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The Invisible Woman

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Contributing Writer yes closed, I’m enjoying Manhattan’s March sunshine on a building’s concrete stairs across from the United Nations Secretariat building. I feel a presence next to me. Around 42nd and First, the street hums and honks with taxis and big black limos sporting diplomatic license plates.

“Can I sit here and have lunch?” an American in her late 20s asks. I’ll call her Heather for this story.

“Of course,” I said. “Cold weather with sunshine — the best,” Heather agrees.

It was 2016: the 60th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Until COVID, the annual CSW was held in person for two weeks during March in New York City, on the U.N. campus and adjacent venues.

For 60-plus years, women and a few men from all over the world have attended to share best practices and policies and to vote on gender-based initiatives. I am an NGO delegate. With as many as 4,000 people attending, it’s the most significant confluence of gender advocates assembled to uplift women’s status in the world.

Not once — not once — in my decades of attendance have I seen any coverage by major news outlets. Doesn’t that strike you as odd? Wouldn’t a commission that impacts half the globe’s population interest the gatekeepers of print, broadcast and social media influencers?

It seems that journalists, reporters and pundits are drawn to armed conflict like flies to dung, but peaceful talks about bettering the lives of women and girls? They ignore it… we’re invisible.

“Are you an NGO delegate?” I ask Heather.

“Yes, but I am mainly here to do research for my doctorate on feminist theater.

There’s a theater group here from Ghana.”

“Does your research include the U.S.?” She takes a bite of her sandwich and nods yes.

“Oh, my Gawd! I started an all-woman theater company with my friends in 1975,” I said. “As far as we know, we were the first all-female, feminist theater company in the U.S. We were called ‘Theater of Process Theater,’ or TOPT as we called ourselves.

Have you heard of us?”

I can have the energy of a Labrador retriever puppy, so she side-eyed me a little like a nervous cat and said, “No. Sorry. If you were so good, why didn’t I hear of you?”

I said, “Ouch. Why indeed?” I didn’t mention the eternal dissing from East Coast toward West Coast folks in any of the arts.

“Heather, just because you haven’t heard of women doesn’t mean they weren’t there or weren’t worthy,” I said. “Have you heard the phrase ‘the personal is the political’?” She shook her head no.

How infuriating. My TOPT co-founders, Mayri, Gina, Kitty and I, were savvy about getting ourselves promoted. We got a paragraph in Ms. Magazine. We received glowing reviews. We even made the cover of the Sunday Calendar section in the LA Times. And yet, we have disappeared. If we sucked and were ignored, that would be one thing, but geez! We were excellent and repeatedly told that by respected arts journalists and publications.

Now I’m on the board of the National Women’s History Alliance. I’m not an academic historian; rather, I’m a self-taught pop culture women’s historian. Scholars can write paper after paper — and that’s important! However, to really shift mind-

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sets and culture, we need news stories, plays, movies, literature and entertainment to reflect who is actually in the world living life… not just cis white males.

For centuries, the people who determined what’s newsworthy, noteworthy or storyworthy have been men. Not every event can be covered, right? So the editors decide which stories get attention or resources to become content. They also determine who is invisible. Worse, women of all colors over 40 are even “more” invisible, deemed to be uninteresting or irrelevant. Add some ageism, sexism, classicism and racism, and you have an intersectional potion for “Poof! — the women and girls are gone!”

I just read “Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts” by Rebecca Hall. It’s a 2021 graphic novel that’s also a memoir. Dr. Hall included herself as a main character, which is against every rule of so-called “objective” white male-dominated journalism and absolutely taboo in the white male realm of academia.

Hall details the ripples of slavery in her own life. She had to be resolute in hunting facts that were designed to disappear. As Hall combed through English slaver manifests and the court records of Great Britain’s Queen Anne, she found that the enslaved women who were executed for uprisings were barely footnotes. To discover our foremothers, a big dollop of obsession is needed. Thus, I often include myself in my commentaries because I have lived with sexism and now ageism, not as a theory but as reality. It would be disingenuous to not include myself, since I am a first-hand source for the experience.

How I wish I’d told Heather, “Do not collaborate in the undermining of your own future relevance. If you’re lucky, you will live long enough to experience ageism and invisibility.”

Ellen Snortland has written a very visible gender column for decades. Contact her at authorbitebybite.com.

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Homeless relocated for MacArthur Park project

By Andres de Ocampo LA Downtown News Staff Writer he city of LA closed the southern, lakeside portion of MacArthur Park on Oct. 15 for repairs and maintenance, congruent with LA City Councilmember Gil Cedillo’s efforts.

However, the park’s closure forced many homeless people living in the park to move.

The recreational north side of the park will remain open to the public. Cedillo said the fence around the park will be removed following the park’s renovations.

Notices of the closure, for housed and unhoused residents in the MacArthur Park area, were taped to trees in the park late September, and a week after, a fence tracing the perimeter of the southern, lakeside area of the park erected with entry points for the public.

On Sept. 29, the unhoused were given a 16-day notice that the parks were closing for rehabilitation. Everyone living in the park had access to it until Oct. 15.

The Recreation and Parks Department will make infrastructural upgrades.

Tescia Uribe, chief program officer with People Assisting the Homeless, echoed many points. PATH and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) provided the remaining homeless MacArthur Park residents with housing services up until 10:30 p.m., when the park closed.

PATH is a statewide nonprofit that focuses on homeless outreach, services and housing programs, while LAHSA is an LA County and citywide homeless service agency, dealing in similar services to PATH for homeless Angelenos.

Uribe said homeless outreach in MacArthur Park has been going on “forever” for PATH and LAHSA, and an intensive wave of homeless outreach began in January for the groups that coincided with the city closing the park. According to Cedillo’s website, LAHSA and PATH have moved 268 people “indoors” since the collaborative, intensive outreach in MacArthur Park began.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 15, The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and People Assisting The Homeless (PATH) moved 326 — 164 from both sides of the park before Sept. 27, plus 126 from only the proposed closure area between Sept. 27 and Oct. 15) — people indoors from living in Mac Arthur Park. In addition, on Oct. 15, 36 walkups who were not living in the park stopped by and expressed a desire to move indoors.

“We’ve been out here every day and through the nights and mornings,” Uribe said. “We’ve been letting folks know (about the park closing), especially folks who stay here overnight. It’s scary for folks that have been out here for a long time.”

LAPD was not present the afternoon leading into the night the park closed, and officers came only to officially close the park after 10:30 p.m., which Uribe called attention to.

“We don’t have police out here today, because we didn’t want that. We didn’t want people to feel that kind of pressure,” she said.

In March, a city sweep and closure of Echo Park Lake by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, District 13, removed a community of homeless individuals, along with a pantry, shower and garden, from the park. O’Farrell’s sweep was rushed and swift.

Notices of Echo Park’s closure were posted in the park only a day before, and a fence lining the perimeter of the park was installed not long after. The sudden notice brought the homeless community of Echo Park and advocates of the community together for a vigil turned protest after clashes with LAPD. Unlawful assembly was declared later in the night and 182 arrests were made, according to a statement from LAPD. The experience of the city’s sweep of Echo Park was on the minds of many people at MacArthur Park, like homeless individuals and their advocates. Uribe said she “regularly” visited MacArthur Park after Cedillo’s September motion to ensure there was no forceful action or pressure from LAPD to remove homeless people.

Gustavo Otzoy, previously a resident of the homeless Echo Park Lake community that was removed, was there to watch MacArthur Park close. He said he went to the park for the past two weeks to observe LAHSA and LAPD interactions with homeless people.

“I didn’t want the same thing that happened in Echo Park to happen again,” he said.

Since being pushed out of Echo Park, Otzoy tried the Project Roomkey housing program but said that “it is like being in jail. There is a curfew and people can come into your room whenever they want.”

Otzoy now lives in a hotel, which, he said, is much better. He became a member of Street Watch LA, a coalition of organizers focused on homeless advocacy and tenants’ rights, to become an advocate for people who were once in his position.

Otzoy said he believes the MacArthur Park closure is “the same thing (the city) did in Echo Park,” and he said that he thinks the fences around MacArthur Park are here to stay.

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The southern, lakeside portion of MacArthur Park has been closed for repairs and maintenance.

Photo by Martin Martinez

The fences will be removed when the rehabilitation of the park is completed in about 10 weeks.

“I have to say, to all of these people who are in power, the city council, the mayor, just give the money to the people that need housing and don’t try to just cover things up,” Otzoy said.

“People will receive housing for three months and then they get rid of them. That’s not a solution. The solution is for the city council to not misuse money for homeless people. The money should be given to them to get permanent housing.”

“I am proud of the efforts by LAHSA, PATH and my staff to bring 326 unhoused people indoors from MacArthur Park,” Cedillo said.

“We look forward to park rehabilitation and deferred maintenance work being completed by the Department of Recreation and Parks, and we remain working with PATH and LAHSA to identify and secure permanent housing for those 126 formerly living at MacArthur Park that were moved indoors in preparation for the closure.”

Uribe said PATH workers offered homeless MacArthur Park residents interim shelter at the Mayfair Hotel, a Project Roomkey site, and that PATH would also be the provider helping the same individuals move into permanent housing.

“We’re trying to help create continuity, but it’s hard,” she said about PATH and LAHSA’s outreach. “People who are used to being outside and used to MacArthur Park being their community, it’s all a big shift for them and it’s not easy.”

John McGowan, who has been homeless for 27 years, sat on a cement base of a lamppost in the park’s lakeside parking lot on Alvarado Street just hours before the park closed, waiting to receive Project Roomkey interim housing from PATH. McGowan said he moves to and from Downtown LA and a bench in the southern, lakeside area of MacArthur Park serves as a place of rest for him.

“I’m feeling sad because they’re closing the park down,” McGowan said. “Now I really don’t have anywhere to go. It hurts because this is like a home to me. I’ve been homeless for 26 or 27 years, and I’m getting tired. You can only take so much.”

McGowan expressed his desperate need for housing, especially with having no family around to help him, and affirmed that, “Once I get this housing, I’ll be alright,” he said.

“I’ll be like a baby at a candy store because, like I said, I really need this help. … I need somewhere where I can stay warm, where I can take a shower.”

Terrance Howard, who has experienced homelessness, stood timid around PATH workers and only spoke to outreach workers. Ultimately, Howard felt left out of housing services provided to homeless MacArthur Park residents.

Howard, wrapped in a tattered blanket from shoulder to shoulder, said that he became a frequent resident of the MacArthur Park area starting during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

He said that he would often stay in the north side of MacArthur Park and close, surrounding areas but said he struggled to be granted housing. Howard confirmed he had spoken to LAHSA and PATH workers about receiving temporary housing.

After staying with family for some days to rest, Howard returned to the park and noticed

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Fences will be removed when the rehabilitation of the park is completed in about 10 weeks.

Photo by Martin Martinez

HOMELESS RELOCATED FOR MACARTHUR PARK PROJECT, 3 that “there’s nobody around and everyone’s off the street,” he said. “After I had a couple of days of rest, (the outreach workers) don’t think I live here anymore. Now I’m left out of the referral system and I have no resources.

“I’m pretty much lost. When I saw (the outreach groups and workers) I had a little peace of mind. I have no fundamental interest about anything aside from finding a place to sleep, finding someplace safe,” Howard said.

Howard is concerned about finding shelter for the night.

“I’m going to have to stay in someone else’s camp or I have to find somewhere to rest and try it again in the morning,” he said.

“I don’t know that these (homeless outreach service providers) are going to come follow up and help me or someone else in my situation, because they can’t find us.”

Most homeless service groups, no matter the title or funding, identify areas where there are large homeless populations and provide their outreach services accordingly. Howard was worried about services being lost to him.

“I feel like they don’t try to (find us),” he said about moving to a different location to sleep.

“Maybe they try to come and drop off food and think that’s all we need and think that we have a place to sleep, but we don’t.”

Howard was frustrated, but he was trying to maintain a level head, staying empathetic so he can remain calm.

“These (outreach workers) are doing their job, but if they say they’re trying to get people off the streets, then I don’t know why there’s requirements for that,” he said.

“I don’t know if they think people are trying to take advantage, but if people say they’re homeless on the streets, it’s pretty much the truth.”

Kevin Kemp was one of the last remaining homeless MacArthur Park residents. By nightfall, he sat in a chair speaking with a PATH outreach worker to try and find interim housing for the night.

Kemp never thought his living situation was a tragedy, he said.

“I’ve been here for years,” Kemp said about his chosen residency in the Westlake/MacArthur Park neighborhood. Though Kemp preferred to sleep in the surrounding areas of the park due to their being “too many rats” at night, he said, “I think seeing the park gated off is taking something from the community. It brings sadness, because I don’t have access to the park like I used to.”

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Small businesses offer perspective on citywide vaccine mandate

By Andres de Ocampo LA Downtown News Staff Writer citywide COVID-19 vaccine mandate going into effect Monday, Nov. 8, will require patrons of indoor businesses and establishments to be fully vaccinated and present proof of vaccination upon entry of the indoor location. Violations of the mandate will result in fines.

The citywide mandate was passed by LA City Council and signed by Mayor Eric Garcetti on Oct. 6 but is set to be effective in the coming days. Owners and operators of indoor establishments that violate the mandate can expect a warning for the first violation; however, they can expect to pay up to $5,000 for their fourth and each subsequent violation, according to the mandate.

Patrons looking to enter indoor establishments, whether it be for a coffee, workout or to shop, will need to have a physical or digital copy of their vaccination card present, which the city is asking owners and operators of indoor establishments to verify by asking for identification.

Exemptions to the vaccine mandate were made for individuals with conflicting medical conditions or religious beliefs. However, exempted parties will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test received within 72 hours of the individual’s entry to the indoor establishment.

The mandate covers a large range of indoor facilities, establishments, businesses and city facilities, defining an “indoor portion” and “covered location” as “any part of a covered location or city facility with a roof or overhang that is enclosed by at least three walls.” An exception to this includes outdoor structures for individual parties that have an outdoor-facing opening for ventilation.

Large outdoor events, defined as an event with 5,000 to 10,000 attendees by the city, are also tied to the regulation of the city’s mandate.

Some small businesses still recovering from the pandemic, which forced many businesses to close nationwide, are worried about the mandate and having to turn away some of their paying customers.

Darren Crane, nine-year owner of Cranes Bar in Downtown LA, said he was visited by the Department of Public Health recently, notifying him of procedural requirements regarding the city and county’s vaccine mandates.

The vaccine mandate for LA County is separate from — but still coincides with — the city’s mandate and went into effect Oct. 7. The county mandate focused primarily on requiring proof of vaccination from patrons of restaurants, bars and other similar venues within LA County.

“As far as a small business like (mine) goes, it’s going to be very difficult to stay open during the winter months. Thankfully, I don’t have to hire someone at the door, because we’re just not doing the numbers,” Crane said.

He said that his business shouldn’t be open at all, due to having to close during the pandemic, and he is concerned that it’s becoming harder to run his business. Overall, Crane is worried about the future of his bar after the mandate goes into effect.

“We’re just trying to stay open,” he said. “Is the end game to put a lot of (small businesses) out of business? … I do feel like I’m going out of business,” he said.

Crane believes that larger entertainment venues won’t comply with the vaccine mandates, because they are able to afford the cost of violation penalties and worries about smaller businesses, like his, that will comply but will take a financial hit by turning some unvaccinated customers away.

“The problem is the unfairness to small-business owners,” he said. “How many customers am I going to have to turn away? How much money are we going to turn away?” he asked.

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Kyu Cho, general manager of Ssooniestyle, a beauty salon in Koreatown, had a completely different perspective on the mandate and how it might affect the salon’s business.

“We speak with our clients, and it seems like they are all vaccinated,” he said. Cho said that following the effective date of the city’s mandate, the salon will begin checking vaccination cards, but he isn’t too concerned with a decrease in business for the salon.

Cho sees the mandate as a way for the city to encourage vaccinations but doesn’t see the landscape of business, in general, changing much.

“Personally, I think this is a good thing, especially if we want to get away from this situation of masks and checking tests as fast as possible,” he said.

Jackson Dinh, manager and co-owner of family restaurant Pho 87 in Chinatown, is worried about potentially taking a hit financially from the city’s vaccine mandate; however, he’s hopeful that it’s for the best.

The Vietnamese restaurant is a small business that’s been open since 1987 and has been “adapting for 32 years,” Dinh said.

“We might lose sales in the short run, but we will get it back as soon as possible when it’s over. If you keep going slowly with the pandemic, your sales are going to keep getting cut,” Dinh explained.

Dinh said that the pandemic hurt Pho 87’s business, and like many other small businesses, they adapted to the situation.

“I always think positive, but what we do, as a small business, is whatever hits us, we learn from it and adapt. We will find a way to work with (the situation),” Dinh explained.

“I know the (vaccine mandate) is going to affect us a lot, because I know many people might not be vaccinated, but I would rather have this (pandemic) over with quickly,” he said.

John Marges, the owner-representative of Bahay Kubo in Echo Park, took a similar stance to Dinh regarding the city’s vaccine mandate.

The small, Filipino restaurant has been open for 28 years and, Marges said, “we’re trying to cope and reengineer the place.”

Due to the changing landscape of Los Angeles and the financial impact of the pandemic, Marges and the Bahay Kubo team are restructuring and figuring out “what works and doesn’t work,” with regard to stimulating more business and keeping the doors open.

About the mandate, Marges said that potentially having to turn away customers is going to hurt business, but since it’s a city mandate, “what can we do?” he asked.

Marges said, from his point of view, that “you have to look into the intention” behind the city’s mandate and said this could be for the best for Angelenos and Los Angeles as a whole.

Marges said Bahay Kubo’s plan for adapting and recovering the restaurant’s business is dependent on intentional management and determining “where to put everything, (like) the menu, the costs, the manpower, the staff. … You have to be careful with all of the data you have. You have to know where your strength (is),” he said. “(The vaccine mandate) is an undetermined move,” Marges said about what the future holds for small businesses like Bahay Kubo. “But the most important thing is that you’re better than yesterday. … The most important thing is we’re not where we used to be when we had to shut down.”

Marges said he wants the community and customers of Bahay Kubo to know that “we’re here. We’re committed to the community that we’re here. There’s a lot of front-line workers that come in, and we’re here when you need us.”

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Rooftop Cinema Club, which boasts locations across the country, uses state-of-the-art projectors, high-quality personal headphones and comfy deck chairs while offering food and beverages for the ultimate dinnerand-a-show experience.

Photo courtesy of EightSixtySouth

Rooftop Cinema Club slates special November programming

By Jordan Houston LA Downtown News Staff Writer he Rooftop Cinema Club is putting the fun into fall with its November programming for films to cozy up to this season.

The club, which presents outdoor drive-ins across the country, recently released its family-friendly line up for both the Rooftop Cinema Club DTLA, located at 888 S. Olive Street, and “The Drive-Up” at Santa Monica Airport at 3233 Donald Douglas Loop South.

The “ultimate open-air film experience,” the Rooftop Cinema Club is ushering in special cinema classics, such as “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Grease,” and is guaranteed to make guests “fall” in love with the magic of cinema, explained RCC founder Gerry Cottle.

“I truly believe film has healing powers,” he told Los Angeles Downtown News.

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“We do this because we believe it is important to entertain people, and cinema is the ultimate escapism. Now, more than ever, post-COVID-19, we need escapism.”

“Just bring yourself, a jacket and the desire to have fun — that’s what it’s all about,” Cottle concluded.

RCC has reimagined its approach to drive-ins with its new hybrid cinema in Santa Monica called The Drive-Up. Attendees can now enjoy a new state-of-the-art LED screen, promoting earlier screenings and kid-friendly matinees.

Moviegoers can either watch from the comfort of their own cars in the Drive-In section or opt for the newly added Drive-Up section featuring new Lawn Box seating.

“Santa Monica is our last drive-in, drive-up hybrid,” Cottle explained. “It’s between a classic drive-up cinema and a classic outdoor cinema there.”

The cinema is slated to screen singalong hits like “The Greatest Showman” and

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“Grease” on Nov. 3 and Nov. 10, respectively, as well as host its Kids Club beginning on Nov. 6. The family-centric event will offer holiday-themed arts and crafts for kids during early Saturday screenings throughout the month, Cottle shared.

Screenings will include “Paw Patrol: The Movie,” “Ratatouille” and “The Grinch,” while crafts include making ornaments, snowflakes and much more.

In the ultimate pursuit for comfort, The Drive-Up at Santa Monica Airport invites bedheads twice in November to head over in their coziest clothes for Popcorn & Pajamas, which features early morning screenings of “Frozen II” on Nov. 14 and “Happy Feet” on Nov. 21.

The Drive-Up for Bingo Night will take place every Thursday this month for those who crave bingo as much as cinema. Each week, RCC will feature a new themed Bingo board that highlights quotes from the screened film. The top three winners of the free event will also be awarded prizes, Cottle shared.

In Downtown Los Angeles, RCC provides a more intimate setting at its boutique-style rooftop cinema, the founder said.

“The DTLA Rooftop Cinema is a very cool space surrounded by neighbors — it’s a beautiful rooftop,” Cottle said. “It’s very boutique and very intimate.”

“One thing we’re proud of is our program is constantly evolving,” he added, noting the club’s allure to independent films, women in film, Black cinema, LGTBQ film and other important sectors.

On Nov. 5, Rooftop Cinema Club DTLA is teaming up with BlackLoveExists to highlight Black Love with film favorites like “Brown Sugar.” It will also kick off Hanukkah with a screening of Benny and Josh Safdie’s “Uncut Gems” on Nov. 28, “showcasing the film’s deeply ingrained themes and traditions of Judaism punctuated by Adam Sandler’s career-crowning performance.”

According to Cottle, director Wes Anderson’s latest, “The French Dispatch,” will be celebrated at DTLA with back-to-back screenings of the director’s two “greatest films”: the “melancholy but hilarious coming-of-age” film “Rushmore” and his “whimsical” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” set in Europe.

The Los Angeles location on Nov. 13 is hosting a ‘90s-themed party, called White Label Radio in DTLA, dedicated to supporting the “‘90s incendiary hood classic” “Menace II Society.” A live DJ will be present before the screening.

Lastly, the Vidiots Foundation, a nonprofit serving as a hub for film fanatics and those “curious about cinema,” will host a screening of the romantic classic “Moonstruck” on Nov. 18 at DTLA. Donations can be made directly when purchasing tickets, and all additional proceeds will go toward reviving the foundation’s brick-andmortar at the Eagle Theatre.

In honor of Leonardo DiCaprio’s upcoming birthday on Nov. 11, both RCC locations will celebrate the Oscar award-winning actor with a screening of one of his “genius films” — but it’s up to the audience members which makes the cut. According to Cottle, voting is now open and will close on Nov. 1. The winning film will be announced the following day.

Audience input is a key factor in what separates RCC from its box-office competitors, Cottle explained.

“We work with our audience and say, ‘What do you want to see?’” the founder explained. “So, we’re kind of like a community cinema.”

Rooftop Cinema Club was created in 2011 as a single rooftop in London’s Shoreditch and has since expanded globally — with three rooftop venues in the UK and five in LA, NYC, San Diego and Houston, according to its website.

It seeks to revive the social and celebratory aspects of watching film with stateof-the-art projectors, high-quality personal headphones, comfy deck chairs, and a plethora of quality food and beverage options fit to rival any standard cinema.

“We’re more than just about a movie,” Cottle expressed. “We’re about getting down to the venue, socializing with friends and loved ones, playing games and watching your favorite movies on the big screen — it’s about celebrating film.”

The founder added that the most rewarding part about running RCC extends even beyond pure passion for cinema — the ability to entertain and see “people have a good time,” he shared.

“I am addicted to entertaining people. I’m from a circus family,” Cottle recalled, emphasizing that entertaining is “in his blood.”

“When I was 7 or 8, I remember being in the circus — and it’s a very vivid memory of my childhood — and looking at my dad,” he continued. “He wasn’t looking at the amazing spectacle in front of us, he was looking at the audience and taking in the love of the audience.”

To purchase tickets and see a full schedule of RCC’s current and November programming, go to its website at rooftopcinemaclub.com.

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Empathy program diversifies offerings to understand homelessness

By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he dance group homeLA understands a home can mean a lot of different things. And that you don’t have to be an expert to feel empathy.

On Thursday, Nov. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m., homeLA will host “The We in Me: Embodying Empathy.” Calling upon as many learning modalities as they can, activities will include dramatic performances, drumming, movement, embodiment, conversation and civic engagement — all centering on the needs and concerns of the unhoused.

Rather than invite traditional experts in the field, they’ve reached out to peo-

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ple who have unhoused relatives, people for whom the issue is meaningful in a practical manner because they’ve had to work through issues.

Chloe Flores, the director of homeLA, knew when she first took on the title in 2019 that in order to be an organization that explores homes in Los Angeles, they had to address the issue of homelessness. She stresses that they aren’t a social or political organization, but the artwork they represent touches upon homelessness.

She also has a brother who is unhoused, making the topic one that was near and dear.

“The way this evolved was very organic,” Flores said. “It felt good. A lot of peo-

Los Angeles Poverty Department have been performing its new show that focuses on empathy, “The New Compassionate Downtown” and will bring excerpts to the “Embodying Empathy” event, Photo by Monica Nouwens

ple involved have family members who are homeless. It’s something a lot of us are interested in engaging in.”

There will be two events as part of “The We in Me.” The “Embodying Empathy” will be the first event. The second will be “The We in Me: Community Care Kits.” It will be more action-oriented for families and school-age children who can come together and pack hygiene kits for the unhoused. It will take place on Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Box’s parking lot, 822 E. Third Street.

“We really thought intentionally about how we wanted to do this,” Flores said. “ We’ve had many meetings and indepth discussions about what it can be and what we can do. That day is really focused on modeling empathy toward our unhoused neighbors starting young and facilitating conversations with younger people so that they can ask questions and not in a fearful way.”

The evening of “Embodying Empathy,” which also takes place in The Box’s parking lot, incorporates many different

elements as part of a focus on educating people about homelessness issues.

It starts with a presentation by the Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD).

They ’ve been per forming their new show that focuses on empathy, “ The New Compassionate Downtown.” They’ll bring excerpts from it this evening.

It is directed by John Malpede and Henriette Brouwers, and the Museum of Contemporary Art commissioned it for “We Rise 2021.” Skid Row artists perform it, and it introduces an alternative way to market Downtown LA for those who value compassion.

Flores says everyone will then have to change their perspective and physically move their bodies 180 degrees to see the two-story model home from artist Corazón del Sol. She has partnered with Oasis Cannabis and ARCspace to create Jardin de Estrellas, a community-focused project responding to the lack of low-income housing opportunities in Los Angeles.

“She saw a lot of her neighbors get

“The New Compassionate Downtown” is performed by Skid Row artist and introduces an alternative way to market Downtown La for those who value compassion.

Photo by Monica Nouwens

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

“The We in Me: Embodying Empathy” is meant as a pilot program that could open up possibilities.

Submitted photo

evicted during the pandemic,” Flores said. “While trying to help them find low-income housing, she found out how difficult it was.”

Del Sol will introduce the project and the prototype. She’ll share her inspiration and discuss her low-income housing model.

“We are trying to touch upon the many different ways that people learn,” Flores said. “The event will take place in front of the model home. They can physically touch the object. We’re trying to engage all the ways that people learn and explore empathy through movement, fun, music and community.”

Participants will be invited to get out of their seats and participate in an embodiment exercise led by Jay Carlon.

The exercise is designed to choreograph people’s perceptions toward empathy.

After that exercise, everyone will shift their bodies again and can sit down or stand up for a moderated conversation between Carlon, del Sol and Pastor Cue, the founder of the “Church Without Walls” that serves the unhoused in DTLA’s Skid Row. Bernard Brown will facilitate the conversation virtually with a co-facilitator on-site.

“These people we’ve all brought together because, for them, homelessness is not a concept, it is a lived experience,” Flores said. “Instead of people like

quote-unquote experts, we’ve wanted to replace that with people like you and me, to remove the degree of separation and create a level playing field.”

She says that Brown and Carlon are educators and Cue has a profession of listening and advising — that all of them are people with compassionate professions.

“Our hope is to create an environment where people feel welcome to ask questions they maybe wouldn’t normally ask or explore,” Flores said. “Our hope is to create a more adept human race to deal with the things that life throws at us.”

The evening will end with a 45-minute performance by Cubanos Percussion, an Afro-Cuban group of musicians who call Skid Row their home.

Flores describes “The We in Me” as a pilot educational program that they hope to learn from and do more events in the future. They want to continue having this conversation.

She encourages the residents of DTLA and those who work there to come to the event.

“Come and meet your neighbors,” Flores said. “There will be artists from Skid Row. It will be a great introduction for people to learn about The Box, the Los Angeles Poverty Department and homeLA and to be side by side with unhoused individuals and their neighbors.”

“The We in Me: Embodying Empathy” WHEN: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 4 WHERE: The Box Parking Lot, 822 E. Third Street, Los Angeles INFO: homela.org (masks required)

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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help

Indie Lauretta Records has major-label power

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor atrina Frye feels like an outsider in the music business. She’s trying to change that with Pasadena-based Lauretta Records.

“There are not a lot of Black women who own record labels,” Frye said.

“This category, independent music, has finally gotten the legitimacy and the power that majors have. A lot of people see the value of indie music more than ever.”

She is hosting Lauretta Records & Friends in partnership with Los Angeles Performance Practice at Frankie: Mission Road Studio from 6 to 9 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 7, with Marieme, Davie, Meaghan Maples, Kesha Shantrell, Jordan Frye, Revel Day and Sascha Andres.

Frye has been in the music business for a decade. In her short time, she said she’s had to explain to family or friends, investors or colleagues, what is sustainable and what money can be made.

YouTube and TikTok have proven that.

“I’ve never seen so much money invested in music,” Frye said. “I’m trying to ride that wave. The Black Lives Matter movement is finding a lot of legitimacy. I thought I couldn’t talk about it anymore unless I’m doing it.”

The talent pool is wide, but there are so many gatekeepers, she said.

Music executives are unwilling to sit down and talk to artists, which is “atrocious and disgusting,” she said.

“I hope I’m empowering my artists,” she said. “If they don’t stay with me forever, I hope they stay on the course of advocating for themselves.”

A music professor at night at California Baptist University, Frye is a Black Independent Music Accelerator Fellow.

“Lauretta Records is my ode to the artist, “Frye said. “I wanted to create a

K

Being in the music industry for a decade, Katrina Frye is trying to change the music business by being a Black woman owner of her record label Lauretta Records.

Submitted photo

label that was reflective of what artists need — transparency, accountability, without exclusive commitment.”

The label is focused on bringing artists’ work to life through television and film licensing. The current roster of artists spans across genres like the soulfulness of Revel Day with his latest single release “Get Up,” the dark synth pop of Lavendel with her debut single releasing later this fall, and the R&B lyrical charm of Kesha Shantrell’s recent EP “Phase.”

“Revel Day is a phenomenal artist,” she said. “His parents are LA musicians. His family has been in the music scene for a while. He was doing really well as a background singer. Now was the time for his own artist project.

I feel honored to have met him at this exact time in his life.”

Day added, “Having a team that sees me, sees my goals and says yes, we want to align with that and help you get there — that’s the dream. Being able to find it in a place like this that I trust, it just excites me what the future can be. I think my dreams are coming true and Lauretta is a big part of that.”

Shantrell sang background for several artists in LA and around the world. Like Day, she led church services around town.

“They’re the call you get when the A-lister wants to arrange a choir and a background vocalist and layer them quickly. She’s doing what a lot of Black women haven’t figured out in the music industry — just to be herself and explore outside of the genre.

“Right now, the music industry is a new place for Black women to be. I’m happy to have a label that can house a range of complexities no matter what the background, race or ethnicity. The talent should hold and speak for itself.

I’m really proud of her as well. She’s the typical ‘20 Feet from Stardom’ stoCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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PUTTING THE ARTIST FIRST, 10 ry.”

“20 Feet from Stardom” is a 2013 documentary about the lives of background singers.

On signing to Lauretta Records, Shantrell said, “My eyes have been open to just a whole other part of myself. I never thought I could write this kind of music and be who I am and be able to dream and set up a future for myself. Lauretta has already set my future up by encouraging me and pushing me to continue doing this.”

With Costa Rican and Mississippi roots and years of background sing-

ing for artists like Leona Lewis, Andy Grammer and Kanye West, Shantrell’s vocal range shows in songs like “Fire” and “Brand New” from “Phase.”

Lauretta Records gives her energy in other ways. The feeling of being the only woman in boardrooms — the only woman of color or person of color in the room — is joyful.

“I cheer myself on in those moments and channel all the great people who have come before me and my mentors,” she said. “It shows that yes, I’m qualified, and I know what I’m talking about.”

Lauretta Records & Friends in Partnership with Los Angeles Performance Practice w/Marieme, Davie, Meaghan Maples, Kesha Shantrell, Jordan Frye, Revel Day and Sascha Andres WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7 WHERE: Frankie: Mission Road Studio, 300 S. Mission Road, Los Angeles COST: Various tiers INFO: laurettarecords.com

Lauretta Records’ focus is on bringing artists’ work to life through televison and film licensing.

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