feel comfortable and, along with that, he would invite my husband, my son and other people’s families to come to experience these events, and it’s crazy how I’m hearing more and more how many connections and impres sions he made across people’s families.”
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
LA Downtown News Executive Editor
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Brooks always let other people have the spotlight for the work he did. He brought others along. My team universally loved working with Brooks.”
For example, Oliha and her family were driving home from visiting friends in San Diego. On the way, Lambertson invited them to attend a golf tournament that car ried the bank’s branding. “My son, who’s 5, had a great time and learned something about golf,” she said. “That’s who Brooks was. He had such a warmth and kind energy about him, and it made him stand out in the eyes of so many. He was an incredibly polished, young professional. There were so many things I appreciated about Brooks. He was kind and thoughtful and really had a twinkle in his eye. He had such a soft nature about him.”
DTLA man remembered for generosity, kindness
Even with Zoom meetings, Lambertson had a way of making everyone feel com fortable and welcome, McCarthy added. “He had the ability to light up a Zoom call with his big smile,” he said. “His energy came through the screen.”
City National Bank sponsored the Tonys, and photos of Lambertson at the event show his excitement, she said. “He did a beautiful job at the activation at the plaza,” she said. “He was so happy to see everyone having a really nice time.”
Patrick McCarthy of City National Bank’s marketing department met Lambertson when he was hired. McCarthy quickly learned of Lambertson’s passion for his job through activations with the Las Vegas Golden Knights and high-profile events like the“HeTonys.was the ultimate team player,” McCarthy said. “Often, these sponsorships require a lot of different people working on them.
A DTLA resident, Lambertson was a City National Bank vice president, managing its sponsorships. He was in Washington, D.C., for business, according to Duncombe. Lambertson was an avid sports fan. Prior to joining City National, he was the manager of partnership marketing for the Los Angeles Clippers. He graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 2015 with a bache lor’s degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration and a concentration in sports management. “He was so warm and kind and thoughtful, and we never saw him lose his good manners,” Duncombe said. “He was always asking how he could help other people. Everybody wanted to be around him. He was pure joy. He was just the nicest guy. I’m very careful using ‘nice’ because it’s so overused. But he was just so nice and such a good person.”
AUGUST 22, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 7
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26; 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, and Sunday, Aug. 28
While she was competing in ATV races, she wasn’t paid and was just there for fun. “I didn’t realize there were people watching me,” Blood said. “Next thing I know I’m getting an offer from Monster Jam. You never know when a door will open for you so you have to be all in at all times, because eventually it will happen.”Shereceived the offer to join Monster Jam, and she’s been tearing up arenas around the world since. “It’s been one thing to another,” Blood said. “But I wouldn’t like it any other way.”
By Abigail LaCombe LA Downtown News Staff Writer S oldier Fortune driver Kayla Blood is ready to make the boys cry when Monster Jam returns to LA Friday, Aug. 26, to Sunday, Aug.“I’ve28.been in male-dominated sports most of my life, and I feel like it literally built me for Monster Jam,” Blood said. At Crypto.com Arena, motorsports fans will see rivalries, high-flying stunts and fierce headto-head battles for the event championship. The 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks will push the limits going head to head for points in freestyle, skills, doughnuts and racing com petitions. Monster Jam drivers are trained, world-class male and female athletes who have mastered not only the physical strength and mental stamina needed to compete, but the vital dexterity to control 12,000-pound machines capable of doing backflips, vertical two-wheel skills and racing at speeds up to 70 miles-per-hour to produce live motorsports action.Blood, a Louisiana state champion hurdler, is a veteran, too, having served in the military for six years. She represents fellow former soldiers in Monster Jam. She continued her athletic prowess as an MMA fighter, but that quickly was cut short — for a good reason. “I was training for my third MMA fight when I found out I was pregnant with my little boy,” Blood said. “I had to stop MMA after that, and that’s when ATV Motor Cross first came in.”
Kayla Blood is a champion hurdler, veteran, MMA fighter, and ATV and monster truck driver. Monster Jam
Kayla Blood is ready to make the boys cry
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“Racing is my favorite competition to win, but the most fun competition is freestyle be cause you get to do the crazy stuff,” Blood said about her favorite competition. Not only is Blood there to do a few backflips, she’s there to represent the girls. “All of the females in Monster Jam are very strong competitors, and I like to say we make the boys cry every weekend,” Blood said
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena, 1111 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles
COST: Tickets start at $25 INFO: axs.com
Monster Jam/Submitted
From track star to national guard, veteran, MMA fighter, ATV and monster truck driver, mother and even a Realtor, Blood is fierce and loves a good challenge. Being in the minority most of her life didn’t stop Blood from competing for the top spot. “You can’t give up,” she said. “You have to feel it inside and keep fighting for it. It’s defi nitely hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, but it will come into sight as long as you’re giving it your best.” Coming to LA to compete, Blood is ready to create carnage on the arena floor.
Thanks to its fight against homelessness in Los Angeles, law firm Cox, Castle & Nicholson has been accorded the Ruth Schwartz Legacy Award for 2022. A leading law firm in the U.S. specializing in real estate, Cox Castle received the accolade for advocating land use and housing policies to help curb the homeless ness crisis in greater Los Angeles. The firm was acclaimed at partner and nonprofit or ganization Shelter Partnership’s annual gala in June, according to a statement. Shelter Partnership, of which Cox Castle has been a longtime supporter, partners with community groups to provide solutions for homelessness throughout Los Ange les County. It serves the area through policy analysis, program design, resource devel opment and advocacy in supporting local agencies and governments serving home less“Ourindividuals.goal,Ithink, as a firm is to work with local community groups to try to foster the implementation of those kinds of programs,” Cox Castle partner Ira Waldman said in a statement. “So when talking to some of the members of the real estate lawyers, as to who in Los Angeles would be the ones to connect with, the first name that came to everybody’s lips was Ruth Schwartz.”
DTBUSINESS
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Connect Creative/Submitted
Sean Matsler, Cox Castle partner, said nearly all of them practice real estate law in some facet, placing them in a “unique position” to make an impact in areas of the homeless community. “We’ve tried to work quite a bit on the safe parking programs,” Waldman said. “We’re also working on the implementation of the homelessness projects at the West LA Vet Center.”Thefirm has also contributed to the development of permanent support of hous ing, addressing problems with land use and siting, and environmental impermanence compliance issues.
California law firm receives award for homeless service
The Cox Castle team is, from left to right, Taylor Thompson, Alexandria Ellison, Ira Waldman, David Waite, Lance Simon, Alicia Vaz and Dwayne McKenzie.
By LA Downtown News Staff
The award is named after Ruth Schwartz, who was the co-founder and executive di rector of Shelter Partnership. Cox Castle was presented the accolade in support of its Homelessness Initiative Committee, which consists of attorneys who team up with local groups in the com munity that attempt to cultivate programming to help the fight against homeless ness.Committee members are involved in numerous efforts to curb the homelessness crisis. These include serving on organization boards involved in the fight, moderating panels increasing awareness and providing pro bono services.
Rooftop Cinema Club got its start in London in 2011, when founder Gerry Cot tle wanted to combine his experiences in entertainment with his passion for film. Over the years, RCC has expanded glob ally to major cities in the United States in cluding New York, Houston, Chicago, San Diego and Los Angeles. The theater has three venues in Los Angeles and is known for bringing a so cial experience to screenings of classics and newer releases. Rooftop Cinema Club Arts District is the newest venue, which opened on June 29, and is located on the fifth-floor rooftop of Building One at ROW DTLA. The location features a new stateof-the-art LED screen, a menu of conces sions, a rooftop bar and Bohemian-style seating.“Rooftop Cinema Club is all about so cial cinema,” said Lauren Jones, marketing director.“Rather than just coming and watching a film, (people are) getting there early to enjoy the view, play board games, and go to the bar to enjoy rooftop drinks.”
Wooftop Cinema hosts dog lovers for ‘Legally Blonde’
By Doyoon Kim LA Downtown News Staff Writer T he Rooftop Cinema Club Arts Dis trict at ROW DTLA is hosting Woof top, a movie screening event for Angelenos and their dogs, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 — National Dog Day. The featured film is “Legally Blonde.”
Wooftop Cinema is a one-night event where attendees are allowed to bring their dogs to the movie screening. The event got its start three years ago when a wedding was held for a corgi and golden retriever at one of the screenings.
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Attendees can have dog photoshoots. Rooftop Cinema Club/Submitted
Attendees can experience an interactive hangout with unobstructed views of the Downtown skyline.
Attendees will get to experience an interactive hangout with unobstructed views of the Downtown Los Angeles sky line. Doors open 60 minutes before the movie screening, giving plenty of time for guests to get headphones, have dog pho toshoots, interact with other dogs, play games, order concessions and find a seat. Classic cinema concessions will be available at the snack stand with fresh popcorn, candy and soft drinks. The roof top bar presented by HiLo Liquor fea tures a curated selection of beer, wine and cocktails. Wooftop Cinema has also invited special guests like doggie social media influencers, Sweet Life of Calvin and WTFrenchie to appear. In partnership with furniture brand Ar ticle, guests can sit in its deep-seated Medan or cushioned lounge chairs. There are also new lounge areas so guests can socialize and participate in games prior to the start of the film. Guests are expected to clean up af ter their dogs, and dogs must be kept on leash at all times. Tickets to Wooftop Cin ema start at $20.75 and can be purchased at RCC’s website, rooftopcinemaclub.com.
“(People) really loved having one-offs for their dogs, and we were getting re quests from other cities to bring Wooftop Cinema to them,” Jones said.
Rooftop Cinema Club/Submitted
The event got its start when a wedding was held for a corgi and golden retriever. Rooftop Cinema Club/Submitted
Natsumatsuri Festival
T he Japanese American National Museum celebrated the return of the Natsu matsuri Festival in mid-August with cultural performances, crafts and activities for visitors of all ages. LA Downtown News photographer Chris Mortenson was there to catch the celebration.
Rimban William Briones of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple gives an oboe lecture before having participants come up for a community dance.
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Roxanne and Morgan Jun Lai show off their Oban fans.
Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles performs at the Japanese American National Museum.
Vince and Britney Lee start off on the scavenger hunt during the Natsumatsuri Festival in Downtown Los Angeles.
Michele Romo and Madeline Molino-Romo enjoy some origami lessons during the Natsumatsuri Festival in Downtown Los Angeles.
Giuliano Umali learns origami at Ruithe’s Origami Corner, where kids were encouraged to learn the art.
Using augmented reality technology, the BeHere/1942 exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum allows viewers to see what it might’ve been like for Japanese Americans at the plaza before being shipped off to concentration camps during World War II.
When Travon Walker was the first player selected in the 2022 NFL draft by Jacksonville, the youngster out of Georgia was all smiles on national tele vision. Meanwhile, Krommenhoek — a gifted tight end originally from North ern California — was watching on TV with family at his house. He did not ex pect his name to be called in the early rounds, let alone night one. He wasn’t overly confident he would get chosen late“Everyoneeither. naturally wants to get drafted. I had a decent idea of things as you stay in touch with your agent. I had several friends, teammates, get drafted, so I was happy for them. It was cool to watch them get picked.” At Heritage Hall, only three Tro jans were drafted: Drake London (No. 8 overall to the Falcons), Drake Jack son (61st/49ers) and Keantay Ingram (201st/Cardinals). For the Trojan Fam ily, it was a disappointing end to an abysmal season. The slow draft process also cost USC from catching rival No tre Dame off the field — USC is second behind Notre Dame’s 522 for most NFL draft picks. Ingram was USC’s 519th alltime NFL draftee. Surely Krommenhoek, who wore No. 84 at USC and was given No. 84 by the Chargers, would like to have been No. 520. Not necessarily, he admitted. “There was some disappointment, but also a lot of excitement. You know even if you don’t get drafted you still might have the chance to put on that jersey and go play in the NFL. You can get over the disappointment pretty quick. You can also hold on to it, carry it with you, and try and use it to your ad vantage once you are here.”
Krommenhoek puts a charge into his football career
USC Athletics/Submitted In action against BYU, Erik Krommenhoek played five seasons for USC and now tries to fulfill his childhood dream of competing in the NFL with the Chargers.
By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer S ame city, different team. Erik Krommenhoek knows he is in for a battle, but the payoff is huge. He is keenly aware odds are stacked against him, yet a dream can be fulfilled. He admits his job in pro football is tenuous right now; however, a job in medicine can wait. “Same city, different team” was Krom menhoek’s first Instagram post as a pro. The 2022 NFL draft had come and gone without his name getting called. How ever, he quickly inked a deal with the Chargers, his favorite football team as a kid, as an undrafted free agent. The former USC standout has a jer sey, so he has a chance, and the recent graduate has decided to use all of this as fuel while also keeping things sim ple.“That was something I just sort of came up,” Krommenhoek said of the so cial media mention during a break in off-season drills at team headquarters. “I am very comfortable being in LA, and very thankful. I have a lot of family, so that has helped make the transition a smooth one. “At the same time, football is still football. The exception is that the play ers here are a lot better. Here it is the best of the best. It’s a big challenge, and I am excited about it. I am ready for“Iit.am also super happy to be here and playing for an organization I grew up watching and going to their games. Now I have to do what I can to make myself super valuable.”
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Krommenhoek could be cut at any time. No reason, no penalty. The Char gers can simply decide they want a dif ferentWhenplayer.you go undrafted, the odds are not in your favor to call SoFi Stadi um home. He joins several former col lege teammates as USC’s undrafted free agent list features Isaac Taylor-Stuart/ Cowboys, Chris Steele/Steelers, Isaiah Pola-Mao/Raiders and Kana’i Mauga/ Broncos.Bythe end of training camp, the Chargers will be down to 53 players. There’s a deadline at the end of camp, and after every team sets its 53, there’s a practice squad free-for-all. Each team gets 16 players, but they don’t neces sarily have to be guys who were in their camp.Even then there are no guarantees. A player could make a practice squad and lose their job a week later. Or a different team could sign a player off the practice squad and add them to its main roster. Undrafted rookies also don’t have the luxury of receiving guar anteedKrommenhoekmoney. used to receive Char gers playoff tickets as a Christmas pres ent. Now this in this new life: Welcome to the Business of Football. Krommenhoek additionally has one other (rather large) challenge on his plate. He is the lone USC Trojan play ing for the Chargers. The team employs two UCLA Bruins in Joshua Kelley and Otito Ogbonnia. Both of Krommen hoek’s parents are Bruins, so he is used to being outnumbered there. Same city, different team… right? “My family is pretty split between the two schools. I considered UCLA during the recruiting process,” admitted Krommenhoek, “and I remember sit ting down with my parents and we dis cussed the pros and cons. The decision to go to USC was a better fit for me. I had an awesome time there. “Playing in that program helps me here.” Los Angeles Chargers/Submitted Erik Krommenhoek, participating in off-season drills with the Chargers, signed an NFL free agent contract in May.
With the Chargers, Krommenhoek looks to impress on special teams and catching the ball. At USC, Krommen hoek had 39 catches for 335 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in 57 total games, including 22 starts, over a five-year period. Away from the LA Memorial Colise um, the 6-5, 245-pounder excelled as well. Krommenhoek, 23, was a Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention and Marks Scholar Athlete. He finished his studies at USC with a B.S. in human bi ology.“My family sparked an interest in medicine, and my parents are very ac ademically focused. They have always challenged me to be as good off the field as on the field. That is one of the things that drew me to USC — what it offers beyond the football field. “I took it seriously, and I studied hard for it. I earned the degree while also playing football. Honestly, I don’t know exactly what that job will entail after football is over.”
Now Krommenhoek, whose family had Chargers season tickets for close to 50 years when the team was in San Di ego, is in unfamiliar territory in the NFL. One of 14 players signed by the Char gers upon the completion of the draft, one of the other players is a tight end, and any rookie trying to crack an NFL roster is going to have immense chal lenges.Teams can carry up to 90 players. Off season squad workouts are over now, and training camp starts in late July.
Barnes: Year-round
OL Reign/Submitted Pro soccer player Lauren Barnes, a native of Arcadia and former star at UCLA, focuses on the environment as an EcoAthlete as much as she spends time on the soccer pitch.
By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
Lauren EcoAthlete
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A native of Arcadia, Barnes said she al ways has been a climate steward. As her soccer success continued to soar, and her profile rose, it was one of the factors that led her to her unique role as EcoAthlete. “I decided to become an EcoAthlete to further my own education on climate change,” she said. “I want to use my platform as a profes sional athlete to inspire not only fans but my own teammates and other profession al athletes around the world to join me in fighting environmental issues, with the global climate crisis being chief among them.”When Barnes became one of the new est EcoAthletes Champions, it was her latest challenge. She is 32 and is one of two women to play in 150 regular season matches in her home league. It is critical, she feels, to use her time in the athletic spotlight to focus on something beyond kicking a ball into a net. A defender with Olympique (OL) Reign, an inaugural member of the 12-team Na tional Women’s Soccer League, Barnes has a lot of her plate helping protect the Earth and prohibiting goals on the pitch. Provid ing continued leadership within sustain ability and remaining committed to reduc ing our global environmental impact, as well as inspiring others to act, is no small task. “This is a big passion of mine, and I think a lot of that has to do with where I grew up. In Southern California I was 45 minutes from the water and the beach and 45 min utes from the snow and the mountains. I took a lot from the nature in the area and grew to love its healing powers.”
Lauren Barnes is a Los Angeles prod uct. A former soccer star at UCLA. And she is the captain of her profes sional soccer team in the United States in addition to playing a leading role with an other pro team overseas. She is also an EcoAthlete. In April, people around the world cele brated an increasing awareness about cli mate change and the environment as part of Earth Month. June 5 was World Environ ment Day, celebrated to encourage envi ronmental protection. For Barnes, it all goes hand in hand, as does engagement and education. “As an athlete right now, we have a unique platform to use and lean on, and I think it is our duty to do so. Sustainability is not a conversation that is always taking place and that is sad to see,” Barnes said. “The educational part for us is incredible. It is a big focus of the girls on our team now, too. “If someone like Megan Rapinoe drinks out of a reuseable water bottle, that pic ture lasts a lifetime.”
Barnes, a plant-based athlete who in 2016 traveled to Ethiopia with Water 1st to help build clean water systems for ru ral communities, wants to continue to stress the harm humans can cause while showing the massive amounts of support across the globe for protecting the Earth and the environment. The changes, she believes, can start small. Everyone can help — big star or otherwise.“Women soccer players can help force the message and to speak out. Change is possible. I think my story goes to show that, and I of course encourage anyone to take those steps. As simple as it sounds, we can all make change.”
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OL Reign/Submitted
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Lauren Barnes has taken her soccer career international, currently splitting time between Seattle and Sweden.
Sustainability has long been important to Barnes, as is the sustained success she enjoys as an athlete. Barnes’ amateur career on the grassy fields of Southern California was spectac ular. At Arcadia High School, she was rat ed as the No. 2 overall recruit in the nation by RISE Magazine and Soccer Buzz. She captured the prominent Gatorade Play er of the Year award for the state of Cali fornia and was a Parade All-American, the NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-American honoree and the CIF-Southern Section Co-Player of the Year, in addition to being a four-time first-team All-CIF selection. At UCLA, where she majored in sociolo gy, the success continued. At Westwood, Barnes was a four-year starter on UCLA’s women’s soccer team, which competed in the NCAA Tournament Final Four three years in a row. Affectionally known as “Lu,” internationally she has represented the United States on several national teams. Now she splits her between OL Reign, which is based in the Pacific Northwest (playing in the same venue as the Seat tle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders FC), and Kristianstads DFF in the Swedish League as a member of Damallvsvenskan. She is fortunate in that OL Reign is French owned, which helps with the global reach of the message, and in Seattle she lives in a part of the country that is so eco-friend ly. “We really do care about the planet where I live now. The sports teams here have awesome initiatives. I have been lucky to be part of it, including an intern ship with the hockey team, the Seattle Kraken. They play at Climate Promise Are na. The standard is being set, and it is very inspiring.”Onher mind is the environment. And while it is important each April more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from pollution and de forestation, and each June when World Environment Day calls for urgent action to revive our damaged ecosystems, more needs to be done. Every day. “This has always been part of my life, but I think things really clicked for me at the start of the pandemic. We were the only sport to play all the way through it, and I saw so much single use plastic being used then because of the health protocols. It broke my heart, so I contacted three companies and we were able to make some positive changes.”
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