THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LA SINCE 1972 September 5, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #36 + Takashi Murakami at The CommunityDTLAEndlessBroadOpportunitiesProudcelebratesnewA.R.T.CenteratTheBloc 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 Grand Performances appoints new president and CEO THE HEARTMUSICALOFDTLA
2 DOWNTOWN NEWS TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
Here’s an astounding example: Dr. Joseph Lister, who advocated that surgeons wash their hands and instruments as the most effective, cheapest and most straightforward way to reduce injury and death by surgery, was considered a crank by other surgeons! The “butchers” would rather die than change.
Likewise, my advocacy to teach women and girls emotional, verbal and physical boundary setting is the most effective, cheapest and most straightforward way to re duce injury and death by violent attackers. Simple, right? Sorry, no. I have had pushback from many people I expected to support me. I’m also a crank, which is why I’m frequent ly cranky!Amping the Crank Factor, I now have farshtunkene (it’s Yiddish; look it up!), 20-some things who can’t wait to man-and-woman-splain basic feminist principles to me. I’m in clined to both celebrate and spank them. It’s a tad like the Spanish telling the existing Indigenous inhabitants, “We discovered North America!” after meeting them. No, Co lumbus, you didn’t discover squat! Likewise, if you’ve got social justice genes, stand on our shoulders and take the explo ration further than we did. Never forget that we lost Roe v. Wade. And we could lose a lot more.
I have lost sleep, friends, opportunities and almost my house in pursuing what the most common-sense social justice movement ever dreamed of: that each person is valued for who they are and has the right to set boundaries. They are valued as peo ple and members of their communities, not for their skin shade or whatever plumbing they’ve got between their legs. Simple, right? Notice the lumps on my head? That’s from banging it on walls, ceilings and the occa sional tumble down steep stairs. It’s not easy always being the one saying, “Hey, what about the gals? What about the gentlemen? What about the gender fluid? What about the people of color?” For instance, women and girls have been in a subjugated position globally for so long, it’s easy to believe it’s natural to have more than 50% of the world’s population thinking they are just not as good, competent or able as their male-identi fied counterparts. That’s complete hooey.
Hey you! up!
Ellen Snortland has written this column for decades and also teaches creative writing. She can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/beautybitesbeast.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley STAFF WRITER: Kamala Kirk CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Laura Latzko, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Eamonn Smith, John Swannell, Jeff Xander, Robiee Ziegler ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548
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What I have now, as do many of my social justice siblings, is a long view of my life as California will help
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Women are just as socialized as men are to believe women are inferior or “separate but equal”; ergo, when you present an alternative, people who you’d think would be on your “side” aren’t. And to no one’s surprise (or it shouldn’t be), women vary in their views just as much as men. Shocking, I know!
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 3
I am on the same page as the late, great Florynce Kennedy, an African American wit, civil rights lawyer and public intellectual. She said, “There are very few jobs that actually require a penis or vagina. All other jobs should be open to everybody.”
As a teen and then young woman, my preparation for the inevitable and massive mi sogynist backlash was laughable. I had no one to comfort me when I would enthusias tically share with people my new epiphany, “Women and girls are not naturally inferi or — it’s all a social construct!” and, in return, received verbal punches in the stomach from both women and men.
At the end of every summer, I celebrate my birthday: This year, I turn 69. Despite the sacrifices, I am proud that I would not have lived my life any differently. I know it’s not polite to speak openly about sacrifice; many women are simply expected to sacrifice.
By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist
Oh man, my life would have been so much easier materially if I’d kept my mouth shut about sexism and racism, including turning down a wealthy man’s marriage proposal. (It would have helped had he not been such a creep.) And it would have been a life that would have made me suffer from a horrible conscience. I can’t unsee what I’ve seen nor pretend I didn’t read “Sisterhood Is Powerful.” And as great fortune would have it, two Justice Hurricanes — Gloria Steinem and Flo Kennedy — blew through Billings, Mon tana, during my freshman year in college there, and I was a goner! I swore to become someone who Gloria Steinem would be proud to know.
Los Angeles Downtown News PO Box 1349 South Pasadena, CA 91031 213-481-1448
For my 16th birthday, I feasted upon Robin Morgan’s groundbreaking book and feminist clarion call, “Sisterhood Is Powerful.” As I hit the last page, my life’s jour ney was laid out before me: I would be a champion of social justice and liberation from society’s rigid gender roles. Little did I know then that feminism would not turn out to be the “get rich quick” scheme I thought it would. (Said in the style of Foghorn Leghorn: “I say, that was a joke, son!”)
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 import ant to the Participationcommunity.iseasy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Let ter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.
an activist and the benefit of new scholarship in race and gender studies as well as the politics and sociology of progressive movements. There has never been a progressive leap forward for humans that wasn’t met with vi olent hostility from people who reject change, even at the cost of their own well-being.
DTCONSIDER THIS It’s my birthday, and I’ll cry if I want to
OPINION
FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway Michael Lamb FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris
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T ucked within an open-air urban center along Downtown’s iconic Seventh Street corridor, a sanctuary is being built. The collection of curated shops, ar tisans, premier retailers, restaurants and bars known as The Bloc lies at the convergence of the financial, fashion, jewelry and theater districts, and will be come the new home of nonprofit DTLA Proud’s A.R.T. Community Center.
“It represents is a lot more than just the space itself, because if you think of The Bloc, it’s a mall with everyone coming together and we would have 365 days of representation just by being in the space. We have visibility. We have people that might be questioning, or don’t even know, who will have some familiarity or access to this space. And the accessibility of it is amazing be cause it’s literally at the entrance of a Metro stop.”
“We are so fortunate to have Rhe Bloc support and sponsor us,” said Oli ver Alpuche, founder, board member and president of DLTA Proud. “They’ve been a longtime sponsor of DTLA Proud throughout the years, and this year a conversation started. They were so excited, and we were able to broker the deal of getting a space.
By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor
As an organization that’s sought to empower the LGBTQ+ community of Downtown Los Angeles, DTLA Proud is looking to expand its reach and cel ebrate the city’s diversity through the opening of A.R.T., which stands for Ac cessibility, Representation, Thrive.
Covered California will help
Set to open by the end of the year at 700 W. Seventh Street, the communi ty center will provide year-round programming while offering a safe and wel coming environment and active gallery for members of the LGBTQ+ commu nity.DTLA Proud made the announcement from the main stage of the DTLA Proud Festival over the weekend. Held every year since 2016, the festival be gan as a block party celebrating the growth of the LGBTQ+ community in Downtown.“Werealized very quickly that there was a lot of talent that never had the opportunity to perform on a stage,” Alpuche recalled. “So, as we were orga nizing our block party, we invited everyone to participate and it really started for the community, by the community. It blossomed into what DTLA Proud is today, and it shined the light on the fact that there is a missing need within
DTLA Proud celebrates LGBTQ+ community with new A.R.T. Center
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WHEN: Set to open by the end of 2022 INFO: dtlaproud.org
“Every month we’re going to be showcasing different artists,” Alpuche described. “We’ll have rotating artists come through once a month for three weeks, an open ing and closing gala, a co-working space built in with a library and then a market place where we could showcase and highlight different vendors. This will act as a day-to-day place for people to either come and work, come and visit, or come and walk the art gallery 365 days a year. We’ll be open five days a week.”
NEWS our community for accessibility and representation.”
Alpuche also wants to create youth and family-focused programing, such as af ter-school programs, to start opening channels of communication between Down town families and the center.
WHERE: The Bloc, 700 W Seventh Street, Los Angeles
Growing up in Highland Park, Alpuche himself would take a two-hour bus ride to access any LGBTQ+ resources, with the nearest being in West Hollywood.
“It’s crucial not only to the Downtown community but the surrounding area. Downtown is so centrally located. You have East LA, Boyle Heights, Highland Park, El Sereno, Eagle Rock. … This is a place where people could feel comfortable, and a place for parents, too, actually. It’s a place for them to bring their children who are questioning their sexuality and want to just meet people within the community.”
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“Within the community, for the 21-plus there are bars that become our safe ha vens, but what that shined a light on was that there is no real space for our com munity that’s 21 and under,” Alpuche explained. “I remember the first year we had a conversation about how these spaces don’t exist and how sometimes the youth don’t have a space to explore and be themselves. … They don’t even have a space to have an open mic night where they can express their feelings in written word or spoken word to process everything. How do we give them that space?”
A.R.T. Community Center
“What I love is when someone has an idea and we’re able to work together and make it happen,” Alpuche said. “We have so many wonderful people that are ready to support, and we would love that people come with fresh ideas. … How do you want to support your community? Because we all have different talents and strengths. How do we utilize and share them? “I’m so excited to actually put that in place. I can see in my head at the end of the year the grand opening and how wonderful that’s going to be for the future. …
For those eager to support DTLA Proud’s mission, Alpuche explained that while financial support is always helpful, community input is also heavily valued.
With this opportunity that The Bloc gave us, the possibilities are endless. We start now. Where can we take this?”
Through A.R.T., Alpuche hopes to provide a safe, supportive and enriched space that will act as the first of its kind in Downtown’s core. The center will host an array of artists, have a shared workspace and serve as a hub for LA’s LGBTQ+ community.
“That is a very lonely feeling,” Alpuche described. “How do you find comfort within yourself when you don’t have any accessible space to be comfortable in?”
Alpuche and the team at DTLA Proud not only wanted to create a comfortable space but to also curate programs that are specific to the Downtown community’s needs.“We realized we needed to open up a center in the heart of Los Angeles, in the heart of Downtown,” Alpuche explained. “Our goal is to have an entire building full of resources that is extremely visible within Downtown where we could have a theater space, dance rehearsals, we could house different nonprofits within the upper floors to provide services, a coffee shop … all these things. A.R.T. is our launching space. It’s where we’re able to connect with the community.
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“Kelli brings a wealth and depth of experience in every aspect of fundraising, man agement and leadership to JANM — and she is no stranger to the Museum,” JANM President and CEO Ann Burroughs described. “As she said to me, ‘It’s like coming back home.’ I am excited to have Kelli aboard, and for the passion and leadership she brings
Covered California will helpDTARTS & CULTURE
Nestled in Downtown’s historic Little Tokyo district, the Japanese American Na tional Museum (JANM) has celebrated America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience and providing a voice for Japanese Americans. JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions on-site while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum since open ing to the public in 1992. The museum, which stands today as a hybrid institution enabling all people to ex plore their own heritage and culture, recently named a new chief development officer, Kelli-Ann Nakayama, as well as 10 incoming board members.
6 DOWNTOWN NEWS TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
By Luke Netzley
LA Downtown News Deputy Editor
JANM’s new chief development officer, Kelli-Ann Nakayama, brings more than 20 years of nonprofit fundraising experience to the museum.
DTLA’s Japanese American National Museum names new chief development officer and board members LOS ANGELES SELF STORAGE 213-784-4761 • 1000 West 6th Street, LA, CA 90017 (@ 6th St. & Beaudry) • LosAngelesSelfStorage.net Located in Downtown Just off the 110 Freeway! Controlled Access We Sell Boxes & Packing Supplies All Sizes - 5x5 to 10x40 Open 7 Days a Week Bring in this coupon and receive 5 0 % O F F THE FIRST MONTH ON SELECT UNITS * Expires 8-31-22 “BEST MOVING STORAGE COMPANY” JANM/Submitted
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 7 to our stellar development team.” Nakayama has more than 20 years of professional nonprofit fundraising experience, with a specialty in capital campaigns and major/principal gifts. Throughout the years, she has maintained a strong connection to the city’s Japanese American community and JANM. She provides leadership to the museum’s national philanthropic funding strategies, including membership, individual and institutional giving, and development operations.“WhenIvisited JANM, I felt the gravity of past hardships, saw the resilience of fami lies and learned about the perseverance of leaders who fought for justice,” Nakayama said. “Those visits were also poignant reminders that many communities today suffer from the same discrimination that plagued the U.S. 80 years ago.
“Our new board members bring a wealth of diversity and experience to JANM’s lead ership,” Board of Trustees Chair Bill Fujioka said. “We are grateful for their commitment and dedication to sustaining JANM in the years to come. I look forward to working with them to strengthen our mission and work towards a more just future for all.”
For the museum’s two trustee positions, JANM has named Capital Group Los Ange les senior vice president and senior counsel Kristine Nishiyama, who also serves in var ious capacities for Capital Group subsidiaries and affiliates, as principal executive of ficer of the American Funds Fixed Income Funds and on the board of trustees for the Westside Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, and Kansa Advisory founder and CEO Dennis Sugino, who was formerly a chief investment officer for the city of Los Ange les, co-founder and president of Cliffwater and managing director of Wilshire Associ ates, has served as a board vice chair of the U.S.-Japan Council, board member of Kei ro, board member of The Investment Fund for Foundations and investment committee member of Mercy Health System, and is currently a board member of the Japan House Foundation (Los Angeles).
“As a fourth-generation Japanese American whose relatives were incarcerated during World War II (and whose grandfather started Tokyo Bank and was one of the first Japa nese American bankers in the U.S.), I have a deep and personal appreciation of JANM for capturing the shared histories and contemporary narratives of our vibrant and dy namicNakayamacommunity.”received her MA in museum studies from San Francisco State University and her BA in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, and has profes sional certificates in philanthropy and fundraising management. Nakayama’s extensive fundraising experience stems from her previous work with Boy Scouts of America Na tional Foundation, where she spearheaded a team of fundraising professionals, 44 local councils and hundreds of volunteers to raise over $21.5 million for local membership growth initiatives.
As the director of development at the USC Keck School of Medicine, she also solicit ed, managed and secured over $4.3 million in individual gifts for stem cell research and supported a team responsible for raising $35 million.
For the museum’s eight governor positions, JANM has named Jennifer Hirano, busi ness development analyst at Alphabet; Akemi Kondo Dalvi, president and CEO of Kon do Wealth Advisors; Yuko Kaifu, president of Japan House LA; Masatoshi Komoriya, deputy chief operating officer – international and deputy chief executive of the Global Commercial Banking Business Group; David Mineta, president and CEO of Momentum for Health; Michele Miyakawa, co-founder and managing director of Moelis & Compa ny; Josh Morey, chairperson of Ori-gen and president of the J Morey Company; and Christopher Yang, group vice president of business development and the deputy gen eral counsel for Toyota Motor North America and executive vice president and chief op erating officer for Toyota Connected North America.
The Japanese American National Museum WHERE: 100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles HOURS: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday to Sunday; noon to 8 p.m. Thursday INFO: janm.org
Nakayama will be joined at JANM by 10 new board members, who each bring a bounty of experience to the museum’s leadership team.
For Murakami, the explosive, worldwide interest in the metaverse and in virtual and augmented realities constituted a socie tal and cultural shift. As part of The Broad’s “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of the Rainbow” exhibition, and in partnership with Meta’s Spark AR, Instagram and BUCK, Murakami uses AR experiences to extend the expression of his paintings’ and sculp tures’ complex concern with trauma and disaster. Inside and outside of The Broad, these emergent realities and technologies populate the East West Bank Plaza, the mu seum lobby and one of the exhibition gal leries.“(During the pandemic) we were locked down; we were unable to travel,” Schad said. “Our movement was restricted, and that reality started to push cultural ideas that have been around for a long time, like the metaverse and NFTs. … This became a glob al conversation. Towards this end, Takashi himself started to make NFTs and to devel op a great interest in digital worlds. “Just like anime and manga, it’s not the invention of the technology, but its sudden explosion has a lot to do with the trauma of this virus and this global moment.” Broad showcases immersive, augmented reality Murakami exhibit
The
Covered California will helpDTARTS & CULTURE The Broad/Submitted
“Takashi has been interested in how cul ture rises to meet big traumatic events throughout Japanese history,” said Ed Schad, curator and publications manager at The Broad.Murakami’s early work analyzed the rise and fall of the Japanese economy after World War II, specifically after the dropping of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and interpreted the manga and anime boom that swept the nation in the comingMurakami’sdecades.most recent body of work ex tended this theme of cultural change in the wake of disaster to his observations on how global societies have reacted to the out break of COVID-19, and will be on display at the Broad until Sunday, Sept. 25. “In thinking about how to present Takashi’s work at The Broad, we looked at what we’re all going through with COVID-19 and what has been going on since 2020,” Schad explained. “Takashi is looking at these events in a profound way. These three trau matic events — the first being the World War II aftermath; the second being the 2012 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster; and the third being COVID-19 — became a structure for thinking about an exhibition, thinking about three movements to make that theme in Takashi’s work of processing trauma, of looking at how culture deals with trauma, a guiding force for this exhibition.”
8 DOWNTOWN NEWS TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
Contemporary artist Takashi Murakami’s self portrait as an NFT avatar.
By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor In the aftermath of the 2012 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima disaster and the devastation and collective trauma that it induced across Japan, contemporary artist Takashi Murakami found inspiration.
“Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of the Rainbow” WHERE: The Broad,
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 9
Grand Avenue,
“I think people are really eager to come together and Murakami is an artist that brings people together in the way that a concert would, in the way that getting to gether with the family would or returning to those activities that we put off or didn’t take the risk to do for so long. I hope that this is just the beginning.” Murakami 2008. 221 S. Los
The Broad/Submitted “Oval Buddha Silver” was designed by
The Broad developed a series of digital avatars that exist throughout the exhibi tion spaces and serve as a direct reference to Murakami’s new interest. The museum also used the Instagram app to breathe a new life into Murakami’s characters, allow ing them to step out of their physical forms and into a ghostly digital existence. In addition to museum visitors, the public will be able to experience the new AR fea ture on the East West Bank Plaza. “One of the great things about work ing with (Murakami) is that he’s got a lot of three-dimensional, modeled-out materi al that has existed as sculptures, which can be converted into a digital world,” Schad ex plained. “The way that the digital worlds are built is a lot like sculpture. These creatures have armatures, they have facial rigging and all of these things have a lot in common with the traditional way of making sculp tures. And so we were able to locate mo ments in his wider body of work that spoke to these Schadthemes.”described two sculptures in partic ular, “Hiropon” and “My Lonesome Cowboy.” When Murakami’s painting “Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of the Rainbow” debuted in 2014, it was originally flanked by the two sculptures of demons, which tradi tionally protect Buddhist temples. By creat ing digital avatars of the sculptures, Schad and his team at The Broad were able to re unite the guardian demons with the paint ing as digital avatars. “Takashi is really the ultimate artist who extends a hand of friendship to you through the way that he makes this work,” Schad said. “There’s joy in it. There’s vibrant color. There’s incredible craftsmanship, exquisite design and execution of every work in the show. And that can and will feel very joyful, very happy. But I also would say … it’s full of chutes and ladders. It’s full of little trap doors and dimensions that you can fall into that take you into these wider historical stories. And you find yourself interested in things that you may not have come to the exhibition with an intention to know about, but they arrived nonetheless.
in
Angeles WHEN: The exhibition runs until Sunday, Sept. 25 COST: $18 for adults, $12 for students and free or visitors 17 and under INFO: thebroad.org
Grand asappointsPerformancesRafaelGonzálezpresidentandCEO
10 DOWNTOWN NEWS TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
DTLA-PharmTech-PasadenaWeekly-QP-4.83x5.78-090822-outlined.indd 1 9/2/22 2:02 PM Covered California will helpDTARTS & CULTURE Grand Performances/Submitted Grand Performances’ free events are held at the California Plaza in the heart of DTLA.
By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor As the longest-running presenter of free concerts in DTLA, Grand Perfor mances stands at the forefront of providing access to global performing arts for all members of the community. Known for its outdoor events open to all ages at the California Plaza in the heart of Downtown, the organization has presented free live concerts featuring Stevie Wonder, Ozomat li, Kamasi Washington, Seun Kuti, Madame Gandhi, Ana Tijoux, Soulection, Aloe Blacc, Angelique Kidjo and countless others since its founding 1986.
To continue the organization’s legacy for providing music opportunities, celebrating diversity and promoting unity across LA, Grand Performances has appointed Rafael González as president and CEO. “After a comprehensive search process, the board is pleased to have found the best individual with a wealth of multisec tor experience to assume leadership of this world-class performance arts organization,” said Karla V. Salazar, Grand Performances’ board chairwoman and executive director of RecognizedScholarMatch.as a leader in community development, strategic partnerships and social impact, González served as interim president and CEO of Grand Performances replacing Mari Riddle, who retired in May 2022. He’s only the third president and CEO in the organization’s 36-year history. “I look forward to working with this dy namic and creative team to bring free glob al performing arts to the people and ex panding our reach beyond our Downtown core,” González said. “The last few years have demonstrated the vital role the arts play in society and our lives, and I am privileged to lead one of the premiere organizations that established Downtown as a cultural hub and whose mission has gifted Angelenos with a myriad of memorable experiences.” González is a native born Angeleno and self-taught musician currently residing in El Monte with his wife and three sons. He ob tained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cal State University Northridge and received his master’s degree from the USC Price School of Public Policy. Over the years, González has held senior leadership roles in the nonprofit, govern ment and philanthropic sectors. He previ ously served as director of community out reach and engagement for the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission, di rector of community relations for First 5 LA, and director of community relations for the Los Angeles Dodgers. González has led organizations through pivotal times, launched new programs and initiatives, and built strategic partnerships, all valuable experiences as Grand Perfor mances enters its 36th year. Today, González serves on the boards of the Community Coalition, Center for Non profit Management and ActiveSGV. He also serves on the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Advisory Council, Durfee School Site Coun cil and the city of El Monte’s Planning Com mission.“Asan artist himself, Rafael deeply appre ciates Grand Performances’ long-standing legacy and keenly understands the import ant role we play in bringing people together through world music,” Salazar said. “With Ra fael at the helm, Grand Performances looks forward to celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026 and serving as cultural ambassadors throughout Los Angeles and global com munity.”
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Norman Jean Roy/Submitted Michael Bublé will perform at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, Sept. 23.
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SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 11 College Prep Curriculum * Academic Scholarships Available Financial Aid Available * Campus Tours Available TO APPLY 323.441.3116 | www.cathedralhighschool.org By LA Downtown News Staff The Microsoft Theater and Crypto.com Arena are hosting a slew of shows in the next couple of months. For tickets, visit cryptoarena.com or microsofttheater.com. Microsoft Theater • Primetime Emmy Awards: Monday, Sept. 12 • Luis Angel “El Flaco” Y Luis Alfonso Partida “El Yaki!”: Saturday, Sept. 17 • Una Noche Para Recordar: Friday, Sept. 23 • Distant Worlds: Saturday, Sept. 24 • Why Don’t We: Monday, Sept. 26 • Royal Comedy: Friday, Sept. 30 • Salt N Pepa, Bell Biv DeVoe and Ginuwine: Saturday, Oct. 1 • Prince Royce: Friday, Oct. 7 • Intocable: Saturday, Oct. 8 • Cocomelon: Sunday, Oct. 9 • Lucero & Mijares: Thursday, Oct. 13 • Camilo: Friday, Oct. 14 • Grupo Arriesgado: Friday, Oct. 21 • Eros Ramazzotti: Sunday, Oct. 30 • 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sat urday, Nov. 5 • Natanael Cano: Friday, Nov. 25 • Dariush: Saturday, Nov. 26 • Isabel Pantoja: Saturday, Dec. 10 • Junior H: Sunday, Dec. 18 • Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure: Satur day, Jan. 21 • Spy Ninjas Live: Thursday, Feb. 23 Crypto.com Arena • Shawn Mendes: Friday, Sept. 9, to Saturday, Sept. 11 (canceled)
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“I can’t believe it has been 20 years,” for mer Angels first baseman Scott Spiezio said. “Physically, however, my body can.”
By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer T he Angels are not going to win the World Series this year. The team is expected to miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year, with this sum mer destined to be remembered as one of missed opportunities, injuries to key players, a midseason change in leadership and the team announcing in August — to the surprise of most baseball observers — the franchise is now exploring a sale. The start to the season, meanwhile, was the complete opposite. Mike Trout, Sho hei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon were healthy, and hopes were high. The Angels came out of the gate enjoying a 24-13 re cord, and the environment in and around the stadium was bringing back memo ries of yesteryear… with yesteryear be ing firmly rooted in emotional ties connecting families together, and one that thrives on rich tradition, it was to be a fun, warm summer. After all, at 20 years it was the ideal time for the franchise to celebrate the club’s greatest moments, which took place on the national stage on chilly fall nights.
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There were stories told throughout the week as the alums and their families fil tered into town. There was a lot of remi niscing, and tons of smiles. Not the fancy preseason pick to even make the playoffs in 2002, Spiezio was the type of player who reflected the makeup of that squad. The team did not feature any future Hall of Fame players. Nobody won a major regular season individual award.Butthey grinded each game, eventual ly wearing out their opponents with a re lentless on-field attack. “It was an awesome group of guys in 2002 who came together and pulled for one another. We had really good players but nobody who was deemed a super star,” Spiezio recalled. “The same could be said about our pitching staff. It was like a bunch of blue-collar players all coming together at the right time. We looked to play hard, and that is what we did.” During the World Series, Spiezio hit the most dramatic home run in Angels histo ry, a three-run blast in Game 6 the night before as the Angels overcame a late defi cit to not only extend the series but make an indelible mark in the history books. “The coolest thing is none of it real ly matters if we don’t win the next night,” said Spiezio, who makes his home in Il linois. “I get asked what the biggest mo ment in my career was, and that came with Erstad catching the ball in center field in the ninth inning. Then I knew we made history. Nobody can take that away fromJoeus.”Maddon had one of the best seats in the house. Before he went on to man age more than 2,500 big league games, he was the Angels bench coach in 2002. “You look back on that time 20 years ago and you look back on that group, and one word immediately comes to mind: re lentless,” Maddon said. “The guys just nev er quit. It was a relentless group, and they were“Grittyunbelievable.isanother good word, but re lentless, in this case, is a great word. Tough, too. You are talking about a bunch of tough guys who were probably over matched in some areas, but on a night ly basis you are not going to find a group who played harder and had a particular resolve. “They believed in themselves. They were a tight-knit group, and you hear that about all champions, but those are the ac colades that really stood out to me with this particular group.” In the field it was Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, Da vid Eckstein, Adam Kennedy, Bengie Mo lina and Spiezio leading the way. On the mound, guys like John Lackey, Troy Per cival, Jarrod Washburn and Francisco Ro driguez turned in sensational efforts. Mike Scioscia, the longtime former Dodgers player, was the manager. The Walt Disney Company owned the team. One of the true breakout stars? A rookie named The Rally Monkey.
“These anniversaries are also an ex cuse to re-live the great times,” Spiezio said. “Every time around the playoffs I get geared up. When the dates of Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 come, I always pay attention to those dates. They are marked on my cal endar. I think of those dates all the time because playoff time is just so awesome. “Those big round numbers like 20 is what draws the most attention. It also of ten what gets the guys back together. We tell stories, and it is really like we never left the clubhouse. It sort of feels like you are still a player — the season had ended, and you just come back from your winter break, just like the typical baseball sea son. You don’t skip a beat. It is weird how that works in baseball. It is like a rhythm you are used to, and it picks right back up.”
Twenty years ago, this baseball squad was anything but fallen Angels Angels/Submitted The 2002 World Series trophy is in the spotlight, as the Angels celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the organization’s lone trip to the World Series. In the thrilling seven-game series, the Halos topped the Barry Bonds-led San Francisco Giants. Angels/Submitted Darin Erstad, who recorded the final out to clinch the series victory 20 years ago, addresses the crowd in Anaheim this past June.
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The crowd of 44,598 at Angel Stadi um exploded. A franchise known for un derachieving since its debut in the early 1960s — the team was based in Down town Los Angeles until moving to Ana heim in 1966 and was officially known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for a few years — had its defining moment.
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2002 World Series. Game 7. Angels vs. Giants. October 27. Anaheim, California: “Fly ball, centerfield. Erstad says he’s got it. Erstad makes the catch. The Anaheim Angels are the champions of baseball!” That was the call on radio made famous by Rory Markas, then the radio play-byplay announcer.
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The Halos in June welcomed back to Orange County a large portion of the 2002 team for a special on-field pregame ceremony to celebrate the anniversary.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022 DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM DOWNTOWN NEWS 13 50 Years! On September 26, the LA Downtown News celebrates our 50th anniversary. Help us recognize and honor our award-winning publication serving DTLA for half of a century! For more information, please contact your Account Executive Catherine Holloway 213 cholloway@timespublications.com-308-2261MichaelLamb213-453-3548mlamb@timespublications.com SPACE RESERVATIONS: By September 21, 2022 PUBLISHES September 26, 2022
Councilmember Gil Cedillo’s 9th Annual Latin Jazz & Music Festival 2:00 p.m. El Niño Son Mayor Ft. Jesus Chuy Pérez 3:25 p.m. Cold Duck 4:50 p.m. Susie Hansen Latin Band 6:15 p.m. Joe Bataan 7:45 p.m. La Sonora Dinamita w/ Vilma Diaz Support for this program was provided through the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Levitt Pavilion Band Shell MacArthur Park, 2230 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90057 Free parking on Wilshire Blvd between Alvarado Street and S Park View Ave FREE FREE FREE EVENT EVENT EVENT Saturday October 2022 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 8 8
