We wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the devastation of our beloved city over the past few days. There’s no separation between this publication and the people who write for us, who read us, who are simply a part of the city we live in. This is a shared disaster, and our thoughts are with you and with everyone affected by these fires. You’ll find a list of resources from Mutual Aid L.A. here. We’re hoping for a collective safety and looking forward to a communal recovery.
Writing Los Angeles
Here is a collection of pieces from the past 14 years, all about our inimitable city.
Los Angeles, City of Poets
Los Angeles poets on the city they love.
“This is a Battlefield”: A Conversation with Mike Davis
Not Like Other Girls
To Katie Kadue, Eve Babitz’s Los Angeles is laid out like lace.
ON LOS ANGELES: Part I: A Downtown in Downtown: Los Angeles’s Manifest Destiny
DTLA 2040 is an ambitious and comprehensive plan to guide the development of greater downtown.
Part II: A Constituency of the Powerless: Homeless in Los Angeles
For Los Angeles, the advantage of the homeless crisis is that the public has finally recognized the crisis as a crisis.
LACMA, Part I: Going Rogue
Joseph Giovannini on Michael Govan’s plans for LACMA, which are even worse than you think.
LACMA, Part II: Spamming the Public
Joseph Giovannini continues his analysis of Michael Govan’s plans for LACMA.
LACMA, Part III: The Way Forward
Joseph Giovannini concludes his analysis of Michael Govan’s plans for LACMA.
Sanctuary Unmasked: The First Time Los Angeles (Sort of) Became a City of Refuge
The story of Los Angeles’s pathbreaking — and fragile — declaration of “sanctuary city” status in 1985.
The Fire Files
Claire McEachern writes about escaping the Malibu fires...
Ayn Rand, Live from Los Angeles
From a movie set extra to a famous Red Scare crusader in Los Angeles.
Drinking with the Ghost: John Fante in Los Angeles, CA
Katie Orphan heads to LA's famous King Eddy Saloon to reflect upon the works of John Fante and the changing landscape of Downtown Los Angeles.
Louisiana in Los Angeles: How New Orleans Jazz Traveled to California
Riot/Rebellion: The Legacy of 1992
Steph Cha interviews Gary Phillips, Jervey Tervalon, and Nina Revoyr about the legacy of the 1992 Los Angeles “Riots.”
SHORT TAKES
Duff Brenna on Katey Schultz, and other short reviews.
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