November 22, 2021 I VOL. 50 I #47
Empowering Girls Michelle Della Penna fosters love of motorsports through nonprofit
Join in the Chant Nitzer Ebb headlines the 2nd day of Substance
+ LA Self Storage encouraging toy donations
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Museum Tower offers a new standard for Downtown living. Photo courtesy of Museum Tower
A Thriving Scene
Prestigious Bunker Hill is in a prime location By Museum Tower Museum Tower is conveniently located in Downtown LA’s prestigious Bunker Hill, the go-to neighborhood for world-class museums, fine dining and a thriving arts and entertainment scene. Museum Tower offers residents immediate proximity to some of the best attractions Los Angeles has to offer, including Broad Museum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Park and Grand Central Market by way of historic Angel’s Flight. With Museum Tower being part of Cal Plaza, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Omni Hotel and Colburn School of Art are just a few enjoyable steps away. An elegant, 24-hour-attended lobby with artistic design features and modern finishes warmly welcomes residents and visitors. In addition, the ground floor plays home to a new fitness and cardio studio with state-of-the-art Life Fitness equipment, a Freedom Climber rotating rock-climbing wall, cycling bikes and Well Beats on-demand virtual classes. The third floor, which opens to Cal Plaza and MOCA, hosts a modern resident lounge and library, a leasing showroom, a screening room and a modern pool deck with heated pool, spa, gas fireplaces, gourmet barbecue areas and loungers. Incredible views, private balconies and spacious floorplans are offered in Museum Tower’s 211 studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom residences, complete with high-speed internet capabilities, luxury wood-style flooring, white quartz counters and stainless-steel appliances. The 20th floor is home to Museum Tower’s five ultra-luxurious penthouse residences, where no expense has been spared and no detail overlooked in a design that features top-of-the-line GE Monogram appliances and the latest in smart home technology. Museum Tower has taken things to the next level—the 21st level to be exact. It’s home to a new rooftop amenity deck, offering panoramic views of Los Angeles in a modern, relaxing indoor/outdoor setting. Luxury gas fireplaces and architectural lighting set the stage for a peaceful evening under the city lights. Whether an enthusiast of the arts or a professional looking to ditch the commute, Museum Tower offers the perfect downtown retreat. For more information, call 213-805-7728. ADVERTORIAL
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Staples Center changes names to Crypto.com Arena By LA Downtown News Staff he cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com and the sports and live entertainment company AEG signed a 20-year agreement that renamed the Staples Center Crypto.com Arena effective Dec. 25. The agreement also makes Crypto.com an official cryptocurrency platform partner of the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Kings. To kick off the partnership, AEG and Crypto.com will unveil the new logo and other branding assets including internal arena signage of the newly named Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day, when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets. All of the venue’s external signage will be replaced by June. Since opening its doors in 1999, the arena has hosted more than 240 high-profile events of national and international distinction, like professional sports, concerts, family and award shows, boxing and special events, including the Grammy
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Awards, NBA All-Star Games and NHL AllStar Games. “Known as the Creative Capital of the World, the city of Los Angeles and the people who call it home have always been pioneers, pushing the boundaries and innovating as the undeniable global leaders of culture and entertainment,” said Kris Marszalek, Crypto.com co-founder and chief executive officer. “We’re very excited about partnering with AEG and investing long term in this city, starting with Crypto.com Arena in the heart of Downtown, and using our platform in new and creative ways so that cryptocurrency can power the future of world-class sports, entertainment and technology for fans in LA and around the world.” The 20,000-seat, award-winning arena redefined and revitalized Downtown LA. “This partnership represents the fastest-growing cryptocurrency platform and the biggest sports and live entertainment company in the world converging to drive
the future of sports and live entertainment as well as the incredible legacy of this arena for decades to come,” said Todd Goldstein, AEG’s chief revenue officer. “It marks an exciting new chapter in the history of our company and our respective industries, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have such a visionary partner like Crypto.com supporting our global fan base and local community.” As the naming rights partner, Crypto. com will engage millions of sports and entertainment fans each year through premium branded areas of the arena, including a 3,300-square-foot activation space at the building’s entrance, as well as dedicated activation areas on the main concourse of the arena and throughout the L.A. Live campus. Additionally, the new relationship will see Crypto.com featured prominently across the venue with large-scale, premium branding and signage throughout the facility’s interior and exterior. “This partnership is about the future,” said Dan Beckerman, AEG’s president and chief executive officer. “AEG and Crypto.com not only share a vision about innovation and the future of sports and entertainment, but we also have a shared commitment to our communities where we work and live. We look forward to partnering with Crypto.com to create meaningful initiatives to bring that vision to life in the years to come.”
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A rendering of the new signage on the roof what will be Crypto.com Arena. Submitted image
Crypto.com recently partnered with Matt Damon on its first global campaign to formally introduce the platform to users. The campaign will be integrated across Crypto.com’s portfolio of global brand partnerships including UFC, F1, Paris Saint-Germain and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, to the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, esports team Fnatic, and Lega Serie A, the Italian Football league and Twitch Rivals. Crypto.com continues to lead the industry in sports sponsorships, as the first official cryptocurrency sponsor and NFT partner of UFC and F1. Earlier this year, Crypto. com became the first crypto platform to partner with an F1 team, the first to partner with an NHL team (Montreal Canadiens), and the first to partner with a professional sports league (Lega Serie A)
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Cedillo distributes Thanksgiving turkeys to 500 families By Andres de Ocampo LA Downtown News Staff Writer ith Thanksgiving around the corner, Councilmember Gil Cedillo, District 1, and his team organized turkey distributions for low-income seniors and families in the Glassell Park and Westlake/Pico-Union neighborhoods, showing community support through the pandemic. Cedillo said he has provided Thanksgiving turkeys to low-income families in the Westlake/Pico-Union neighborhood since 1998, when he became a California state assembly member. Cedillo’s tradition of providing Thanksgiving turkey distributions to these neighborhoods continued during his time as a California state senator in 2002 through now. The community turkey distribution was planned for three days — Nov. 16, Nov. 19 and Nov. 23 — to pre-selected District 1 community members to avoid large crowds and to maintain social distancing. On Nov. 16, Cedillo’s team spent 9 to 11 a.m. distributing turkeys to the homes of seniors with the help of Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), a nonprofit with the goal of providing “for the socioeconomic betterment of the greater Latino community of California.” The staging area was held at the Glassell Park Senior Citizen Center. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cedillo and his team convened at his Westlake Field Office, on Sixth and Bonnie Brae streets, and distributed more turkeys to families in the Westlake/Pico-Union area. Cedillo and his team will continue to distribute turkeys to low-income families in the Westlake/Pico-Union area, with one turkey per family, which will help 500 families by the end of the distribution schedule. Cedillo said helping to feed the com-
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Alejandra Delfin, a Westlake/Pico-Union community member, receives a turkey from Councilmember Gil Cedillo, District 1. Photo by Chris Mortenson
munity, through the turkey distributions, his Senior Meal Program and other food distribution efforts, is part of his mission as a city councilmember. “COVID-19 has made this (turkey distribution) more urgent and critical. We use our discretionary money on feeding communities in this area, and obviously food scarcity is a challenge for this district,” he said. Luis Gonzalez, deputy director of community organization with Team Cedillo, described the discretionary funds. “We are not the wealthiest district,” Gonzalez said. “Of course, there is a mix; (however, generally) these are low-income communities. Our discretionary funds are not as big as other coun-
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cilmembers, but Councilmember Cedillo them to reflect and move forward.” Cedillo spoke about the families livcommitted his discretionary funding that usually goes to printing, and to some ex- ing in the Westlake/Pico-Union area and tent, salaries to use those funds for the said many District 1 residents are essential workers who might be working in community.” Gonzalez said that instead of using the grocery stores or factories. They’re coumoney for events, Cedillo prioritized his pled with living in households with a discretionary funds to be directed to- large family living under one roof. Cedillo ward feeding the community and pro- saw the distribution as an opportunity to EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski viding COVID-19 relief through supplies, help and serve. STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero “Our COVID-19 testing andWRITERS: mobilizing vac- Kamala CONTRIBUTING Sara Edwards, Kirkjob is simply about service, and weTorres see this as an opportunity to serve,” cines. ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez “Thanksgiving is a special day,” Cedil- he said. “I’m very excited because we all CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos lo said. “Everyone has experienced loss haven’t seen each other for a while (due ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb of different FOUNDER types like loved Sue ones, spous- to COVID-19 and quarantining). This type EMERITUS: Laris es, children, employment, neighbors, so of interaction, (my team and I) miss it.” Alejandra Delfin, president of Cataliwe wanted to make sure we provide everyone a meal for Thanksgiving and for na Walton Neighborhood Association,
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: Mia Andrea, Andres de Ocampo, Derek Moskal, Luke Netzley CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Zakkary Brog, Jeff Favre, Laura Latzko, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Neville E. Guard, Fabio Lovino, Juan Mendez / Silent Servent ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548 FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris
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stopped by Cedillo’s Westlake Field Office for a turkey to feed her family of five on Thanksgiving. Delfin said the association works closely with Cedillo’s team to coordinate community trash cleanups and other volunteer work. The association is very active” in the Westlake/Pico-Union community, and Delfin enthusiastically said anytime she gets an opportunity to work with the community she never says “no,” because she enjoys helping. About receiving a turkey, Delfin said, “When they give us a turkey, that’s $10 or $15 that we can save. We can use that money to put toward bills. It’s a good help for us.” Delfin’s plan is to make turkey birria, a slow-cooked soup or stew, for her family to enjoy for a Thanksgiving dinner. Gabriela Zaragoza also stopped by for a turkey, which she will prepare for her family of six. Zaragoza, who does not live far from the councilmember’s Westlake Field Office, said, “The first thing I’m going to do is prepare my turkey for my family because we didn’t have one.” Having the opportunity to be a part of Cedillo’s turkey distribution is “a great option,” she said. “Times have been difficult right now. I wondered, ‘How am I going to have turkey for my family?’ I found out that Councilmember Cedillo was distributing turkeys and I said, ‘Thank God.’”
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Now, without having to worry about having a turkey for Thanksgiving, Zaragoza said her plans are to “just be together” with her family and “to give thanks to life and to God that we are still (alive) when other people are not here anymore.” Jovita Carrillo pulled her car up to the Westlake Field Office and loaded six turkeys into her trunk to distribute to other community members of the Westlake/ Pico-Union in District 1 who could not make it. Carrillo is president of the Berendo Neighborhood Association (BNA), which has been active for five years and is “under the umbrella” of Cedillo’s team, she said. Like Cedillo, Carrillo said she has been helping to distribute turkeys before Thanksgiving before working with BNA and now she is able to continue distributing turkeys with the help of Cedillo and his team. “It’s very great that we are able to have turkeys from (Councilmember Cedillo’s distribution),” she said. “There is a lot of people in my community, Pico-Union, and most of them don’t get a chance to have a turkey for dinner, so this will be very helpful for them.” “It’s amazing to have this opportunity. As the president of BNA, it feels wonderful to help families have a meal for Thanksgiving.”
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Los Angeles Self Storage a drop-off point for toys By LA Downtown News Staff os Angeles Self Storage is encouraging the public to bring unwrapped new toys to its facility for the Marine Toys for Tots. The objective of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to help needy children
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throughout the United States experience the joy of the holidays. Los Angeles Self Storage is hoping to break its collection records. Donors can drop off toys by Thursday, Dec. 9, to 1000 W. Sixth Street, Los Angeles. For more information, visit toysfortots.org.
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Michelle Della Penna empowers girls through racing nonprofit By Laura Latzko LA Downtown News Contributing Writer s the daughter of IndyCar team owner and driver John Della Penna, Michelle Della Penna grew up around the track, watching races, traveling with her dad on the circuit, and observing him working on cars. Learning to drive at age 11, Della Penna developed a love for motorsports at a young age. Through her new nonprofit, the Della Penna Motorsports Next Gen Foundation, she hopes to get young girls interested and involved in motorsports as youngsters. Della Penna is promoting her organization by appearing at the Los Angeles Auto Show through Sunday, Nov. 28, at the LA Convention Center. On Nov. 18, she hosted “Women Driving Change in Motorsports: VIP Brunch and Panel” as part of the event. “My father passed away two years ago,” she said. “I’d been thinking about a way to honor his legacy and manage my grief a little bit.
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This whole foundation is basically a love letter to my dad. “I’ve been very blessed in my life. I’ve done a lot of things I’ve wanted to do, and I’ve had that opportunity because people believed in me. My father believed I could do anything. If I can give back in any way and be someone who believes in someone else, that would be great.” She founded the Della Penna Motorsports Next Gen Foundation in March after a day at the go-kart track with her son. “We were out on the grid and, out of a pack of 20 kids, there were only two girls,” Della Penna said. “I got this question as to why there aren’t more girls out on the grid in 2021. Why there aren’t more girls in racing in general and how to support that.” Her original plan was to create a scholarship program for girls who want to get into go-karting. Scholarships, internships and mentorships are available. “Racing is a pretty exclusive sport,” she said. “If you don’t know someone who is in it, you’re probably not going to be involved. It can be quite expensive, and
Michelle Della Penna developed a love for motorsports at a young age. Her father is IndyCar team owner and driver John Della Penna. Photo by Chris Mortenson
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Through her new nonprofit, Michelle Della Penna hopes to get girls interested in motorsports.
Jimmy Vasser and Ed Jones with members of the Radical Monarchs.
Photo by Neville E. Guard
the barrier to entry is pretty high. So, I thought, what if we created a scholarship so that young girls can start racing at 5, 6, 7, get exposed to go-karting, really develop their talent and skills and maybe be able to move into a career?” The organization seeks to empower and educate girls from ages 5 to 16, providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to become drivers, engineers, developers, mechanics and pit-crew members. “He raised a fiercely independent feminist,” said Della Penna, a teacher, entrepreneur, and mother of three sons. “I was constantly bothering him as to why there weren’t more women. But he did have women engineers. He had a lot of women
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that worked for the team and always believed there was no reason that women shouldn’t be more at the forefront of the sport.” Della Penna plans to involve prominent women from the racing world, including Paretta Autosport CEO/Team Principal Beth Paretta; pioneer IndyCar driver Lyn St. James; and Cara Adams, director of race tire engineering and production for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and Firestone Racing. Penna said they can help young girls see the possibilities of working in the motorsports industry. “There are a lot of people at the top who want women in motorsports, especially
Photo by Neville E. Guard
women of color,” she said. “The problem is that there aren’t a lot of organizations that are willing to foster and nurture at ages 5, 6 and 7, where kids typically get involved in motorsports. So, I think because we are willing to do that heavy lifting, we’ve gotten a lot of support from people. “Also, women want to help women. They’ve been there. Lyn St. James was the only female driver back in the ’90s in IndyCar. It was not an easy road for her. She paved her own path. I think the tides are
turning, and I think people want to see more women in motorsports.” In September, the organization hosted its first day-at-the-track event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which included a chance to meet drivers and female engineers and to see vintage race car and memorabilia. Other events are in the planning stages. “We gave them an entire immersive experience into what it could look like at the track, what it could look like as a career,” Della Penna said.
The Della Penna Motorsports Next Gen Foundation nextgenfoundation.org
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Covered LETTERSCalifornia will help Wrong information Editor: As I suspected, Ellen Snortland’s remark that Jeannette Rankin could not vote for herself when she was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1916 was mistaken. According to Wikipedia, women got the right to vote in all Montana elections in 1914 by a ballot measure approved by the voters in that election. Mark Weiner From Ellen Snortland: First of all, how thrilling that a reader cares enough about women’s history to question dates. That probably wouldn’t have happened even 10 years ago. So for an advocate of women’s history, your letter makes me happy. One of the reasons that there was a large faction of suffragists that felt strongly about having a federal suffrage amendment is that suffrage was piecemeal all over the country. The 19th Amendment would create uniformity. Some states allowed women to vote in hyper-local elections, like school boards. Other states, like California, had women voting for the 1916 presidential election.
I should have been more nuanced in my statement about Rankin not being able to vote for herself. I haven’t been able to find documentation that the ballot measure in Montana allowed for the federal vote. I think it’s so great that you wrote in. And if you feel like it, please share your source with me and I will be a better historian because of you. America’s fifth wave Editor: Utah and a dozen or so other states are presently leading yet another wave of public health ignorance, ultra-libertarianism and COVID-19 case rises. Utah is frankly also leading in hypocrisy, given our state legislative leaders promised us Utah would lead the nation out of the pandemic, rather than back into it over and over again as we have. But it is wrong to pin the problem just on Utah, or just on Republican states. Disingenuousness (soft lying) is symptomatic of the whole national culture. We like to talk about ourselves using only the highest superlatives. Everything we do is “awesome.” Even the smallest little accomplishment is judged
Los primeros años de la vida de un niño son críticos para su desarrollo. Los niños en riesgo de un atraso en el desarrollo, o que muestran signos de atraso, pueden calificar para la intervención y los servicios a través del programa Early Start de California. En todo el estado de California, el programa Early Start es coordinado por los 21 centros regionales. Con la guía de los coordinadores de servicios, un plan individualizado de servicios y apoyos puede marcar la diferencia en el desarrollo de un niño. Para las personas mayores de 3 años, los centros regionales también brindan servicios y apoyos de por vida desde la edad escolar hasta la edad adulta, incluida la coordinación de servicios, la planificación de servicios individuales, educación relacionadas con la defensa y capacitación. En asociación con los Centros de Recursos Familiares, los padres y los miembros de la familia pueden recibir apoyo, orientación, información y referencias a recursos comunitarios. Debido a la disminución de las referencias durante el estado de emergencia de COVID-19, es importante saber que su centro regional local permanece abierto y está aceptando referencias. Aunque algunos miembros del personal del centro regional pueden estar trabajando de forma remota, continúan trabajando arduamente para garantizar que su hijo reciba los servicios que necesita. Para averiguar exactamente qué centro regional serviría a su familia, visite dds.ca.gov/services or dds.ca.gov/listings Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center 3303 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 383-1300 or (213) 252-5600 kyrc@lanterman.org | www.lanterman.org
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“perfect” by our perfectly trained customer service flatterers. Lately we have taken up the British adjective “brilliant,” even as we languish in a perpetual state of urban hog wallow. Our propensity to see awesomeness in obvious awfulness is the strategy of the business class to seduce every last dime out of our increasingly impoverished masses, before the ship of state slides noiselessly under the surface like the Titanic. Kimball Shinkoskey Vaccines of the future Editor: When COVID-19 first hit, Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned that development of a vaccine would take at least a year and a half. His timeline was derided by many scientists as “ridiculously optimistic.” There were good reasons for skepticism. The fastest any vaccine had ever previously been developed was in four years. And several of the vaccines in trials were based on new technology, messenger RNA. Yet in less than a year, the United States would deploy multiple COVID-19 vaccines and bring the end of the pandemic within sight. This is one of the most impressive scientific achievements in history — and it demonstrates the critical role research companies play in fighting threats to mankind. In America, especially, scientists and researchers are backed by hundreds of billions in private capital — and can draw from the best universities in the world. Thus, it is here that so much of the world’s cutting-edge research takes place. Indeed, American research companies develop two in every three new medicines. So, when the novel coronavirus was discovered, virtually every biopharmaceutical company began working around the clock to develop new vaccines and therapeutics. The government helped accelerate the process, of course, thanks to advance purchase commitments and the like. But it was mainly the private sector that identified ways to produce hundreds of millions of doses at an unprecedented rate. Today, thanks to these efforts, nearly 70% of eligible Californians are fully vaccinated. Imagine if we had had to wait another year — or even two — for a COVID-19 shot. The Commonwealth Fund estimates that without the U.S. vaccination program,
an additional 279,000 people would have died, and an additional 1.25 million been hospitalized, by July of this year. And of course, the economic devastation of another full-fledged lockdown would have been insurmountable. Yet we would have faced more lockdowns, hospitalizations and deaths if we didn’t have a research industry ready to take on COVID-19. Unfortunately, many leading Democrats are pushing for massive changes to the prescription drug market that would threaten the ecosystem that made these vaccines possible. Indeed, the new spending bill that’s making its way through Congress would extend price controls to dozens of branded medicines. While well intentioned — trips to the pharmacy have become too expensive — the effect this could have on patients and medical research deeply worries me. On average, it costs about $3 billion in private investment to bring a single new medication all the way from initial laboratory research to final regulatory approval. If price controls are adopted in the United States, research companies and their backers would quickly shut down research projects — as they wouldn’t even have a chance of recouping their upfront investment costs or earning a return. This would mean fewer new lifesaving medicines. Indeed, an August report from Congressional Budget Office found that HR 3 — a similar price control scheme — would reduce the number of new drugs coming to market by as many as 59 in the next three decades. A report from a University of Chicago economist had a far more dire prediction, estimating that over the next 20 years, the bill could kill the development of up to 342 new drugs. Slamming the breaks on biotech research would also degrade the quality of our labs and the skills of our workforce. Consider the impact this would have when the next pandemic rolls around. Whipping up a new vaccine is not a simple matter of signing an executive order or passing a law. Rather than impose drug price controls that punish inventors and their backers, our congressional leaders should preserve the ecosystem that has so successfully encouraged innovation to date. It has saved countless lives during this pandemic and will serve us well amid public health crises to come. Amina Zeghar Campbell
Hey you! Speak up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community. Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.
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Thanksgiving for some, heartbreak for others By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist ose Elizabeth Bird, the late, great 25th chief justice of the California Supreme Court — and the only female ever to hold that office — famously said, “We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it. … That does not fit my definition of a good tenant. If we were here on a month-to-month basis, we would have been evicted long ago.” “Daddy, why are people Republicans?” I was about 10 years old and already rabidly loyal to Democrats, despite not really grasping the whole partisan divide — just like now! “Some people are afraid of sharing what they’ve got. They are afraid there won’t be enough for them,” he said. “Is that true?” I asked. “In the short term, maybe. But in the long term, if the world is ruined from greed, it won’t be good for anyone.” I thought about his answer, and I’m still thinking about it. Some questions can’t be answered un-
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til it’s too late. “Daddy, why aren’t we Republicans?” “We were very poor, and we know what it’s like to not have enough. But always remember to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. If we had the same parents, the same family, the same background, the same events, we might have been Republicans. But I want you to always think about being an Indian. How must they feel?” My dad’s generation called Native Americans “Indians,” as they hadn’t yet learned about the lives of Indigenous peoples and Columbus’ crimes. We were in the Dakotas and very aware of Native Americans. Thanks to my dad, I learned to think about how Native Americans must feel, especially on Thanksgiving. Now we are not only deconstructing Columbian history but Pilgrims’, too. Americans are great at many positive things yet are also geniuses at accepting historical BS and whitewashing, the term used advisedly. Rose Bird’s quote about tenancy re-
verberates in my brain: probed, excavated, burned. These are not words of benign neglect: They are active and forceful. Try to imagine the heartache that Indigenous people worldwide feel from the mass destruction of colonization. To raise the empathy quotient for us Americans, I have a strong recommendation for this year’s Thanksgiving holiday. At your table or during the holiday weekend, read excerpts from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s eloquent book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.” You probably won’t have time to read the whole thing, but reading an essay at a time is both delicious and confronting. Dr. Kimmerer holds a unique position as an enrolled member of an Indigenous clan in New York state and a professor with scientific credentials in academia. Cynics often say, “Native knowledge is no longer relevant,” which is not valid. Kimmerer provides ample evidence of how the wisdom of her forebears has reversed ecological disasters. You may be familiar with the Three Sisters of beans, squash and corn. Indigenous peoples attempted to teach the Pilgrims about the Sisters, as they knew European single-crop myopia was not sustainable. Nutritionally, corn, beans and squash together provide a healthy and sustainable human diet. Sadly, the Europeans wouldn’t accept any agricultural guidance from “savages,” ancient wisdom be damned, Kimmerer writes of the Three Sisters: “Of all the wise teachers who have come into my life, none are more eloquent than these, who wordlessly in leaf and vine embody the knowledge of relationship. Alone, a bean is just a vine, squash an oversize leaf. Only when standing together with
corn does a whole emerge which transcends the individual. The gifts of each are more fully expressed when they are nurtured together than alone. In ripe ears and swelling fruit, they counsel us that all gifts are multiplied in relationship. This is how the world keeps going.” We again are witnessing the catastrophic results of greed; sustainability be damned. Our irrational, exploitable fear of “socialism” is a symptom of our degraded educational system combined with a decadeslong assault on empathy. I can be as guilty of blind consumerism as the next American, and then I’ll lose sleep over what to do with everything I have. Chief Justice Bird spoke of eviction but not about another pillar of tenant/landlord law: uninhabitability. A tenant can be legally forgiven from paying rent if they can show that (a) their rented dwelling is uninhabitable, (b) the tenants have made the landlord aware of the substandard conditions, and (c) the landlord has refused to bring the dwelling up to standards of “livability.” In the instance of our planet, who are the tenants and who are the landlords? We are often both. I would argue that enormous, selfish corporations — especially the Fossil Fuel Masters and their Republican toadies — are the “landlords.” It’s so twisted, as they and their families live on the same planet. Don’t they want to make the joint livable? It’s mind-boggling. M eanwhile, at your Thanksgiving, please give thanks to the Tongva whose lands we occupy. It’s the least we can do. Thank you, Tongva. Ellen Snortland has thankfully been writing a gender column for decades. Contact her at authorbitebybite.com.
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The Turkey Trot’s route begins at City Hall and takes participants around Grand Park, the Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Spring Street.
The ninth annual Turkey Trot Los Angeles 5K and 10K is expected to attract thousands to DTLA on Thanksgiving.
Photos courtesy of the Turkey Trot
Turkey Trot run returns to fight homelessness By Zakkary Brog LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he ninth annual Turkey Trot Los Angeles 5K and 10K is expected to attract thousands to DTLA on Thanksgiving. A collaborative between USA-UAE United and The Midnight Mission, the event hopes to raise $100,000 to fight homelessness in Los Angeles. The United Arab Emirates Consulate General of Los Angeles is the sponsor for the sixth consecutive year. It will match the participants’ donations, up to $20,000. UAE Consul General in LA Hazza Alkaabi said Turkey Trot recognizes shared values between the UAE and United States over the last 50 years. “One of those values that is important is serving your community,” Alkaabi said. “This is a principle that is instilled deeply in UAE culture. Everybody back home is looking after neighbors, friends and less-fortunate people.” To help the less fortunate in Los Angeles, the organization is partnering with The Midnight Mission. For more than a century, The Midnight Mission has offered services such as development programs and training for family living and jobs. G. Michael Arnold, president and chief executive officer of The Midnight Mission, views the Turkey Trot as a way to share the values of the Thanksgiving holiday with the underserved. “Thanksgiving is all about having a lot to eat and being with your family,” Arnold said. “Those are two key elements that people experiencing homelessness don’t have. It’s also a time for people to recognize and give thanks for the bounty that they have in their lives. People are always looking for a way to give back. Thanksgiving feels better when you’re able to share. Thanksgiving
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is a great opportunity that provides us the ability to make sure that there’s no one going hungry on the streets of Skid Row, that there’s no one cold at night on the streets of Skid Row, as well as enroll people around the issue of homelessness. It’s become — and has been for a long time — a very big issue here in Los Angeles. It combines that ability to enjoy and relish the fact that you have a lot of food, you have a family that you can go to, as well as feel like you’re sharing that experience with agencies that are able to step out and provide that.” The route begins at City Hall and takes participants around Grand Park, the Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Spring Street. Athletes may take part virtually as well. “There are people that want to participate that don’t live in LA,” said Brennan Linder, co-founder and president of Generic Events. “This provides an opportunity to help fundraise for the Midnight Mission and make a difference but also participate in something greater than themselves. They get the shirt and the medal in the mail, and there’s the Runkeeper App that tracks where they’re going so they get a result.” Kids ages 2 to 12 may participate in the “Widdle Wobble,” which consists of a small run around Grand Park as well as a kid zone with other activities. The event begins with the 5K at 8 a.m., followed by the 10K at 9 a.m. Race packets may be picked up beginning at 6:45 a.m. Registration starts at $45, and the highest donation over $2,000 will win a vacation to The Ridge on Sedona Golf Course in Sedona, Arizona. All participants will receive a shirt, medal and bib. For more information, visit turkeytrot.la.
The event hopes to raise $100,000 to fight homelessness in Los Angeles.
All participants will receive a shirt, medal and bib.
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Skating will be available on an 80-by-60-foot ice rink across the field. Rendering courtesy of the Dodgers
Dodger Blue turns green and red for the holidays By Derek Moskal LA Downtown News Staff Writer hile many fans would prefer to be at Dodger Stadium on warm summer nights watching the Boys in Blue on the field, the baseball team is putting a holiday spin on visits. Started by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), the Dodgers Holiday Festival aims to keep the holidays Dodger Blue for fans and Angelenos with lights, food, festivities and ice skating in center field. “The event is aimed to provide our community with a festive and memorable holiday outing that is fun for the whole family,” said Caroline Morgan, the vice president of digital and analyzing strategy for the Dodgers. After seeing similar events like this at other stadiums and arenas across the country, the Dodgers decided to make it happen last year. However, due to COVID-19, the festival was switched to an immersive drive-thru with lights, holiday symbols such as Christmas trees and menorahs, as well as Dodger memorabilia to celebrate the team’s World Series Championship the previous October. This holiday season will be more innovative and active, as fans will be able
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to eat and drink beyond the outfield pavilions as well as skate on the 80-by-60foot ice rink across the field. The food includes regular Dodger Stadium staples such as Dodger Dogs, as well holiday themed food and drinks. Santa Claus will set up his workshop where stars such as Kenley Jansen usually warm up before closing out Dodger victories — the bullpen. Guests can reserve one-hour time slots to take pictures with Santa. Along with Santa and the usual aesthetic beauty of the stadium, there will be huge backdrops of wrapped presents, a 40-foot Christmas tree, and the seemingly endless number of light patterns. The LADF also has goals to give back to the less fortunate in the community. An outfield gift shop will boast shirts, bobbleheads and autographed memorabilia. The team will also accept gently used baseball and softball gloves to give to Dodger RBI, which is its sports-based youth development program. Of course, safety is a priority, so at the entrance guests either need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours before the event. Masks are also highly encouraged but not required.
Dodgers Holiday Festival WHEN: Friday, Nov. 26, to Friday, Dec. 31; 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays, 3 to 10 p.m. weekends WHERE: Dodger Stadium, 1000 Vin Scully Avenue, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $16; parking starts at $12 INFO: dodgers.com/holidayfestival
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‘Goodwill’ leads Sarah Hunt to the stage By Jeff Favre LA Downtown News Contributing Writer andom, unexpected acts of kindness that transform lives is the core of Charles Dickens’ endearing, enduring holiday classic. It’s also at the heart of the story of how fledgling teen actress Sarah Hunt came to the Ahmanson Theatre 13 years ago. This month, Hunt — now a Broadway veteran — and a celebrated revision of the timeless classic share the stage. “A Christmas Carol,” with “West Wing” star Bradley Whitford as Ebenezer Scrooge, will end its multicity tour at Downtown’s Ahmanson. Written by Jack Thorne, directed by Thomas Caruso, based on Matthew Warchus’ original staging, the show opens Nov. 30. Hunt, who debuted in 2008 at the Ahmanson in the national tour of “Spring Awakening,” portrays Belle, Scrooge’s onetime love. Like the Cratchit family’s happily ever after that comes from Scrooge’s generosity, Hunt’s career took off thanks to a sim-
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ple moment of goodwill from her high school theater teacher in the small Portland, Oregon, suburb of Milwaukie. “Ernie Casciato, who ran the theater department at La Salle (Catholic College Preparatory) and cultivated quite a few actors out of that tiny school, handed me a flier early my senior year,” Hunt recalled. “And he said, ‘You know what, Sarah, wink wink, I don’t think you’ll embarrass yourself if you go on this.’” The flier announced auditions for the first national tour of the Tony-winning musical “Spring Awakening.” “So, I took the flier, learned the materials, skipped school, said that I had a doctor’s appointment, and went Downtown and auditioned. And it took off from there.” After the tour, she attended — and graduated from — Juilliard. In 2014, Hunt made her Broadway debut in “The Last Ship.” She’s spent time in Los Angeles acting for TV, most notably a recurring role as Laney on TNT’s “Animal Kingdom.” In 2019, she returned to Broadway in
the premiere of “A Christmas Carol.” It was the script by Thorne, whose “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” has become a theatrical phenomenon, that attracted Hunt to the production. “What got me when I first read the script was how imaginative it is and how the retelling made it actually feel way more truthful,” Hunt said. “And even though this story is like 180 years old, it feels very contemporary. Somewhere in the spectacle of it all, you let your guard down as an audience member, because you think you’re watching a story about others that you know, which allows you by the end to actually see yourself more objectively, and it’s a really rare occasion where we can truly see ourselves objectively.” The other aspect that Hunt enjoys is the heavy use of music and technological wizardry of the show, compliments of Warchus, who premiered the show at London’s Old Vic, where he is artistic director. Caruso, who has worked with Warchus on several productions, took charge of
the tour. His goal is to maintain the integrity of the Broadway version, while allowing the many new cast members the freedom to showcase their talents into the mix. “It’s important that we honor the amazing talents of the people we have involved,” Caruso said. “It’s about knowing what the parameters of the show are but also encouraging people to explore. Sarah is a spectacularly collaborative actress, working with what Bradley Whitford brings to rehearsals. So, the relationship they create together is different and exciting in a completely different way than what she had with Campbell Scott on Broadway.” The production includes several surprises, some of which involve the audience. The world of vaccinations and masking creates new challenges, but it’s one that Center Theatre Group Managing Director and CEO Meghan Pressman said they have been readying for nearly two years. “I’m so thrilled this is the return show,” Pressman said. “Our schedule kept chang-
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Sarah Hunt as Belle and Campbell Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” on Broadway. It comes to the Ahmanson Theatre from Tuesday, Nov. 30, to Saturday, Jan. 1. Photo courtesy of Sarah Hunt
ing over the year. It’s a magical production. The storytelling is bold and beautiful. It’s for families, but it’s also so adult smart. It does totally focus on welcoming the audience. Pressman said the priority is to make the Ahmanson a safe space and that she hopes the audience will help by being patient dealing with the current situation. She believes the show will help au-
diences feel good. It also will mark a return of CTG as a more active community participant. Following each performance, donations will be collected to support the South LA Cafe Community Foundation, which focuses on community access and equity for food justice, workforce development, impact entrepreneurship and conscious business building.
That’s only one of the many elements of the show that Hunt said still makes her
emotional. “I love sitting in the audience during tech and watching all of it come together,” she said. “For someone who’s read the script hundreds of times and seen hundreds of performances, I still cry. And that is testament to the story and how they’ve really built out all those little features to just get you.” One person who won’t be in attendance is Casciato, Hunt’s theater teacher who facilitated her first break. He saw her in “Spring Awakening” and remained an active supporter until he died in August. But Hunt was able to tell him how much his instruction and encouragement meant to her. “I was able to many times say thank you for seeing me before I could see myself and for giving me the confidence to trust myself,” she said. “Because a lot of people don’t do that for teenagers, who are like, ‘I think I want to sing and dance.’ I had the opportunity to let him know what he really did for me. And it wasn’t just career based. It’s also about self. He taught me a lot about myself.”
“A Christmas Carol” WHEN: Various times Tuesday, Nov. 30, to Saturday, Jan. 1 WHERE: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $40 INFO: 213-628-2772, centertheatregroup.org
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Holiday events abound in DTLA By Mia Andrea LA Downtown News Staff Writer Sparkle DTLA Through Sunday, Jan. 2 Nearly 18 million hues of light will illuminate The Bloc in Downtown LA during Sparkle DTLA. The path of interactive, multi-colored lights synchronizes to music at the start of every hour and serves as the festive backdrop for photos. A 32foot Christmas tree and 16-foot ornament are included among the holiday displays. All ages are invited, and pets are welcome. The Bloc, 700 W. Seventh Street, Los Angeles, 5 p.m., free admission, 213454-4926, theblocla.com LA Zoo Lights Through Sunday, Jan. 9 After pausing the show for a year, L.A. Zoo Lights has returned for its sixth year. The zoo invites guests to explore light displays such as the world’s largest pop-up storybook, giant snowflakes and twinkling animal statues during the after-dark experience. Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, start times vary, $22, 323644-4200, lazoo.org
DTLA Holiday Adventure Scavenger Hunt Monday, Nov. 22, to Sunday, Jan. 2 Search the streets of LA for hidden gems and holiday décor that could lead to prizes. Participants compete in festive challenges while following paths of glittering lights and sites. The top 100 players on the leaderboard by the end of the search will win up to $100 in gift cards to businesses in Downtown LA. For the more competitive players, those ranked in the top five will win $500 in gift cards. The scavenger hunt can be completed in less than one day or can extend through several days Free, download of Eventzee app required, 213-624-2425, downtownla.com Dodgers Holiday Festival Friday, Nov. 26, to Dec. 31 Celebrate the holiday season in the newly renovated Centerfield Plaza at Dodger Stadium. Visitors can ice skate, enjoy holiday-themed food, meet Santa and his elves, and watch nightly live entertainment from the bullpens. Dodger Stadium, 1000 Vin Scully Avenue, Los Angeles, 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays, 3 to 10 p.m. weekends, $16, 866363-4377, mlb.com/dodgers
The renovated Centerfield Plaza at Dodger Stadium is transforming into a holiday festival this winter. Rendering ourtesy of the Dodgers
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L.A. Zoo Lights is returning after taking a break for a year. Submitted photo
Small Business Block Party Saturday, Nov. 27, to Sunday Nov. 28 ROW DTLA is partnering with LA Original to host the Small Business Block Party. Live music, a beer garden, food vendors and family-friendly fun can all be found at the event. The first 100 people to arrive will receive a free ice cream sandwich from Coolhaus. ROW DTLA, 777 S. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, noon to 5 p.m., free admission, 213-988-8890, rowdtla.com
A Very Merry Winter Market Saturday, Dec. 4 As We Dwell is an open space for creatives to share their work and cultivate an inspiring environment for independent artists. Typewriter Connection, one of the group’s “dwellers,” is hosting A Very Merry Winter Market Event to offer handmade artwork, gift wrapping and baked goods. As We Dwell, 1131 E. Fifth Street, Los Angeles, noon to 6 p.m., free admission, aswedwell.com
“A Christmas Carol” Tuesday, Nov. 30, to Saturday, Jan. 1 Christmas spirit floods the stage with reimagined performances of the classic holiday play at the Ahmanson Theatre. Emmy winner Bradley Whitford stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in playwright Jack Thorne’s “A Christmas Carol.” Audience members of all ages will hear 12 joyful Christmas carols and watch the most awarded show of the season. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, $40-$150, 213-6282772, centertheatregroup.org
“Home Alone” in Concert Saturday Dec. 11 to Sunday, Dec. 12 The LA Philharmonic brings the music behind Kevin McCallister’s classic antics to life as he defends his home from filthy holiday thieves. While the audience views a screening of “Home Alone,” the orchestra performs songs from John William’s renowned score from the family film. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, various times, $59-$191, 323-850-2000, laphil.com
Jewish Heritage Night at LA Clippers vs. Sacramento Kings Wednesday, Dec. 1 Celebrate the third night of Hanukkah with the LA Clippers on Jewish Heritage Night as they take on the Sacramento Kings. Past Hanukkah celebrations during Clippers games at Staples Center include candle lightings, menorah blessings, and performances from the Jewish Children’s Choir. Fans with tickets to the game can receive a free, special-edition Jewish heritage T-shirt upon arrival. Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m., $20-$235, 213742-7100, nba.com/clippers
LA County Holiday Celebration Friday, Dec. 24 Last-minute holiday festivities among multiple cultures can be found at the 62nd Annual LA County Holiday Celebration at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Live performances ranging from a Korean dance troupe to an all-female mariachi band showcase the diversity of traditions of the county. Choirs, dancers and more artistry can also be viewed from a livestream on PBS SoCal. And even better, admission is free. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 3 to 6 p.m., free admission, 213-972-0711, musiccenter.org
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LA Café: Homemade in DTLA By LA Café The LA Café thrives on creating fresh food daily from scratch in its kitchen with the best ingredients — local eggs and produce, extra virgin olive oil, French chocolate, imported olives and cheeses, and garden-fresh herbs. They marinate and roast their Angus roast beef and carne asada, farm fresh-raised turkey and chicken and bake many of their own specialty items. Their proprietary chili, soups, sauces, salad dressings and spreads are creative and deliver the homemade quality and taste that is LA Café’s hallmark. The menu boasts gluten-free and vegan options, including the Impossible burger. The LA Café is open late every day for patio dining. Takeout and delivery are available by calling 213-612-3000 or visit thelacafe.com.
Lobster, brie cheese, tarragon, mustard, fish protein and cheddar cheese sit between country white bread for the lobster grilled cheese ($14.95). Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Film School
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Ginger Q’s contribution to “Where Do We Go from Here?” can be seen from a distance and encourages viewers to look up. The neon sign reading “Estamos Aqui” shines in green neon. Photo courtesy of 7Main
Artists envision a future where all participate By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he LA Fashion District is home to a new public art exhibition that asks an important question: “Where do we go from here?” On display around the clock, this exhibition by three women of color invites the public to discuss the future — one that is moving forward from a time of pandemic, a time of racial reckoning, a time of economic upheaval. What sort of world does the community want to build? The exhibition is visible through March 1 from the street level of 700 S. Main Street. “The LA Fashion District is a neighborhood of artists, designers and oth-
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er creative people,” said Dean Nucich, managing principal at Urban Offerings, which provided the space at 7Main. “With this exhibition, the building itself acts as a canvas for creative expression. We were honored to create a space for local women artists, and to welcome the community to participate in the experience outdoors in a COVID-19 safe way.” Zehra Ahmed brings her Womxn in Windows multimonitor, multimedia installation to the site; Janna Ireland contributes six original photographs; and Ginger Q created a 6-foot neon sign reading “Estamos Aqui,” which translates from Spanish to “we are here.” Tré Borden said the exhibition was born from the vacant business spots.
“They wanted to give people a reason to experience the district and feel there is this exciting momentum of community,” Borden said. Borden said it wasn’t enough to just do something “cool.” It had to have meaning. “People are really thinking deeply about the future right now,” Borden said. “Where do we go from here is a question a lot of people are asking. We are taking conversations happening in private and using these art projects to activate people’s imagination. It is a compelling way to spark creative envisioning.” Starting with Womxn in Windows Involving the public in an interactive way was important to Borden, which is why Ahmed’s exhibition has two parts. The first part has the multimonitor installation featuring moving images by five artists: Kesh, Moshtari, Olivia Gastaldo, RaFia Santana and Moreshin Allahyari. The second part invites LA artists to submit works with their interpretation of this year’s theme. For their part, guests can scan the installation’s QR code and respond. Selections from those contributions will be displayed on the monitors at the exhibition. The exhibit opened on Oct. 15, and after the first month, the screens will transition to a community bulletin board. “You can scan the code in my curatorial statement that will lead to my website, which has a link to a Google Sheet,” Borden said. “People can answer the questions, and we will capture the responses and create graphics with the different texts. It is an opportunity for the community to hear themselves and for people to express themselves.” They’ll start with a few answers that help to demonstrate how people can participate. At the end of the year, they’ll aggregate several responses and replace them until the end date. Borden said he has long been impressed with the Womxn in Windows project and its commitment to making sure new voices are amplified. “They are really beautiful,” Borden said. “It is the perfect piece to anchor the project Downtown in the Fashion District. Her project speaks to women-identifying artists, so cis women, trans women, all sorts of people who identify from a variety of communities and who deserve visibility. In a planet where just a narrow slice of people has been able to dictate how things are run, it is more important than ever that a far greater sample of the population are able to dictate how we are thinking
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about solutions.” Borden said there is special power in the space that the exhibition exists in. They are what he calls “raw spaces.” The buildings have been revamped, but guests can see past the television into the empty spaces. “You want to work with people who understand the opportunities and limitations of spaces like this,” Borden said. “As someone who has been able to pop this installation up around the world in a variety of circumstances, it is great to have Zehra on board, as she can roll with the punches.” Each of the five artists has contributed a variety of video art from short films, ranging from shot footage to animations. Some have dialog; some are lyrical. Each video loops continuously. Next to each television is a listing of the artist’s name, the titles of the project, the geographic communities they hail from, and the identities they have. Focusing on children’s play Ireland is an African American photographer born in Philadelphia, now based in Los Angeles. She teaches visual arts and media studies at Pasadena City College. “Janna is very special,” Borden said. “I’ve admired her work for many years, and this is my first chance to work with her directly on a new project. I worked with her before on her existing work. All the artists are women of color, but she is the only one who is a mother.” Her role as a mother dictated the work in the “How Big is the Earth” exhibition. It has six original photographs printed on silk that all respond to the prompt, “Where do we go from here?” She focused on the world she wants her children to inherit. The photos depict her children engaged in play and exploration. “It is easy to focus on the likelihood of a worse future,” Borden said. “But for Janna, when she thinks about a future, she thinks about her children’s future — what are we preparing for her two young boys? “During the pandemic, she spent a lot of time photographing them. She incorporated time with her children into her artwork to create something that was deeply meaningful as a parent and artist.” Borden said the audience can share in the same sense of wonder and curiosity about the future that the children do. “It is what children in decent circumstances do — they contemplate the future positively,” Borden said. Lighting up the sky
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Ginger Q’s contribution can be seen from a distance and encourages viewers to look up. The neon sign reading “Estamos Aqui” shines in green neon from the top of the building. The story draws upon the rich heritage of the site, which used to be Dearden’s furniture store. Dearden’s was one of the few places that would credit undocumented and new immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Even more crucially, thousands of immigrants earned their citizenship using Dearden’s receipts to prove that they were in the United States. Social media responded favorably to Ginger Q’s work with people sharing the role the store played in their lives — how their uncle used to work there, or an extended relative used a receipt for immigration purposes, or how someone got her quinceanera dress there or furniture for their relatives. The project gives context to the neighborhood in a way that Borden calls powerful and relevant. It helps us to think about the future by paying at-
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tention to our past and where we have been, he said. “When you think about the future, a lot of the reason there is so much disarray and confusion about where we are and where we might be going is a lack of acknowledgment and respect for what has gone on before,” Borden said. “When you don’t have context or agreement about what has transpired, it is hard to get consensus about where we should go.” He said that while there is a tendency to undermine or discard the contributions of the Latino community, its contribution — and the contribution of immigrants — to the Fashion District and the entire region cannot be overstated. “This building and business stood out among many in LA for really being an anchor and a lifeline for that community,” Borden said. “Many community members remember Deardens and what this business was doing for their community. It’s really important for historical narratives that respect and acknowledge the past (to exist). Her piece is really powerful.”
He said the sign means a lot to Spanish-speaking people, who know this is for them. Underheard voices Together, the three exhibits cover different bases but share a similar value, Borden said. All are focused on making a world that works for more people — for people of color, for women identifying people. It imagines a future where the curiosity and ingenuity of young Black men are recognized, as is immigrants’ resilience. “I think they are definitely in conversation with each other,” Borden said of the three artistic contributions to the exhibition. “There is the hopeful future we are creating. There are three really visible artists speaking their truths in vi-
tal and bold ways that push the conversation forward.” Borden said that everyone can contribute to the conversation. Borden said a young, creative, Black person shared it was refreshing a wide-ranging exhibit Downtown. “We are not speaking to just our community, but it is our communities that are speaking,” said Borden, who identifies as a Black, queer person. “It is not every day that very powerful and influential developers give space to a bunch of queer people and women. It is important to acknowledge that the source of partnerships can form between people who care about the community. I hope this project establishes a template that people believe can be successful and workable.”
“Where Do We Go from Here?” WHEN: Through Tuesday, March 1 WHERE: Visible from the street level of 7Main, 700 S. Main Street. COST: Free INFO: fashiondistrict.org
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NOVEMBER 22, 2021
ARTS & CULTURE
The intermission is over: Cirque du Soleil returns By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Staff Writer n a recent press conference at the Staples Center, Cirque du Soleil President Daniel Lamarre and Senior Vice President Mike Newquist announced their partnership with LA Live alongside AEG President Dan Beckerman. Cirque du Soleil’s iconic, eye-catching performers will take the stage at the Microsoft Theater each spring for the next five years starting in 2022. “The intermission is over. We’re back,” Lamarre joyfully declared. “And when I look to LA Live, there is no better place in Los Angeles to establish our home.” Originally composed of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil reinvented the art of the circus and has gone on to become a world leader in live entertainment. The organization was founded in Montreal and has since brought their shows to over 200 million spectators across six continents. “Cirque du Soleil is the best in the industry. They are the gold standard in our business when it comes to creating content, producing content, and putting on incredible performances,” Beckerman said. “It’s truly a groundbreaking partnership. We shared a vision that our venue is the perfect venue to showcase their incredible talents and their incredible shows.” With this new partnership, Cirque du Soleil and AEG are looking to establish a long-standing tradition in Los Angeles that will see a series of over 50 performances each year to an audience of nearly 3.5 million in LA County alone. “Los Angeles was the very first city that Cirque performed in outside of Canada,”
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The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) is hiring! TLF is looking to fill the following roles at its Downtown L.A. office: The first few years of a child’s life are critical for their development. Children at risk of a developmental delay, or showing any signs of delay, may qualify for intervention and services through the Early Start program of California. Across the state of California, the Early Start program is coordinated by all 21 regional centers. With the guidance of service coordinators, an individualized plan for services and supports can make a difference in a child’s development. For individuals over the age of 3, the regional centers also provide lifelong services and supports from the school age years through adulthood, including service coordination, individual service planning, education related advocacy and training In partnership with the Family Resource Centers, parents and family members may receive parent-to-parent support, guidance, information and referrals to community resources. Due to the decline in referrals during the COVID-19 State of Emergency, it is important to know that your local regional center remains open and is accepting referrals. Although some regional center staff may be working remotely, they continue to work hard to ensure your child is receiving the services they need. To find out exactly which regional center would serve your family, please visit dds.ca.gov/services or dds.ca.gov/listings Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center 3303 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 383-1300 or (213) 252-5600 kyrc@lanterman.org | www.lanterman.org
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• Programs & Outreach Associate • Senior Programs & Outreach Associate • Programs & Outreach Manager $1,500 - $2,500 Sign On Bonus! For more information and to apply, please contact: Mr. Kim L. Hunter, Chairman & CEO Email: kimhunter@lagrant.com Phone: 323-469-8680 Ext. 225 Our Mission: The LAGRANT Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to increase the number of ethnic minorities in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations by providing scholarships, career & professional development workshops, mentors and internships to African American/Black, Alaska Native/Native American, Asian American/ Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino undergraduate and graduate students. Our goal is to open the proverbial “door” for minorities by providing the necessary resources and tools not commonly available to many minorities entering the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations. Learn more about The LAGRANT Foundation at www.lagrantfoundation.org
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NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Newquist said. “For us to have this as our marquee location and permanent home, we can’t thank this city and our partners enough.” As Cirque du Soleil returns to the city of Los Angeles, so too does “OVO,” which debuted in Montreal in 2009. With a cast comprised of 52 performers of 15 nationalities, “OVO” tells the epic tale of a day in the life of insects through jaw-dropping acrobatic acts and colorfully chaotic showmanship. “OVO” remains one of Cirque du Soleil’s most successful shows, as it has dazzled audiences in over 155 cities in 26 different countries, all while pushing the physical and creative limits of artistic expression. “There is nothing like human performance,” Lamarre described. “There is nothing like seeing an artist perform, and that’s what we have to offer at Cirque du Soleil.” Cirque du Soleil is not only committed to showcasing innovative, awe-inspiring performances around
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the world, but also to making a positive impact on the communities that they visit along the way. “Every time we come to a city, we spend quite a bit of time getting involved with the local community,” Lamarre explained. “Our artists are not only well trained in the way of their acrobatic tricks, but they are also, by definition as artists, heavily involved in the community, and we will use our visit in Los Angeles to work in collaboration with local organizations.” This involvement has come in the form of holding training seminars for young kids to inspire and encourage their interest in gymnastics as well as working closely with the International Gymnastic Federation, the global governing body for gymnastics. Tickets for select performances of Cirque du Soleil’s “OVO” this spring are available online exclusively for Club Cirque members, and general on-sale will begin on Dec. 3 ahead of the March 16 premier at the Microsoft Theater, the new home of Cirque du Soleil.
“The intermission is over,” announced Cirque du Soleil President Daniel Lamarre alongside performers from the hit show “OVO.” Photo courtesy of Lobeline Communications
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NOVEMBER 22, 2021
Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help
Adam Driver stars as Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga stars as Patrizia Reggiani in Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures film. Photo by Fabio Lovino @2021, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.
Go behind the scenes of ‘House of Gucci’ By LA Downtown News Staff etro Goldwyn Mayer and United Artists Releasing have partnered with the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising for a “House of Gucci” exhibit at the FIDM Museum from Tuesday, Nov. 23, to Saturday, Dec. 4. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “House of Gucci” is inspired by the true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge and, ultimately, murder. Presenting an exclusive mix of “House of Gucci” photography, film footage, and costumes curated by costume designer Janty Yates, this exhibition of-
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fers audiences an immersive experience and backstage access to director Ridley Scott’s upcoming crime drama starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, with Salma Hayek and Al Pacino. With exhibition curation and creative direction led by Melina Matsoukas’ De La Revolución, in conjunction with MGM and United Artists Releasing, the exhibit explores the world of the “House of Gucci” through exclusive new film stills, unit photography shot during film production, behind-the-scenes photography, and cast portraits shot by photographer Cuba Tornado Scott. “Making this film has been an extraordinarily rewarding experience, and this exhibition serves as an extension and showcase of the terrific work by my remarkable team of artists,” Scott said. FIDM will host activities around the “House of Gucci” exhibit as well.
“House of Gucci” Exhibit WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, to Saturday, Dec. 4 WHERE: FIDM Museum, 919 S. Grand Avenue, LA COST: Free admission INFO: welcometothehouseofgucci.com
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NOVEMBER 22, 2021
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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help
Nitzer Ebb —Douglas McCarthy, left, and Bon Harris — headlines the second day of Substance at The Belasco. Photo by Juan Mendez / Silent Servant
Nitzer Ebb wants fans to join in the chant By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor itzer Ebb programmer/drummer Bon Harris didn’t get into music for the fame or money. In 1982, Harris and school friends Douglas McCarthy and drummer David Gooday founded the industrial band in England to channel their emotions and energy. Those traits keep Nitzer Ebb relevant nearly 40 years later. “People have always connected with that,” Harris said. “I think a lot of the tracks were written with youthful energy on our part, with the requisite late-teens, early 20s angst. That’s the universal thing. (At concerts), you’re always going to get teenagers with a lot of angst.” Nitzer Ebb will bond with fans when it headlines the second day of Substance on Saturday, Nov. 27, at The Belasco. The band’s set will feature revamped versions of its singles, which include “Join in the Chant,” “Family Man,” “Getting Closer” and Get Clean.” “We reworked a lot of the songs so there’s a bit more of a modern take on them,” Harris said. “We emphasize the danceable aspects of the show. Everybody’s ready for that after being shut away in their houses.” The pandemic doesn’t necessarily want to align with those beliefs, though. Nitzer Ebb postponed a Vancouver show after the city, McCarthy said, required general admission shows to be seated. “No one was allowed to dance,” the DTLA resident said. “That doesn’t really work with
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our shows. The promoter agreed with us that we postpone the show. “However, we’re very openly pro being vaccinated, and if the restriction is you need to show your vaccination card to get in, so be it.” For the musical facelifts, McCarthy and Harris kept at a distance, allowing band members vocalist/drummer Gooday and writer/arranger Simon Granger do the heavy lifting. “Some of the impetus to get them involved was to hand them the song and say, ‘Do what you do foundationally with your Stark stuff and we’ll take it from there,’” Harris said about Gooday and Granger’s band. “They laid the foundation, and Doug and I came in and tweaked it. We met in the middle and took a bit more of a dance, underground approach to it. In the end, it was quite easy. We divided the labor, and it kept it fresh.” Harris and McCarthy said they thoroughly enjoyed the process, especially because they did it in their hometown of Chelmsford, Essex, England. “It was nice coming full circle,” Harris said. “We were back in rehearsal rooms in the town where we founded Nitzer Ebb years and years ago. It was really fun, actually.” McCarthy added it was interesting “and a relief” to have other musicians handle the project initially. The music is still evolving, and, in terms of technology, Nitzer Ebb uses modular gear on stage and pedals. “All of that is having a smaller and smaller footprint on stage,” McCarthy said. “It’s interesting to have that approach. All of us are pretty much keeping abreast of what is available to use not only live but in the studio. It’s a forever-expanding process.” During the quarantine, McCarthy and Harris started the side project D-R-A-G in a “very relaxed manner,” McCarthy said. “We worked by sharing files, Bon and I, with each of us writing,” McCarthy said. Once the two were vaccinated and felt comfortable working together, McCarthy headed to Harris’ Eagle Rock home. There, they wrote a D-R-A-G album. Besides writing music, Harris showcased music — and his yard — during his “Songs: From the Lemon Tree” livestreams. “I did them to keep myself busy and to throw some entertainment out there,” Harris said. “A lot of people were shut away in less-than-ideal circumstances. “This was about as close to a live concert as they (fans) could get during the pandemic. It’s an odd thing for a musician — or any type of artist — to be on lockdown. But the lockdown wasn’t that much different than our everyday life. A lot of the time, we’re just in the studio getting ideas going.” McCarthy found returning to the road a bit daunting. “The reason that we’ve had — over the course of our career, which is 40 years now — gaps, sometimes quite lengthy gaps of eight to 10 years where we were not even necessarily talking to each other, let alone making art, is because the passion for doing what we do is exhausting. “We know, though, that it is the only way we can make the music that we do make. Coming back to the road after these 19 months of not being able to do anything has been slightly stressful. It took a toll on me emotionally. It was difficult going back to something that seemed so straightforward and easy before. But the passion we have still shines through.”
Substance WHEN: Friday, Nov. 26, to Sunday, Nov. 28 WHERE: The Belasco, 1050 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $65 INFO: substancela.com, livenation.com Lineup Nov. 26: Chelsea Wolfe, Earth, Emma Ruth Rundle, Ceremony, King Woman, Plague Vendor, Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds, Pixel Grip, Bustié, Avalon Lurks, Aurat, Continues, NIIS, Closed Tear, Dearly Departure, Crook, The Bank of America Nov. 27: Nitzer Ebb, Eyedress, Squid, Twin Tribes, Provoker, VR SEX, Nuovo Testamento, Second Skin, Fearing, Some Ember, Houses of Heaven, N8NOFACE, Gel Set, Shanghai Beach, Fawns of Love, Future Blondes, Ravens Moreland Nov. 28: Health, John Maus, Choir Boy, Geneva Jacuzzi, Pictureplane, Riki, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, Plack Blague, Patriarchy, Debby Friday, Milliken Chamber, D.I.N., Spike Hellis, Lower Tar, 0/X, Omen Awry, Future of Horror
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NOVEMBER 22, 2021
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Last State Silver Bank Rolls up for grabs
Fortune of old Silver Coins issued by the U.S. Gov’t sealed away in the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist are actually being handed over to California residents STATE RESTRICTION: Only residents of CA get the $19 state minimum - non state residents must pay $57 per coin
CALIFORNIA - “We’re bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for the National Mint and Treasury. That’s because the next 2 days the last remaining State of California Restricted Silver Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars are actually being handed over to California residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication. “National Mint and Treasury reFLYING OUT THE DOOR: Calls are pouring in from state residents who are trying to get their hands on the last State cently spoke with its Chief Profes- ■ Restricted Silver Bank Rolls known to exist sealed away in the secured packages pictured above before the deadline ends. sional Numismatist who said ‘Very That’s because residents who beat the 2-day deadline printed in today’s publication by calling 1-800-233-5658 Ext. JFR1212 are few people have ever actually seen cashing in on the lowest ever state minimum price set by the National Mint and Treasury. one of these rarely seen Silver Ken- 50 years ago. But to actually find lucky enough to get their hands on a resident of the state of California nedy Presidential Half Dollars is- them sealed away in State Restrict- these Bank Rolls had better hold on you cover only the $19 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint sued by the U.S. ed Silver Bank Rolls is like finding to them,’” Lynne said. Gov’t over buried treasure. So anyone And here’s the best part. If you are (Continued on next page) IMPORTANT FACTS: The dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars sealed away inside the State of California Restricted Silver Bank Rolls have never been searched. Coin values always there are never any guarantees, but any fluctuate and the rare, scarce or highly collectible coins, regardless of their value that state residents may find inside the sealed Bank Rolls are theirs to keep.
R1057R-1
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SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
(Continued from previous page)
and Treasury, that’s twenty rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver clad Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars worth up to 60 times their face value for just $380 which is a real steal because non state residents must pay $57 per coin which totals $1,140 if any coins remain after the 2-day deadline. “Now that the State of California Restricted Silver Bank Rolls are being offered up we won’t be surprised if thousands of California residents claim the maximum limit allowed of 6 Kennedy Presidential Silver Bank Rolls per resident before they’re all gone,” said Lynne. “That’s because the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver clad Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars sealed away inside the State of California Restricted Silver Bank Rolls have never been searched. But, we do know that these coins date back to the mid 1900’s and some are worth up to 60 times their face value, so there is no telling what California residents will find until they sort through all the coins,” Lynne went on to say. “Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued silver coins like these are highly sought after, but we’ve never seen anything like this before. According to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins many Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars have nearly doubled in collector value in just the last several years,” Lynne said. “We’re guessing thousands of California residents will be taking the maximum limit of 6 Bank Rolls because they make such amazing gifts for any occasion for children, parents, grandparents, friends and loved ones,” Lynne continued. “We know the phones will be ringing off the hook. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Lynne said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they are a resident of the state of California and call the National Toll-Free Hotlines before the 2-day deadline ends midnight tomorrow. ■
Answering Your Questions Q: How to claim the last State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls A: If you are a California resident read the important information below about claiming the State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls, then call the State Toll-Free Hotline at: 1-800-233-5658 EXT: JFR1212 beginning at precisely 8:30 A.M. this morning.
Q: Are these Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars worth more than others? A: Yes. These U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars were minted in the mid 1900’s. That makes these silver coins extremely collectible. The vast majority of half dollars minted after 1970 have no silver content at all. In fact, these Kenndy Presidential Half Dollars were the last silver coins minted for circulation. That’s why many of them now command collector values of many times their face value so there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value someday.
Q: How much are the State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls worth? A: It’s impossible to say, but some of these U.S Gov’t issued Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars dating back to the mid 1900’s are worth up to 60 times the face value and there are 20 in each Bank Roll so you better hurry if you want to get your hands on them. Collector values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But we do know they are the only California State Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars are highly collectible so anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls should hold onto them because there’s no telling how much they could be worth in collector value someday.
Q: Why are so many California residents calling to get them? A: Because they are the only State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and everyone wants their share. These are not ordinary bank rolls. These are full Bank Rolls containing 20 Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars dating clear back to the mid 1900’s some worth up to 60 times their face value. Remember this. Only California residents are guaranteed to get them for just the $19 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury for the next two days. Non state residents must pay $57 per coin.
Q: How do I get the State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls? A: The only thing California residents need to do is call the State Toll Free Hotline at 1-800-233-5658 Ext. JFR1212 before the deadline ends. Everyone who does is getting the only State Restricted Silver Bank Rolls known to exist. That’s a full Bank Roll of 20 Silver Kenndy Presidential Half Dollars for just the $19 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, which totals just $380 for the full Bank Roll. That’s a real steal because non state residents are not permitted to call before 5 pm tomorrow and must pay $1,140 for each California State Restricted Silver Bank Roll if any remain.
NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. PACKAGING MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR EQUAL OR GREATER VALUE. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, PO BOX R1057R-1 35609, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2021 NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY.
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