Los Angeles Downtown News 11-07-22

November 7, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #45

The Artists of Skid Row Poverty Department holds annual festival The ‘Impossible Lie’ Measure ULA coalition pickets Realtors office

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NEWS

Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz signs the Plant Based Treaty.

LA Plant Based Treaty/Submitted

LA City Council endorses Plant Based Treaty

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer os Angeles has historically been a leader in moving its citizens toward a more sustainable climate future. In 2019, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched LA’s Green New Deal affirming LA’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, and in 2021 the LA City Council approved the city’s transition to 100% clean energy by 2035.

Furthering LA’s commitment to climate initiatives, the LA City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 18 to endorse a resolution supporting the global Plant Based Treaty, a grassroots campaign cre-

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ated as a companion to the Paris Climate Agreement to combat climate change through creating plant-based food systems. Garcetti has since signed the measure.

“This landmark resolution marks a vital cultural shift as Americans prioritize both combating climate change and improving their health. As over 2,200 municipalities did with climate emergency declarations, I invite other cities to join us and endorse the Plant Based Treaty,” said Councilmember Paul Koretz, who introduced the resolution beside Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson.

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ti-Proliferation Treaty, the Plant Based es; five Nobel laureates; and politicians Treaty urges individuals, scientists, busi- from 28 countries, including Nithya Ranesses and cities to endorse its call to re- man and Koretz from the LA City Counlinquish the expansion of animal agricul- cil. ture, redirect food systems, and restore critical ecosystems damaged by defor- Relinquish estation.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Los Angeles is the 20th city to endorse The Plant Based Treaty aims to reSTAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero the Plant Based Treaty alongside municduce greenhouse gas emissions through CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk ipalities from countries the globe. itsTorres commitment to the three Rs: relinART DIRECTORS:across Arman Olivares, Stephanie STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez The Plant Based Treaty “recognizes that quish, redirect and restore. Through CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos no one single country can tackle the those three principles, it is said that naACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb ecological impact animalSue agriculture tions can exceed their climate targets FOUNDER of EMERITUS: Laris by itself.” and work to absorb more carbon dioxide Currently, the treaty is supported by from the atmosphere.

61,013 individuals; over 900 businessThe first target demands the ani-

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley STAFF WRITERS: Summer Aguirre, Morgan Owen CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Dean Chalkey (Suede), Alex Lake ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548 Denine Gentilella (323) 627-7955 FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

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mal-based agriculture sector relinquish further expansion of methane-producing facilities. Specifically, it asks for a halt on new animal farms, slaughterhouses and fish farms. The Plant Based Treaty hopes that by drastically halting the production of animal-based products, the climate problem can be stopped from worsening.

In California, dairy and nondairy livestock production account for 75% of methane emissions throughout the state. Although methane accounts for fewer emissions overall than carbon dioxide, the IPCC estimates it has 28 times the impact over 20 years. It is estimated methane production accounts for 20% of current global warming impacts.

The treaty explicitly states it is also opposed to the expansion of animal-based agricultural facilities. The LA City Council’s endorsement coincides with the U.S. Supreme Court’s initial hearing of a case filed by pig farmers opposed to California’s mandate that all pork products sold in the state must come from sows raised in humanely sized pens. The state imports 13% of the U.S.’s pork products but accounts for almost none of its production.

The Supreme Cour t case demonstrates the considerable influence of livestock farmers, indicating potential pushback if more cities in the U.S. en-

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dorse the Plant Based Treaty as Koretz said he hopes.

Redirect The Plant Based Treaty acknowledges that animal-based products must be replaced with something. To account for this, the Plant Based Treaty urges signatories to prioritize switching to plantbased food systems. But in places like the United States, where much of the diet consists of animal products, it can be difficult to market suitable substitutes.

MycoTechnology is a U.S.-based company that works to develop a sustainable and taste-driven plant-based protein using mushroom mycelia to create novel food ingredients. Throughout its production process, MycoTechnology ferments the mushrooms to eliminate poor tastes and aromas from the product, allowing them to use less sugar, salt and fat than other plant-based proteins.

“We look for ways to create products that are good for the planet and good for people. But the important part is you have to get four attributes — taste, texture, price and nutrition — right in order to get people to adopt it,” said Alan Hahn, the CEO and co-founder of MycoTechnology.

According to the treaty, redirecting

food sources away from animal-based models toward plant-based diets will also ensure greater food security. The Plant Based Treaty is not the first place to adopt this philosophy, which is popular among organizations working to fight world hunger, such as the World Preservation Foundation.

Hahn explained that Myco’s mushroom technology is a tool nations across the globe can use to accomplish the Plant Based Treaty’s lofty food security goal. Because the mycelium mushrooms can grow using any sugar-heavy base, it makes their production ideal in countries that have excess agricultural products, like dates.

Currently, MycoTechnology is exploring opportunities to partner with Middle Eastern countries that export dates by using their discarded and wasted products to grow mycelium mushrooms.

For countries like Oman, this means increasing food security while reducing agricultural waste products.

Restore The final demand the Plant Based Treaty makes is to restore key ecosystems and reforest the earth. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the world has lost 420 million hectares of forest

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since 1990. The majority of deforestation is caused by animal-based agriculture to expand grazing areas.

Even in LA, agriculture played a major role in the deforestation of the Ballona Wetlands. From the 1930s to 1985, several areas of the historical wetlands were filled in and converted to farmland. Although the main product of those areas was lima beans and barley, Playa Vista’s history demonstrates the extent to which the natural habitat of the LA Basin was altered to make way for city development.

The LA City Council has endorsed other efforts to diminish the effects of deforestation. In 2020, the council voted unanimously to prevent the city from purchasing any product derived from the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.

The Plant Based Treaty is just the latest of LA City Council’s initiatives to provide their constituents with a more sustainable future.

Ellen Dent, president of Animal Alliance Network, praised the council.

“By passing the Plant Based Treaty Resolution, LA City Councilmembers are upholding their promise of making the shift towards preventative climate change policy so directly needed for their constituents and beyond,” she said.

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NEWS

Measure ULA supporters picket California Association of Realtors office

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor ith the city in the midst of a housing crisis and homelessness surge, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin joined members of the Yes on ULA coalition to picket the California Association of Realtors and rally support for the affordable housing ballot measure.

“This is the answer to so many of our problems,” Bonin said. “Unlike all the legislation that has come up to deal with homelessness and affordable housing, this comes from the grassroots. This comes from people who are renting in Los Angeles. This comes from people who have been unhoused in Los Angeles.

This comes from the organizations that provide housing. This comes from the organizations that have been fighting to protect renters and to provide more affordable housing. And that’s why this is going to be so effective.”

The goal of Measure ULA is to fight

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the housing and homelessness crises through investing in housing creation at lower rates, providing income assistance to low-income seniors and people with disabilities at risk of homelessness, and buying existing and building new affordable housing for nearly 70,000 people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in the first 10 years.

Bonin expressed his belief that the measure would successfully allow for the creation of new affordable housing, preservation of existing affordable housing and distribution of aid to seniors and people with disabilities so that they can remain housed.

Measure ULA is estimated to raise nearly $900 million annually through a real estate transfer tax on sales of properties over $5 million, impacting roughly 4% of annual sales in the city. The fund would be overseen by a Citizens Committee led by an inspector general.

“My understanding is that there are only fewer than 300 homes in Los Ange-

Former Inglewood Mayor Danny Tabor read a letter from the California Association of Realtors apologizing for past discriminatory policies .

Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

les that are worth more than $5 million, and therefore would be impacted if they were sold,” said Roxana Tynan, executive director at the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE). “We have over 4 million people living in this city, and fewer than 300 of them own a home that might be impacted if they sold. There is no way that we can allow the future economic health of our city to depend on such a tiny fraction of people.”

Tynan described that, during her time with LAANE, she has worked with many low-wage workers throughout LA who have been forced to move out of the city due to the rising prices.

“That doesn’t make any sense. The people who are working here, who are making LA’s economy work, could no longer afford to live here,” she said. “We need to vote to make sure that we hold ourselves and our city accountable to building the kind of affordable housing we need, to keeping people in their homes, to making sure that the workers

who make LA work can stay here in the city where they work.”

The United to House LA gathering, which took place on Nov. 3, brought together members of the 230-member strong coalition backing Measure ULA to the steps of the California Association of Realtors office at 525 South Virgil Avenue.

Real estate interests have reportedly invested more than $5.6 million against Measure ULA, with the California Association of Realtors, Westfield Properties, the California Business Roundtable Issues PAC and New Majority PAC opposing the campaign.

The primary message of the campaign against ULA, as evidenced by the No on ULA website, is that the measure would result in “higher property taxes.” The Measure ULA coalition responded by calling this the “impossible lie” because Proposition 13, enacted in 1978, deems it unconstitutional for local governments to raise property taxes.

“Prop 13 made it impossible to in-

Measure ULA coalition members gathered at the steps of the California Association of Realtors office on Nov. 3 to voice their support for the ballot measure’s benefits to the city.

Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

crease property taxes,” said Denny Zane, policy director at Move LA. “This is not a property tax. It’s a tax on the sale of luxury property.”

“We want them to stop the lies,” added Eli Lipmen, executive director at Move LA. “If they get their way, the number of evictions, people on the street and people displaced from Los Angeles because of the high cost of rent, and the lack of affordable housing are going skyrocket.

“It’s already happening. They spent a whole decade raising our rents, raising our mortgages, building luxury apartments that went well above what Angelinos can afford and making it harder for us to own a home.”

Measure ULA coalition members have also pointed to a recent apology issued by the California Association of Realtors for past discriminatory policies that opposed affordable housing for underserved communities.

“They apologized … but then in that same breath, they oppose ULA,” former Inglewood Mayor Danny Tabor said. “In their apology, they say that they want to offer closing cost grants for members of underserved communities buying housing. They say they want to donate to the Black Wealth Builders Fund that will pay down payment assistance for home ownership. They say they want to partner and work with sponsoring nonprofit or-

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ganizations that support greater home ownership. If they want to do all of those things, why aren’t they supporting ULA?” According to reports, adults over the age of 55 are the fastest-growing demographic of people experiencing homelessness in LA County, with seniors comprising nearly a quarter of the county’s unhoused population. In total, the city’s homeless population has increased by nearly 3,000 people since 2020.

“There are so many incredibly vital issues and elections on this ballot, but this may be the most important of all because this helps us deal with the two biggest crises we have in Los Angeles: the homelessness crisis and our affordable housing crisis,” Bonin declared. “It acknowledges how those two things are linked, and it gives us the resources to address both of them at the same time.

“It is so vitally important. This is one of the smartest things I have ever seen on the ballot to address homelessness and affordable housing, and we have an opportunity to get it done. The forces against us are extreme. Up and down this ballot, there’re special interest that are trying to kill progress … and they are going to do everything to prevent us from making those who profit from a broken housing market pay to solve those problems.”

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Measure ULA aims to reduce homelessness by taking a percentage of windfall profits from real estate sales over $5 million and investing the money back into communities across LA. Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

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BELL’S OPINION

It’s a cowardly new world

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Contributing Writer our parents allowed you to read about Anne Frank when you were a kid?” my astonished friend asked.

“Yes. In fact, my mother not only allowed it. She gave it to me and insisted that I read it when I was 10.”

“I don’t want to freak my kids out; they grow up too fast as it is,” he said.

“So, you want them to be ignorant about the less savory aspects of life?”

“Precisely,” he said, adding, “I think we need to protect our children.”

“I’m all for protecting children, but I’m also very pro-smarts.”

Reading about fascism in novels and nonfiction is a form of spiritual, emotional and intellectual self-defense. Reading about societies that have gone terribly wrong should bother all of us; kids need to learn to be perturbed by injustice.

Just as we’ve been told to “follow the money,” we can follow the benefits of keeping people in the dark. The United States now has seen a quantifiable dumbing-down of its citizenry — who benefits from that?

People longing for authoritarian leaders, so they don’t have to think too deeply, which often results in a theocracy.

The idea of “protecting kids” ties into my initial foray into self-defense for all ages. As a journalist, and before becoming a self-defense student myself, I asked the instructor of a kids’ self-defense course, “Doesn’t teaching kids how to defend themselves freak them out?” She said, “What makes you think they are not already freaked out? How would you feel if you saw missing children on milk cartons, staring at you every morning at breakfast? And worse, you have no information on what to do in a scary situation?”

When I started teaching kids’ self-defense classes with IMPACT Personal Safety of LA, for kids aged 5 to 12, I would open the first session with “How many of you know there are mean people in the world?” In all my years of teaching, not one child — not one — said they didn’t know of any.

I’m not a child development expert, nor have I ever had kids — that I know of! (It’s a joke, son.) However, I consider myself a child expert because I was a child myself, and I remember what I read and its positive impact on me. I appreciate how my parents raised

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Hey you! Speak up!

Ellen Snortland me in the domain of reading material. I was educated to identify injustice early, which fit nicely into my childhood friends and my deep understanding of “That’s not fair!” So that’s my foundation, and I’m sticking to it.

As a voracious reader since I was 8, reading has been my solace, my entertainment, my escape. On the flip side, reading has educated me about the fragility of human rights, something I wanted to pass on. I have a grand nephew, and when he was a tween, I purposely sent him a collection of speculative fiction and dystopian novels. And guess what? He turned out great! He’s a conservationist, is aware of and advocates for human rights, and is clear that he needs to be in the world as it is, not in a white-washed — term used advisedly — version of “La la la la la la!

Not listening, and you can’t make me!”

I wonder if today’s middle and high school students read some of the books my husband and I were assigned when we were their age: Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World,” George Orwell’s “1984,” William Goldings’ “Lord of the Flies” and Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.”

Later on would come Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Octavia Butler’s oeuvre with “Parable of the Talents” a must-read, Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse 5” and Ursula K. LeGuin’s “The Lathe of Heaven.” If not, it may be up to you to turn them on to reading titles like these — books that are unforgettable in their warnings and “red flags” about human rights. Keeping people in the dark about the abuse surrounding them and slowly seeping in is not kindness; it’s enabling maltreatment. Novels that tell

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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.

cautionary tales provide a deeper look at how fascism takes root and how people and countries are affected by it.

Atwood famously told her readers that there wasn’t anything in “The Handmaid’s Tale” that had not already occurred elsewhere. Women in Iran — like Atwood’s Gilead — have been living under a brutal, religious fascist regime. The old men running things there intentionally restrict education for women, which is no surprise. Girls and women are leading the revolution to push those rights forward, and — in an echo of the ’60s — they know that “the whole world is watching.”

The reverse is happening in this country. Moms for Liberty and their ilk are spearheading book bans in school districts all over America. They target anything that

is not white, heteronormative and Christian; book bans are an inch away from book burnings. No theocracy for me, thanks! I know most Americans feel the same way, and we must let ourselves be genuinely alarmed and then take action.

“We need not be let alone. We need to be really bothered once in a while. How long is it since you were really bothered? About something important, about something real?” — Ray Bradbury, “Fahrenheit 451” Ellen Snortland has written this column for decades and also teaches creative writing. She can be reached at ellen@beautybitesbeast. com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

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OPINION

Working together leads to a happier tomorrow

By Tammy Membreno Barrio Action Youth Center Executive Director he health disparities that have led to higher rates of obesity and diabetes in Los Angeles and other cities are getting national attention. On Sept. 28, the Biden administration convened a gathering of nutritional experts, community leaders and social welfare groups to recommend more effective ways to end hunger, improve diet and promote physical health.

This was an important moment. The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health was the first gathering of its kind in 50 years. And what it did was shine a spotlight on the need for businesses, community organizations and government to work together on bold solutions to tackle health disparities.

The idea that we all have a collective role to play in empowering Ameri-

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cans to make healthier choices is a mission that resonates deeply here in East/ Northeast LA. Public-private partnerships in which community-based public health groups and businesses work together are helping to address the challenges families face in health and nutrition.

A good example of this is what the beverage industry is doing with Barrio Action to support people in their efforts to reduce sugar in their diets. Educating young people to make healthy dietary choices is one way that Barrio Action Youth and Family Center helps builds a foundation for success. Beverage companies are working with us to get the word out that it is important to moderate the amount of sugar in the diet, including from soft drinks.

Why is this important? According to data from the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department, East Los Angeles ranks among the 10 communities

in the county with the highest childhood obesity rates, with an average prevalence of 31% — or approximately 3 out of every 10 children in our neighborhoods. To reverse this trend, the Hispanic/Latino community and producers of food and beverages can work together for the sake of our community.

One of the ways identified by the White House conference to address these disparities is to increase access to healthy choices. We have been doing that by trying to steer people toward beverage options that have less sugar and zero sugar.

Our “Balance Ambassadors” have attended local events to remind people to make choices that are right for them.

We provide families with information and workshops to help them develop healthy eating habits and learn fun exercises that promote a fit lifestyle. Beverage companies have been expanding the options of zero-sugar beverages,

such as zero-sugar sports drinks and flavored waters. They’ve put calorie awareness messages on coolers and fountains, and prominent calorie counts on the front of their bottles and cans, to encourage people to consider options with less sugar at grocery stores, bodegas and restaurants.

These efforts are having a positive effect. For four years running, we saw declines in beverage calorie consumption in East Los Angeles — with increasing numbers of consumers choosing beverages with less sugar or zero sugar. The leading beverage companies — the Coca-Cola Company, Keurig Dr Pepper and PepsiCo — now have more than 400 brands that have less sugar or no sugar.

As the White House conference emphasized, the power of public-private partnerships can bring positive change.

Working together, we can create a healthier tomorrow for our community.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

FEATURE

An aerial view of opening day at the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square in 2017.

Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square/Submitted

Break the ice at Pershing Square’s celebration

By Morgan Owen LA Downtown News Staff Writer os Angeles is known for its balmy winters and palm tree Christmases, but this year Willy Bietak Productions returns to Downtown LA to bring Angelenos a longtime winter treat, the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square.

After two years of closures due to COVID-19, the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square will return for its 23rd season. Celebrations will kick off at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, with a live performance by Cornell Freeney, other guest skaters and the annual “icebreaking” ceremony, where an ice sculpture will be shattered to inaugurate the season.

Freeney, the keynote performer, was the first American to compete in the World Championships in wheel gymnastics. He earned a silver medal at the world competition and several other gold medals nationally. His performance will include flips and twists inside and outside the German wheel.

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Willy Bietak Productions manages holiday ice rinks in San Francisco, Huntington Beach and Union Square, “but Pershing Square is special,” said Robert Keith, certified ice rink manager. Keith is an expert on creating and maintaining skating ice and has managed the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square for 22 seasons.

The rink has hosted several Olympians and figure skating stars over the years and has been the filming location for several movies and commercials, according to Keith. People are drawn to that sheet of ice, he said.

Keith said he has seen just about everything that could happen at the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square, including two generations of children and 46 documented proposals. “The one thing that hasn’t happened is a wedding on ice. But the good news is, I’m ordained and I’m ready,” Keith joked.

Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square welcomes 54,000 skaters and over 400,000 spectators each year. The rink is LA’s larg-

est outdoor skating rink at 7,200 square feet. The ice is only an inch and a half thick and is cleaned and resurfaced between each hourlong session.

“If you come down to the ice rink, you see the sun shining in California and you might take a vest or a light jacket. You’re coming to get on a sheet of ice. You might want to bring a coat,” said Keith, who sees many people make this mistake. He also encourages gloves and thick socks.

Because of the pandemic, some changes were made to how the rink operates.

This year, skaters must purchase their tickets in advance on the rink’s website. Skat-

ers can still rent their skates through the rink or bring their own. Tickets cost $20 per session, $5 for locker rental, and $6 for skate helpers.

Although this season is shorter than usual, Keith said they are “tickled” to be back at Pershing Square among the skyscrapers of Downtown LA. The final day skaters will have access to the rink will be Jan. 1.

“Whether you are a Los Angeles resident or simply visiting for the holiday season, the Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square is an absolute must when it comes to embracing winter in Los Angeles,” Bietak said.

Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square, A Willy Bietak Production WHEN: Various times Wednesday, Nov. 23, to Sunday, Jan. 1.

Opening celebration 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23 WHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $5 and must be purchased in advance INFO: 650-204-5516, holidayicerinkdowntownla.com

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

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Chloe Dranheim performs during the 2017 Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square icebreaking ceremony.

Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square/Submitted

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ARTS & CULTURE

Staffer to unveil photography, mixed-media art show

By Summer Aguirre LA Downtown News Staff Writer os Angeles-based editorial and portrait photographer Christopher Mortenson is hosting the first of what he hopes will be many more solo shows.

Titled “Meditations,” the show’s opening ceremony will run from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Dmst Atelier art gallery on Saturday, Nov. 12 — which also happens to be Mortenson’s 36th birthday. The exhibition will feature a collection of mixed-media collages and photographs that the creator, who goes by “Morty,” has been working on for a combined 15 years.

“I feel like a lot of people are expecting it to be all photographs. Not many people know that I make this type of art,” said Mortenson, the staff photographer for LA Downtown News. “I’m just known as the photographer, so I’m really excited to share this other stuff that I’ve been making and thinking about.”

For nearly five years, Mortenson has been brainstorming and dreaming about

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“Meditations.”

He began finding and gathering miscellaneous items, repurposing them for use in a variety of collages he has been creating in his free time since 2018. The past few months, he has slowly been piecing together a collection of around 20 mixed-media and wood collages on canvas inspired by Dadaism.

Mortenson chose the name “Meditations” for his show because he and his old roommates would wind down by cutting up and repurposing postcards. As someone who likes to see an idea through without stopping, creating art with postcards was a way for him to “ease his mind” and “see something finished.”

“The show’s called that because even though some of (these pieces) took a couple of days, I primarily work on a single one all the way until it’s done and then I go to the next one,” he said. “It’s kind of how I relax from looking at a computer, taking pictures or things like that. It helps keep me creative.”

Alongside his collages, Mortenson will showcase approximately 60 photographs that he has shot over the course of his decade living in the City of Angels. He calls them “an ode to LA.” “The photo side is for basically all of my friends who I’ve met in the last 10 years in LA,” he said. “That stuff is all for them because I wouldn’t be where I am if I didn’t have them to take pictures of.”

When people walk into the gallery and encounter his work, Mortenson wants them to see something that brings back an experience or evokes a certain feeling.

“I’ll be sharing what I see with other people, and hopefully it sparks inspiration, or change, questions or anything really. I’m all about trying to inspire people to go after their dreams and do things, as much as possible,” he said.

“I hope that people chuckle, laugh and they get it, because some of it’s funny and some of it’s personal. I really feel like art is so subjective.”

Some of Mortenson’s pieces were cre-

ated during challenging periods in his life and are “healing, in a way.” Others are a reflection of the fun times he’s been having the past several years.

“It’s giving me more ideas for the future and just for ways of thinking about my photographs and what to do next, so it’s had a positive effect,” he said. “Also, just putting something together like this is realizing how much work it is and not wanting to fail and do a bad job.”

Mortenson knew he wanted to become a photographer as early as 5 years old. He was inspired by his mother, a Naval photographer, whose boxes of photos he always came across when they moved.

“She had pictures of battleships, planes and all this stuff, and I just thought it was so cool,” he said. “I just loved photography, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. I never changed. I’ve never strayed from that path.”

Originally from a small town in New CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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Christopher Mortenson’s “Fun and Games,” mixed media on canvas. The photographer will unveil his mixed media and portrait collection, “Meditations,” at his first solo show on Nov. 12 at Downtown LA’s Dmst Atelier art gallery.

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Christopher Mortenson’s “My Eyes Have Seen Me,” mixed media on canvas.

Christopher Mortenson/Submitted

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

STAFFER TO UNVEIL PHOTOGRAPHY, MIXED-MEDIA ART SHOW,12 Mexico, Mortenson considers simply becoming a professional photographer his biggest achievement. He kept pushing toward his goals despite those who doubted him, and went on to earn his bachelor’s in fine art and photography from New Mexico State University.

His showing of “Meditations” in Downtown LA is consequently a significant highlight of his career as a photographer and artist.

“I’m just grateful. I’m really excited to have a gallery Downtown,” he said.

Following opening day of “Meditations,” Dmst Atelier will host its monthly community feed event on Nov. 19, where participants provide potluck-style food to Skid Row residents. Mortenson will close out the event with a 30-minute artist talk.

The gallery is located in the Arts District at 1117 E. Seventh Street.

For more information about Mortenson and his work, visit his Instagram or mortyvision.com.

Christopher Mortenson is a Los Angeles-based editorial and portrait photographer.

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 15

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

DT Great Gatsby Party brings Roaring ’20s to DTLA ARTS & CULTURE

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor or over a century, people across the United States and beyond have romanticized the Roaring ‘20s, when the nation’s wealth doubled across the course of a single decade. It’s an era that has inspired movies, shows, music and books, including F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and now the Great Gatsby Party in Downtown Los Angeles.

The event is a high-flying, performance-driven celebration that seeks to revive the decadence and revelry of the Roaring ‘20s with live music, aerialists, theatrical acts, dancers, contortionists, showgirls, stilt walkers and other performers.

“As much as we are in the business of giving that ‘wow factor’ to our guests, I think the really special aspect of the Great Gatsby Party is that we are able to successfully offer a variation of multiple things that take place at the event,” said Derek van Bakergem, CEO of Rosé Lifestyle and beverage manufacturer Rosé S’il Vous Plaît. “Whether that is going for a general admission ticket or going for VIP tickets, there’s really entertainment throughout the night for everyone.

From a casino activation to burlesque to stage performers and dancers to aerialists to a master of ceremony leading the night with a very robust beverage program, I think we’re hitting all the notes that are what people expect from a successful Great Gatsby Party.”

What began as a one-night show in New York in 2015 has since expanded across the country, with two-night Great Gatsby Party’s being held at the Wynn’s Intrigue in Las Vegas, the Alfred I. Dupont Building in Miami and the Majestic Downtown in LA on Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12.

“We wanted to build an event around the category of Champagne after having a very successful run with our rosé cruise that we have been hosting since 2013 in New York, which was followed by a larger festival also around the category of rosé,” Van Bakergem said. “When we started to analyze some other categories in the beverage industry, we noticed that there was very little done around the Champagne category besides the annual Christmas events or corporate events that you see here and there. And so, looking into various themes, the Great Gatsby became something that we thought was very fitting.”

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Founded in New York City in 2015, the high-flying, performance-driven Great Gatsby Party has expanded across the nation and will fill the walls of the Majestic Downtown in DTLA on Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12.

The Great Gatsby Party/Submitted

Van Bakergem explained that the Majestic Downtown, which hosted the Great Gatsby Party in April, served as the perfect venue to accentuate the scale and grandeur of the event.

“It wouldn’t be a Gatsby Party unless you select the right venue,” he declared.

“In Los Angeles, I pretty much toured every single venue that there is in all of the LA areas. And then you come into Downtown LA and you start noticing that, from an architecture standpoint, it starts to make more sense. … Once we stumbled upon the Majestic, the doors opened and we just knew right away that this was going to be the right fit.

“They have a nice vault bank feature, if you will, that we have also in Miami.

And the fact that all of our locations throughout the U.S. are in Downtown areas, with the exception of Las Vegas, I think it tells a nice story that we are going into the areas of the big cities that make sense for events of that sort.”

The Majestic Downtown is the third stop of the Great Gatsby Party’s current tour, after shows in both New York City and Las Vegas that Van Bakergem described as successes.

“The show keeps getting better because we get to really analyze the shows

Inspired by the Roaring ‘20s, the Great Gatsby Party is centered around the theme of “Champagne.”

The Great Gatsby Party/Submitted

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

that took place, the necessary changes that we want to implement, and I have to say, everybody shares the same passion as I do. … And that makes me really happy and very proud to be working with such talented people.

“Based on that, we have really seen a very big return in clientele and we’re definitely looking to continue to please everyone by changing our lineup year after year. So that’s the return customers can expect, a new run of show every single time we host it at a particular city.”

The Great Gatsby Party was built to be a transportive experience, blending live entertainment with a tailored menu and decadent décor. When speaking about this year’s lineup of performers, Van Bakergem explained that he didn’t “want to reveal too much.”

“I can tell you that for this particular Los Angeles experience next weekend,

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we’ll have a very special live moment that will take place on the main stage that we haven’t done before,” he said, before speaking to the importance of welcoming audiences back to the show.

“I’m already extremely thankful that I’m able to rehost parties and to bring people together again. … I think the pandemic is something that has been very tough for everyone, including myself.

For a second I thought I would most likely close the doors to my business and maybe start doing something else.”

“Of course, we always try to do this in a safe manner. We’re still very conscious that there’s still some sensitivity around this topic. So while I think we’re certainly coming out of the pandemic and things are starting to look better and better, we try to adapt our shows to that as well to make sure that we can bring people safely together again.”

The Great Gatsby Party WHERE: The Majestic Downtown, 650 S Spring Street, Los Angeles WHEN: Entrance to the event is from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., while early access begins at 8 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12 COST: $125 for general admission, $225 for VIP and $1,000-plus for Jay Gatsby tables INFO: greatgatsbyparty.com

The Great Gatsby Party in DTLA seeks to revive the excitement of the Roaring ‘20s through live performance.

The Great Gatsby Party/Submitted

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

The London Suede’s Mat Osman sees new LP as a fresh start

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor he London Suede bassist Mat Osman said it’s funny to think that, in 2022, his band is touring with Welsh rockers Manic Street Preachers.

“We toured with them in ’94 or something like that,” Osman said via Zoom.

“We toured Europe with them when Richey (Edwards, guitarist who disappeared in 1995) was still in the band. The funny thing is, if you were to ask anyone which two bands from the ’90s would make it through to the 2020s, us and the Manics probably would have been at the bottom of the list. They’d probably say we would have fallen apart, they’re image obsessed, blah blah blah.

“It’s very weird to be going back on the road with them. We’ve been doing it for 30 years. I mean, they’ve never even taken a break. It’s incredibly impressive. You just assume the boring ones are going to make it through. You think Oasis are going to make it or something like that. It never looked like we were built for the long term.”

The English pop band and Manic Street Preachers are performing at the House of Blues Anaheim on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and the Hollywood Palladium on Thursday, Nov. 10. In Europe, The London Suede played its new album, “Autofiction,” in its entirety on its last tour. Osman suspects that won’t be the case in the United States.

“It’s a bit different in Europe,” he said.

“They get to see us every 18 months.

When we’re out here, we may not do the new record in full, but we’ll see. It’s always about how the audience reacts for us.

“It’s really important to us that we don’t have a set list that we play for a year. It’s about the reaction and what songs go down well and how people get into it.”

He enjoys having the flexibility of changing up the set list to cater to the audience’s whims.

“The last European tour we did, I think we played 80 songs,” Osman said. “We have a big back catalog, and it keeps us excited about it. You want that edge. You want some stakes when you’re doing it and know the possibility of it all falling apart because you’re playing a B-side from 1995 that you’ve never played before.”

Lead singer Brett Anderson has called “Autofiction” The London Suede’s “punk

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From left to right, Neil Codling, Mat Osman, Brett Anderson, Richard Oakes and Simon Gilbert make up the English band The London Suede.

Dean Chalkey (Suede)/Submitted

record” in previous interviews. Osman sees it as a fresh start.

“It feels weirdly like our fourth debut album,” Osman said with a laugh. “Every now and then we tear everything up and start again. We had to do that when Bernard left. That’s what (1996’s) ‘Coming Up’ was. When we got back together, it was like (2013’s) ‘Bloodsports’ was the same way.” When something disastrous happens, then we start from scratch. This time, cleverly, we decided to start from scratch before the disaster.”

“Autofiction” is a return to the energy and physicality of The London Suede, Osman said. The songwriting sessions lit up the rehearsal room.

“I think it fits in alongside (1996’s) ‘Coming Up’ and the debut album (‘Suede’),” he said. “It’s a very visceral, straightforward and unadorned kind of rock ‘n’ roll record.

“As I get older, I’m less and less interested in perfection in music. I’m less interested in studio sheen and that kind of impressiveness. I’m more interested in heart and personality. I think most bands, when they get back from touring, try to capture that and don’t know how to capture the heartbeat and excitement of

playing live.

“The original idea with ‘Autofiction’ was to record it live. We were going to get a whole load of fans down to the studio.

We were going to play the songs six or seven nights in a row and try to get that reaction and the excitement that you get from people being there — and then COVID came on. That really knocked it on the head.”

Instead, the rehearsal rooms were empty. The owners just handed them a key and let them use the studio at will.

“It was like being 18 again,” he said

with a smile. “The five of us just cycled down and played all day. No crew or anything like that. The songs made us excited. In a weird way, it did help us.”

In Anaheim, The London Suede is opening the show, while in Hollywood, it’s closing.

“We haven’t gone on first for a show for, oh my God, a quarter of a century,” he said with a laugh. “I’m quite weirdly looking forward to having to impress people for once. We usually play for our own audience and to people who love the band.

So, it’ll be interesting to have to show off.”

The London Suede and Manic Street Preachers WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 WHERE: House of Blues, 400 W. Disney Way, Suite 337, Anaheim COST: Tickets start at $42.50 INFO: houseofblues.com Manic Street Preachers and The London Suede WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 WHERE: Hollywood Palladium, 6215 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $73 INFO: thehollywoodpalladium.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

From left to right, James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore of the Manic Street Preachers will perform at the House of Blues Anaheim on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and the Hollywood Palladium on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Alex Lake/Submitted

Music is vital to Manics’ James Dean Bradfield

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor ames Dean Bradfield is a little apprehensive about returning to the United States with his much-beloved Welsh band Manic Street Preachers.

In a way, it feels like the band is starting over.

“It’s like a new start,” the vocalist said.

“Starting over at the age of 53 is not the kind of emotion I’m accustomed to. So, I’m a bit nervous about it.”

At the shows — Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the House of Blues Anaheim and Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Hollywood Palladium — the band is co-headlining with peers The London Suede. Bradfield said he’s comforted by the fact that The London Suede is on the tour with them.

“I suppose coming to America just on our own seemed like a quite daunting task, especially after COVID and people’s outlook of life was changing a tiny bit,” he said.

“I think fans will see two different sets.

I think ours will be very much driven toward our biggest songs because the audience who does come to see us in America never really does get to see us

J

on a consistent basis.

“Whereas with Suede, I think they’ll be doing a lot of the most noted songs plus there will be playing a lot of their new album, too.”

When they formed in 1990, Manic Street Preachers had one goal: sell more copies than “Appetite for Destruction” and then split up. “Generation Terrorists” didn’t sell 16 million copies, and the Manics didn’t disband.

After the disappearance of guitarist Richey Edwards ahead of a 1995 U.S. tour, Bradfield, bassist Nicky Wire and drummer Sean Moore regrouped and rebuilt the band.

During the next two decades, Manic Street Preachers released a series of lauded albums. The 2021 collection “The Ultra Vivid Lament” saw the band’s return to the top of the U.K. album charts.

Variously influenced by bereavement, the U.K.’s public school system and ABBA, and featuring Sunflower Bean’s Julia Cumming and one of the last vocal performances from the legendary Mark Lanegan, the album was a return to form that saw Manic Street Preachers finish the year with a series of arena

shows that ended up feeling like celebratory parties after two years of on-off lockdowns.

“I feel like ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ stands on its own to a certain degree because it came out of the back end of COVID and the lockdown,” Bradfield said about how it fits in with the catalog.

“It came out of a lot of introspection, a lot of looking into a future that we didn’t know would exist. I think it really rubbed off on the music. The album is almost like a little snow globe.”

Bradfield said he hopes the U.S. jaunt will inspire them to write new music.

Right now, he admitted, the new songs lack direction.

“You’re literally waiting for an emotion. You’re waiting for a sensibility,” he said. “You’re waiting for all those things to coagulate around the band itself. That gives you a direction, and that hasn’t happened yet.”

Eventually, the creative process becomes enjoyable, he’s quick to add.

“When you can make sense of the world — perhaps through a song or through a painting or through a book or through an essay — it works,” he said.

“However, I think it’s impossible to make sense of what’s going on around us. The political landscape in Britain is trapped in turbulence. We got a new prime minister today, yet another prime minister who hasn’t been voted for by the public in Britain.

“Since Brexit, it’s been hard to make sense of anything.”

One thing he does know is the importance of music. Bradfield wants music to conjure the same feelings in fans that he has when he listens.

“I still know how I feel about my old record collection,” he said.

“I still know how I feel about the memories of hearing a certain song, whether it was an album for the first time or seeing a certain band for the first time.

My first-ever gig was seeing Echo and the Bunnymen in Bristol in 1986. I know how that affected me. I know it still resonates with me. So, if anybody ever says to me that they have the same kind of emotions that I still have from those experiences, it means a hell of a lot to me.

I know that it really, really helped shape me and it really helped shape us as a band.”

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

ARTS & CULTURE

Supernatural tale thrills, scares while exploring immigration

By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer play by Prince Gomolvilas is getting a homecoming of sorts at East West Players from Thursday, Nov. 17, to Sunday, Dec. 11.

An LA native, Gomolvilas’ play, “The Brothers Paranormal,” is getting its City of Angels debut under the direction of Jeff Liu, who led the world-premiere production at the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in New York in 2019.

“This is a homecoming in a way,” Liu said. “I remember the second I read it, I felt it was so special.”

The story centers around two Thai brothers — one born in Thailand and the other in the American Midwest — who decide to launch a ghost-hunting business after a nationwide increase in the sightings of “Asian-looking ghosts.”

They are called to the home of a Black family that has been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. That starts a supernatural thriller exploring the trauma of leaving home.

“We couldn’t be more excited to conclude our 56th season with a play by (East West Players) alum Prince Gomolvilas,” said Snehal Desai, the East West Players’ producing artistic director.

“The Brothers Paranormal” was first presented by EWP as a Writers Gallery reading in association with the Japanese American National Museum in 2012.

Desai said it’s been incredible to watch the show develop since that reading and to present it now in the context of the season’s focus of centering the intersection between Black and Asian communities.

From its premiere in NYC with Pan Asian Rep, “The Brothers Paranormal” has had productions across the country and “we are so proud to be able to bring it home and present its LA premiere,” Desai said.

Liu said he was immediately taken by the play’s stage directions and the challenge of producing a supernatural thriller live onstage.

However, the play was not simply about special effects.

“It’s really about a human connection between an African American woman and an Asian American man through this stress and grief and trauma that they face in life,” Liu said. “There’s an understanding that grows between them.”

He also finds the intersectionality of the piece to be very compelling and something that is not often found in

A

Prince Gomolvilas’“The Brothers Paranormal” will run at East West Players from Thursday, Nov. 17, to Sunday, Dec. 11.

East West Players/Submitted

Asian American stories. Typically, he said, there are either all Asian American characters or a combination of Asian American and white characters. In “Brothers Paranormal,” Liu said that African American and Asian American people get to share space and story.

“There is extra relevance in terms of exploring what American peoples of color have gone through together, whether in conflict, whether in solidarity, whether in allyship, whether we’ve been pitted against each other in some ways in a divide and conquer manner,” Liu said.

Liu cautioned, though, that just because the leading characters are an Asian American man and an African American woman, the play doesn’t center racism or race.

“This play isn’t explicitly about race,” Liu said. “It’s really more of a ghost story. It deals with differences in culture and how grief and loss get seen through a different lens depending on what culture brings — and how, when you share some of those experiences, you really begin to understand each other in a whole other way.”

David Huynh, who plays the part of Max, the Thai brother born in the Midwest, participated in some of the early staged readings in 2012, in part because he had performed in an earlier show

written by Gomolvilas. The family relationships resonate with Huynh, particularly the ones between his character, his brother and his mother.

“There’s something about family dramas that really drive me into the story,” Huynh said. “I’m always fascinated with family dynamics, and this story is all about the dynamics of his journey, the family, and the relationships between his mother and his brother.”

He’s enjoying his character’s intelligence, his wit and willingness to be very sarcastic while at the same time deeply emotional. It’s a play that has been described as expertly mixing suspense and horror with comedy and drama.

When Huynh read the script 10 years ago, he was fascinated by the plot and the surprises embedded in the script.

However, returning to it after a decade has passed, he’s come to appreciate the script on a more intense level.

“There’s so much depth and there’s so much subtleness to it that really pops out,” Huynh said. “I didn’t see the emotionality of the character until just recently. I just saw the humor, but I didn’t realize how deep and how intelligent this guy was and how affected he is by the psychology of what’s happening around him.”

Liu has done a lot of work with East

West Players, including serving as its literary manager for several years under the previous artistic director.

He’s continued to direct under Desai’s leadership at the organization. He points out that it is the longest-running theater of color in the United States and has been committed to providing opportunities for Asian American actors and representation for Asian American writers of whatever specific ethnicity in that spectrum.

Liu said East West Players’ work is important, particularly as it comes to the sort of intersectionality found in both “The Brothers Paranormal” and the previous show they produced — “The Great Jheri Curl Debate.”

“That kind of inclusivity and dialogue must have been on Snehal’s mind, as it has been on many, many of our minds,” Liu said. “One of my personal missions is to find more stories that are specifically intersectional between people of color in America — that could be Asian, Black, Latin, Native, all of the above. The way these two pieces resonate with each other will be really interesting and gives this season a kind of special character.”

While “The Brothers Paranormal” is getting its LA premiere, many of the performers in it are already experienced with it. In addition to Liu directing the

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

world premiere in New York and Huynh being involved in the first reading, others have also been in the show before.

Roy Vongtama, who plays the brother Visarut, was in the Pan Asian Repertory production. Emily Kuroda, who plays Tasanee, was also in the world premiere.

Jasper Louis, who plays Felix, was in a production with Theatre Diaspora.

Other cast members include Tamika Simpkins as Delia; Pearrie Hammie as Jai; Daniel Kim, who understudies Max and Visarut; and Ratana, who understudies Jai and Tasanee.

Since the play premiered in 2019, America has undergone drastic changes, yet Liu said the events of the past couple years make the story even more relevant because it is dealing with ways people cope with trauma from disasters and displacement.

“We have this global event of our generation with the pandemic and the kind of stress that it causes and the anger and division,” Liu said.

“People are having this reckoning with their lives and what do they want out of it? Then we’ve had this racial reckoning in America where, during the pandemic. We had events like Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis and Black Lives Matter and the specific kind of boiling up of racial tensions and denial. Then we have disasters natural and human. You can say our

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whole society has a kind of mild or serious PTSD depending on where you live and where you are, and that’s what this play was always about.”

He said the Black couple relocated to the unnamed city after Hurricane Katrina, a natural disaster that disproportionately affected certain kinds of people. The Thai immigrant family is also running from things.

“The kinds of stresses that they have to deal with is part of what the play suggests triggers these supernatural reactions,” Liu said. “It’s really an attempt to deepen our feelings about how the play and we are in conversation with what’s going on in the country and even the world right now.”

Huynh added mental health to the list of themes in “The Brothers Paranormal” that have grown more relevant since its premiere. He said that it is a tough topic because it has often been avoided in the Asian American community and performing this show at East West Players gives them a chance to reach a certain demographic and community.

“It’s been taboo, and it’s something that shouldn’t be taboo,” Huynh said.

“The more we are able to begin the conversation of mental health, the more that becomes easier to deal with and apparent that it is something that exists and is real. A lot of Asian American com-

munities culturally don’t acknowledge that mental health is an issue.”

Liu also said this production of “The Brothers Paranormal” is a celebration of doing live theater again, something that perhaps people took for granted before the pandemic.

Being in Los Angeles brings new focus to the show. Liu said there is a very specific Thai American acting community and that the playwright, who is also Thai American, is responsive to those who want to tell more Thai stories. Gomolvilas has been mentoring Thai artists within the community and bringing them into this production.

Huynh appreciates being a part of a show that is unique in its portrayal of the Thai community. He said it is the only Thai American play he had heard of.

“For the Thai American community, it can be quite a joy for them to see their

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story — or a story from their cultural point of view — being told,” Huynh said.

“Not only that, but the meeting place of two cultures happen. You have this Thai American family and an African American family. That’s quite rare.”

Being in Los Angeles has also allowed Liu to work with a design team that has capabilities and skills that would be hard to find elsewhere. They’ve brought in Ian O’Connor, who’s in Hollywood special effects, to do illusions. The design team, Liu said, creates visualizations and horror special effects in exciting ways. It’s something he hopes audiences will appreciate.

“Do you want to come see a fun ghost story live?” Liu asked. “Horror films never go out of style, and ghost stories never go out of style either. This show will be a lot of fun but also has really, really engaging and emotional characters.”

East West Players’ “The Brothers Paranormal” WHEN: Various times Nov. 17 to Dec. 11; Thursdays to Mondays WHERE: David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $39; a pay-what-you-can Nov. 28; a Black Affinity Night on Dec. 2 INFO: 213-625-7000, eastwestplayers.org

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NOVEMBER 7, 2022

PHOTO PAGE

Festival for All Skid Row Artists

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he Los Angeles Poverty Department hosted its 13th annual Festival for All Skid Row Artists on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 with nonstop performances, visual art and participatory art workshops in General Jeff Memorial Park/Gladys Park. Visual arts workshops

Artist Artimes Soulterra with his work.

Yomaki Ry shows off her artwork.

were offered by Studio 526, Creative I, Piece by Piece and Doodles Without Borders. Jen Hofer led poetry workshops, and there were woodworking workshop

by Would Works. LA Downtown News photographer Chris Mortenson captured the event.

Elijah Rosato decorates a card.

Erica Rosato colors with her sisters at one of the activations.

Christopher Mack poses for a portrait in front of his art pieces.

“Coach Ron” from the Skid Row 3-on-3 basketball league shows off his merch.

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

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Kieth Johnson from Christian Mafia and MC Lorinda Hawkins throw down songs during the open mic.

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ATTORNEY, MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

(Los Angeles, CA) Represent publ. & priv. co’s & PE sponsors in conn. w/ cross-border transact. incl. acquisitions, dispositions, strat. mergers. Advise clients considering or particip. in these transact., incl. advising on transact. structures & deal terms. Negot. & prepare primary transact. docs. Req’mts: JD or foreign equiv., CA Bar, 2 yrs of exp. in position. In lieu of a JD or foreign equiv., an LLM or foreign equiv. is acceptable. In lieu of JD or foreign equiv. or LLM or foreign equiv., a Canadian JD is acceptable. Email resume/ref ’s to Susan.Day@lw.com. Latham & Watkins LLP. EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT SENIOR CLIENT EXECUTIVE (Marsh USA Inc. - FT; LA, CA - Remote work may be permitted w/in a commutable dist from worksite) Assist lg global risk mgmt clients w/ complex svc & risk mgmt needs by performing comprehensive & strategic analysis of their enterprise-wide key risks. RQTS: Bach degree or foreign equiv in Insurance & Risk Mgmt or rel + 10 yrs of progressively resp exp in the position offered or rel. In the alt, in lieu of a Bach deg in 1 of the above enumerated flds, employer will accept an addl 2 yrs of exp in the fld, for a total of 12 yrs of exp.

Employer will accept any suitable combo of ed, training, or exp. Must have 10 yrs of exp w/: Acct mgmt for lg & complex global risk mgmt accts; Lg & complex global insurance progs w/ an emphasis on N American, European, Bermudian & Australian mkts; Assessing potential repercussions of tax & regulatory issues as they relate to a client’s global insurance prog & the placement of such progs worldwide; Leading an expansive client svc team w/in N America, & in foreign jurisdictions; Performing claims advocacy support, incl for professional liability claim disputes; Designing insurance progs & svcing accts in construction, engg & real estate domains; Reviewing & assessing stakeholder risks in complex contracts or agreements; & Presenting to board & sr level execs. TRAVEL RQT: 10% domestic & intl travel req’d for annually scheduled client stewardship mtgs & to unanticipated co & client sites. APPLY: http://www.mmc.com/careers using Keyword R_209041. EOE.

DOWNTOWN NEWS 23

Koi Roberson and Jose Mata collaborate on a community painting about how to improve Skid Row.

24 DOWNTOWN NEWS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

NOVEMBER 7, 2022

Grand Style, Grand Class.

255 Grand is located in prestigious Bunker Hill, the go-to neighborhood for fine dining, world-class museums and a thriving arts and entertainment scene. 255 Grand offers its residents immediate proximity to attractions such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art and the new Broad museum. With breathtaking views, awe-inspiring balconies, oversized patios and spacious floor plans, the 391-unit high-rise property includes studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging from 480 to 1,335 square feet in a uniquely suburban-urban setting. 255 Grand’s newly remodeled apartments offer residents a true luxury experience, with stainless steel Whirlpool appliances, quartz countertops, deep soaking tubs, and Moen faucets. Life at the top awaits you! Enjoy the highest quality living experience at the Sky Level”. The 26th and 27th floors feature exclusive, premium finishes and enhanced amenities to complement some of the best views in LA. As a Sky Level resident, you can expect high-end features like premium Bosch appliances, Danze & Kohler fixtures, Nest 3rd Generation thermostats, oversized rainfall showerheads, luxury wood-style flooring, deep soak tubs, and ultra-modern luxury countertops. In addition, Sky Level residents also enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, cable and parking.

255 Grand features a host of modern amenities for residents, such as an ultramodern fitness center, outdoor fireplaces, pool, spa, cabanas, yoga studio, private meeting room, Wifi Lounge with gourmet kitchen, state-of-the-art theater, 24-hour staffed lobby and more. Spacious apartment homes with floor-to-ceiling windows capture beautiful mountain and city views.

255 Grand’s tastefully complements the classy Bunker Hill neighborhood and you will understand why so many consider it’s “suburban urban” the only place that feels like home in DTLA. For more information, call the on-site leasing office at (213) 229-9777 or visit 255grand.com