Mommy In Los Angeles Magazine - 2020 Pandemic Edition

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6. PUBLISHERS NOTE 9. COVID-19 COVERAGE 14. WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT MOTHERHOOD DURING THE PANDEMIC 36. FROM PANDEMIC TO PROTESTS 52. COVER STORY: LINDSAY KAVET IS EXPRESSING MOTHERHOOD! 62. LA’S LATINX SUGAR MAMÁS 82. RIP KOBE BRYANT 92. CHRISTINE CHIU: ONE IN A MILLION 104. LA MOMMY BLOGGER TRIBE’S 1ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY TABLE OF CONTENTS MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® SECOND PRINT EDITION

“Los Angeles is such an exciting place to raise kids because the places to discover are endless! I love showing the kids around their city as well as going on adventures and discovering new places together” -Veronica MommyTeacherNavarroandBlogger

Truly yours, -Anabel Marquez

NOTE

The second edition of Mommy In Los Angeles® Magazine is available for digital downloading. It contains features and stories dating back to 2018. It also includes a special 24-page issue on Motherhood in Los Angeles in the Age of Coronavirus As always, I’m deeply appreciative of your support and very inspired by each of the women featured in this edition.

If I can emphasize one last thought, I want to remind you that YOU’RE IN CHARGE. Do what feels right. Stop when you must. Regroup when you’re ready. Go with your gut and everything will work itself out in the end. You’re always essential.

CEO / PUBLISHER ANABEL MARQUEZ CONTRIBUTORS NANCYVERONICAANNETTELOZANO-STECYKURIBENAVARROKRISTINCRUZFRANCESMARQUEZ WEB DESIGN KATELYN MILLER CHARLES HOWARD RALPH SAMPSON PRINT DESIGN KALMATI AMJAD PHOTOGRAPHY RACHEL CARRILLO DENISENAPOLEONHERNANDEZMATA SALES IRENE SALES@MOMMYINLOSANGELES.COMMARQUEZ

PUBLISHER’S

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SPECIAL THANKS TO: OUR SPONSORS, ADVERTISERS AND READERS WHO BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION TO ELEVATE WOMEN’S VOICES. MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® MAGAZINE BELIEVES IN THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BIRTH. BUT NOT ONLY TO THOSE INCREDIBLE MIRACLES WE CALL CHILDREN— WE BELIEVE IN GIVING BIRTH TO OUR SELF-IDENTITIES, OUR DREAMS AND OUR ASPIRATIONS EVEN IF IT MEANS BRINGING OUR KIDS ALONG FOR THE RIDE. THANKS TO ALL THE LOCAL AND CORPORATE BRANDS WHO’VE SUPPORTED OUR MISSION MORALLY AND FINANCIALLY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING MORE OF YOU IN OUR BELOVED LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED ANNUALLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® LLC MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE P.O. BOX 531390 LOS ANGELES, CA 90053 SEND ALL INQUIRIES INFO@MOMMYINLOSANGELES.COMTO: WWW.MOMMYINLOSANGELES.COM

Right after surviving what felt like an enormous and challenging task— publishing a local magazine for moms, without previous publishing experience— I was confronted with an even harder task: publishing a second edition. Friends, I’m a full-time working mom. This magazine is a passion project because I felt the need to do something for me when life felt overwhelm ing with mommy duties and a monotonous government job. But just as this project was moving along and gaining momentum, I got an incredible job promotion and couldn’t keep up with both career and magazine responsibilities while raising two young boys. So I did what I thought was best— I took a break from the magazine. I found new contributors to help cover news and events but I honestly closed my laptop and stopped writing features. It was a much needed break which caused numerous emails and calls to be left abandoned…for some However,time.the beauty of owning your passion project is that as long as you’re in charge and you don’t give up, you can revisit tasks at your own time and at your own pace. When I finally felt acquainted with my new career responsibilities, I got a sudden surge of motivation. My beautiful friends, old and new (many of whom were at the magazine launch party in 2018, see page 122), encouraged me to start picking up my project again. Then the Coronavirus Pandemic arrived changing our world as we knew it. That’s when it hit me. I had no more time to waste.

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BEINGWOMAN’SCRUCIALWORLDUNBALANCEDBALANCEMAINTAINING2020:INANISFORAWELL-

How to FieldsNakeyaWithHome’‘SaferMentallyBeat

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PANDEMICGLOBAL

Five tips for L.A. moms to

Expecting others and things to go a certain way can be the cause of our discomfort. When we expect an outcome regarding something outside of us, invariably we are disappointed when we turn out to not be as psychi cally inclined as we’d thought. Most of what disrupts our routines is the difference in the today vs. what we remember from before. We can prac tice present focus and explore letting go of thoughts about what should be happening or might be coming. In this present moment, it is ok to just be. It is ok to expect that today will be a good day and that tomorrow will arrive. We have a choice in the expec tations we give our attention to. Let’s let go of the thoughts about what we should be doing and land where we are - a time for focusing on gratitude for what still is.

2. Let Go of Expectations

1. Get Your Socialization On! One way we can balance in times of crisis as humans is socialization--the interactions between pairs, families, and communities. Our social brain, a part of the nervous system called the ventral vagal complex, is activated to further build resilience, when we observe safety cues such as hearing a soothing voice, seeing a smiling face, and noticing calm or caring gestures. When activated, the social brain can enable us to be better able to listen to the words of others and connect on an emotional level. When in quaran tine, this socialization strategy can be difficult, but we have the benefit of social media, video chat, and tele phones/tablets, and computers. When feeling unbalanced, remember that we have a social brain that assists us to calm.

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expectationsmanagewhilebeing‘SaferatHome’

With conscious awareness of our selves, we can learn to balance our re sponses to help us adjust and thrive, even in crisis situations.

4. Sleep! Although there is much mental stim ulation available to us via all forms of media, many of us, with the quar antine limiting our ability to follow our previous routine; have stopped having a routine of sleep. Losing time, having tv show marathons or late night video game challenges can lead to falling asleep in disjointed intervals. It would benefit us to have a bedtime goal and practice a dietary and electronics schedule around sleep. For example, a regular bedtime goal of 10pm means we would stop electronics around 9pm and try not to eat too late after 7pm so that our food digesting doesn’t keep us up and gives us disrupted sleep patterns and irritability the next day. Restful sleep has all sorts of mood benefits and can improve some of the communication and family dynamic issues that can come up while quarantining.

3. Remember, Kids Feel It Too I invite you to notice that the children in our lives can have a difficult time in transitions because they have had less time to develop coping strategies than adults. In this situation, they are now being asked to learn in new ways, lose their primary source of social ization - the school environment, and now see their parents as a part of a rigid curriculum. Irritability, shutting down, running away, increased isola tion, statements that indicate worry about death or safety, nightmares/ lack of sleepy are some common is sues that might come up for children and indicate they might be having some symptoms of anxiety/depres sion, etc. That being said, it does not mean they should be diagnosed with a Mental Health Disorder. We can model some healthy techniques such a deep belly breathing that we now know activates the vagus nerve, to de crease the feelings and their impact. The children will recover. They will catch up if they are unable to focus right now. Breathe through. And try again after the pause.

5. Practice Grounding Strategies When Feeling Unbalanced When our thoughts take us over and it starts to impact our ability to self-reg ulate, we can establish a routine for when panic or feelings of overwhelm arrive. Most panic attacks last 15-20 minutes and then they’re over. Re member, the mind is in control and the body helps communicate to the mind by causing havoc until we listen. Prac tice the following grounding strategy when needed: (1) Go outside or go near a window and feel the sunshine, if no sunshine, just grab some fresh air (2) Close your eyes or choose a focal point that can hold your attention, preferably your lap or toes so that your eyelids can rest (3) Focus on your breathing, in and out (4) Once you are a bit calmer, look around the room you are in and notice five things (5) Continuing to breathe in and out, notice 4 things you can hear (6) Breathe in and out and notice 3 things you can feel (7) Taking your biggest breath yet, notice 2 things you can smell, and finally (8) Notice 1 thing you can taste— be it a memory of a taste or after taking a real bite. Breathe. We’ve got this.

WhatFEATUREI’veLearned about Motherhood during the Coronavirus Pandemic A collection of personal accounts written by four Los Angeles moms

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PHOTOS BY RACHEL CARRILLO In March 2020, our lives were suddenly upended when COVID-19 arrived threatening the well-being and livelihood of millions across the country. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti imposed a Safer-at-Home order for Angelenos. Life as we knew it took a drastic change. At the time, few could imagine what this change would mean. Mothers with school aged-children were sud denly forced to act as nannies, teachers and tutors. Those with career responsibilities were sud denly placed in a multi-tasking arena like never before. Expect ant mothers had to suddenly prepare to give birth alone and stay-at-home moms who were already responsible for much of the work involved with raising kids, were abruptly denied the resources that would gener ally make their daily routines feel manageable. Parks were closed. Museums and indoor playgrounds were closed. Social gatherings and children’s events were cancelled and certain daycare centers that would have otherwise provided a bit of relief with babysitting options, were mostly focused on attend ing to the children of essential workers, which in itself posed a new risk for parents. The disruptions of the COVID-19 on daily life have left women feeling anxious, overwhelmed, often depressed and even pessimistic toward a future that still seems uncer tain. Yet, even with the many obstacles the pandemic has delivered, local moms have remained resilient. Some have used this year as an opportuni ty to restructure their habitual duties. Some have developed and launched entrepreneurial ventures, others have used their creativity to manage household duties and tap into projects that a busy Los Angeles lifestyle had made them abandon. And most if not all local moms, have used the time to think and reflect. Here are four accounts from local moms of different back grounds, sharing what the pandemic has taught them about motherhood, in their own Meetwords.Ana Pompa Alarcón, Iris Hosea, Tina Li and Lindsey Neller.

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CEO, BeverlyfindSisterhoodHills,CA

The most surprising thing COVID-19 taught me was that I am a much better mom when my kids are around more. I was a stay-at-home mom with both kids for the first two years, so I was used to being around them 24/7. But once they started pre-K and Kindergarten, our new normal was school most of the day while I worked. I am the founder of a tech company, findSisterhood, so I never get a break from work and I used to travel a lot for business before the Coronavirus.

Now that we are all stuck inside our home, I panicked at first because I had no idea how I would get all of my work done and homeschool without going crazy. But after only a few weeks, I noticed how much calmer and patient I became. I think part of that was not having to miss them all day. Sure, things are very stressful, and I have to work half the night because nothing gets done during the day. But the day is ours.

Don’t get me wrong; there are moments when I can’t wait for it, and I feel overwhelmed, stressed, and reaching the end with my energy. But as soon as my favorite people in the world are asleep, I lie in bed, and I miss them, and I am so proud to be their mom. ‘Togetherness’ has a whole new meaning for our little family.

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ALARCÓNPOMPAANA

“In the stress of everyday life pre-COVID, we often didn’t have the time to watch and breathe and discover all these aspects of ourselves and our children.”

In the stress of everyday life pre-COVID, we often didn’t have the time to watch and breathe and discover all these aspects of ourselves and our children. It’s already hard for me to imagine how life will be once schools reopen. I will miss them so much!

I sit next to Leila while she is doing her Zoom classes, I help Ezra with his puzzles, and we cook and laugh together so much more. The pressure of having to “be present” and create memories after spending the day at school/work is now gone. We are creating memories and we are getting to know each other so much more. I had no idea my daugh ter was the first to raise her hand in class, EVERY SINGLE TIME the teacher asks a question. This is an entirely new side of her that I didn’t know. Also, I didn’t realize that when I’m working and Leila is doing homework, Ezra actually entertains himself for hours looking through every single book we have. Both of my kids love to work with me. Leila calls herself my co-worker at findSister hood, and every time I open our app (she recognizes the logo), she asks, “Are we work ing on findSisterhood Mami?” and it makes my heart burst. Ezra pretends to work by packing his backpack, putting his shoes on then saying: “I am going to work now, Mami, bye!” and when I ask where he works, he responds: “I work at findSisterhood”. Those things make me really proud since I used to feel guilty about working so much. Now I understand the kids were always watching me and are proud of the work I do, especially when they see me juggling so many things at once.

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The beginning of quarantine filled me with so many emotions. At first I was dealing with the fear of the unknown and worried about the safety of my family. Then I became overwhelmed by the constant updates in the news and also the responsibil ity of my new title, mommy-teacher. The schools in our district did not have their virtual curriculums established in the first month, so we were on our own initially

I soon realized I did not miss my calling as a teacher. But I discovered that my husband, who is a teacher, is a really good one. I have really enjoyed seeing the bond grow be tween my boys and my husband in a way that that wasn’t there before simply because of the constant running between work, school, home, extracurricular activities and a whole lot of other stuff.

One of my favorite things is seeing the boys read stories in their pretend library. They have us sit around in the family room, as they roll out the big office chair and pretend they are the adult in the library, reading a book. They even pause and turn the book around to reveal the illustrations on the pages. This is such a cute thing for our family and the boys enjoy the attention from both parents at the same time.

I wear many hats in business as the co-founder of Festively and at the same time wear many hats at home. COVID-19 has given me time with my family, time that I often miss because I am working, attending events, and trying to be a super mama. I admit, some days it gets really hard and other days I am filled with so many wins. Going through this with my family has me definitely thinking about ways to maintain these special moments and memories in our new normal. Because Festively is an online marketplace, my work will allow me to work from anywhere and more moments and memories with my family can be our new normal.

While I’ve been home in quarantine, I’ve discovered my power to set the mood in the house. It’s fascinating how I have the power to keep the calm in my home or stir things up for fun with a few pranks here and there.

President, Festively La Puente, CA HOSEAIRIS

My son Nicholas turned 6 while in quarantine. He woke up that morning singing happy birthday to himself because he has been waiting a whole year to become 6-years-old.

I made him pancakes and the entire day was spent making him feel appreciated. If we were not in quarantine, I would have sent him off to school and he would have spent most of the day with his teacher and classmates. I also made his favorite chocolate cake, ordered birthday balloons in his favorite color and brought together friends and family on a Zoom call to sing happy birthday to him. He was so happy and felt so special. This time with him was precious for us all.

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“While I’ve been home in quarantine, I’ve discovered my power to set the mood in the house.”

Founder, In the Clouds Events LITINA

I think what the pandemic has taught me is that it’s time to accept things. This is what it is. I’m a nanny, I’m a teacher. I’m everything. Homeschooling is going to happen and what this whole thing taught me is just go with the flow, do whatever works for your Myfamily.event

business is called In the Clouds Events, and I started the business about 10 years ago out of necessity as the recession in 2008 kind of led us out of a job. It was a time when my husband and I we were like, “What can we do? What is something I could do that’s fun and not daunting and still (allows me to) manage my time?” At that time, a lot of my friends were getting married. I was formerly, and still am, a project manager. Friends would ask me to help with their wedding and that’s how the whole thing started. (During the Pandemic) most events have been postponed, but I’m working with one of my friends whose daughter had a birthday party over the summer and we decided we’re going to plan! I think in these times, we just have to be more creative and make it work in a safe environment.

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“What this whole thing taught me is just go with the flow, do whatever works for your family.”

For us, in the very beginning, when nobody had any plans, we we’re panicking. During the first week, we literally did nothing at home. We just kind of hung out, enjoyed the time with activities and did not focus on school! Then the second week rolled along and the kids were already bored. That’s when we busted out summer workbooks but it wasn’t very structured. The kids were kind of all over the place. We sat down and had a family meeting and we let the kids pick a subject that they liked. We set an hour block of time, but then it was just way too long and there was no way they could sit there doing math for an hour. So we did 30 minute intervals mixed with academics, arts and crafts from YouTube, drawing time and outside play time. We had entire days planned out, which worked for about two weeks. Then our school district finally got organized and started their distance learning program.

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“I think before quarantine I knew my son as my son. But now I will forever know him as his own person.”

Hairstylist NELLERLINDSEY

Now I see it differently. I see how important it is to have a balance, and now I understand moments with my son will always outweigh my busiest day in the Isalon.think before quarantine I knew my son as my son. But now I will forever know him as his own person. Thank you quarantine for giving this single mom that chance.

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Quarantine has taught me a lot. Most of all it has taught me to slow down. It has made me understand that even though I am the provider— providing should not be my main focus. I realize now how many Saturday football and baseball games I missed, because of work. We’re programmed to think we can’t stop, we’ve got to keep progressing! I felt like I couldn’t take a Saturday off…how could I!? That was my busiest day!

By BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press Photos: ASSOCIATED PRESS

December 2020 or nine nights culminating on Christmas Eve, the oldest street in Los Angeles typically comes alive with a festive re-enactment of the nativity story, as children playing Mary and Joseph go door to door seek ing shelter where she can give birth to IfJesus.theprocession were held this year, they would find many of the businesses on Olvera Street shuttered.

HISTORIC HEART OF LOS ANGELES ON LIFE SUPPORT FROM COVID-19

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The Mexican market, known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with shops and restaurants closed and others barely hanging on. California is enduring by far its worst outbreak of the coronavirus, and Los Angeles is among the locations seeing the greatest spike. “It’s pretty grim right now,” said Ed ward Flores, owner of Juanita’s Café, where under the state’s health order meals can only be served to-go and business is down 90%. “I know of six (businesses) that have gone belly up. These are my neighbors and my friends. To see them fail through no fault of their own is heartbreaking.”

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On Olvera Street, the tree-covered brick alley typ ically teeming with tourists is empty. Many of the shops that sell everything from traditional Mexican folk dresses to paintings of artist Frida Kahlo to som breros are padlocked and the ones open have few, My dad left this to me because he knew I would take care of this business.

if any, customers. The strains of mariachi trios have fallen silent and the fragrance of taquitos frying has become less pungent. The response to COVID-19 in California — various degrees of shutdowns and shifting rules limiting capacity and how food can be served — has been crippling for many businesses. But the impact on Olvera Street is somewhat Theunique.shops and eateries rely heavily on tourism that has collapsed worldwide under lockdown orders, quarantine rules or the reality that many people don’t want to risk ex posure during travel. They also count on a lunch crowd driven by downtown office workers and people at tending proceedings in nearby courthouses. Those custom ers have evaporated with so many people now working from home and many legal proceedings held online or by phone.

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The cultural events held yearround that draw large crowds were called off this year to prevent mass outbreaks. There was no blessing of the animals in April, no Cinco de Mayo, no Dia de los Muertos in the fall and no Las Posadas celebration marking the jour ney to Bethlehem for the birth of WhenJesus.Debbie wasalishedgreat-grandmotherBriano’sestabElRanchoGrandeasrestaurantin1930,therenoelectricity.Shecooked

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Even as the December light casts long shadows over the market, Briano is not giving up. She’s serving takeout food and is paying five employees — including brothers who have worked there 55 years and 48 years each — but not

meat on charcoal at home and the market was lit by oil lanterns. Briano’s father, from whom she inherited the busi ness when he died, spent his whole life on the street and as a boy would pull a red wagon with cooked beans from his grandmother’s house to the restaurant, she said. “It’s amazing when I hear all this stuff and I think, ‘I can’t let this go,’” Briano said. “My dad left this to me because he knew I would take care of this business.”

It’sherself.sadto see shops closed and the emptiness feels like she’s entered an episode of “The Twilight Zone,” she said. Canceling the Las Posadas celebration means no chil dren swinging at a pinata each night or carolers singing as they follow the procession of angels and shepherds leading Mary and Joseph on their jour ney from Nazareth. But Briano still decorated her cafe like she normally would at Christmas. She bought poinsettias, put up a real tree, hung tinsel, lights, and strung little snowmen and Santa Claus above her window. “I had to do that to feel nor mal,” she said. “I’ m not going to let COVID take away our Christmas magic.” It’s sad to see shops closed and the emptiness feels like she’s entered an episode of “The Twilight Zone,”

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As the state contin ues implementation of the

CardGovernorstayStagebeindicators,meetingonbackGavinpubliccontinuingandreopenCaliforniansframeworkfour-stagetoallowtograduallysomebusinessespublicspaceswhiletopreservehealth,GovernorNewsomannouncedinMaythatbasedthestate’sprogressinmetricstiedtothestatewouldallowedtomoveinto2ofmodifyingtheathomeorder.ThereleasedaReportshowinghowthestate

Nearly a month after establishing strict stay-athome orders for Californians in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled six key indicators for modifying the orders and allowing the state to return to normalcy.

STAGES REOPENINGOF

had made progress in only two months in fighting COVID-19 in a number of categories such as stabi lized hospitalization and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) numbers and acquiring Per sonal Protective Equipment

“Millions(PPE). of Californians answered the call to stay home and thanks to them, we are in a position to begin moving into our next stage of modifying our stay at home order,” said Governor Newsom on May 8. “But make no mistake – this

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Card from May 2020 indicated the state had 18.2 million surgical masks, 5.8 million face shields and 7.2 million gloves. It also indicated the state was ready with “hun dreds of millions” of surgical and n95 masks. As far as the surge capacity, California moved quickly to prepare for a possible COVID-19 surge by preparing 14 facilities state wide ready to accept patients and secured 10,000+ venti lators throughout the state not in use. In May the state had also expanded its testing capacity and met its goal of 25,000 tests per day and setting up nearly 100 new sites in rural areas across the state.

Back then, as the state was moving into Stage 2, the Governor also an nounced that counties were allowed to move more quickly through Stage 2, if they attested that they met the state’s readiness criteria. Counties had to create and submit a readiness plan which the state would make publicly available. An executive order signed by the Gov ernor directed the State Public Health Officer to es tablish criteria to determine whether and how, in light of local conditions, local health officers may imple ment public health mea sures less restrictive than the statewide public health directives. Counties had to meet criteria including demonstrating they had a low prevalence of COVID-19, that they met testing and contact tracing criteria, that their health care system was prepared in case they saw a sudden rise in cases, and that they had plans in place to protect vulnerable populations.

virus isn’t gone. It’s still dangerous and poses a significant public health risk. As we move into the next stage of reopening, we will do so with updated guidance to help qualifying businesses make modifica tions needed to lower the risk of COVID-19 exposure to customers and workers. Californians should prepare now for that second stage of Thereopening.”stateReport

For many, the drive-through pandemic car parades are the only oppor tunity to see loved ones after months of quarantine. For other families, the pandemic has turned into a perfect excuse to keep celebrations small and intimate, many times giving their parties a comical COVID-19 theme. Still, many families feel the threat of the virus remains a major cause for concern and even after reports of a decrease in LA County COVID-19 cases, many have opted to avoid even socially distanced car parades and cele brate tiny home gatherings or Zoom calls with friends and relatives.

1. LA residents decorate their cars with balloons and banners to cele brate special occasions at a distance.

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3 A young Ivan Peraza celebrates his 13th birthday with a few rela tives in Glendale. His mom, Lizbeth Ramos says: “It was a very special oc casion for my son and we made the most of it, even if we couldn’t have the extended family join us.”

The hosting families generally send out an invitation to friends and rela tives and ask that they drive by their home at a certain date and time to celebrate the special occasion. Some families organize car parades by assembling a meeting point allowing guest cars to line-up and initiate a type of procession or caravan in front of the celebrated individual. Vehicles are often decorated with balloons and banners and drivers tend to honk or play loud music through their own vehicle’s speakers to express celebra tory Guestscheer.generally stay in their vehicles wearing a mask and hand a gift through their car window. In exchange, the hosting family often has a table set-up outside the home with candy and other party favors to give the drivers-by as a thank you.

2. Nursing School Graduations are held as drive-by ceremonies during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic year

LA QuarantineParadesUnitedCommunitiesbyCarduring

COVID-19 CAR PARADES & PANDEMIC PARTIES

In 2020, parties were out during the Coronavirus lockdowns, so people started turning to car parades and drive-bys to celebrate birthdays, anni versaries, graduations and other events.

5. Ricky Garcia excitedly welcomes drivers-by to his Paw Patrol themed drive-by celebrating his 4th birthday outside of his home in Nor walk on June 27, 2020.

4. Little Pablo Cruz from Oxnard, CA celebrates his 7th birthday with a Quarantine-themed party that includes sanitizer and toilet paper as decorations. His mom, Laura Lopez said: “This birthday is a little different but we’ll make it up to you when this is over!! Love you my son!!!”

6. Ivan Peraza’s 13th birthday photo with grandparents and a few close relatives, all wearing masks to commemorate the celebration as a sign of the times.

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option is “reverse” trick-or-treat ing, with the children in their yards while adults toss candy from cars, parade-style. Obviously, this is best done where neighbors are good at organization and families know one another. If you do trick-or-treating the traditional way, maintaining social distancing between families is a must. All children living in the same house should stay together. Use hand sanitizer between house visits, and make sure you and your kids are wearing appropriate facial coverings. Don’t rely on a

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One

Public health experts give some guidelines H BY PAMELA AALTONEN & MEG SORG, PURDUE UNIVERSITY HOW RISKY IS NEIGHBORHOOD?YOUR How much you and your kids should do depends on the risk of infection in your area. You can start by checking the Harvard Global Health Institute’s col or-coded map, which shows the level of coronavirus risk in your Incounty.some communities, you may want to skip trick-or-treating al together. In others, you might set a time limit. Some neighborhoods may send kids out in shifts.

alloween is spook ier than ever this year because there is a real threat: COVID-19. With the dangers of infection and the anxiety surrounding the virus loom ing over the holiday, both parents and children are wondering what to do. And, as public health ex perts who have been closely following the pandemic’s progress, we have some tips on how you and your family can successfully handle Hal loween this year. Do we have to toss Halloween out the window this year, too?

carved like severed fingers and skeletons assembled out of relishes. And, of course, there’s the traditional activ ity: carving and decorating pumpkins. Whatever your family does this Halloween, don’t forget the basics of personal pro tection. Masks should fit well and be worn over the mouth and nose, even when out side if there is potential for contact with others. Avoid confined spaces. Keep a social distance of at least six feet between your family and others. Regularly clean frequently touched objects.

COVID-19 is scary –and dangerous. But you can still have a Halloween that’s fun, healthy and safe if you follow the guidelines. ANGELES®

SKIPPING TREATINGTRICK-OR-

Halloween mask to provide ade quate protection; instead, incor porate the child’s existing cloth mask into the costume itself. The CDC recommends face masks for children over age 2 when they’re out in Arrivingpublic.home, put the treat bag in quarantine for three to four days to allow time for any virus particles to die. Make sure every one washes their hands. Have a pre-made “treat bag” available so the kids can enjoy something that night while waiting for their booty to be virus-free. As for trick-or-treaters coming to your house, turn on your porch light to welcome them only if everyone in your family is symp tom-free and low-risk. Be creative in distributing the candy; an Ohio man created a candy chute to deliver contact-free goodies. Keep your mask on and wear gloves. You can toss treat bags to the kids or drop the candy at a des ignated “Place Bucket Here” zone rather than letting them grab from a large pile. Mark off socially distanced areas for children and chaperones to wait.

Age-appropriate Halloween movies, read-alongs with Halloween books, a scav enger hunt for treats hid den around the house or liketoculinarymovietualyear.outOlderwithoutletsbratefriendswhereApartycreate-your-own-costumeaareallwaystoengage.virtualHalloweenpartychildrenandtheirdressupandceleviavideoconferencingkidsshowoffcostumesriskingexposure.kidsandteensmayoptoftrick-or-treatingthisButtheycanenjoyvirkaraokepartiesorscarynights.Theycanuseandcreativeskillsconstructspookytreats,meatballeyes,hotdogs

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If you’re not taking your children door to door, you can still celebrate at home.

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5. Fisher-Price Little People Community Champions - Thank You Heroes FIRST RESPONDERS A special edition line of collectibles that honor the individuals leading the fight against COVID-19, as well as the everyday heroes who are working to keep communities up and running.

6. Pandemics for Babies board book - Explain Social Distancing, Transmission, and Quarantine with this STEM Board Book by the #1 Science Author for Kids (Baby University)

1 2 3 4 5 6

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2. Antivirus Science4u Activity set - A toy that lets little ones become microbiology scientists and find out what immunology is all about. The set also teaches kids to make their own protective gear.

4. Covid Mask Pinata - This anthropomorphic coronavirus pinata comes complete with a menacing expression and red spike-like projections. It even follows proper protocol by wearing a face mask.

3. SPOT Covid Heroes Toys - Intended for dogs, these plushies proved to be a hit among kids and furry babies alike.

1. Famosa Toys COVID Nancy Doll - These Portugese toy dolls wear a protective mask. Some have a virus tester which can detect if the toy is “infected”. If it is, the child can cure the doll by tickling it.

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George Floyd is not the first black man to be killed by police brutality. Before him, there were many black people lost and civil rights activ ists had been calling for change well before this moment. However, what makes it different now is the sheer size of the response.

“George Floyd is not the first black man to be killed by brutality.”police T he image of a police officer kneeling on the neck of a George Floyd while he is in police custody, handcuffed and saying he cannot breathe will be forever be burned into our mem ory. In the last few weeks, many of us have been following the pro tests sparked by his killing through social media and online news pub lications.

created a collective conscience

Across the world, from New York to Cape Town, large crowds of people of all ages and backgrounds have taken to the streets to protest the injustice of Floyd’s killing and to draw attention to the systems of racism that exist in their countries. The first protest began the day af ter Floyd was killed on May 26 and they are still going. The coronavirus and how we have been consuming social media has a lot to do with the psychology of why so many have and continue to be mobilized.

By Pam Ramsden

How the pandemic changed social media and George Floyd’s death

Through social media and news outlets, we have been subjected to the devastation of the corona virus. We are seeing people in overwhelming cir cumstances, grieving families; doctors and nurses working without the PPE; and people dying in hos pitals alone and without family contact. COVID-19 has created a fear of the unknown. Wear masks, don’t wear masks; the issues with PPE and testing; misinformation on social media about the virus; but most harrowing is the number of people who have been dying every day.

FROM PANDEMIC TO PROTEST In lockdown, our intake of negative news has in creased with the number of reports of health services running out of supplies, the increasing number of deaths, and the basic disruption in dai ly living as we have been forced to lead socially distant lives and our connections with friends and family have come to a standstill. As a result, con stant mind-numbing scrolling and almost compulsive consumption of negative media have acquired a new term: doomscrolling.

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A growing body of research, pre-COVID, indicated links between depression and anxiety and social media use. Additional research suggests that peo ple who lurk without active participation are also more likely to experience stress, depression and anxiety than those who actively get involved in conversations - though it may be that those prone to depression and anxiety are more prone to silent Constantlyparticipation.taking in all this information, with its focus on death and the looming threat of the virus has, for many, triggered a psychological concept

called terror management theory. This theory states that we have many defence mechanisms such as a just worldview, nationalism, and religious beliefs that help alle viate our fear and protects us from existential anxiety when something threatens our mortality. If these defence mechanisms fail and we feel exposed and threatened we at tempt to connect to a broader so cial entity, a collective or to pursue something with meaning. Floyd’s death combined with a his tory of systemic racism and police brutality towards people of colour has created the current collective. A collective that provides members with meaning and purpose. As a re sult, the fear of COVID-19 has been minimised because of the focus on mass gatherings and belong ing-ness. It is this desire for a col lective that is helping to advance the rise in protests and the mobil isation of people who previously might not have joined in.

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Mayor Eric Garcetti imposed a citywide curfew announcing everyone had to be off the streets by 8 p.m. after a night of violence that saw windows smashed and stores robbed.

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Outraged Angelenos

On May 30, 2020 LAPD vehicles were set ablaze in broad daylight as protesters ignored authorities’ call for peaceful demonstrations in Los Angeles over the killing of George Floyd.

FINDING MEANING People no longer want to define themselves as anxious and alarmed individuals in lockdown but people with a sense of meaning and purpose. As more join the ongoing protests they are reaching for something that psychologists call mortality salience – a need to experience a sense of clarity about worldviews, values and purpose in society.

And the protesters support political leaders, such as Republican senator and former presidential can didate Mitt Romney in the US, that demand change and social justice.

possibility of doomscrolling. Social media is now proliferated with different violent visual images of police tear-gassing peaceful protesters and further attacks on them. This makes even more people sensitive to police brutality and procedural injus tice and further feeds into the collective.

The protests have spread across the world offer ing many people the opportunity to become in volved with an important movement and commu nity. However, as the protests increase so does the

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want to believe that they can contribute to some purpose that goes beyond the pandemic. The protests appear to provide people with a sense that life is meaningful and that they can bring about change together. Life does not have to be defined by a pandemic where social distancing, washing our hands and staying safe are our only options. We can join a collective with a cause against rac ism, social injustice and police brutality, whether that is through protest or other mechanisms of support. From fear in this current time, many peo ple have found meaning.

As we have seen, many protesters reject any per spectives that oppose their own opinions and in turn support anyone who shares the same value system. In this case, they shout down anyone who rejects that police brutality is systemic or states that the current situation is a result of only a “few bad apples”.

Even with the ever-looming fear of a second wave of coronavirus, protesters are invested in the col lective and see the protests as worth the risk. Sen timents that have also been shared by healthcare professionals who have joined the cause in sup Peopleport.

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March 31, 2020: A damaged local business following a night of looting and civil unrest on Melrose Ave following the killing of George Floyd.

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Instagram: @SweetDreamsLA Instagram: @classysassyfashionjas

After having her first son, Jasmine experienced the world of modeling. The lingering desire to live through the rush of walking a runway show never left her. After her second son arrived, she came across the opportunity to return to the spotlight and joined the Model Experience, a multi-day program for aspiring models and influencers that culminates with a state-of-the-art runway show.

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BETSY AIMEE CARDENAS

BETSY SAYS On Starting a Business: “There is going to be days of elation and excitement and days where you try to remember why you started…When we work with founders. we always guide them back to their why. When you know why you are doing this, it will help you get through the hard days and sleepless nights.”

UnsugarcoatedBusiness Media www.unsugarcoatedmedia.comWebsite: TheBusinessKind Club www.KindClubBuildsLA.weebly.comWebsite: MothersBusiness Into Living Fit www.MothersIntoLivingFit.comWebsite BornBusinessinJune Creative www.BornInJuneCreative.comWebsite

AALIA SAYS “As a woman, I finally found my voice and I no longer hold on to shame or blame that isn’t mine… If you can find the strength to help others with your voice and story, then share it, because it’s only when we share it, that we begin to know how truly powerful it is.”

LANUS

Photo: Lena Parker-Duncan Photo: The Model Experience

A former entertainment in dustry professional, Bianca gave up her work with A-List celebrities to follow her pas sion for baking sweet treats. She enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu’s Patisserie and Baking Program and successfully launched a dessert catering business thereafter. Then, as a mom of small kids, she knew firsthand how hard it is to find balance with work and children, so she created Momcations, a series of retreats and road trips designed especially with moms in mind for #SweetDreamsDoComeTruerelaxation.

NATALIE SAYS “I founded the club at my school site in 2014. The first year, I met with about forty girls.... We planned school-wide activities, such as a Kind Assembly. Over the next two years, our group expanded to over one hundred girls!”

NATALIE BERGHOUDIAN DESI BARTLETT

and

MAKING MOMMY MOVES

“I felt it was the perfect outlet to get myself out there and out of my com fort zone,” says Jasmine. The event which also allows models to connect with fashion designers left her feeling

“Toempowered.allthewomen out here being a ba dass, keep going, love!!,” she told her friends and followers on Instagram.

IN Natalie,BRIEFwho’s a middle school teacher and mom of two young kids, once created an an ti-bullying movement at her school called “The Kind Club”. The small effort to spread kind ness now has over 100 student participants who focus on delivering acts of kindness such as collecting goods for homeless youth and leaving kind notes for people around campus and hospitals. And even though the current quarantine order doesn’t allow her to have regular meetings with the on-campus group, she still finds a way to give back by hosting virtual bingo nights and other activities for Kind Club members.

Meet six Los Angeles moms who are making a better life for themselves and others. These boss ladies have vision, talent goals they’re not letting anybody crush. Visit www.MommyInLosAngeles.com to read more about them other awesome women that make Los Angeles a better city. Every Mom Has a Story.

IN BRIEF Desi is a Hollywood fitness expert (whose impressive client roster includes famous mommies like Kate Hudson). After inspiring countless women to live happier, healthier lives as they embark on their motherhood jour ney, she published her first book, Your Strong Sexy Pregnancy. The book includes a fitness program for every trimester, combining yoga, cardio, resistance training and nutrition. Plus, she touches on the baby blues with tips for an empowered mental health journey.

and

IN BetsyBRIEFisthe co-founder of Born In June Creative, a branding, multi-platform marketing, and social media company she launched with her husband in 2016. Her experience in community engagement, writing and public affairs has allowed her to grow her company with clients such as ADIDAS, Disney and the LA County Fair. She’s been featured in numer ous publications as an expert in social media trends and she’s also the producer and host of her own podcast, The Currently— and she does it all while raising a school-aged son.

IN AaliaBRIEFisan author and public speaker who found her purpose after enduring an abusive relationship, overcoming self-esteem issues, raising four kids and surviving cancer. She’s the founder of Unsugarcoated Media, a non-profit organization that helps connect and motivate people from all walks of life through empowerment events. Last year, she published her second fiction book, Jugend, which touches on many of the social and political issues currently facing society from the perspective of two young boys growing up in different eras.

Photo: Angela Amaya Photo: Gabriela Gandara

AALIA

Photography by Ani Photo: Mothers Into Living Fit

BIANCA ROSE JASMINE GUTIERREZ

NATALIE SAYS “I am very lucky that I have so many friends that are experts in their respective fields, and I was able to call on them to contribute their advice, meditation, and recipes for this book. This book took a village! Ironically, birthing the book took about the same amount of time as having a baby.”

RiseMoms

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mompreneurregularwork-shopsandeventsthatfocusoneverythingfrommarketingbusinessownersastheenginebehindtheircompanyandsocialmediamarketingtosucceedinginapassionprojectwhileraisingsmall

When she found herself ready to return to the field, she launched her own company, Let’s Play Parents, which offers therapy services for fam ilies looking for a unique, hands-on approach to better connect with, and engage their children through play. She runs her own private practice in Burbank and also uses her office as the MomsRise headquarters.

For Nancy Lozano-Stecyk, creat ing an organization to support local moms in their business aspirations was not only a personal goal— it was a necessity. The Burbank-based therapist who’s helped many clients find balance between raising kids and keeping their high profile careers intact, knew her skills would also be well-suited coordinating a focused group of mov ers and shakers— enthusiastic L.A.

mental wellness. She had spent years witnessing heart-breaking cases and offering therapy services to vulnerable populations, including at-risk youth.

Lozano-Stecyk’s unique set of skills and strengths led her to create a plat form for other women to find and nurture their entrepre neurial spirit. So far, MomsRise has gathered enough mentors to host

Photos By Daniela Rey

“From the moment I started my own business I began looking for support groups that would help women like myself, get started,” she recalls. “Then I realized I had the power to create it. MomsRise is meant to help women rise above the status quo.”

The mom of a teen daughter and school-aged boy, Lozano-Stecyk had already experienced her own set of challenges and hardships as a single mom and she never lost sight of an idea to help support fellow moms. A few years ago, she had a full-time job as a therapist but as she became accustomed to her important role, she also realized it was very taxing on her own

“MomsRisemompreneurs.isproof that with the right amount of mentorship and sup port, women can make big things happen!” says

Nancy LozanoStecyk

FoundedLozano-Stecyk.in2018, Moms Rise is a collective of business-minded moms who get together to share experiences, exchange ideas and help market each oth er’s’ “MomsRisebusinesses.was an idea that started from my desire to help and learn from other successful business moms,” says Lozano-Stecyck. “I always knew there would be great energy if I invited a group of ladies whom I admire for the work they do in their commu nities— to share their stories and help fellow moms get started in their business endeavors.”

kids. #LAMomsRock MOMMY

Eventually Lozano-Stecyk needed a break. She took time off to recharge and refocus her career.

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Simona Grace, a single working mom in Los Angeles witnessed the unique challenges a single mother must face when running for office and the barriers women must break when it comes to fundraising, so she decided to do something about it. She founded Moms in Office and became the first single mother in the United States to start a political action com mittee with the mission to help elect progressive moms. A record number of women won seats in Congress in 2018, but the number of mothers with chil dren under 18 remains low, at only five percent. According to Grace, moms make up one of the largest segments of our population in the United States and the smallest segment of our federal government. “If we want to see equal repre sentation of women in government, this must include moms,” she Besidessays. a more equal and inter sectional assuresGraceernment,inresentationrepourgov

SIMONA GRACE OFFICE

MOMS IN

FOUNDER MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®48

electing more moms to office would allow for passage of family-friendly bills - more moms in office would likely influence Congress to put these measures into law, she adds. In a recent interview with GirTalkHQ.com, Grace shared her thoughts on the current political climate, why family-friendly policies are important to her and are the backbone of our society, and how her own upbringing in Hungary behind the Iron Curtain shaped her into the fierce, determined, progressive advocate she is today.

Moms in Office is on a mission to strengthen the political voice of all moms and help elect women with children to public office. The organiza tion supports mothers run ning for office at all levels of government through fundraising and en dorsements, while the site’s parent ing blog informationprovidesformomswhodesiretostayinformedbutdon’thavethetimetoreadextensively.TosupportGrace’scauseorjoinhermovement,visit:www.MomsInOffice.org

Simona Grace is the Founder of Moms in Office a platform to help support and place moms in local, state and federal elected positions.

Moms In Office

MeetingCouncil. with Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-45) to discuss electing more moms to Congress (such as herself).

Speaking during Riveter x Moms in Office “Reinventing Motherhood in Politics” event.

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Interview with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in Los Angeles. Topics discussed included paid leave and the importance of electing more moms.

Moms in Office event panel discussion with LA City Council President Nury Martinez; State Assemblymember Rob Bonta and Emerge Board Chair Amber Maltbie. Canvassing for Sarah Kate Levy for Los Angeles City

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“what if we did a yearly world group photo, shot from space. we all just go outside and look up. a few angles, of course.”

“The 30 seconds of cold skin and hair post-shower...not worth it to me anymore. I no longer wish to shower again.”

Johnwho’sauthorpersonality,andmodelmarriedtoLegendisalways on point with her social media game! She shares everything we want to know— whether she’s keeping it real about motherhood or clapping back at the country’s chief executive officer, this fearless mama gets us with an LMAO every single time. Here are some favorite moments from her Twitter

AFTERCLINTON:PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CALLED HER A “FILTHY MOUTHED WIFE” IN RESPONSE TO A TWEET FROM DONALD TRUMP WHERE HE SAID WE NEED TO KEEP COUNTRY:‘EVIL’ ON DEEP CONVERSATIONS WITH HER DAUGHTER: A RARELY DISCUSSED REALITY TV ONOBSERVATION:GETTINGCOZY AT HOME: ANGELES®

“Theaccount:sexiest man alive just made me a ham sandwich” “2 grammy noms for @ johnlegend no one has congratulated me for being the inspiration behind “all of me” without me there is no all of me.” “Hi it’s Chrissy Teigen and I’d like to make a reservation for two for John Legend, do you have any availability?”

“i wish she would call him out on his blatant racism, but i guess we are rolling with the ‘when they go low, we go high’

Chrissy Teigen

“Need an intern to help me block people for college credits or “honestlyfood” upset i have not been invited to the westminster dog show especially with the amount of people who call me a dog daily on twitter”

“I honestly respect reality show people for the sole fact they can do their interviews weeks later and speak as if it’s presently “nowhappening”hiring: someone to lift my weighted blanket onto my body,”

DURINGSHOWERING:THE2016 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY

(The hashtag started trending)

he TV

“I just tried to have a talk with Luna and said ‘hey. I just want you to know that you’re a really awesome daughter. I’m so lucky’ and she said ‘what if my name was poo poo pee pee.’”

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MOMMY IN LOS

Fun Fearless Mama

“What time should we call Uber?”your

#PresidentP***yAssBitchthing.”

T SHE SAID WHAT!? WHEN JOHN LEGEND WAS NAMED PEOPLE MAGAZINE’S SEXIEST MAN ALIVE (November 2019): AND WHEN JOHN LEGEND GOT NOMINATED FOR TWO ABOUTGRAMMYS:NAME DROPPING TO GET A DINNER RESERVATION: ON TAKING GROUP PICS ON WHY SHE WOULD HIRE AN ONINTERN:NEVER HAVING RECEIVED AN INVITE TO THE WESTMIN STER DOG SHOW: ABOUT WHY SHE HATES

Even though there’s never been a crowning ceremony for the reigning queen of Twitter, we believe Chrissy Teigen deserves a celebration.

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Photos

L KAVET is Expressing Motherhood How an girl with director dreams by Anabel Marquez by Rachel Carrillo

Put Moms Center Stage Story

INDSAY

L.A.

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In 2020, Expressing Motherhood is showing virtually. As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s stay-at-home orders, Kavet coordinated a diverse line-up of performers for a special Mother’s Day online presentation with ticket donations benefitting an organization delivering meals to healthcare workers. Kavet co-founded Expressing Motherhood in 2008.

Lindsay Kavet was born in the San Fernando Valley but her family moved around the country and she spent most of her earlier years in South Dakota and Iowa. After graduat ing from college, she moved back to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. She landed several commercial gigs and soon realized she was more comfortable behind the camera.

S

tepping up to the podium inside a small Silverlake theater, Lindsay Kavet asks the crowd if anyone has questions about the performances they just watched. By this time, the audience has cheered, cried, laughed and even gasped during the hour and half show. This is their chance to ask about a particular monologue.

In 2018, the ten-year anniversary of Expressing Motherhood arrived at a time when women’s voices were being heard with a new kind of attentiveness. Knowing this, Kavet made it a point to diversify the performer lineup as much as “[Inpossible.summer of 2017] I made it a goal to have more diversi ty and include millennials and it’s paid off,” she says.

“I could tell the show was snowballing,” she recalls. “But I almost had to pull it back because I was having babies… Moms have so many ideas but I learned that, it doesn’t mean something is dead just ‘cause you put it on pause.”

Gone are the days when Kavet walked around her neigh borhood asking people she bumped into— nannies, neighbors, business owners— whether they’d be willing to participate in a show she was producing with her friend, Jessica Cribbs. Their idea was to put on a variety show that mainly focused on stories about motherhood.

“I stopped acting at 25,” she says. “I wasn’t getting great auditions and I went full behind-the-scenes working at a post-production house.”

Ten months after the show’s debut, Kavet was headed to New York City to host a sold out performance, Off-Off Broadway. The Expressing Motherhood NYC cast included popular bloggers, Kristen Chase and Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks. They each had a good motherhood story to share and audiences loved seeing their favorite Big Apple influencers, in person. In the middle of the success and with all the momentum Expressing Motherhood was gaining, Kavet had to slow down. She was six months pregnant with her second child.

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“Anyone that was a mom at that time, I reached out to!” Kavet remembers. The very first Expressing Motherhood show ended up fea turing a cast of eight, including local influencer Rebecca Woolf who owns the blog, “Girl’s Gone Child.”

“It’s very cathartic and cheaper than therapy,” Kavet re Theplies.crowd laughs. Kavet thanks the audience for attending and takes a bow, along with 13 other women. Among them— an opera sing er, a former sex addict, a physician and a widow — each with a gripping story about their motherhood experience, from memories of neglecting a newborn to deep-rooted experiences with rage.

The first question from the audience is directed at Kavet who has remained behind the scenes throughout the evening. They ask what motivated her to create Expressing Motherhood, a national play where people share real and personal stories about motherhood.

An L.A. Girl with Director Dreams

“It was my passion project,” says Kavet. “It started be cause I wanted to be creative again and I was craving community. It has created a really nice web of connec Thetions.”show has been featured on National TV and has enter tained crowds around the country, in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago and Portland, to name a few. It has filled over 10,000 seats and featured nearly 300 performers. Perhaps most significantly though is the experience au diences get— an unexpected opportunity to connect with and feel validated by, the many stories that derive from the experience of mother. It has also fashioned strong friend ships and even business partnerships between performers who’ve bonded over rehearsals and backstage camarade “There’srie. so many funny behind-the-scenes stories. We’ve had (breast milk) pumping, (alcohol) drinking, friendships have been made back here, laughter, and just a lot of con nection that happens here,” says Kavet, sitting backstage at Silverlake’s intimate Lyric Hyperion theater.

“I knew we were onto something,” Kavet remembers.

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Moms have so many ideas but I learned that, it doesn’t mean something is dead just ‘cause you put it on pause.” - Lindsay Kavet, Fouder,MotherhoodExpressing — Lindsay Kavet

“

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“I wanted to write a play. I thought about the collaboration of people writing and me curating their pieces for the stage. I’ve always had a strong desire to be creative, a strong urge to express my self. That really worked with my life,” says Kavet. She produced and curated the show from home, mainly while her baby napped. She would com municate with cast members and work the details of the next production by e-mail. Then she’d meet with the cast for a single rehearsal before show Throughouttime.

the years, Kavet, who now has three children, has entertained the idea of franchising the show. But each time, she realizes the show’s success stems from a simple formula that audi ences really appreciate. “I thought about franchising it but I didn’t want to do that to make sure there weren’t too many variables,” she explains. Once the crowd stops cheering inside the Lyric Hyperion Theater, the performers pose for a few pictures. Some go backstage to gather their be longings and head home. Others stay and mingle with friends and relatives in the audience. Kavet heads to the theater entrance to check on her husband. He’s been assisting with distributing show programs and selling Expressing Mother hood sweatshirts. Several people stop Kavet while she’s there. Some hug her. Others congratulate her on yet another moving and inspiring produc tion full of powerful voices. “I never felt like I couldn’t be creative, Kavet says. “It was not necessarily about available tools, it’s more of just ‘making it happen.”

Eventually, Kavet landed a production job at “IPlayboy.remember I called my mom cry-laughing,” Kavet says. “But I actually found it sort of liber Afterating.”that, Kavet got married. She wrote, pro duced and directed a short film, Meg, then got in volved with one of her husband’s films shooting behind the scenes footage. In 2006, she became pregnant with her first child and decided she’d be a stay-at-home mom. “It was so different 12 years ago,” says Kavet. “I didn’t know any moms. I was 29 and my contem poraries were definitely not married or having kids. I was really isolated.” Further, Kavet says she was beginning to feel re ally bad about herself creatively. She remembers telling herself: “You have to do something!”

World’s Firsts More than 500 different labels including spirits exclusive to Mama Rabbit, such as the world’s first mezcal-barreled Blanco tequila, the first-of-its-kind mezcal aged in premium Mendocino pot still brandy casks, and a Centennial Blend featuring 10 aged tequilas in one bottle add ing up to 100 years in age.

“Sincespirits.

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Las MEZCALLedVegas L.A. Mom takes her love of Mezcal to Las Vegas and wins. In 2019, Bricia Lopez, cook book author and co-own er of popular Koreatown restaurant, La Guelaguetza, collaborated with Park MGM in Las Vegas for the largest col lection of mezcal And tequila in the U.S. The all-new Mama Rabbit Bar is a true Oaxacan experience featuring modern Mexican cocktails, live enter tainment, a pop-surrealist art installation from Okuda San Mi guel and more than 500 labels of tequila and mezcal. While closed due to social distancing directives as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Mama Rabbit continues offering guests and Mezcal fans weekly online entertainment through their “Wednesday Spin” Ins tagram live music events. Mama Rabbit draws inspira tion from the legend of Maya huel, the goddess of agave and fertility, who was said to have 400 rabbit children that she nourished with mezcal and tequila. Over time, the rabbits came to symbolize the spectrumentire of feelings one experiences while enjoying the moving to the U.S., it’s been my passion to share the beauty and the culture of Oax aca with everyone I meet. What started with me introducing mezcal to bartenders across Los Angeles years ago has blossomed into cel ebrating the spirit with people from around at world at Mama Rabbit,” says Lopez. “I couldn’t be happier to work with MGM Resorts and Park MGM to give visitors a taste of Oaxaca right here in Vegas.”

Angelenos are known These L.A. #BossMoms Infused Desserts and our Palates Photos by Napoleon Mata Production Assistants: Stephen Molina & Nancy Lozano-Stecyk Make-Up & Hair Touch-Ups by On Location Glam L.A.’s Latinx MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®62

Sugar Mamás MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® 63

to have a sweet tooth. Infused their Culture into Traditional will Forever be Grateful

E

ven though your life in Los Angeles has likely driven you to explore a good number of ice cream establishments, pie and donut shops, cupcake businesses and candy stores throughout the city— you haven’t given your palate the dose of sweet it demands if you’ve never tried one of the confections crafted by seven local moms who launched businesses infusing traditional desserts with Latin flavors reminiscent of their cultural upbringing.

Their creations include ingredients and toppings any Latinx Angeleno would recognize— Maria cookies, Tajin chili powder, Chamoy, (a Mexican condiment made with fruit, chilies and lime juice), De La Rosa Mazapan peanut candy as well as familiar flavors such as café de olla (ceramic-pot brewed coffee), Dulce de leche, Mole, Cajeta and Horchata.

SWEET Thangs!

For Ashley Leon-Vasquez, owner of popular coffee shop, Horchateria Rio Luna, it was as simple as mixing America’s love of coffee with Mexico’s love of the

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popular rice and cinnamon drink known as Horchata. Along with her husband, she opened a storefront in Paramount. One day, Vasquez took a piece of Mexican sweet bread, sliced it in half, slathered Horch ata ice cream and drizzled it with Cajeta (sweetened caramelized syrup made of goat’s milk). The Concha Ice Cream sand wich became an overnight sensation. Even the local Univision affiliate (KMEX-34) called to do a TV feature on her coffee shop. Customers soon began arriving, wait ing in long lines at Horchateria Rio Luna eager to indulge in a Concha Ice Cream sandwich, a Strawberry Paleta Frappé or an Horchata Iced coffee. While Leon-Vasquez keeps busy managing her stores, the other ladies we interviewed were working on their way toward a brickand-mortar shop of their own. What’s more, each of these women brought their des sert businesses to the forefront while raising small kids. One of them was motivated by her need to cov er the cost of diapers, another was looking for a way to quit her full-time job while fighting post-partum depression and each of them share stories of having enthusiastic kids frequently hanging around their kitchens or spreading the word about their moms’ hustle, ready to help with the dessert business. We brought the ladies together for an interview and photo shoot to acknowledge their role in giving An gelenos a new source of sweet, sugary bliss and for offering proof that collaboration over competition is, in fact, a real thing in Los Angeles, California. The ladies have continued providing sweets through online orders and limited services during the Coronavirus MeetPandemic.these remarkable dessert divas (listed in alpha betical order, by last name) in the following pages!

FuentesMelanie

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BEARGUMMYCHILOSO

Fuentesrecalls.

t brings her to tears to remember the stressful days of having small children and the expense that came with raising her babies

I

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Photo: ChilOSO Gummy Bear

“That’s why they samehustleandbalancingwork,balancingbecauseareMompreneurssaychingonas…we’rewe’rekidsasideatthetime.”

But Melanie Fuentes, who lives in the San Fernando Valley with her husband and two kids, was driven to create a new stream of income that would offset her out of-pock et-expenses for diapers and formula. That was nearly five years ago. Today, her gummy candy creations fre quently sell out when she’s a vendor at Farmers’ Markets and festivals throughout SoCal. Her first event was at Downtown L.A.’s Molcajete Dominguero to whom she credits the rise of her brand’s popularity.

“It (Molcajete Dominguero) exposed me to a community I never knew existed,” she took her love of gummy bears to the kitchen where she turned her cooking space into a “chemistry lab” of sorts. She experimented with various ingredients, recipes and molds until she formulated the perfect chili-infused gummy bear. Eventually, she decided to trademark the name ChilOso Gummy, a play on words that incorporates enchiloso which describes something spicy and oso, which is Span ish for “Peoplebear.ask me ‘why don’t you hire em ployees?’ Believe it or not, the most satis fying part of this job is meeting people. I just really enjoying going out and being with the people,” she says. But Fuentes isn’t new at creat ing unique, tiny things that make people happy. Prior to launching ChilOSO Gummy, she used to make miniature dollhouse food prototypes under her company name at the time, “Mel’s Minia tures”. Her craft was so impecca ble that she caught the attention of American Miniaturist Magazine and was featured along with her tiny “That’smasterpieces.whytheysay Mompre neurs are chingonas…because we’re balancing work, we’re bal ancing kids and a side hustle at the same time,” she says.

GARAGECHURRO

Silvia GarciaElizabeth&

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his daughtermother-duo has elevated the churro-eating experience to a higher dimension, offering customers a fresh new crunchy taste of deliciousness. They created a unique take on the already popular deep-friend dough sticks known to be covered in sugar and cinnamon. The mom brought the idea to the table and the daughter ran with it. “We were having dinner and my mom says, ‘Hey, I was thinking… have you ever thought about maybe starting a little business and making churros?’” recalls Elizabeth Garcia. Her mom, Silvia Garcia, had been brainstorming ideas for a product that her 15-year old son with spe cial needs and food allergies, would “Weenjoy.had spoken about her brother who’s autistic,” recalls Silvia Garcia. “It was really important for us to cre ate a product that was good for him… allergy-friendly.”

T

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Together with Elizabeth’s hus band Chris Mora, they came up with “Churro Garage” and got creative with their flavor line-up.

They make vegan churro batter from scratch (no nuts, no dairy, no eggs) and customers have responded enthusiastically.

“It was friendly.”allergy-wasproductusimportantreallyfortocreateathatgood…

The most popular item to date is the peanut butter & jelly with bacon churro, which is sure to land on every dessert aficiona do’s bucket list. They also offer cotton candy churros, strawber ries ‘n cream churros and tres leches churros. Customers can find the Churro Garage booth at breweries, festivals and SoCal events.

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VIVA CUPCAKESLOS

JimenezKarina

“When I started streetdessertstheseuptocupcakes…IinspiredmakeIbusinessmyIknewwantedtoMexican-likeeat,Igrewwithallfoodsandandsnacks.”

If there was ever a baker who knew how to give everyone’s favorite mini cake a whole new cultural status—it’s Karina Jimenez. She figured out a way to bring some popular flavors of Mexican cuisine into a traditional cupcake and our lives have never been the same. Viva Los Cupcakes, indeed! “When I started my business I knew I wanted to make Mexican-inspired cupcakes…I like to eat, I grew up with all these foods and desserts and street snacks,” she says. Jimenez’ signature flavor is the tamal con mole cupcake—which tastes exactly like its title. Just think of a warm corn tamale dipped in Mexican Mole with sesame seeds for a sweet, subtle crunch. Her idea for this popular flavor was born from a visit to La Guelaguetza Restaurant, a Oaxacan food estab lishment in Koreatown. “I was actually having lunch at La Guelaguetza. I love black mole. That’s what I always eat when I’m there” says Jimenez. “So I thought, I could turn this into a dessert!”

Jimenez’ unique creations have brought her plenty of media attention as well as customers from all across the country and she continues coming up with new flavors and collaborating with local businesses for unique taste experiences, all while raising her baby girl. Other popular Viva Los Cup cakes flavors by Jimenez in clude: Margarita, Champurrado (a warm and thick Mexican chocolate drink, prepared with ground maize flour) and Jamai ca (Hibiscus).

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Leon-VasquezAshley MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®72

DONASRIOHORCHATERÍALUNA&

Leon-Vasquez is getting ready to welcome baby number three, which is fueling her motivation to “Expand!, reach a larger audi ence, work hard for the next ten years and retire,” she says.

“It’s nice when we have people from

“My major was NOT a degree in busi ness as people would assume,” she says. But Leon-Vasquez is thriving in her role as the co-owner of popular cof fee shop, Horchateria Rio Luna in the city of Paramount. Most recently, she’s been serving her community and her gente with her latest busi ness venture— a donut shop called Donas she opened with her sister. At Donas customers can choose from sweet selections such as the Bidi Bidi Bom Bom donut which is covered in purple edible glitter representing the late Tejano star Selena Quintanilla’s famous purple outfit and song of the same name. There are also donuts decorated as Frida Kahlo and donuts that have Horchata flavored glaze. Leon-Vasquez’ coffee and donut shops are so popular, plans are un derway to open additional locations.

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“It’s important for them to learn hard work at a young age.

Ashley bornVasquezLeon-wasinWatts and became a competitive swimmer, a professional dancer and an Anthropology major at UC Riverside.

lovekids…andupthingsappreciatecomingbackgroundsdifferentculturesdifferentandintothewegreweatingastheyit.”

“Mybusiness.daughter actually works at the donut shops in the summer. She does retail and customer service as well as cleans the restrooms,” says Leon-Vasquez.

Her daughter and son, ages 10 and five respectively, always offer to help, staying loyal to the idea of running a family

MANZANASPEBBS MejiaValerie

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“I felt so confident when Sand One invit ed me to her penthouse in DTLA back in 2014 to deliver apples,” recalls Mejia. “The next day she came to my home in Lawndale to get some more. She gave me a shout out on social media and orders started to kick in like crazy…I was the happiest!”

Mejia works full-time in an office setting but every week she finds herself receiving numerous order requests via text message and email. She starts working on her orders in the evenings after mak ing dinner for her boys, who in turn help their mom both in the kitchen and by promoting her apples.

“My Angel baby loves giving out samples and giving out my business cards! He’s always bringing me more clientele by word of mouth,” she shares. Mejia’s long-term goal? “To open my business and ship my candy apples all over the world,” she says.

F

“Once (my mom) taught me how to make the original Manzana de tamarindo (Tama rind fruit candy apple), I ran with it,” says SheMejia.created several additional recipes that incorporate various Mexican flavors. Then she gave them each individual names such as La Loca, La Minnie Mouse and El Diablito Mejia realized her candy apples were gaining traction when a popular local artist called her for a delivery.

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“My me.”importantfrom!youforgetus.didthecrossed(grandparents)abuelitosoverborderandsomuchforDon’teverwherecameThat’ssoto

ollowing her own mom’s example, Valerie Mejia is the boss behind Pebbs Manzanas, a candy apple service that delivers chili and tamarind fruit flavored candy apples and other Chamoy-covered goodies to Los Angeles-area customers. A single mom of 9-year old twin boys, Me jia says she learned the unique candy ap ple recipe and was encouraged to launch her own side hustle, from her mom who runs a similar business.

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TWISTED 4 SUGAR

RiosLucia

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Twisted 4 Sugar is now among the most popular cotton candy carts-for-hire in Los Angeles. Rios offers a long list of cotton candy flavors including Guava, Mexican Hot Coco, Café de Olla and Watermelon with Tajín. She also offers shipping through her cotton candy tubs available for purchase online. When she’s not catering an offi cial Disney Princess event, she may be offering samples at a Foodie Festival or handing special ly-themed cotton candy desserts at a clothing store grand opening, welcoming celebrities like Khloe Kardashian. “It’s definitely surreal,” says Rios of her company’s success. “Much of the growth is still surprising to me. It makes you believe that the dream is really attainable.”

Afew years ago, when Lucia Rios, the owner of Twisted 4 Sugar, was dealing with postpartum blues and workplace anxiety, she decided to quit her job, heal, and began her quest to self-employment. She loved cotton candy and figured she had nothing to lose by purchasing a cotton candy machine and ordering a few supplies and ingredients. When she spun her first cotton candy ball using the sugar varieties she had ordered, Rios wasn’t thrilled about the “Theytaste. were so nasty. I was super bummed out, super upset!,” she shared. But Rios refused to give up on the idea and focused on making her own cotton candy sugar flavors adding elements that represented Mexican comfort foods and desserts she had enjoyed growing up in Los Angeles. “I loved going to the alleys and I remem ber seeing the fruit carts and the aguas,” she says. “Even comfort foods and des serts like arroz con leche.”

“I goinglovedto the alleys and I seeingrememberthe fruit carts and leche.”likeandcomfortaguas…eventhefoodsdessertsarrozcon

GOURMELETAS SaraviaAmy MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®78

generation.”itandtimelesstookdessert.aice“Hand-dippedcreamistimelessWethisideabroughttoanew

Amy Saravia always knew hand-dippedthatice cream was a classic frozen treat that not many could resist. When she launched Gourmeletas, which combines the words “gourmet” and paletas (Spanish for popsicles), she added a unique spin to her ice cream menu. Aside from offering traditional flavors, Saravia and her husband incorporated the likes of mango con coco and coconut ice cream dipped in chocolate with Maza pan “Hand-dippedcrumbles.

ice cream is a timeless dessert. A lot of the older generations can remember the classic ice cream and chocolate banana stands,” Sara via says. “We took this timeless idea and brought it to a new generation.” Saravia and her husband had decided to launch a pizza catering company with a dessert menu that included funnel cakes, churros and handdipped ice cream. Of the different offerings, the handdipped ice cream was an instant hit and the biggest crowd-pleaser. Today, Saravia focuses on Gourmeletas, fulltime.

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Her signature pink hand-dipped ice cream cart is in high de mand which means she rarely gets days off. In fact, the mom of three has interacted with so many customers, she started asking for suggestions and listening to their ideas. Her customers, she says, encour aged her to develop her recently launched GourmeLatte mobile espresso service. “We started in a different path, but this concept set its own course and that gave us confir mation (that) we were steering the right path,” says Saravia. “Since day one, a store front has been a goal of ours. The right location and the right time will be key.”

Mama Katie Wells to Launch

‘Wellnesse’ Personal Care Product Line

“It’s tough to find high-quality products that work as well as ‘regular’ alternatives. People aren’t willing to sacrifice efficacy to use a natural option,” Wells said. “We set out to create products that work while maintaining safety and clean ingredients.” Wells founded Wellnesse alongside her husband and business partner, Seth Spears. The husband and wife duo are answering the Wellness Mama community’s pent-up demand for natural yet commercially available products. The response to her DIY personal care recipes and more than 50 million podcast down loads within the Wellness Mama community is proof there is great enthusiasm and interest in the Wellnesse mission and its products.

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Cruelty-free, GMO-free, and paraben-free are important personal care product qualities for Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, award-winning blogger, author, podcaster, and real-food crusader. Wellnesse is her debut line of high-quality, all-natural, and clean personal care products. It is based on the DIY creations she has been making in her kitchen for years and launching in 2020. The first products in the Wellnesse product line include: Whitening Toothpaste; Cleansing Shampoo for All Hair Types; Smoothing Shampoo for All Hair Types; Nourishing Conditioner for Wavy, Curly Hair and Enriching Conditioner for Wavy, Curly Hair. A wife and mom of six, Wells spent more than ten years re searching the personal care market and perfecting her own recipes using safe and natural ingredients. Unable to find commercially-available products that lived up to their clean and green labels, Wells developed a mission to bring simpler, safer personal care to the homes of families across the country with Wellnesse.

Wellness with Wellnesse

KobeR.I.P. Bean Bryant August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020 IN MEMORYLOVING By GREG BEACHAM/Associated Press HeroesBUTLEGENDSAreForever MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®82

Bryant, the 18-time All-Star who won five NBA championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during a 20-year career all with the Lakers, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, January 26, 2020. He was 41.

The basketball world and Los Angeles reacted with an outpouring of pain and “Fordisbelief.20seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accom plishments that are legendary ... but he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.”

KOBE BRYANT ENERGIZED LOS ANGELES LIKE FEW PEOPLE HAVE Kobe Bryant inspired a generation of basketball players worldwide with sublime skills and an unquenchable competitive fire. He earned Los Angeles’ eternal ado ration during his two decades as the fierce soul of the beloved Lakers, and he was respected by basketball fans from every place with a hoop and a dream, including his native Philadelphia and in Italy, his other childhood home. Less than four years into his retirement, Bryant was seizing new challenges and working to inspire his daughters’ genera tion through sports and storytelling when his next chapter ended shockingly early.

Come and

ForeverLEGENDSGo

Angeles Lakers,

Jersey Number

Black Mamba Kobe Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 1996, only a month after having been drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, they traded him to the L.A. Lakers for center, Vlade Divac. Bryant was the first guard to be drafted into the NBA straight out of high school.

Games Played 1346 Points Per Game 25.0 Rebounds Per Game 5.2 3-Point Field Goal Percentage 32.9 Free Throw Percentage 83.7 Birthplace Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Family Parents: Joe & Pamela Bryant Wife: Vanessa Laine Bryant Children: Natalia Diamante Bryant (b. 2003), Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant (b. 2006) Bianka Bella Bryant (b. 2016) Capri Kobe Bryant (b. 2019) Sisters: Sharia Bryant, Shaya Bryant Movies/TV Shows (Acted In) “The 19th Annual Animation Show of Shows” “Daddy’s(2017) Home” (2015) “Bette” “Moesha”(2000)(1996) Movies/TV Shows “Dear“Detail”(Writing/Creator)(2018-2019)Basketball”(short; 2017) Published Works “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play” (2018) Albums “K.O.B.E.” (2000) MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® 83

Position Small forward, shooting guard 24 (Los Lakers, 2007-2016 (Los 1997-2006)

The crash occurred in the foggy hills above Calabasas, California, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Ange les. Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna as well as five other passengers including the pilot, died. Bryant lived south of Los Angeles in coastal Orange County, and he often used helicopters to save time and avoid South ern California’s notorious traffic. He trav eled to practices and games by helicopter before his playing career ended in 2016. He continued to use them after retirement as he attended to his new ventures, which included a burgeoning entertainment com pany that recently produced an Academy Award-winning animated short film.

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LEGENDSAREFOREVER

The crash occurred about 20 miles from Mamba Sports Academy, Bryant’s bas ketball training complex in Newbury Park, California. A youth basketball tournament — the Mamba Cup — was scheduled for a second day of competition Sunday at the facility, and Bryant had attended the opening day Saturday with Gianna. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, had four daughters. He had been a vocal booster of women’s sports since his retirement, coaching and mentoring basketball play ers around the world while also backing women’s soccer and other endeavors. Bryant retired as the third-leading scorer in NBA history with 33,643 points, all scored in Lakers purple and gold.

Angeles

Vanessa FarewellBryant’sSpeech “Babe, you take care of our Gigi. I got Nani, BB, & Coco. We’re still the best team.”

He isn’t going to be able to walk our girls down the aisle or spin me around the dance floor while singing “PYT” to me. But I want my daughters to know and remember the amazing person, husband and father he was, the kind of man that wanted to teach the future genera tions to be better, and keep them from making his own mistakes. He always liked working and doing projects to improve kids’ lives. He taught us all valuable lessons about life and sports through his MBA career. He was thoughtful and wrote the best love letters and cards and Gigi had his wonderful ability to express her feelings to pick up paper and make you feel her love through her words. She was thoughtful like him. They were so easy to love. Everyone naturally gravitated towards them. They were funny, happy, silly, and they loved life. They were so full of joy an adventure. God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to Heav en Babe,together.youtake care of our GiGi, I got Nani, BB, & Coco. We’re still the best team. We love and miss you Booboo & Gigi. May you both rest in peace, and have fun in Heaven. Until we meet again one day. We love you both, and miss you. Forever and always, Mommy.”

On February 24, 2020, during Kobe Bryant’s Memorial at the Staples Center, Vanessa Bryant, his wife of nineteen years, delivered a heart-wrenching speech bidding farewell to her 13-year old daughter Gigi and love of her life, HereKobe.aresome excerpts from Vanessa’s Farewell Speech. “Kobe was known as a fierce competitor on the basketball court. The greatest of all time, a writer and Oscar winner, and the Black Mamba. But to me, he was Kob-Kob, my boo-boo, my bae-boo. My papi chulo. I was his Vivi, his principesa, his reina, his Queen Mamba and his Veeski-mineski, Fabu-leeski. I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband, and the beautiful father of our children. He was mine. He was my everything.

MEMORYLOVING

Coco say “Dada.”

IN

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We had always talked about how we would be the fun grandparents to our daughter’s chil dren. He would have been the coolest grandpa. Kobe was the MVP of girl dads, or MVD. He never left the toilet seat up. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they are. He taught them how to be brave and how to keep pushing forward when things get tough. And when Kobe retired from the NBA, he took over dropping off and picking up our girls from school since I was at home pregnant with Bian ca and just recently home nursing Capri. He helped put baby Bianca and Capri to sleep almost every night. He would sing them silly songs in the shower and continue making them laugh and smile as he lathered them with lotion and got them ready for bed. He had magic arms that could put Capri to sleep in only a few minutes. He said he had it down to a science, eight times up and down our hallway. He loved taking Bianca to Fashion Island to watch her play in the koi pond area. Their most recent visit to the koi pond was the evening before he and Gigi passed. He told me he wished he would have convinced Natalia to play basketball, so they could have spent even more time together. But he also wanted her to pursue her own passion. He watched Natalia play in a volleyball tournament on her birthday, on January, 19 and he noticed how she’s a very intelligent player. He was convinced she would have made a great point guard with her vision of the court. And he told me that he wanted Bianca and Capri to take a basketball, when they got older, so he could spend just as much time with them, as he did with Gigi.

Now they won’t have their daddy and sister here to teach them, and that is truly a loss I do not understand but I’m so thankful Kobe heard

Kobe and I have been together since I was 17 and-a-half years old. I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidant, and his protector. He was the most amazing husband. Koby loved me more than I could ever express or put into words. He was the early bird, and I was the night owl. I was fire and he was ice, and vice versa at times. We balanced each other out. He would do anything for me. I have no idea how I deserved a man that loved and wanted me more than Kobe. He was charismatic, a gentle man. He was loving adoring and romantic. Kobe wanted us to renew our vows. He wanted Natalia to take over his company, and he want ed to travel the world together.

KOBE & VANESSA BRYANT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

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Kobe and Vanessa Bryant met in 1999 during a music video shoot when Vanessa was a 17-year old high school student from Orange County and Kobe was a 20-year-old rising star for the Los Angeles Lakers. The couple had their first date at Disneyland and six months after meeting, once Vanessa turned eighteen, Kobe proposed and they got married on April 18, 2001. Their 19-year marriage had its ups and downs but in the end, their love prevailed and they welcomed four daughters. Here is a collection of some of the couples happy and memorable red carpet mo ments throughout the years.

IN MEMORYLOVING

IN MEMORYLOVING Kobe

I looked up to my parents. My dad gave me a thumbs up which meant he was fine with continuing to wait. Suddenly, I saw Kobe Bryant coming toward me, signaling to meet him where he was now standing. I ran to meet him and greeted him with excitement quickly telling him how much he meant to me as a basketball player and how thrilled I was over the fact that he was a Laker. We took pictures and he signed a few items for me. For a moment in time, Kobe Bryant felt like a friend, not a famous Whenathlete.Ireceived the news about his death on January 26, 2020, I thought it was a cruel joke. But as news outlets started confirming the story one by one, I immediately became angry and broke down. How was it that such a young, amazing man was dead? As the news unraveled that his daughter Gianna was with him, I could not bear the awful news. His death affected me for months and it triggered the tragic passing of my father and the bond we built throughout the years which included the love of basketball. Kobe Bryant’s passing was tragic but his legacy is never-ending. Kobe is a gift to Los Angeles and his game is like a beautifully orchestrated music piece. There will be no other basketball player that brings the city of Los Angeles to its knees in sorrow in the same manner we were brought to our feet with nervous excitement. R.I.P. Kobe Bryant.

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mymemoriesbroughtandbroketragicBryant’sdeathmyheartalsolovingofdad

By Susana Marquez Basketball has always been my favorite sport! I started playing at the age of five and fell in love with the game. A Laker fan at heart, the purple and gold run deep through my veins. Growing up, my father and I watched every Laker game possible and in the mornings, we would discuss the games and read the newspaper’s sports section. Needless to say, there was no question I would try out for the basketball team in high school. Unfortunately, right around the time of try-outs, my dad became very ill. I vividly remember visiting him at the hospital to tell him I had made the basketball team and showing him my uniform. He looked at me with pride and said that I would eventually go play for the Lakers. Mind you, there was no WNBA at that time. During the summer of 1998 I was invited to go to the Santa Monica Pier for a basketball event led by none other than Kobe Bryant. By this time, my house had already become a Kobe Bryant-fan household. I even had posters of him on my bedroom wall. We knew he would lead the Los Angeles Lakers to greatness. Kobe was my idol. I remember trying to emulate his moves on the court. Needless to say, on this hot summer day in 1998, I was over the moon with excitement about possibly meeting him.

Although my dad’s health continued deteriorating, he drove me out to Santa Monica. The event was crowded and the day was very hot. My parents waited for me as I made my way to stand in line for a Kobe meet and greet. It felt like an eternity before Kobe arrived and I kept checking on my father who seemed tired and restless. At one point I asked my dad if he preferred going home, knowing that I’d probably miss out on meeting Kobe. Buy my dad replied, “Get in line and meet your idol. We will be here waiting for you.” I hugged my dad tightly with tears in my eyes because even as his illness progressed, he was making a sacrifice to be there since he knew what meeting Kobe meant to me. When Kobe arrived, he gave a brief speech about his love for the game, his drive and determination and his love for the Lakers. He was confident. He was built for greatness and he oozed confidence even at 19-years-old. He promised championships and everyone believed him. He had not yet reached Black Mamba status then, but it was easy to see that we was headed to the Astop.I got closer to meeting Kobe and the line got longer behind me, news reporters pulled him away. I felt heartbroken because he was leaving and so was my chance to meet him. But he turned around and asked, “Hey, what’s your name?” I yelled out my name and he replied: “Susie! I will be right back, wait right there.”

Mambas Forever Mural by Artist Sloe | Location: 1361 Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90015

Father and Daughter Basketball Angeles Mural by Artist Sloe | Location: W. Pico Blvd. & S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90015

Kobe Bryant Mural by Artist Jonas Never | Location: 1336 Lebannon St. Los Angeles, CA 90015

Soon after Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, numer ous artists took to the streets of Los Angeles to capture his legacy in paint. Many of the murals we found depict the bond between Kobe and his 13-year old daughter Gigi. They died together in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. In her final words during the memorial held at Staples Center, Kobe’s wife Vanessa Bryant said: “God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to Heaven together.”

MAMBA LIVES ON

The Mamba Mentality Mural by Artist HIJACK |

Location: 519 S. Fairfax Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036 Legends are Forever Kobe Bryant Mural by Artist Chris Chanyang Shim | 800 E. 4th St. Los Angeles, CA 90013

Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna hugging Mural by Artist Bandit Graffiti | Location: 7753 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046

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IN MEMORYLOVING

MARCHWOMEN’SLA

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In 2020 women are rising to affirm that women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights. Women’s March LA creates a space in the midst of Los Angeles for powerful speakers, artists, activists and commu nity leaders to rise and share work aligned with the Wom en’s March Platform. The 4th Annual Women’s March LA was held on Saturday, January 18, 2020 and represented a moment when Los Angeles women gathered together for justice, equity, and power. Today’s era is a testament to the fact that women are rising to power and demanding jus tice for people of all genders, ages, races, cultures, political affiliations, disabilities and backgrounds. In the 2018 midterm election, a record-break ing 103 women were elected to Congress and have risen to assert powerful and coura geous leadership in every area from the economy to foreign policy to government account ability.

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On January 21, 2017, the Women’s March was the largest single-day protest in U.S. history with over seven million women and allies marching through out the world. 1.2 million of those marching for gender justice and equal ity were right here in Los Angeles. Women’s March Foundation grew from that initial moment and has organized a march for women’s rights in LA each year since, with over 2.2 million marchers taking part. And women are still rising.

Julie Podolec and her husband launched their frozen bar busi ness in 2015 when they couldn’t find anything in the frozen aisles they felt good about giving their teething son.

The product packaging is delightfully inviting, publicizing La guna Beach as the birthplace of the brand. And the company’s promotional materials including the website and social media posts often feature the petite and energetic mom of two. Podolec is Modern Pop. She has used her charisma and love of bright 1950’s-era fash ion to serve as the face of the brand. She promotes Modern Pop with bright red lipstick, colorful outfits, a multi-colored se lection of sunglasses and plenty of pizazz, usually posing in front of classic cars, SoCal landmarks and vibrant backdrops.

JULIE PODOLEC THE MODERN POP

“They were simple, real, and exactly what I was searching for. It was something anyone could make at home, but I knew we could save people the time and the hassle,” she explains. The pops are now available in six different flavors and sold at more than 3,000 locations nationwide, including major grocery chains like Ralph’s, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and Albertsons/

A lot can be attributed to the success of Modern Pop— the bars are tasty, they’re fat-free, made with only a handful of in gredients and only 45-60 calories per bar. But perhaps what stands out the most is Podolec’s remarkable marketing and branding strategy.

Podolec.

Even an old grocery cart with a rusty metal frame looks chic when Julie Podolec steps into the scene, loads it with bright boxes of Modern Pop frozen bars and pushes it down a Laguna Beach parking lot for a photo shoot.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL CARRILLO

Safeway.

“We don’t view ourselves as another fruit pop. Modern Pop is a California inspired Fruit brand that prides itself on simplicity of ingredients and always ‘putting fruit first,’” explains Podolec. “We believe in putting ‘pops’ of color and life into otherwise stale categories.”

Nearly five years later, Modern Pop has proven to be a success ful endeavor for Podolec who started out by blending simple whole fruits, lemon, lime and water in her kitchen. To sweeten the pops, she added a few drops of agave.

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“When we couldn’t find what we needed, we created it”, says “We were truly shocked that something so simple like a fruit bar was loaded with over 20 grams of sugar. We knew this old classic was due for a makeover!”

Over the summer, philanthropists and owners of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc., Gabriel and Christine Chiu celebrated their son, Gabriel Chiu III’s 1st birthday by donating a million dollars to the Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica and throwing a sensational birthday bash in Baby G’s honor.

The million dollar gift donation on the occasion of Baby G’s first birthday helped dedicate a wing of the Museum. The generous donation also supports ShareWell, the nonprofit behind the Cayton, which is dedicated to nurturing children to become confident, compassionate human beings with the design to make the world a better place.

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OneChiuChristineMILLIONina

Originally privatizing the iconic Santa Monica Pier for Baby G’s birthday, the Chiu’s decided instead to give the money to the Museum so as to set an example of philanthropy their son can appreciate for a lifetime. Resulting from this occasion was also the Chiu Fun-For-All fund which provides free museum admission for L.A.-area children living in underserved communities.

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Christine.said

For Baby G’s birthday, the couple donated one million dollars on behalf of their son for a dedicated museum wing to support the Chiu Fun-For-All fund which will provide free museum admission to children in underserved communi ties.

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“Baby G, we loved you before you were born and we love you into the future,” said Christine. And as any parent who loves their child, we want a better future for you… and that starts with investing in today. It starts with investing in the children of today and giving all children equal access to education and creative arts.”

Party for a Good Cause

By Vero Navarro Photos by Dina Douglass he adorable little Gabriel Chiu III, known by his parents as Baby G, had his first birthday party at the Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica. But Baby G’s birthday party wasn’t just any party. Baby G happens to be the son of Dr. Gabriel Chiu of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. and Christine Chiu, a philanthropist and noted couture fashion collector and inves tor. The couple has avidly support ed local organizations, including the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, among others.

“Baby G, we future,”youwebornyouyoulovedbeforewereandloveintothe

Besides the generous museum donation, the actual birthday party for Baby G was pretty incredible.

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Christine basically took the Santa Monica Pier to the Cayton Museum with an over-the-top celebration. The party brought together person alities such as Teddi Mellencamp, Joyce Bonelli, and Alexa Dell. Guests enjoyed a custom-built roll er coaster, an elaborate floral Ferris wheel, indoor carnival games including a claw grabber machine with a large selection of luxury Gucci gifts, plenty of entertainers, a custom Baby G Surf Shop, a state-of-the-art arcade, live musical performances, a private showing of Bob Baker’s Marionettes, virtual reality experiences, and a 10-course catering menu that featured cavi ar served over tater tots. This, of course, in addition to the museum’s existing exhibitions.

The Cayton museum, (formerly the Zimmer Children’s Museum) was overhauled and moved to its new location in Santa Monica during summer 2019. It offers hands-on play exhibits and cultural program ming for children and families. In her touching speech dedicated to Baby G, Christine Chiu said, “We feel very blessed to be able to have this opportunity, to hopefully teach Baby G, at a very young age, the importance of giving back and the importance of sharing and the importance of equality.”

Baby G’s 1st Party!Birthday Clockwise: Entrance of Gabriel Chiu III’s “Baby G” 1st Birthday Party; Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp with family attends Baby G’s 1st Birthday party; Celebrity Make-Up Artist Joyce Bonelli poses with Christine Chiu; Ball pit, custom helicopter and firetruck for kids to enjoy; Inside of Baby G’s Gucci Crane Machine MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®96

An Artful Journey From Indiana to L.A. Interview & Photos By Nancy Lozano-Stecyk

At RISD she chose the Illustration Department as recommended by Disney but quickly learned that her strength was not in drawing people and Still,characters.shedecided to stay in the pro “Itgram.allowed me to take a wide variety of classes …to help me figure out what other career paths I might want to pur sue in the field of art and design,” says Rueth. “One of my favorite classes was my Watercolor class with (renowned il lustrator) Tom Sgouros. He was losing his eyesight and had started painting these wonderful abstract landscapes. I think that class had a lot of influence on my current Alcohol ink pieces.”

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Rueth eventually landed an intern ship at New York & Co. where she became fascinated by the textile and trend department and realized that was the career path she wanted to pursue.Sheapplied and was ac cepted to FIDM’s Surface Design Professional Desig nation program. “I quit my job, and moved out to L.A.,” she shares. “The 9 month program was a perfect opportunity for me to test out and learn all that I could about The Textile Design Industry,” she Afteradds.completing the program, she landed a full-time job as a Graphic Designer at Guess working on Textile patterns and tee shirt graphics in the Young Contemporary Women’s Rebeccadepartment.did not end up pursuing a Disney career in the animation indus try. Instead, she fell in love with an animator, got married and became a “Imom.often help him with developing his ideas for show pitches and give him constructive criticism on his charac ter designs and ask him for feedback on my own projects,” she says.

RebeccaRueth

In high school, Rebecca Rueth loved art, creative writing and she had a special affinity for animated Disney movies so she wrote a letter to the The Walt Disney Company letting them know she wanted to become an Disneyanimator.replied with a packet of infor mation, including a list of recommend ed colleges and areas of study so that she could explore an art career. Rueth, who was living in Northwest Indiana, about 45 minutes away from downtown Chicago at that time, wast ed no time. “My dad and I visited different schools on the list and I sent out applications,” she recalls. “I was so excited when I got my acceptance letter back from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) because it felt like the perfect mix of art school and…a traditional college campus.”

Today, you can find Rebecca complet ing incredible freelance projects in many different types of mediums. What’s been the most challenging aspect of running your business? I would say the most challenging as pect of my business is definitely life/ work balance. When you really love what you do, you can really get lost in your work. I used to be a total work aholic, with freelance work it can be feast or famine. After the birth of my daughter it was harder to cater to all

“

“ I quit my job, movedandouttoL.A. of needs of my clients while prioritiz ing my daughter’s needs, so I cut down on my workload and have been trying to have more balance in my life. Share a little bit about the experience of being both a mom and an active artist... what are your challenges?biggest I think what I wrote as my artist state ment for the Mommy in L.A. nicelylaunchMagazineparty,answers this question. For me (and I think this is the case for most moms), Motherhood has been a journey of the familiar and foreign all at the same time. There are days that I feel comfortable treading the well-worn road before me, but every so often I find myself some where strange and unfa miliar forced to continue off the beaten path. The joys that I have felt have lifted me up higher than the tallest mountains, and likewise the lows have plunged me into the depths of the deepest oceans. My “Journey of a Thousand Lands” collection is composed of a series of imagined landscapes that have evolved during my experiments with alcohol inks this year. In addition to being representational of my jour ney through Motherhood, I chose this collection for this exhibit be cause there are a lot of similarities between my parenting style and working with this medium. After struggling with a bit of a speech delay, my daughter was diagnosed on the autism spec trum in the fall of 2017. This whole experience has led me to truly learn to let go of expec tations and to understand that not everything in life is going to go according to your plan. It has pushed me to try ofembraceandspectivefromseeingmyapproachesdifferenttoworkthroughourdailystrugglesandhashelpedmecelebratethosemomentsofaccomplishment.Ultimately,ithasopenedeyestotheworldanewpereachdayremindsmetothebeautywhatmakesus each unique individ uals. These principles hold true with this medi um, as well. Alcohol inks almost have a mind of their own and more often than not you just have to embrace that you may not achieve the exact results you imagined, but when you learn to let go of your expectations and just em brace the process you can still end up with beautiful results. Your advice to moms who want to create/launch/do something but feel overwhelmed about the prospect of being able to balance it all— Make time in your sched ule. Come up with a plan and just jump in, but don’t be afraid to fail! Most of productssuccessfulorbusinessesareherebecausetheircreatorskeptpushingon.

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Mommy In Los Angeles Magazine was honored to serve as an event sponsor for Positive Visions L.A.’s inaugural News Year’s Winter Fashion Show and Vision Board Party in Downey on December 29, 2018. Positive Visions L.A. is a women’s support and empowerment platform created by Mariela Figueroa (IG @ positive_mermade). Mariela is an entrepreneur and public speaker with a contagiously optimistic spirit. She launched her event business as a way to motivate fellow women to live the best version of themselves. During the event, guests enjoyed a shopping experience with local herandPositiveforwardtheactivitiesshowdiscussion,businesses,female-ownedapanelafashionandvisionboardtowelcomenewyear.WelooktoworkingwithVisionsL.A.joiningMarielaonfutureendeavors!

A proud sponsor of women-led empowerment events

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Bibs and Bellies is an annual pregnancy and parenting expo organized by local mom duo, Deanna Nalbandian and Yeranosian.Monica Their elegant and neatly organized yearly gathering offers a glimpse into new brands and services for millennial moms, featuring panelistwithopportunitiesnetworkingexcellentalongtrend-settingmoms who offer candid chats about motherhood in our times. Mommy In Los Angeles Magazine was proud to debut its WOWMOM® brand at the Bibs and Bellies event on September 29, 2019 with gifted lip pens for all VIP ticket holders. We look forward to supporting the next Bibs and Bellies event!

Kristiana Azzur

A woman’s determination to serve as a voice for her community empowers everyone. These ladies have taken the lead in standing up for causes near and dear to their hearts. From teaching us to be more conscious consumers; working to make underserved communities safer; organizing blanket drives and bringing moms together in Los Angeles, these six local women make us proud because when they felt there was a need to act, they did something about it!

The Cause Bar Proyecto Happy Hearts

When we think about a mom who keeps it real, Elisa Beach comes to mind. The San Fernando Valley mom of four (and stepmom of four) once posted a candid photo of herself in the restroom, sitting on the toilet, while her daughter Nolan stood upright, nursing. The photo went viral and media around the world wanted to know more about Elisha with many praising her honesty while others criticized her choice of photo. Elisha kept her classy composure through all the attention she received then turned the attention on the need to normalize everyday motherhood experiences. She launched The Mom Forum Media, LLC— a media company featuring a podcast and event platform to support other women in their motherhood journeys. www.themom-forum.com DID SOMETHING

She started out in 2013 with a grassroots charity to provide winter blankets to fam ilies at Boyle Heights’ Comunidad Cesar Chavez transitional living complex. Then her generous actions evolved into an annual movement. Christy Anne organizes frequent deliveries of goods and supplies to help families at this low-income commu nity. From Easter Baskets and sock drives to meals during the COVID-19 Pandemic, her efforts are helping families sleep better at night by knowing help and support are always on the way. When she’s not organizing donors and resources to help others, she’s busy raising her own kids and working full-time.

THEY

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She relocated from the East Coast to support her husband’s career in Los Angeles but Kristiana had already begun her journey. She was on a mission to teach peo ple about the power we possess to make a difference in the world, one thought, purchase and act, at a time. Her platform, The Cause Bar, supports an “organically grown community in feeling inspired and educated on how to lead a more cause-fo cused lifestyle.” According to The Cause Bar website, in 2020, Kristiana is merging her brand expertise with her deep relationships and experience within the philan thropic space, to galvanize leaders ready to go deeper and more personalized in their impact. www.TheCauseBar.com

Instagram: @ProyectoHappyHearts

Christy Anne Gomez

Elisa Beach

The Moms Forum

We first met Shirley when she was leading a series of workshops in South Central L.A. where she would moderate discussions with local residents about ways to make their communities healthier, safer and more connected. At the time, she was working for the Kounkuey Design Initiative which partners with people in under-resourced neighborhoods. Shirley’s passion to help people feel safe in their own communities was evident. She worked tirelessly to ensure people’s feedback was well document ed so that their requests for better parks and safer streets could help influence fund ing and grants from the state. This fierce boss lady is still working to help allocate resources for communities who need them but now she’s a project manager for transformative climate communities at Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

Yadi Lemus

Instagram: @SoLittleToDo Originally from Brooklyn, New York where she used to coordinate events like Sum mer Concerts in the Park, Yadi knows how to bring people together. She moved to Los Angeles, met the love of her life and gave birth to three healthy kids. But motherhood came with a few challenges for Yadi. First, she went through a difficult time with her first child who was born with a lung cyst and had to endure surgery as an infant. Then she became pregnant a year later and suffered through several post-partum diagnoses after delivering twins. But Yadi’s go-getter mind-set helped her turn those dark moments into an opportunity to become an advocate for mater nal mental health. She’s currently the cohost of Not your Madre’s Podcast and the founder of “Madres Who Brunch” a community organization where she bring moms together in support of one another.

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If she’s not speaking out in defense of teachers’ salaries during school board meet ings, she’s promoting measures to live a more sustainable way of life. From offering tips on recycling and composting at home, to minimalist living, Luana stands for causes and products that will make the world a better place for her three children and the next generations. Luana once wrote to Panda Express asking why they wouldn’t allow customers to use their own containers for pick-up orders and pointed out that their use of Styrofoam plates is detrimental to the environment (a company representative responded citing health and safety regulations and promised to raise her concerns to management). She is a vocal activist who uses social media to speak out against injustice and encourages her students do the same.

Luana Klittich

SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

L.A. Housing Authority

Shirley Rempe

Teacher & Activist Proyecto Happy Hearts

Instagram: @MadresWhoBrunch

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elebrating The LA Mommy Blogger Tribe’s 1st year anniver sary atop the San Fernando Valley meant ex periencing cheerful camara derie, social interaction and the support of various ven dors and sponsors who un derstand the value of work ing with moms who know how to bring attention to brands and events. During the anniversary cel ebration, we caught up with founder Naza Holliman for a Q&A: Naza, can you tell us more about The LA Mommy Blogger Tribe?

NH: The LA Mommy Blogger Tribe is a community for strong, smart, powerhouse women. It is a community for bloggers who are moms-- working moms, stay-at-home moms, work-at-home moms, LGBT moms, adoptive moms, foster moms, blogger/influ encer moms. It is a sort of “social club”, for lack of a better title. It is a space where our members can talk about all things motherhood, and all things blogger. It is a space where we are support ive of one another, a space where we help each other grow, and be seen. We build each other up, we help each other land cam paigns, grow our following, and understand each other’s struggles, while rooting for one another’s success. We meet monthly for fun events, brunches, pop-ups, and we build friendships. For me personally, it is the village/tribe that I have yearned to have ever since I became a mother, and a blogger. What inspired you to create this commu

C A Q&A WITH FOUNDER NAZA HOLLIMAN

The Mommy Blogger Tribe

NH:nity?I have always been someone who en joys connecting people and connecting with people. As a marketer, I connected brands with potential clients, in early motherhood, I connected new moms, helping to allevi ate the effects of motherhood isolation and loneliness through SPS Playdates. I have

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NH: We are a little over a year old, but there are so many amazing mem ories. I will never forget our first event. It was a brunch at The Pent house Restaurant in Santa Monica. Only myself and Raquel Harbin of The Cool Mom’s Blog showed up. It was a complete flop, but the two of us had so much fun! It solidified the need to continue. There was another event, a hosted event, at Chin Chin in Studio City. I think it was maybe our third big event and only three of us showed up. Myself, Marie Clark of Beauti ful Day Blog and Rosie Hong of The

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joined and helped create so many groups throughout the various stages of my life, and looking back, I have been trying to create versions of this tribe for years. What inspired me is the need for like minded, supportive, strong, smart women, in my own life. Not just for community sake, but in the business and networking aspects. What are some of your most memorable experiences with the LA Mommy Blogger Tribe?

We are expanding! I am proud to announce the opening of the San Diego Mommy Blogger Tribe earlier this year, and we’re hoping to open a Las Vegas tribe in 2020. The goal is to have a strong network of bloggers, working to gether to create a community across state lines, with hosted retreats con necting all on a personal level.

Hustling Mama. This event was a game changer! The three of us sat for hours and without any walls, discussed blogging, Instagram algo rithms, followers/engagement and everything in between. We bounced ideas, we suggested campaigns, and we realized the importance of hav ing a like minded, supportive tribe. I don’t know how I did this blogging thing without this tribe for so long. Before LAMBT, blogging was like stumbling around in the dark. Our combined knowledge has taken out so much of the guesswork. This par ticular brunch was enlightening and life changing. For me, it is probably the single most impactful moment in the history of the LAMBT. Certainly the LA Mommy Blogger Tribe’s 1st Anniversary Celebration was my favorite “feel good” mo ment. It was a day where I got to celebrate and spoil all of the beau tiful souls who have been by my side through this journey. Perched on top of the world, surrounded by members of the LAMBT, old and new, mothers, bloggers, boss babes! It was a moment where I had the chance to sit back and enjoy what we created together. I will never forget that moment. What are your plans with the group and what can we expect in NH:2020?

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SPONSORS The Mommy Blogger Tribe 1st Anniversary Celebration Sponsors gifted event attendees food and desserts, flower activations and an array of gifts. These included: EYES OF INDIA - Tapestries SPONGELLE - Body wash-infused Buffers UBUNTU - Love Bracelets KENLEY KIDS – Organizational Trays for kids PEPPY LUNA EVENTS - Centerpieces, Flower Garlands, Flower Crowns and Flower Backdrop MIMIS CAFÉ - Lunch Meals & Pastry Desserts EYELUSION BEVERLY HILLS – Strip Lashes MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE – Magazines & Notebooks MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES® 109

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“My mother-in-law actually opened me up to this whole new world of custom plan ners,” says Castillo. “I am a to-do-list-aholic I’ve always used planners, notepads and have been known to fill a room with sticky notes. After talking to friends and fellow momtrepreneurs, I realized how much others could benefit from something like this and there went my crazy entrepre neurial spirit!”

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PHOTOS

Castillo has been a self-made entrepre neur since she graduated from high school in El Monte. Most recently, she ventured into the world of stationary, launching her unique, one-of-a-kind Momtrepreneur Planner— a practical organizer intended to help moms manage their work, home, social and business obligations.

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uring a recent trip to a children’s arcade, Laurie Castillo’s 4-yearold son Andrew, asked his mom if she could buy him a toy from a vending Castillo,machine.who could have easily spent a few dollars after playing arcade games with her little boy, didn’t submit to his plea. In stead, she offered a simple answer: “If you work hard, you’ll make money and then you can buy whatever you want,” she Thesaid.boy didn’t cry or argue, almost as if he agreed with his mom’s response. And he probably did. “My son is so inquisitive and detailed and is one heck of a salesman!,” says Castillo.

LAURIE CASTILLO: Helping Moms Get Organized with The Momtrepreneur Planner

She designed the organizer using her favorite color scheme and taking into account her own mommy needs. She did so after years of trying many different planners. None them of fered enough space in the day-today sections, she says. They hardly offered room for sufficient note-tak ing, which is necessary when you’re running a business and your mind is constantly coming up with ideas. Plus, Castillo says the planners she tested were either strictly day plan ners or note planners but nothing that addressed the needs of a busi nesswoman-turned-mom.

The Momtrepreneur Planner offers a chic design with organized pag es, tabs and sections for mothers to schedule, note, record, pencil-in and remember all that is necessary to lead successful busy lives, while raising kids.

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“To me, it’s all about learning to inte grate my life as a wife, mom and en trepreneur instead of trying to find balance. I wanted the tools to help me do that, because, let’s face it, we all lose balance at some point so why not change the course?,” explains Castillo. “I took to the task of creat ing my own planner that focuses on productivity and conquering goals.”

or Castillo, taking a risk with her latest business project was an exciting decision. She wasn’t new to building successful enter prises, having watched her parents run a prosperous architectural firm as a young girl. After high school, Cas tillo started working at a cell phone company where she helped increase business

“To me, it’s all about learning to integrate my life as a wife, mom and entrepreneur instead of trying to find balance. I wanted the tools to help me do that, because, let’s face it, we all lose balance at some point so why not change the course?”

“TO ME, IT’S ALL ABOUT LEARNING TO INTEGRATE MY LIFE AS A WIFE, MOM AND ENTREPRENEUR INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND BALANCE. I WANTED THE TOOLS TO HELP ME DO THAT, BECAUSE, LET’S FACE IT, WE ALL LOSE BALANCE AT SOME POINT SO WHY NOT CHANGE THE COURSE?” sales. Then she launched a cell phone business of her own, proving that a good understanding of business prac tices and the drive to branch off was good enough to get Aahead.fewyears later, Castillo started a T-shirt printing com pany with her then-boyfriend Alex, where the demand was so high, they were staying up all night to complete orders. Eventually, the couple decid ed to slow down. They closed up the shop, got married and started family planning. A couple years ago, Castillo teamed up with a friend to help him build a plumbing business out of a small empty warehouse. Her knowledge in marketing strategies and self-taught web development

The Making of A Momtrepreneur F

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Castillo resigned from her job as operations manager with the plumbing company and is currently focusing on her planner, which is a week away from its pre-sale launch.

skills, helped drive the company from a single serviceman op eration to a six-figure empire. Castillo was rewarded with a formidable salary. At the same time, she had teamed up with her sisters to launch Gloria’s Garden, an online business that provides customized flower seed packets to memorialize the passing of a loved Gloria’sone.Garden started growing considerably and soon, Castillo was finding it hard to make time for both jobs, which brought her to the moment where the Momtrepreneur Planner, as a concept, made perfect sense.

As far as her motivation, Castillo says: “I have learned (my son Andrew) is so much smarter than we know, and he is learning and growing and following our foot steps every day,” says Castillo. “I am driven to be that example— take risks, step out of my comfort zone and show him that we can do anything we put our minds to.”

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Classic Blue is the color of the year and Los Angeles is all about it

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By LEANNE ITALIE

In these uneasy times, as we move along to a new decade, the Pantone Color Institute has reached back in time to calming, confident Classic Blue as its color of the year for The2020.color is an anchor offering stability, constancy and connection, said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the global purveyors of color consulting, trendspotting and “It’sanalysis.areassuring presence,” Akinsaid. to maritime blue — not indigo and brighter than navy — Classic Blue evokes a feeling of vast expanse, Pressman said of the shade also known as Pantone 19Pressman4052. and her team scoured the worlds of art, fashion and home decor, along with commercial, graphic and industrial design, to come up with the pick, as they have since Cerulean became the inaugural color of the year for the milestone 2000. Pressman insisted the color was in no way a nod to the hue associated with the Democratic Party, though she knew the question would “Thissurface.was not a political move for us. This is global. We do not look at color through a political lens. We look at our life through a colorful lens,” she told the AP. Whether as throwback or harbinger of things to come, Classic Blue harkens back to when things “seemed simpler, seemed more comfortable, but at the same time not suggesting that it be done in a way that it was then,” Pressman said.

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“I’ve been busy ever since,” she says. “I’ve come to realize that what drives me is working with thements,hercustomersfree-of-charge.offeringatcationmostcosmetology.thatprobablyHermovement.”entrepreneurs….growingThat’smygrowingclientelebasedoesn’tknowCamilleneverstudiedShegainedofhermake-upappliexperienceworkingbeautycountersandmakeupservices,Butwhenstartedcallingbackformoreappointsheknewshehadskillrequiredtomake

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CAMILLE ARIANE LOVES WORKING WITH ENTREPRENEURS WHO HAVE BUSINESS GOALS AND WANT TO LOOK GOOD–– WHETHER IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS OR BEHIND THE SCENES. he Los Angeles mom of two is a makeup artist who’s had celeb rities and high profile fashion entrepreneurs as clients. In February, after years of feel ing like her creative ambitions were being limited by the beauty companies she worked for, Camille took a leap of faith, quit her corporate job and launched her namesake makeup service. “I’ve come to realize that what drives me is working with growing entrepreneurs…. That’s my movement.”

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women feel good about their look. But she was still lacking the courage to leave her nine“Ito-five.stillwasn’t fully believing in myself so I couldn’t let go (of the corporate jobs),” says Camille. “Friends were telling me I needed to quit but it was still my side thing.” After the arrival of her second child, Camille decided to go to back to school full-time to be come a licensed aesthetician. “I felt like everybody was doing makeup and I needed another component,” she says.

“But we have to get it done!”

Still, Camille felt that her creativity was being restricted.

“I wanted to get into something bigger where I could have my business but I kept getting into jobs that weren’t my brand or my vision,” she says. “Every time I got into these situations, I felt enclosed…as if I couldn’t create.”

Currently, she’s working on developing an eyebrow cosmetic product and plans on collabo rating on a fashion blog in the coming weeks.

THE EARLIER YEARS

“When you’re a mom, you’re permanently tired. You don’t get a break. You know what my syn drome is? I’m a mom,” she says.

So she took a new job applying makeup for customers at the Burberry store on Rodeo Drive.

Camille Ariane was a college student in New Orleans studying communications when Hurricane Katrina hit the region. The unprecedented natural disaster devastated the state and forced her campus to shut down. Camille, who was born and raised in Inglewood and was eager to finish college and start working— decided to return to Los Angeles instead of waiting for classes to resume in Louisi Onceana. home, she attended sever al colleges, including Pepperdine University until she obtained her undergraduate degree. Then she jumped into the world of makeup artistry. “I knew there were a lot of make up artists and I felt like everyone was trying to be a makeup art ist…but I wanted to keep doing it because I really loved it,” says First,Camille.she worked for Estee Lauder. Then she got hired at the neighboring MAC Cosmet ics counter inside Macy’s at the Westfield Shopping Center (formerly known as the Fox Hills CamilleMall). worked at MAC for four years but when she realized the company wouldn’t be giving her an artist promotion, she lost “I’mhope.a makeup artist but I was in a rut,” she recalls.

“I told myself, ‘you have to fake it till you make it!” she says. As far as tending to motherhood, she’s glad she can now set her own hours and give herself more time to spend with her kids.

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Fortunately for Camille, every thing came full circle when she quit her job in February.

PRINT EDITION LAUNCH PARTY Launching a new print publication is not something too common in this digital age. While we feel strongly about our online presence, we also felt the need to invest in traditional media– because old fashion, glossy pages are still cool, especially after the cell phone dies and the laptop needs a break. Here is how we celebrated the launch of the premiere print edition of Mommy In Los Angeles® Magazine, on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 in Downtown Los Angeles. MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®122

And D.J. T. Rock Steady played songs from his col lection of world music and international beats, for all to enjoy. For more photos by William Joya of JOY and LOVE Photography, visit the Launch Party page at www.MommyInLosAngeles.com

The Mommy In Los Angeles® Magazine launch party wouldn’t have been such a memorable eve ning without fabulous entertainment!

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TheMaximus.magazine’s cover mom, Natasha Estra da, delighted guests with a vivacious musical performance, singing three songs that comple mented the ambiance at InnerSpace Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District.

PHOTOS BY: WILLIAM JOYA OF JOY AND LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

Kaylah Pantaleon an actor and entertain er originally from Yonkers, served as the night’s M.C. interviewing moms on the red carpet, leading the evening’s activi ties and performing a spoken word poem titled Mother’s Leche, written by Oveous

L.A. MOMS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!

PHOTOS

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MAGAZINE LAUNCH PARTY MURALIST:

Crystal Domi I

nnerspace Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles was transformed into a colorful reflection of the energy and diversity that makes up the second largest city in the country. We teamed up with L.A. Mom artist, Crystal Dominguez (Crystal Domi) to create a one-of-a-kind mural that would encompass the vibrant and colorful spirit of L.A. Moms. Crystal arrived at the venue the day before the launch party with a carefully selected range of brushes, tools and Hercolors.enthusiasm was contagious and working with Crystal on this project was a dream come true for both the artist and the magazine team. Before beginning the mural, Crystal had sketched out ideas and ultimately decided on a black silhouette of the L.A. Skyline over an ombré backdrop consisting of bold, powerful colors. In choosing the color scheme, Crystal says she went for blues/teals and oranges/reds because they complement one another well. “They also represent extreme opposites. I felt these colors would be perfect for the city of L.A,” she said. “Driving in Downtown, you might see a bunch of homeless (people) only to turn a corner and see picture-perfect cafés and million-dollar high rise apartments...It all mixes into a pow erful, magical city and that’s why I chose the purple. Red and blue make purple. I wanted to represent the blending of the opposing characteristics of this magical City of CrystalAngels.”completed the mural within three hours and left it ready for neon artist, Danielle Bonnet, to incorporate a custom sign that read: #LAMomsRock Dozens of L.A. Moms that attended the launch party took pictures in front of the beautiful 8’ x 8’ mural, often com menting on the great energy it emanated. BY KARISSA RAYA

For the Mommy In Los Angeles® Magazine print launch party, our artwork organizer and curator, Nancy Lozano-Stecyk recruited a group of incredibly talented artists, most of whom are local moms, to exhibit their artwork at InnerSpace Gallery. Art mediums included ink prints, balloon installations, color pencil sketches, oil on canvas, photography, textiles and miniature furniture designs from the following artists: • Carolina Adame | Re-birth of a Mother | Cannon 5D MarkIII 35 mm | Shutter Speed: 1/250 F stop: 2.2 ISO 400 | Instagram: @carolina_adame • Alyson Aliano | Real Mother 2006 - 2016| Self-funded for over ten years, Real Mother is a personal project Aliano started photographing when her twins, Hallie and Ellison, were 9 years old. Visit: www.AlysonAliano. com • Dani Bonnet | Electric beast | Pink & White Neon Art | Instagram: @dani_bonnet • Jessica Borutski | Front Yard Discoveries | 8x8 digital paint on iPad Pro using Procreate | Instagram: @ jessicaborutski • Crystal Correa | Hidden Faces | 2004 | Acrylic on Canvas | 19 3/4 x 27 ½ inches | Visit: www.CPlusMedi aProductions.com • Crystal Dominguez | Golden Goddess | 2010 | Acrylic on Wood | 3’ x 4’ | Visit: www.CrystalDomi.com • Paul Anthony David | FALLOUT; ILLEGAL AMERICA & City of Angel | 2018 | Acrylic on canvas | 12 x 16 inches Instagram: @ValleyCPRGuy • Desiree Dunr Rodriguez | Silverlake street art | 2014 | Instagram: @Desiree.Dundr.Rodriguez • Linda Estrada | Artwork Collection | Instagram: @lalindadesigns • Connie Garcia | Mommy In Los Angeles Magazine Flower Logo | Instagram: @conniegarciaflorals • Daniela Rey | Three moments in motherhood | 2018 | Visit: www.MamaNiela.co • Rebecca Rueth | A Journey of a Thousand Lands | Alcohol Ink on Yupo & Canon Photo Paper | 2018 | Insta gram: @Rebecca_Rueth_Designs • Nancy Lozano-Stecyk | color pencil collection | Visit: www.LetsPlayParents.com • Brandy Montague | Max & Maddie Learn about saving elephants | 2018 | 8 x 10 in. vector artwork drawn with pen and tablet | Instagram: @trendylittlesweethearts • Isabel Ochoa | You Make Momma Proud Balloon Installation | Visit: www.balloonbabes.com • Alexandra Olin | Magnolia | 2015 | Mixed Media & Acrylic | 18 x 15 inches • Sandra Shinkfield | Reconnect with Yourself and be Awed by Her Again | 11x14 photographic prints 2017 & 2018 | Visit: www.SandraShinkfield.com • Louise Wannier | Growth and protection | Triptych 108” x 72” (1 of 3 hangings) | Photography digitally print ed on organic pure silk | Visit: www.LouiseWannier.com • Leslie Wilson | Bricolage Do-It-Yourself doll furniture | Visit: www.bricolagedesign.com Thanks to our following partners & sponsors BNA Wine Group featuring Butternut Wine Bristol SpaBarajasBeautyAcademyTheMomtrepreneurRXBarOnConnieMirónBryson’sFarmsBooksDrinksGarciaFloralsLocationGlamPlannerIndustryDanceCounterbyLuanaLeLa PHOTOGRAPHY SPONSOR William Joya of Love and Joy Photography ENTERTAINMENT Natasha Estrada DJ T. Rock Steady Kayla Pantaleon VENUE MURALIST Crystal Dominguez MAGAZINE LAUNCH PARTY STAFF Nancy Lozano-Stecyk Nadia Hernandez Hailey Zolliman Karina Sergi MOMMY IN LOS ANGELES®126

Celebrating 100 Pages of Los Angeles Momspiration! It was an evening full of incredible people, many of whom were L.A. Moms, excited to celebrate the launch of a magazine whose focus is to empower, validate and offer the women raising the next generation of Angelenos, a place to shine. Our Platinum Event Sponsor, BNA Wine Group, generously provided guests with samples of their Butternut Wine Chardonnay and Rosé varietals during the Mommy In Los Angeles® Magazine’s launch party & art exhibit. The California-based Wine Group launched three of their Butternut Wine flavors in 12 oz. aluminum cans for people to enjoy on-the-go. See more launch party photos at www.MommyInLosAngeles.com

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