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León hopes to address

new information about Jamal

homelessness crisis

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Councilman Kevin de León hopes to address the homelessness crisis

By Matthew Rodriguez ewly elected Councilman Kevin de León introduced a plan to address one of Los Angeles’s most pressing issues: homelessness.

“While many of us continue at home the reality is that there are over 41,000 Angelenos who cannot because home is not somewhere that they rent or that they pay a mortgage on, but rather it’s a tent on a street, an alleyway, a park (or) near a freeway,” de León said.

The city has one of the highest homeless counts in all of the United States. In the 2020 homelessness count, which was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic, LA recorded 41,290 homeless, a 16% increase from 2019.

His plan, named “A Way Home,” introduces a package of nine motions aimed at addressing homelessness, which may see a dramatic increase after the economic downturn caused

by COVID-19. The motions call for 25,000 new homeless housing units — nearly double the current amount — by 2025. De León’s set of motions have garnered support from several

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other council members: Nithya Raman, Monica Rodriguez and Mitch O’Farrell.

According to de León, the city has lacked “a clearly defined objective” when trying to solve homelessness.

“Sadly, our great city has lacked what I call a ‘Northstar,’ a clearly defined objective, and a timeline for achieving that objective,” de León said. “By introducing a comprehensive plan, we are providing a way for the people we represent to hold us accountable for delivering results.”

The motions hope to address the complicated city policies and regulations that have hampered the construction of housing units for the homeless. One motion hopes to find any available city-owned properties which can be converted to temporary or permanent housing. In addition to the flagship 25,000 housing units, de León hopes to continue Project Roomkey, a state initiative that granted $750 million to house homeless people in hotels and motels.

The council member also wants to evaluate

Mike Feuer warns against COVID vaccine scams

By Rohit Lakshman

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accinations in California began in late December and are on track to have all health care workers, nursing home residents, and others working and living in congregate living facilities immunized come mid-January.

However, despite the rapid pace at which the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed, it is unlikely that they will be widely available until spring

or early summer.

“There will be a wait, and that wait is surely an opportunity for scammers to try to sell you fake vaccines that are ineffective at best, and dangerous at worst,” said Mike Feuer, Los Angeles city attorney, in a cautionary message produced by LA Cityview.

Feuer warns against anyone who attempts to peddle the vaccine without government approval. From door-to-

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Councilman Kevin de León introduced the “A Way Home” plan, a package of nine motions aimed at addressing homelessness.

Submitted photo

the controversially slow construction of projects funded by Proposition HHH. The measure is a $1.2 billion initiative voted by LA residents to address homelessness by creating housing projects across the city.

In four years, it has created 489 units.

“We really need to rethink the HHH program,” said Mary Leslie, president of the Los Angeles Business Council. “There have been terrific successes and many people have built very good units of housing, but there are real challenges in that program.”

According to de León, the project hopes to get the backing of county, state and federal

officials.

“Our ‘Northstar’ must be a goal around which everyone — city, county, state and federal partners — will organize and work to achieve,” said de León.

The bill received support from members of the state legislature, as Assemblyman Miguel Santiago and state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo expressed their support during the press conference.

“Make no mistake this will be our city’s most ambitious public initiatives,” de León said. “It will be very difficult. It will be tough, but it must be done.”

door salesmen to telemarketers, there your hard-earned money for a fake vacare many avenues through which scam- cine that can’t help you but can hurt you.”

As of Jan. 4, phase 1A of administramers can sell potentially dangerous fake vaccines. Particularly, the city official tion, including health care workers and warns Angelenos to watch out for their nursing home residents, is nearing comelderly relatives, as they are “sadly, more pletion. Phase 1B is set to begin soon, easily taken advantage of.” Feuer said and it will include the immunization of EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Angelenos awaiting the vaccine should people ages 75 and older, teachers and STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero reject any offers to have it earlySara from un- Kamala othersKirkin child care, emergency service CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Edwards, workers, verified sources, and trust government ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres and food and agriculture workSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez sources for updates on administration. ers. Phase 2 of the vaccination effort, inMyriam Santos “The FDA’sCONTRIBUTING approval ofPHOTOGRAPHERS: a COVID-19 vaccluding the general population 16 years ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb or older, will not begin until mid to late cine is certainly a promise of light at the FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris end of the tunnel,” said Feuer in his closing summer.

Report any suspicious activity regarding remarks. “But it’ll take some time to roll it out, so be patient and don’t give away the vaccine to reportfraud.ftc.gov.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: Rohit Lakshman, Matthew Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres de Ocampo, Frier McCollister, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland, Bliss Bowen ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Lee Charley ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

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©2021 Times Media Group. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Times Media Group. All rights reserved. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed bi-weekly throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles Downtown News has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in Court Judgement No. C362899. One copy per person.

DT Reported cases in DTLA JANUARY 18, 2021

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and surrounding areas as of Jan. 12 Chinatown: 556; Little Tokyo: 314; Los Feliz: 781; Silverlake: 2,395; South Park: 5,972; Wilshire Center: 3,935 Total confirmed cases in DTLA: 2,825 Total deaths in DTLA: 24 Total confirmed cases in LA County: 932,697 Total deaths in LA County: 12,387 The pandemic shows no signs of slowing down, at least in Los Angeles. On Jan. 12, Los Angeles County officials reported 12,617 new confirmed cases and 137 new deaths.

Over the seven days of Jan. 4 to Jan 10, LA County reported a total of 103,991 new cases, an average of nearly 14,856 cases a day. According

to public health officials, every minute 10 people in LA County test positive for COVID-19. In the same period, 1,481 people died, an average of about 212 deaths a day. Compared to the average deaths before the current surge, the number of deaths has increased by more than 1,000%. In early November, when the surge began, the county was averaging 12 deaths a day. Now, the region averages more than 200 daily deaths. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer described the COVID-19 surge as “the worst disaster our county has experienced for decades.”

According to officials, of the about 933,000 people who have been infected with COVID-19 at least 10% to 12% end up at the hospital. There are 7,910

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people hospitalized with COVID-19 with about 22% in the intensive care unit. Similar to the increase in cases, hospitalizations have risen 1,000%. In two months, the average number of hospitalized patients has soared from 791 to 8,000. Officials also believe the numbers will only rise as hospitals prepare for the brunt of the surge caused by the gathering during the holiday season.

The risk of people contracting the virus has drastically increased with

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outbreaks everywhere in LA County.

As of Jan. 12, there are 540 businesses in LA County with open outbreaks.

The businesses included on this list are 15 Targets, 10 LAPD stations, six Whole Foods and two terminals at LAX. From the 540 businesses across LA County, 11,624 staff has confirmed cases of COVID-19. According to the public health database, 94 of these outbreaks are within the city’s limits.

Information compiled by Matthew Rodriguez

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HEROES & HEALTH CARE

JANUARY 18, 2021

Put your resolutions in easy reach

By Family Features

S

etting New Year’s resolutions is one thing, but keeping them is another. Look for ways to make it easy to stick with your plan this year so you can celebrate victories when you reach your goals.

The first step in achieving your resolutions is setting yourself up for success. Arm yourself with the resources you need to eliminate obstacles. That might mean finding the right gear, like exercise equipment or cooking supplies, or using tech tools to learn about the benefits of certain foods for better health.

Making your new routines easy and convenient can help convert unfamiliar actions into habits in nearly no time at all.

Be sure to set realistic milestone goals so you can reward yourself for progress toward your end goal. If

you find yourself slipping along the way, take a look at what’s pushing you off your path and make adjustments. Keep your focus on the end goal and allow yourself some flexibility as you figure out the best way to get there.

Find more tips to help keep your healthy living goals on track at elivingtoday.com.

Manage meal prep Preparing healthy meals ahead of time makes it easier to avoid less-nutritious choices when your days get busy. Use a couple of weekend hours to prep meals for the entire week and keep your healthy eating goals on track. The right tools can make the job even easier.

Look for meal prep containers with dividers that help

you control portions. Also look for options that stack neatly in the refrigerator and are microwave- and dishwasher-safe for extra convenience.

Boost health with lemons Lemons and their peels can deliver health benefits, like the potential to reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer. You can easily incorporate lemons into your menu to help solve health problems or achieve desired outcomes like improved skin, hair, nails and more. In fact, the Nature’s Pharmacy app from Limoneira identifies 57 health concerns or desired outcomes, addressing them with 74 fruits and vegetables found in a typical grocery produce department. Learn more at limoneira.com.

QueensCare: Committed to care

By QueensCare It is often the little things that can make a difference in the lives of those struggling. At QueensCare, we are committed to caring for our community. Whether it is providing health care directly to Los Angeles’ low-income and underinsured residents or through our charitable giving, never has that commitment been stronger than it is today.

QueensCare Health Centers offer quality health services to patients in need, regardless of their ability to pay. Led by care and kindness, we seek to provide universal access to primary health care, improving the well-being of our patients and strengthening the entire Los Angeles community.

QueensCare, bringing health care to the community since 1897. For more information, call 323-635-1140 or visit queenscarehealthcenters.org.

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Local medical clinics change name to Optum

Optum local physicians, clinicians and support staff at the newly renamed Optum medical clinic located at 1120 W. Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles mark its transition from Healthcare Partners to Optum during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Photo courtesy Abby Mahler

By Optum Local physicians, clinicians and team members at the 1120 W. Washington Boulevard medical clinic in Los Angeles recently marked the change of its name from HealthCare Partners to Optum with a ribbon-cutting event.

The clinic recently had new signage installed and renovated its patient areas. It has been in the neighborhood for years and is one of 75 former HealthCare Partners clinics in the Los Angeles region that has changed its name to Optum.

“While our name has changed to Optum, our commitment to care in this community and others we serve throughout the region remains stronger than ever,” said Dr. Melvin D. Rivera Carrero, who works at the clinic.

“Our team is focused on delivering personalized, compassionate and convenient care to our patients and working together to help give back to the communities we serve.”

That commitment to helping others has been on display in recent months during the COVID-19 crisis, with Optum partnering with nonprofits Wider Circle and Helping Hands Community to deliver more than 75,000 healthy meals to people in need throughout the Los Angeles area.

Volunteers from the community have been helping distribute the food at drive-thru events and making food deliveries to the homes of people isolated and alone due to expanded social distancing measures.

“We are delivering food to people who may be struggling to buy medication, pay for their rent, buy gas, and make ends meet,” said Gino Barragon, the community development lead for Wider Circle. “A lot of these recipients can’t be out during the pandemic because they are at-risk, which makes this partnership critical at this time.”

With the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank reporting that more than 2 million resiADVERTORIAL

dents in the region are facing increased food insecurity due to COVID-19, the company expanded the partnership to deliver 25,000 meals during the holidays.

“This is just one example of how Optum team members are helping give back to the communities where they live and work,” said Dr. Amar Desai, president and CEO of Optum California. “Access to healthy food is an essential component to continued health and well-being, particularly during these difficult times, and I’m so proud of our local teams for going the extra mile during these difficult times.”

As Optum, the former HealthCare Partners medical clinics, local medical teams and staff will continue their long-recognized leadership in coordinated care, which has been deeply rooted in the Los Angeles area since 1974. As Optum, they join with 7,500 physicians, clinicians and support staff in serving more than 1.4 million patients through one of the largest networks of quality care teams in the region.

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JANUARY 18, 2021

Primary care doctors are those who get to know you personally, to help navigate the care you’ll need throughout your life.

Photo courtesy PIH

Alternatives available to primary care

By PIH

I

f you don’t already have a primary care physician (PCP), also known as “your doctor,” you’re missing out. A PCP can be a pediatrician, family medicine or internal medicine doctor — or even an OB/GYN — who gets to know you personally, to help navigate the care you’ll need throughout your life.

Your doctor is someone you trust and go to first, to help with medical needs or issues, in addition to annual well checkups. Throughout your health journey, you may not always be able to see your doctor — that’s when alternative methods of care should be used.

Read on to learn more: When an accident or sudden illness occurs, often times we think emergency department, especially if it’s after hours or late in the evening. If the situation isn’t emergent, there are alternative methods of care that will save time, money, energy and sometimes your sanity, too.

Go to a hospital emergency department or call 911 for: • Chest pain.

• Signs of stroke.

• Severe breathing problems.

• Major injuries, especially head injuries.

• Broken bones.

• Poisoning.

• Uncontrolled bleeding.

• Confusion or change in mental state.

• Sudden or severe pain.

Learn more: PIHHealth.org/ED For situations that are not as emergent, there are urgent care centers or after-hours clinics. An urgent care can get you in quickly to see a medical professional, oftentimes with little or no waiting. For nonemergent situations, especially after hours, urgent care is a great alternative when you can’t get in to see your doctor.

Go to urgent care for: • Cold/flu symptoms.

• Allergies and respiratory/sinus infections.

• Urinary tract infections (UTI) or bladder infections.

• Mild asthma attacks.

• Minor cuts and scrapes.

• Minor fractures and sprains.

For locations and wait time information: PIHHealth. org/UCC. There are times when you might not be able to get to your doctor’s office or go to an urgent care, and the need is not emergent. Telemedicine is when you meet with a doctor through a phone call or video chat. It is an alternative method of care that is growing in popularity due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Today, many doctors and specialists offer telemedicine visits.

Use telemedicine for: • Assessing symptoms for cold/flu, allergies and/or respiratory/sinus infections and more.

• Following up from a previous appointment (i.e., specialists such as orthopedic and sports medicine, bariatric surgery, etc.)

• Feeling anxious or have trouble coping, you can talk to a licensed therapist or board-certified psychiatrist.

• For breastfeeding support, you can talk to a lactation consultant, counselor or registered dietitian.

Check with your insurance provider or doctor’s office to know what telemedicine options are available to you.

Sometimes there are situations where you just need advice on what to do or where to go. Clinical professionals are available to answer questions so you don’t have to search the internet reading information that likely doesn’t pertain to your situation.

Use the NurseLine for: • Access to trained registered nurses, day or night, to answer general health questions, for help understanding symptoms, or to help you decide the right care at the right time. A NurseLine is typically available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24/7).

Check the back of your insurance card for NurseLine information.

When you need care, we can help.

To find a primary care physician you can trust, visit PIHHealth.org/Find-a-Doctor today.

JANUARY 18, 2021

HEROES & HEALTH CARE

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

Live actively, thanks to D.T.L.A. Fitness

By D.T.L.A. Fitness Since March, the fitness industry has undergone major changes. Many people have more time on their hands to work out, but finding the space, equipment or just the motivation has been a major struggle.

D.T.L.A. Fitness is here to solve all those problems. Being a leader in the DTLA fitness community since 2014 and realizing people need to get their health and wellness back on track after months of living in a pandemic, the D.T.L.A. Fitness team worked hard to create the ultimate outdoor fitness facility.

It is open seven days a week, offering HIIT-style group fitness classes, personal training and open gym sessions in the heart of Downtown LA, across the street from The Ritz-Carlton and Regal Cinemas at LA Live.

Its workouts and trainers are guaranteed to keep you motivated to work out and maybe even have a little fun while you are sweating those pandemic pounds away!

The name stands for more than just the location; we are “determined to live actively.”

For more information, visit dtlafitness.com, check it out on Instagram @dtlafitness, call or text 213-444-9093, or stop by during business hours at 1001 Olympic Boulevard, 90015 (entrance on Georgia Street).

The name D.T.L.A. Fitness doesn’t just reflect its location. It stands for “determined to live actively.”

Photo courtesy D.T.L.A. Fitness

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JANUARY 18, 2021

SoCal Neck & Back Injury Center, Lee Chiropractic, Inc.

Your Los Angeles Chiropractor Offering Chiropractic, Acupuncture, & Therapeutic Massage.

Mask examples.

Photo courtesy of Akoio

Tips for communicating through COVID-19

By Family Features

I

Have you ever had neck or back pain and considered Chiropractic from a Los Angeles Chiropractor but feared you’d be required to commit to a long-term plan?

You are not alone.

Even though there is plenty of research backing up Chiropractic, some patients just can’t afford the time or expense of long-term, corrective care.

That is why we now offer “pay per visit” Chiropractic for your neck pain or back pain.

This means you can call and come in on the same day and provided that there are no contraindications, get exactly what you want; an adjustment without pressure to keep coming back over and over again.

So, if you, your spouse, or a friend is complaining of aches and pains, rest assured that you can come in and get the care you want and can afford.

Call Now for Neck & Back Pain Relief? 323-375-5147 Not ready to see us?

Then visit us at socalbackdoctor.com for more information.

1625 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. M103 - Los Angeles, CA 90015

t can be challenging to communicate through masks, 6 feet of social distance, physical barriers and other factors due to COVID-19 that have changed daily life.

For people with hearing loss, this is an especially challenging time. In a telling sign of increased hearing difficulty, usage of online hearing tests increased 500% since the pandemic began.

“With COVID-19 and masks, everyday tasks are a source of frustration, such as asking a question at the grocery store deli or talking to someone from behind a customer service desk,” said Bill Schiffmiller, a lifelong hearing aid user and founder and CEO of Akoio, a hearing wellness company. “It’s a triple threat because masks reduce the loudness of the voice, muffle pronunciation and eliminate visuals like facial expressions and lip reading.”

Data shows people who can’t hear others begin to stay away from other people, and social isolation can lead to anxiety and depression. People who have trouble hearing also tend to have higher hospitalization rates and longer hospital stays, according to research published in JAMA Otolaryngology.

Among those 55 and older who have hearing loss, 58% don’t use hearing aids.

In the past, statistics have shown people waiting up to seven years before getting a hearing aid from the time of diagnosis.

However, the communication challenges posed during COVID-19 are driving some to address their hearing sooner than they may have otherwise.

Help someone hear you better Consider the mask you’re wearing.

Clear masks provide a visual difference, helping with lip reading and facial expressions. The plastic in clear masks, however, can muffle sound too much for some. According to audiologist Dr. Shivani Patel, high-frequency hearing loss is common, making female voices difficult to hear. In this situation, research has found standard medical masks tend to transfer sound best. Try different

masks to see what works for you.

Minimize background noise. Music, construction, other conversations, heaters and fans can make it challenging to communicate when wearing a mask.

Avoid “cavernous” rooms. An environment with mostly hard surfaces, such as a large meeting room or gymnasium, offers minimal sound dampening and can make hearing comprehension more difficult.

Maintain eye contact. Look directly at the person you’re speaking to and speak clearly, helping him or her read some of your facial expressions. When using video conference services, look directly into the camera in a well-lit room and ensure you have clear picture quality to help with lip reading.

Be patient. Remember the increased challenges people with hearing loss are facing now. If communication becomes too challenging through a mask, have a backup plan such as pen and paper or a smartphone note-taking app.

When you’re having trouble hearing Talk to your friends and family. Tell them what you’re experiencing and be clear and direct in expressing your thoughts and feelings. Ask whether they have noticed your hearing troubles and listen to their feedback.

Describe specific instances and circumstances when your hearing is affected most. Armed with this knowledge, friends and family can help you manage various situations.

Determine a plan of action. Set an appointment to have your hearing checked by an audiologist. If you wear a hearing aid, be sure to carry extra batteries. Notice ways to adjust your environment to reduce background noise.

Make hearing wellness a priority. Data shows hearing is important to a person’s mental and physical wellness, and untreated hearing loss can have multiple health consequences.

Find more hearing resources, downloadable guides and an audiologist finder at akoio.com.

HEROES & HEALTH CARE

JANUARY 18, 2021

DOWNTOWN NEWS 9

Make heart health part of your self-care routine quality time on yourself.

By Family Features

D

evoting a little time every day to care for yourself can go a long way toward protecting the health of your heart. Simple self-care, such as taking a moment to de-stress, giving yourself time to move more, preparing healthier meals and not cheating on sleep, can all benefit your heart.

Because heart disease is largely preventable, focusing on improving your heart health is important. Heart disease is a leading cause of death for women and men in the United States, and many Americans remain at risk, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

“Studies show self-care routines, such as taking a daily walk and keeping doctor’s appointments, help us keep our blood pressure in the healthy range and reduce our risk of heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. David Goff, NHLBI’s director of cardiovascular sciences.

It may be easier than you think to “put your heart” into your daily routine. Each Sunday, look at your week’s schedule and carve out 30 minutes for heart-healthy practices. Take an online yoga class, prepare a hearthealthy recipe, schedule your bedtime to get at least seven hours of sleep or make a medication checklist.

Then seek out support from others to help you stick to your goals.

Consider these self-care tips to try each day to make your heart a priority: Self-care Sunday Find a moment of serenity every Sunday. Spend some

Mindful Monday Be mindful about your health and regularly monitor your blood pressure or blood sugar if needed.

Keep an eye on your weight to make sure it stays within or moves toward a healthy range.

Tasty Tuesday Choose how you want to approach eating healthier. Start small by pepping your meals with a fresh herb or spice as a salt substitute. Get adventurous and prepare a simple, new, heart-healthy recipe. Or go big by trying a different way of eating, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure. DASH is flexible and balanced, and it includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, lean meats, beans, nuts, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

Follow Friday Follow inspiring people and pages on social media, or text a friend to help you stick to your self-care goals. Remember to take care of your mental health, too. Two of the main hurdles to self-care are depression and a lack of confidence, according to a study published in the “Journal of the American Heart Association.” If your mental health is taking a toll, take action to show your heart some love. Reach out to family and friends for support, or talk to a qualified mental health provider.

Wellness Wednesday Don’t waffle on your wellness. Move more, eat a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried, make a plan to quit smoking or vaping or learn the signs of a heart attack or stroke. You could be having a heart attack if you have chest and upper-body pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea or lightheadedness. You might be having a stroke if you experience numbness in the face, arm or leg; confusion; trouble talking or seeing; dizziness; or a severe headache.

Selfie Saturday Inspire others to take care of their hearts. Talk about your self-care routine with loved ones or share a selfie on social media. Having social support and personal networks can make it easier to get regular physical activity, eat nutritious foods, reach a healthy weight and quit smoking.

Learn more about heart health and heart-healthy activities in your community, and see what others are doing for their heart health, at nhlbi.nih.gov/ ourhearts or follow #OurHearts on social media.

Open letter to QueensCare’s front-line workers

By QueensCare To our talented health care staff and front-line workers: Each of you exemplifies QueensCare’s and QueensCare Health Center’s vital missions — now more than ever! Each of you is a hero, and our entire community is immensely grateful for your flexibility, compassion and commitment during this unprecedented time.

You have persevered through civil unrest, inclement weather, terrible air quality — all during the health crisis of our lifetimes — and have done so with professionalism, kindness and grace. You continue to provide our patients with vital health care services, and you embody the phrase “health hero” in all that you do. We hope you are all proud of the work you have done during this unprecedented time. We know we are.

QueensCare, bringing health care to the community since 1897.

For more information, call 323-669-4302 or visit queenscare.org.

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Treat yourself Thursday Treats can be healthy. Try making a dessert with fresh fruit and yogurt. Then stretch your imagination beyond food. Host a family dance party, take a few minutes to sit and meditate, go for a long walk or watch a funny show. Whatever you do, find a way to spend some quality time on yourself.

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Protesters decorate cars before the Refuse Fascism demonstration on Jan. 9.

Photo courtesy Lee Charley

Refuse Fascism demonstrates in response to Capitol coup

By Andres de Ocampo hirty-five cars filled with protesters demonstrated in Downtown’s Pershing Square Jan. 9 in opposition to Trump supporters storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, leaving five dead.

The organization Refuse Fascism called for demonstrations in Downtown Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Houston, the Bay Area and Seattle to denounce the violence and the Trump and Pence administration with posters and slogans reading: “Trump/Pence Out Now” and “Trump Lost! Fascists Get Out!” They believe Trump poses a “catastrophic danger to humanity.”

The car caravan demonstration was a socially distant national call from Refuse Fas-

T

cism, said Michelle Xai, the group’s Los Angeles-based organizer.

“In LA we took into consideration the big spike of COVID-19 infections, so we decided to do a car caravan,” she said. The organization made clear the rules, in a social media post, of not mixing household residents in cars, having a mask, and having a car to join in the caravan.

After being met with brief opposition from Trump supporters, the Refuse Fascism protest group continued its demonstration.

“We were there on a mission,” Xai said.

“We weren’t there to confront these fascists. We wanted to reach people who were agonizing over what happened (on Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol) and how to

understand it. It was peaceful. We rallied our people as quick as possible and left.”

From Downtown LA, the caravan moved to Echo Park, West Hollywood, and into the Sunset District. “We used a sound system to address people out (in public), with our slogans and an understanding of what we witnessed on Wednesday, with the storming of the Capitol, and what that represented around this fascist program,” Xai said.

The demonstration went well overall, according to Xai. “It was a good response.

People were out and filming and seeing us drive through their neighborhoods.”

Refuse Fascism is an organization founded in 2016 to organize and mobilize through nonviolent protests and means

of action to demand that the “ Trump/ Pence Regime Must Go!” according to its website. The LA branch of Refuse Fascism works closely with the national office and takes leadership from the national editorial board, according to Xai. Coco Das, a national spokesperson for Refuse Fascism, said, “The immense danger that Trump poses while in office and in the next seven days can do tremendous damage. There are over 100 Republican representatives who were basically arguing that they were OK with people storming the Capitol building, (during the impeachment hearing).

“It was all due to a myth, a lie about a stolen election. Then, the other danger is there are mobs who are willing to go out

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and fight for their future and commit violence. That was an important reason that Refuse Fascism called these national protests and why we were out there. This has to be opposed,” Das said about the reason for the national call for demonstration on Jan. 9.

Continuing, as far as the immediate goals and for the Refuse Fascism movement, Das said, “Trump needs to go for two reasons. One, he is a fascist and he has committed great crimes against humanity, including the way that he has handled the COVID-19 crisis. Second, he needs to go because he incited a fascist coup and crossed a red line. If you do not hold this leader accountable for crossing that red line it emboldens (his) movement.

“We have a major fascist problem in this country that people have to confront. The events last Wednesday (at the Capitol building) were a wake-up call. Millions of people had to confront what has been happening over the last four years.

“It’s not going to go away without the 81 million people who voted for Biden to also take a stand against fascism by using our power of nonviolent protests, through car caravans or socially distant protests, while COVID is going on, to say, ‘We refuse to accept a fascist America. This whole fascist cabal and all of these fascist Republicans need to go.’”

Das said that the goal for Refuse Fascism has always been to refute the Trump and Pence administration, since its origins in 2016. If they would have succeeded, she said, in “driving out the Trump/Pence regime, we could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives…”

Das said, “We are continuing to be vigilant to prepare and organize and mobilize nonviolent protests that people living in this country will need to drive back this fascist movement.”

Following Trump’s impeachment on Jan. 13, with GOP support and a final vote of 232 to 197 by the House of Representatives, Das said, “I think impeachment was necessary and important that the House impeached Trump. He has the mark of being the only president impeached twice. That said, it certainly is not enough. He needs to be convicted and removed.”

Das said the next step is to “sound the alarm, open the debate on fascism and what to do about it and bring more people into trying to solve this society-wide issue “If there were more backing from people willing to take a stand, through socially distant protests, it could create a situation of political crisis where (legislators in Washington) would be forced to remove Trump.”

Plans for Refuse Fascism, leading up to the inauguration on Jan. 20, are to “find ways to express that you are taking a stand against a fascist president, regime and movement in our government and outside of the government that is still raging,” Das said.

To understand the Refuse Fascism message, Das encouraged “people to go to refusefascism.org and check out the forums. There’s a lot of information there to help you understand what this American fascist movement is about and give you ways to act. You can’t just wish it away and hope someone else will take care of it. It’s up to us to act and take action collectively and nonviolently,” Das said.

Xai said citizens need to pay attention to everything that is happening.

“There is a lot of struggle that has to be waged about how people think about the (current societal climate),” Xai said. “No future with justice is going to come about if this regime is able to come together. The future is being fought out right now, and people do have to confront what is happening but act in accordance with it.”

Das said it’s frustrating that millions of people do not have any desire to understand what is “true or what is real.”

“They hate science, Black people, women and LGBTQ people,” Das said. “If that keeps you awake at night, then I want to urge you to check out our website and look at the analysis and confront what this is. If we want to keep being decent people then we have to act decently. … The very future of humanity and the planet is at stake with what this fascism represents.”

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Covered California will help OPINION

A Fortune Teller I Ain’t: Screenplays, anyone?

By Ellen Snortland

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azing into my crystal ball, I ask it, “How am I supposed to write a relevant column today, when it’s a week before the inauguration — but readers will receive it the day after?!” The ball answers, “Ya can’t because you have no idea what an organized and armed mob will do, nor those leading them.”

The ball and I commiserate: “We’ve never seen anything like this!” We both agree we need a new synonym for the now-overused “unprecedented.”

When thinking about how all this will play out, it helps to think of many possible outcomes, not just one or two. The best are outcomes that give us something to look forward to — an actual ending. I hereby conjure up four adapted screenplay pitches for inauguration week, all with satisfying endings. You call your agent; I’ll call mine.

• “An Inauguration Carol”: Drumpf is visited by the ghosts of presidents’ past, future and present after a White House butler slips peyote into his Big Mac. “Hey Donald, Wake Up!” Richard Nixon has appeared next to Drumpf’s bed in the Lincoln Bedroom; the Orange Menace has barricaded himself in with piled-up furniture.

“How’d you get in here, tricky Dick?”

Waving his arms while holding his fingers in the V symbol for peace, Nixon taunts, “You’re not going to win. Pull yourself together, man — there’s a helicopter waiting for you.” Drumpf thinks it’s the same one that took him to Walter Reed for his feverish COVID-19 soap opera.

“I got the ‘rona, but the ‘rona didn’t get me!

The ‘rona got Trumped. Hah! Neener, neener, neener,” Drumpf says to no one in particular.

Stacey Abrams, the future president, suddenly appears and pushes Drumpf over her knee, saying, “I will spank you for every electoral vote you’ve tried to deny until you say, ‘Auntie Stacey, I give up.’ … I call Auntie! Meanwhile, I’m washing your mouth out with soap and then giving you truth serum.”

“I’ll never give up, never!” Drumpf brays.

“Apparently, you not only can’t read, you never learned how to count,” President Abrams says.

“I’ll be good, I promise!” Donald screams.

Another “poof!” and Joe Biden, our present president, materializes and says, “Will you just shut up, man!”

Donald may be a little Dickens but betting on the real one will probably not get a greenlight.

• “Simpering Shogun”: The big orange anti-Samurai, also known as “The Donald,” has an agitated epiphany and realizes that he needs to do one epic, honorable thing in his miserable

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life. He asks the Smithsonian curator to borrow the antique Japanese swords and short knives used for seppuku, aka hara-kiri. He asks Stephen Miller to be his second. “The Donald” kneels in front of the resolute desk on a plastic sheet that he’s uncharacteristically asked for to protect the carpet in the Oval Office and literally spills his guts. Stephen Miller chops his head off. One and done. The end. Yeah, no.

• “The Trumbo Ending — Donny Got His Gunners”: Militias storm the White House intent on martyring Drumpf. If he can’t be emperor, they will make him a permanent fixture in the American landscape. The warped logic of incapacitating Drumpf so he can rule America forever is accepted because there’s never been anything logical about these conspiracy freaks. Drumpf loses his opposable thumbs, face, ability to speak and is placed in a hospital bed at Walter Reed. His niece, Mary Trump, is put in charge of his mental rehabilitation. Attempts to teach him how to write by blinking his eyes fail. They feed him liquified Big Macs and fries intravenously until he dies from an errant beef chunk that gets stuck in his veins.

• “The Bunker — To Russia With Love”: The joint chiefs of staff who all denounced the coup are summoned to the White House bunker. Ivanka walks in, Vanna White-style, and proffers a selection of capsules on a silver tray. One capsule has cyanide; one is powdered sugar; another is strychnine. Drumpf blathers on about the Russian Roulette aspect of the capsules while the generals roll their eyes because they know he’s been a Russian patsy all along. Drumpf goes first and of course selects the placebo. A bold general then creates and implements a plan where they strip Drumpf, stuff him into a puppet-dummy outfit, and drop him into Moscow’s center to fare on his own.

If you don’t like my film ideas, blame my crystal ball. The actual predictions are far more ominous. Armed nutjobs have said they will surround D.C. and mob all 50 state Capitols on inauguration day, and I can’t help but wonder what it must be like at the White House right now. Instead of trying to stop this insanity, are they instead ripping up paintings? Making prank calls? Mooning members of the press from the windows?

So many of us were looking forward to calm and a return to “normal.” That prospect seems to be … “Gone With the Wind.”

Ellen Snortland has written “Consider This…” for a heckuva long time, and she also coaches first-time book authors! Who knew? Contact her at ellen@beautybitesbeast.com

JANUARY 18, 2021

Covered help LETTERSCalifornia TO THE will EDITOR

Editor: The recent COVID-19 developments for Southern California have been dramatic and predictable. We have seen a dangerous rise in deaths and hospitalizations. New reports indicate the virus is now also ravaging the local Los Angeles County homeless community. Once again, the county and our home city are squeezed by new lockdown measures. A lockdown that seems bound to linger well into the early weeks of 2021.

Up until late fall, California had lagged behind other large states in terms of cases and deaths per capita. Surprisingly to many, the homeless community also had not seen high rates of COVID-19 infections. It seemed in mid-October that we might be looking at bright and recovering 2021. Now we are facing months of closed bars and restaurants and a gloomy forecast for the coming weeks and months.

We all knew better, but many of us did not do better. It was predicted that the cooling temperatures would bring folks indoors and into closer contact, and it did. It was predicted that if people engaged in holiday travel that it could spread the disease, and it did. It was predicted that house parties and pop-up nightclubs would let loose a wave of infections, and it did. It was predicted that multigenerational get-togethers would lead to illnesses in the young and deaths in the elderly, and it did.

Government officials and local health organizations lectured again and again, but they never seemed to take the strong and appropriate steps that might have eased some of this oncoming emergency. Other than in the early days of the pandemic, they never inspired a sense of common purpose or urgency in the general public.

The sad part of this recent surge is that the majority of people followed the COVID-19 guidance. It has been a painful process for businesses and families alike. As I walk around the Downtown community, I generally see masks and social distancing. But the two factors our leaders forgot in all their warnings and press conferences are fairly obvious to any reasonable observer. The very kinds of people who suffer from addictions and engage in reckless behaviors do not watch the daily COVID-19 updates.

Also, in a nation founded on personal liberty and freedom of choice some people will simply do the wrong thing despite all the preaching from the governor and mayor. If this COVID-19 epidemic has shown us anything of value, it has demonstrated once again that the majority of Americans are a kind, resourceful and resilient people. It has also demonstrated that about 5% of our friends and neighbors are all too human when it comes to adhering to the needs of the community above their needs to be fulfilled for the moment. Perhaps this difficult time teaches us a valuable lesson: that both common sense and a spirit of common purpose are not as common as they should be in today’s society!

David Tulanian

OPINION

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Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

JANUARY 18, 2021

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Covered California will help BUSINESS

If You Know You Know: Bodega founder Jay Gordon on finding success in LA

By Andrew Checchia ay Gordon brings something so many other business owners have forgotten — fun. As one of the founders of the famous Boston-based streetwear fashion company Bodega, his M.O. since day one was to make the customer experience enjoyable, from walking into the store to personalizing service and offering special products.

“The retail took off really quickly,” Gordon said about Bodega’s beginnings. “I know a lot of people burn out on retail, but I really enjoy it. If you have good and cool products and by nature of the store the customers you get are great, it’s just a fun place to be. There’s nothing really not to enjoy.”

That attitude was fostered in the underground, “if you know you know” setup of the original Boston location. Founded in 2006, the first store was nestled into the back of a “grimy,” properly functioning convenience store without any kind of exterior indication that Bodega was even there.

Customers had to discover the tuckedaway, fashion-forward streetwear haven by word of mouth. Gordon, alongside his founding partners Oliver Mak and Dan Natola, planned for exactly that, hoping to curate an intimate and genuinely special in-store experience.

“Everyone from the beginning wanted to make everyone’s experience a good experience,” Gordon said. “It’s so much fun when you walk in. That sense of surprise and kidlike joy is hard to get from people. But we do it. When you see that look on someone’s face, you want the extremes. Once you see people’s reactions when you see something truly unexpected, you’re completely hooked.

It’s just so much fun. It was sort of part of our identity at that point. People who were stoic, angry people were laughing like schoolkids.”

Working for years out of the back of the Boston bodega, Gordon’s unique store became a nationally renowned curator. Gordon and the Bodega creative team could be extraordinarily picky about what kinds of brands and products they wanted to carry, only selecting their personal favorite sneakers and streetwear from largely independent companies.

“We’re naturally very picky,” Gordon said.

“Companies have offered me crazy money to get their product in the store, and we’ve never taken it. We’ve never had to, and it’s been very nice. We’re lucky enough to have

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a good stable of companies that are very fun to work with. Working with designers when you speak the same language is a lot of fun.

We take pride in not just putting different colors on a shoe and selling it. We want to tell a story.”

As its success rapidly snowballed, original collaborations with high-profile brands followed — from Nike to New Balance — and propelled Bodega further into the national consciousness. Its burgeoning popularity inspired the Bodega team to go bicoastal, opening up its larger, and public-facing, location at ROW DTLA in 2018. Since then, Gordon has watched Bodega explode.

“We built a team in LA. To have people who understand the vibe of when you walked in the store, what it felt like, we were very lucky in that they get it. It’s very welcoming and open,” Gordon said. “You hear a lot of negatives about LA. I’ve seen almost none. Even the traffic feels to me like the Greenland/Iceland thing. It’s not that bad. I think the traffic is at least civilized. In Boston everyone is screaming and yelling and angry.”

Helping lead the expansion effort, Gordon worked to ensure the move to a more visible and accessible storefront wouldn’t cheapen the brand’s identity. In his mind, maintaining Bodega’s unique vibe of staying hidden but welcoming was essential to its long-term success. In fact, one of Bodega’s first trademarks, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” captures that exact attitude, designed early on by Mak. And being in Los Angeles allowed the Bodega team to make exciting new connections.

“The weekend we opened the store, the NBA All-Star Game was in LA,” Gordon said.

“We had rushed to get open by that point.

And the amount of amazing people that came through that first weekend. In LA, the random interactions you have are great.

They’re less guarded and more open than in Boston.”

But as they got their footing on the other side of the country, they remained true to their roots, which also meant not buying into the largely inaccessible luxury of LA high fashion. Again, highlighting his concern with customer experience, Gordon recognized the significance of purchases made at Bodega.

“We mix high fashion and whatever used to be called ‘streetwear.’ We have things for everybody’s price point,” Gordon said. “When we started in the early 2000s, our customer was the guy in his first job who could afford the

stuff he couldn’t afford as a kid. You can give someone what you pined after when they were a kid. I would rather see someone in inexpensive stuff if that’s the right stuff for them.”

So even as traditional retail struggles to survive the long months of lockdown and isolation, Bodega’s unique position allows it to carve it niche against the swelling tide of online shopping. Though boosted by a successful website, Gordon hopes to soon regain the candidness of working with his team in-person. But as he looks ahead to reaffirming Bodega’s commitment to fun, per-

sonalized physical experiences, 2021 brings new lessons about the globalizing economy and culture and offers glimmers of hope to struggling stores.

“Until COVID, the store has been wildly successful and supported,” Gordon said, looking forward. “But, we’ve taken to LA pretty well. The kind of people you meet there are creative, interesting people from all around the world. We can play more with fashion that we wouldn’t be able to if we were just in Boston. Fashion is no longer very geo-driven.”

Bodega ROW DTLA 1320 E. Seventh Street, Suite 150, LA bdgastore.com

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JANUARY 18, 2021

Covered California will help ARTS & CULTURE

‘The Dissident’ uncovers new information about Jamal Khashoggi’s murder

By Bliss Bowen e’ve barely entered the second week of this new year, and already it’s been a week like no other in American history since the Civil War. Since the Jan. 6 insurrectionist riot at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., we have compulsively doom-scrolled through Twitter feeds, glued ourselves to news reports, and wished for Solomon’s wisdom in resolving thorny issues about our democracy, constitutional processes, and free speech vs. hate speech. We have also — not for the first time during this administration, or even this month — confronted the reality of authoritarian political tactics and a volatile contingent of Americans attacking democracy.

Against that backdrop, director Bryan Fogel’s documentary “The Dissident” (thedissident.com), about the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist and Saudi Arabian dissident Jamal Khashoggi, hits the screen with unsettling impact.

Fogel’s last film, 2017’s Oscar-winning “Icarus,” which helped expose the Russian doping scandal, crackled with spy-thriller adrenaline. “The Dissident,” available through video-on-demand platforms, pulses with quieter menace while uncovering disturbing information about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role in Khashoggi’s dismemberment inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

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“As his murder unfolded, and my ears perked up that this might be a film I could take on, the first question I had was: Who was Jamal?” Fogel recalled during a phone interview.

“What was being painted in a lot of the media, especially coming out of the Trump administration, was ‘this guy was Muslim Brotherhood, he was an ISIS sympathizer, he was a friend of bin Laden, he was an extremist.’ But as I started to read his opinion columns in the Washington Post, and other materials he had written, and pulled archival interviews he had done on television, it was clear that this guy was a moderate. He loved his country. He loved his country so much that he went into self-exile so he could have freedom of speech and opinion and be able to write freely about what he believed was going on in his country. For that, he was murdered — essentially for simply being critical of his government.”

Fogel slowly earned the trust of Khashoggi’s modest Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, whose campaign for justice for Khashoggi leads her to testify at the UN and discover her voice as a human rights advocate.

He also connected with Omar Abdulaziz, a young Saudi dissident granted political asylum in Canada in 2014 who had been working with Khashoggi. “Jamal Khashoggi had one dream: to be the voice of the voiceless.

That was his vision,” Abdulaziz recalls in low tones.

“Your voice matters. Your words matter.

Jamal taught me that.”

His memories humanize the now iconic journalist, as do Cengiz’s personal stories and family photos that illuminate his complicated story. (Khashoggi was forced to divorce his wife and abandon his family when he fled Saudi Arabia.) Interviews with Turkish authorities and UN Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamar about his slaughter provide chilling new details about his final minutes. But some of the film’s biggest jolts are generated by revelations from Abdulaziz and Citizen Lab senior researcher John Scott-Railton about high-tech spyware.

“I know why Jamal was killed. It’s because of me,” Abdulaziz states. The two men had

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, left, and Jamal Khashoggi. been secretly recruiting online “bees” — social media users assigned to combat Saudi-funded “flies” repressing dissent by Saudi citizens. (Animated graphics cleverly illustrate the operation.) The “bees” were winning when Abdulaziz’s phone was hacked

by Pegasus, a cyber weapon supposedly sold only to governments, and texts exposed Khashoggi’s involvement. That pushed him over the line from exiled journalist to activist — and, the film persuasively argues, triggered bin Salman’s wrath. (It also draws connections to a similarly retributive hack into Jeff Bezos’ cellphone via a personal text from the crown prince.)

We will never know if there would have been meaningful international repercussions for Saudi Arabia if the Trump administration had imposed sanctions after Khashoggi’s death, because it chose not to do so; neither did it boycott November’s Saudi-hosted G20 summit. But on Oct. 2, the two-year anniversary of Khashoggi’s assassination, now President-elect Joe Biden issued a statement honoring Khashoggi that pledged to “reassess our relationship with the Kingdom.” With authoritarian movements strengthening across the world, does it take a case like Khashoggi’s to motivate the international community to more highly prioritize human rights?

“Yes, it takes a case like that, in the sense of the amount of press and media that the Khashoggi murder brought … this story was front and center on the global stage,” Fogel replies. “But at the same time … global leaders — members of the G20, the U.S. administration — have been very fast to move on and go back into business with Saudi. We’ve seen Saudi money and investment ultimately take precedence over human rights. There has been no justice for Jamal. There has been no true accountability for his murder — much like Vladimir Putin (and the poisoning of Russian opposition leader) Alexei Navalny. We are living in a day and age where essentially dictators, authoritarians, can commit crimes like this and get away

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with it because the global politics and business interests are so big and so profound.”

In 2018, during an interview with this writer, Oscar-winning documentarian and Pasadena resident Morgan Neville said we were experiencing “a gold era for documentaries.” But Fogel says things have changed substantially since then. “Icarus” became a global talking point within days of streaming on Netflix, yet “The Dissident” was not snapped up by any streaming platforms — despite receiving “multiple standing ovations” early last year at its Sundance Film Festival premiere and critical plaudits.

“We know this is a film that hundreds of millions of people around the world who liked ‘Icarus’ would want to see — a big cinematic thriller (with a) huge global interest story,” Fogel said. “There was no offer for distribution. This speaks to not only the power of Saudi money but the global business environment that we’re in. Human rights take a back seat to the bottom line.”

He retains “wonderful relationships” with Netflix and is grateful to Briarcliff, which eventually offered theatrical distribution.

But business factors driving media companies to seek global domination, he says, are in “direct competition with taking on subject matter that the world needs to see,” and films like “The Dissident” struggle to contribute to wide discussions of such topics without the accessibility afforded by streaming.

Fogel admitted disappointment that “The Dissident” won’t be available at “the push of a button” to millions of homes around the world like “Icarus” but said he’s “optimistic” it will lead to greater dialogue about cybersecurity, privacy and human rights. “I made the film for Hatice and for Omar,” he said.

“And I remain committed to helping to seek justice and accountability for Jamal’s murder, and helping Omar in his battle to free his brothers and friends, and the countless tens of thousands of people that sit in Saudi jails for doing nothing other than wanting their country to be a better country.”

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Experiential theater goes virtual with River LA production

By Bridgette M. Redman n a year where many have felt helpless, River LA is offering an interactive theater experience that puts the audience in control.

Like a choose-your-own adventure book, audiences start with one part of the story and virtually travel along unique plot lines based on the choices they make.

“Rio Records,” which runs Monday, Jan. 11, to Sunday, Feb. 7, is centered around the Los Angeles River and is the brainchild of River LA and Mikael Tara Garver, an experiential/immersive theater pioneer who was involved as a director in New York’s “Sleep No More.”

River LA is a nonprofit organization that integrates infrastructure, transportation, water and open spaces along all the river’s 51 miles for Los Angeles residents.

The campaign combines art, music, history, design and storytelling to raise money for River LA’s work. The immersive online adventure accommodates 100 guests per interactive performance that combines in-person and online elements.

Patrons only need to have a computer with an internet connection or, optimally, a smartphone to participate in “LA Records.” The experience combines multimedia, live performances and prerecorded performances.

“It’s appropriate for anyone, but particularly for Los Angeles,” said Krisztina “Z” Holly, the vice chairwoman of River LA. “We’re really harnessing the creative soul for Los Angeles and the diversity of Los Angeles. It’s this whole world you can explore from the safety of your home with other people, and no two experiences are the same. You’ll leave with new friends and a Rio Record to call your own that helps to share what you’ve explored and what you learned. You can always come back to explore it in different ways.”

It is not, she emphasized, a Zoom party, though it has elements of that. She said Zoom performances were innovative nine months ago, but people have begun to tire of them. So instead, they are combining such interactive pieces as phone calls and websites and other media.

The story follows five distinct paths, but there are many tributaries one can follow. It is designed so no one feels as though they are missing out on things until they get to the end and discover everyone else had different journeys.

“There are dozens of characters and each one has a story and a backstory,” Holly said. “There are intermarriages and intrigue and drama and this and that. You will see part of it in the future and you’ll dive deep into the past in other parts.

The characters are fictitious but are based on real history.”

She also assures audience members that they don’t have to experience everything this time

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around. The stories, which are all linked to specific geographical locations on the river, will continue to be told in future experiences spread out over the next several years.

Project harnesses multiple types of creators and artists River LA has commissioned 80 artists so far, and Garver expects it to be closer to 90 artists when it opens. They’re creating a wild universe of stories that are inspired by the river’s past, present and future.

“It is truly rooted in real history and real characters and real communities, but it is fictional, which enables us to create a platform for all these different artists to contribute their parts of the story,” Holly said.

The types of artists involved include theatrical stage managers, film producers, editors, visual chalk artists, visual painters, embroidery artists, production artists, actors, painters, designers, web designers, sound designers, map designers, and writers ranging from poets to screenwriters and playwrights.

“We are really focused on sensory installation,” Garver said. “How do we engage people in their senses even when we are not in the same spaces with them?”

She has brought in so many different artists that her producer joked that every time he needs one person, she comes back with four.

“It’s less that I want it bigger, it’s that the way each of them approaches a story and translates that story to see all of those things next to each other — that to me is the kind of world I want to be in,” Garver said.

“It’s less about how much, it’s more about how many artists because one of those artists did this thing that really moved me.”

The massive project allows everyone to bring in parts of themselves, creating an experience that represents the diversity of Los Angeles.

“That’s what makes it epic,” Garver said. “It’s not epic because of pyrotechnics, it’s epic because of all the different ways we tell stories from our particular vantage points.”

‘Rio Records’ challenges creators Garver has more than two decades of experience creating these types of works for corporations, theaters and nonprofits. However, this is one of her most challenging projects, in part because of the demands and restrictions the pandemic has placed on artists and performances.

The title, “Rio Records,” has multiple meanings.

It can be a musical record or an administrative record that captures historical information.

Holly said the process didn’t have a hard and fast plot. Instead, it opens a map for people to explore with River LA. Garvey puts down guardrails that help the experience to flow in a charac-

“Rio Records,” which runs Monday, Jan. 11, to Sunday, Feb. 7, is centered around the Los Angeles River and is the brainchild of River LA and Mikael Tara Garver, an experiential/immersive theater pioneer who was involved as a director in New York’s “Sleep No More.”

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ter-driven story.

She wanted to ensure those elements are foremost in everyone’s experience, instead of technology.

“For a long time, I’ve dreamed of reimagining what virtual media and virtual reality is when it’s driven from connection and community storytelling rather than from the technology,” Holly said.

Pandemic made dreams transform to reality While Holly wanted to do something like this, it was the pandemic that made it possible. The River LA looked forward to working with Frank Gehry and others to improve lives and create a cultural center in South LA. They were on the verge of a new capital campaign that would contribute to transportation, recreation and water quality.

Then the pandemic turned those plans upside down.

It also made their fall fundraising gala impossible. Holly approached the board and suggested experiment with a fundraiser that is inspiring and engaging.

A writer introduced Holly to Garver, who had just moved to LA and was passionate about rivers. They immediately hit it off.

“It was a mind meld of kindred spirits. We put together this pitch for the board that was much more ambitious and really fast,” Holly said.

The events started in October with “Firefly Nights,” a socially distanced in-person event in cars and pods. They were guided around beautiful stables and a garden with indigenous plants and food. Each pod had a different experience

with dancers, performers and actors. Everyone then ended up on the river next to a bridge that River LA helped to create and commission.

From there, they began planning the virtual experience.

“I’m really excited about reimagining what virtual entertainment and the arts and civic engagement is all about,” Holly said. “It’s adventurous. It is totally novel and fun, and it allows you to experience something no one else will experience. No two experiences are alike, and you get to let your imagination run wild and have your curiosity sparked. You’re supporting artists and the River LA. What more could you ask for?”

When they started planning, they weren’t sure where the city would be in terms of the pandemic, so they designed it to work as if it was in the strictest lockdown.

“During a pandemic, we need to protect the artist,” Holly said. “For this experience, we created the most resilient version to the eventuality of lockdowns.”

Pushing a nontraditional form of performing arts, Garver hopes people will come in with an open mind and be willing to feel comfortable.

She wants them to come in with a sense of curiosity and an adventurous spirit.

“In the world right now, we think we can look everything up,” Garver said. “But there is so much that is unknowable. This project isn’t trying to answer all those unknowables. It’s about what if you open yourself to the unknowable? What kind of magic can happen? I want them to leave thinking that if they live in LA, they want to go take a walk at the river, that they want to experience this again and learn more.”

“Rio Records”: A 70-minute virtual experience by River LA and Mikael Tara Garver 7 p.m. Thursday to Sundays and 4 p.m. Saturdays Jan. 11 to Feb. 7 $25 to $300 Tickets at rioreveals.com

16 DOWNTOWN NEWS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

JANUARY 18, 2021