Young people at the East Wind Foundation dedicate their after-school hours and weekends to practicing the traditional folk art of lion dancing.
Why it matters: An ancient art dating back to the Han Dynasty, lion dance is more than just a performance for these youths — it's a way for these youths to connect with their heritage and build confidence and a sense of belonging within the community.
Some background: Last summer, East Wind opened the Chinatown Community Cultural Center, a dedicated space to preserve and promote the legacy of lion dancing and martial arts through education. By volunteering at the center, youths learn to share their knowledge with visitors and continue advocating for this ancient art. The center aims to ensure that the next generation carries forward these traditions with a sense of cultural pride.
Read on... see the photos documenting the lives of youths at the East Wind Foundation at the Alpine Recreation Park.
For the past two years, I've been documenting the lives of youths at the East Wind Foundation, a nonprofit organization in the heart of Los Angeles' Chinatown, at the Alpine Recreation Park.
Here, young people dedicate their after-school hours and weekends to practicing the traditional folk art of lion dancing. An ancient art dating back to the Han Dynasty, lion dance is more than just a performance for these youths — it's a way for these youths to connect with their heritage and build confidence and a sense of belonging within the community.
First dance as the lions awaken during the blessing ceremony at East Wind's headquarters in August 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Kenzy Shaw practices a kung fu form (left) and one of the parents assists with the organization at East Wind's headquarters (right) in May 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Zannie Huang and Wenen Tan stand next to the new lions before a blessing ceremony at East Wind's headquarters in August 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Youths' bags and drinks on the stairs during practice at the East Wind headquarters in LA in August 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Routine warm-up exercises at the headquarters in August 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Lion dance is a physically demanding art form, requiring immense strength, stamina and coordination. Each evening, practices begin with body-strengthening exercises and martial arts training to prepare for the intricate movements of lion dance. Through this disciplined routine, participants develop resilience and teamwork while mastering the traditional techniques. The training not only hones physical skills but also instills self-discipline and a foundation for personal growth.
A lion's body is dotted with water, a part of the awakening act along with dotting the eyes and horn, at East Wind's headquarters in LA in August 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Left: Daniel Wong, a senior member plays the drum at the opening reception for the Chinatown Community Cultural Center in July 2024. Right: An altar at the center's blessing ceremony.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening reception for East Wind's Chinatown Community Cultural Center in Los Angeles in July 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Historically, lion dance was a male-dominated art form, as it was physically demanding and a taboo, culturally, for women. Today, girls are challenging this tradition by taking up the sport. Several girls — some of whom joined after being inspired by friends or siblings — shared that they got involved because they wanted to learn kung fu or because "lion dance looks super cool." Their participation reflects a broader shift in cultural traditions, evolving to embrace inclusivity while preserving their core essence.
Jayden Vuong and Qida Peng enter the lion at East Wind's headquarters in September 2023.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
The audience at the opening reception for the Chinatown Community Cultural Center in Los Angeles in July 2024.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Joyce Huang and Jenny Kumpiman enter the lion before performing at East Wind's headquarter in September 2023.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
East Wind also teaches the cultural significance behind the art form. Annual blessing ceremonies, where new lion heads are welcomed, offer youths a chance to learn rituals that honor their ancestors. Elders guide them in traditions like dotting a lion's eyes with ink, which symbolically awakens the lions to life. These ceremonies deepen the younger generation's connection to their heritage, fostering respect for their history and roots.
Beyond practices and ceremonies, East Wind nurtures community connections by organizing field trips in nature. These experiences allow youths from immigrant families, who often face financial or time constraints, to explore and bond with their peers. Through these activities, they build lasting friendships while enjoying meaningful interactions with nature.
Last summer, East Wind opened the Chinatown Community Cultural Center, a dedicated space to preserve and promote the legacy of lion dancing and martial arts through education. By volunteering at the center, youths learn to share their knowledge with visitors and continue advocating for this ancient art. The center aims to ensure that the next generation carries forward these traditions with a sense of cultural pride.
Youths' summer outing on Los Angeles' Cabrillo Beach in July 2023.
(
Leafy Yun Ye
)
Through the traditional folk art of lion dance, these young lions are not only keeping a centuries-old practice alive but also forging meaningful connections to their cultural roots in this dynamic world.
Portraits of Jayden Vuong in a lion costume on Los Angeles' Cabrillo Beach in July 2023.
150 more youths can participate due to new funding
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published January 6, 2026 1:23 PM
Wolf Connection team member Edward Amaya sits with his buddy, Kenai, a male wolf at the facility, seen in 2021.
(
Robert Garrova
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to increase its support for a Palmdale nonprofit that helps the mental well-being of at-risk youth through what it calls "wolf-based therapy."
Wolves? Yes, wolves. Wolf Connection employs the canines to help youth who are struggling in school or with their mental health and who may be in foster care. Young people spend time with one of the group’s dozens of wolves — always accompanied by a handler, of course. The idea is that by learning the animal’s story and about the dynamics of a pack, the humans can learn to deal with their own traumas and pick up new social skills.
County support: Supervisors on Tuesday decided to increase funding to Wolf Connection by $260,000 for fiscal year 2025-26. According to the county Department of Mental Health, the increased funding will allow the program to serve an additional 150 youth at the ranch in Palmdale.
Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters, as well as investigations and accountability.
Published January 6, 2026 1:16 PM
California Department of Water Resources personnel review data from the first snow survey of the 2026 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada on December 30, 2025.
(
Nick Shockey
/
California Department of Water Resources
)
Topline:
Despite a slow start, California's snowpack has started to catch up to historical averages for this time of year across the central and southern Sierra Nevada. The northern portion of the mountain range — responsible for roughly 30% of Southern California's water — continues to lag behind.
Sierra snowpack: The northern Sierra is at 61% of normal, while the central Sierra is at 93%. The southern Sierra is at 114%. Large amounts of Southern California's water come from the Sierra Nevada.
Local rainfall: Los Angeles has gotten 308% of its normal rainfall for this time of year. Riverside (141%), Death Valley (250%) and San Diego (226%) are all above average as well.
Reservoir levels: All of California's reservoirs are near or above their historic Jan. 5 average thanks to recent wet years.
Out-of-state resources: Though California's drought conditions have been alleviated by recent precipitation, much of the Western U.S. remains troublingly dry. The Colorado River supplies about 20% of Southern California's water, according to the Metropolitan Water District. Snowpack in the Colorado River Basin is at 72% of normal. Major reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Mead are still at low levels.
Looking ahead: Snowfall typically peaks in the Sierra Nevada between January and March, so there's plenty of time for a sizable snowpack to build up.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
LA County to join legal fight against federal rule
Kevin Tidmarsh
has been covering restrictions to healthcare for trans youth under the second Trump administration.
Published January 6, 2026 1:16 PM
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis introduced the motion with Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to formally oppose the Trump administration’s attempts to cut off all Medicare and Medicaid funding to medical providers that offer gender-affirming care to youth.
The stakes: The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services formally proposed the rules on Dec. 17, and they could take effect as soon as March. Legal experts say it will likely take longer due to legal challenges. NPR reported on a leaked version of the proposed rule changes in October.
About the move: The motion directs the L.A. County counsel to “file, join, and/or support” litigation against the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict gender-affirming care by cutting off DMS funding. It was introduced by supervisors Lindsay Horvath and Hilda Solis.
About the lawsuit: A coalition of 19 states, including California, and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit last month against the Department of Health and Human Services challenging the rule. Advocates are also soliciting comments from the public to oppose the rule change.
What’s next: The proposal will need to go through a procedural comment period, which ends in February, before any decision is made on federal funding for hospitals and providers that offer gender-affirming care to youth under 19.
How are these federal moves changing L.A.? Listen to LAist’s episode of Imperfect Paradise on gender-affirming care in L.A.:
Listen
31:26
Gender-affirming care for transgender youth is at risk in LA and nationwide
Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a budget deficit that can likely only be closed with tax increases or major cuts.
(
Fred Greaves
/
CalMatters
)
Topline:
As Gov. Gavin Newsom prepares to release his spending plan this Friday, a projected $18 billion deficit awaits. Will he raise taxes or cut spending? Either could spell trouble for Newsom’s legacy.
Why it matters: The deficit could balloon to $35 billion annually in the next few years if state leaders don’t pursue long-term solutions, namely making sustainable revenue increases or cutting spending, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the nonpartisan fiscal adviser to lawmakers.
Some background: It’s the fourth consecutive year in Newsom’s tenure that the state is projecting a deficit even as revenue grows. In the past, state Democratic leaders resorted to temporary fixes such as internal borrowing, deferring payments, one-time cuts and drawing from California’s rainy day fund to avoid cutting into the social safety net.
Read on ... for more about the upcoming spending negotiations.
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
In 2019, first-year Gov. Gavin Newsom inherited a state flush with cash. With a $21.4 billion budget surplus to play with, an ambitious Newsom invested billions in affordable housing, child care and healthcare expansion while paying down the state’s debt and shoring up reserves.
The next governor won’t be that lucky.
When Newsom unveils his last spending plan as governor Friday, he will do so with the specter of a projected $18 billion deficit — the result of the state’s fast-growing spending, federal funding losses and heightened economic uncertainties under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The deficit could balloon to $35 billion annually in the next few years if state leaders don’t pursue long-term solutions, namely making sustainable revenue increases or cutting spending, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the nonpartisan fiscal adviser to lawmakers.
But neither will be appealing options to Newsom and legislative leaders this year.
They have repeatedly resisted increasing taxes on average Californians and high-income earners alike — a politically dicey pitch to make in a state with high tax rates and increasing revenue. Spending cuts are equally painful to swallow, especially for Democrats running for re-election in November who have fought to expand services, such as Medi-Cal, that may now be rolled back.
For Newsom, a lame-duck governor with presidential aspirations, there is even less incentive to address the state’s long-term budget health through major policy changes, political strategists say.
“It’s not an uncommon occurrence in California for a departing governor to leave a note on the new governor’s desk that they’ve got a budget deficit,” said longtime Democratic consultant Garry South.
But how Newsom tackles the structural deficit will almost certainly have implications for his expected presidential bid. State Republicans, such as Assemblymember David Tangipa of Fresno, are already blaming the budget problem on Newsom’s mismanagement. “A Newsom presidency would be a fiscal and governance disaster of historic proportions,” Tangipa wrote in a December op-ed.
It’s the fourth consecutive year in Newsom’s tenure that the state is projecting a deficit even as revenue grows. In the past, state Democratic leaders resorted to temporary fixes such as internal borrowing, deferring payments, one-time cuts and drawing from California’s rainy day fund to avoid cutting into the social safety net.
But that cushion is deflating: The state’s reserve stands at $14 billion, half its peak balance, after two years of withdrawals. State leaders have borrowed more than $20 billion from other state funds, debts that will come due in later years. Continuing to rely on those options would leave the state “undeniably less prepared” for an economic downturn, the LAO warned.
“Eventually you are going to run out of Band-aids,” said Steve Maviglio, a Democratic strategist who worked for then-Gov. Gray Davis during a massive budget deficit. Newsom "has used every trick in the book, and after a certain point, there’s nothing left.”
More healthcare cuts to come?
Newsom has not indicated whether he’ll consider cuts to Medi-Cal, the state’s primary health insurance program for low-income residents. But as the state’s most expensive program, it is an attractive target. More than half of the $200 billion program’s funding comes from the federal government.
Last year, as Newsom and legislators scrambled to close a $12 billion budget gap, they froze new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants, charged immigrant enrollees a $30 monthly premium and delayed cutting certain benefits. The cost of Medi-Cal has been rising faster than expected, forcing the state Legislature to allocate $6.2 billion midyear to prevent a shortfall.
The decision was contentious, with some healthcare advocates and Democratic lawmakers slamming their leaders for creating a “two-tiered healthcare system” that deemed immigrants less worthy of quality coverage.
“That was an incredibly disappointing backslide,” said Amanda McAllister-Wallner, executive director of Health Access California, which advocates for universal healthcare.
This year, Trump’s budget reduced the federal government’s share of funding to Medi-Cal, requiring the state to pay more to provide the same benefits. California is projected to spend at least $1.3 billion more to implement that change, a figure that could reach $5 billion by fiscal year 2029-30, the LAO estimated.
The Martin Luther King Community Hospital in Los Angeles.
(
Pablo Unzueta
/
CalMatters
)
Assemblymember Mia Bonta, an Oakland Democrat who chairs the Assembly Health Committee, said solving the state’s budget crunch shouldn’t come at the expense of health care.
“California needs its state and federal leaders to look for more innovative solutions to fill the gaps, make healthcare affordable, and keep our families healthy,” she said in a statement that did not offer specific alternatives.
Any cuts to Medi-Cal could bring political consequences for Democrats who often pride themselves on expanding social services. Rolling back Medi-Cal could hurt Newsom’s legacy, too, since it was under him that the state began offering Medi-Cal to immigrants.
“Democrats are the party of expanding healthcare,” Maviglio said. “To slash it goes against everything they stand for.”
McAllister-Wallner acknowledged she isn’t optimistic about the budget outlook. But she said she hopes the state finds new revenue through taxing corporations instead of making cuts to vulnerable populations.
If “we are addressing this through cuts only, and cuts to the most vulnerable, that’s … not the leadership that we are looking for,” she said.
State leaders could also walk back some of last year’s funding commitments in other areas. While state lawmakers negotiated $500 million for homelessness to counties and delayed it until next year, it is not guaranteed. Newsom, who has blamed the state’s homelessness problem on local governments, could withhold the money.
Newsom also promised last year he’d reach a deal with Bay Area transit advocates over state funding. But last month, in light of the budget shortfall, Newsom urged advocates to dip into previously allocated dollars to save the regional transit network, instead of a $750 million loan the advocates had requested.
Taxing the rich a nonstarter for Newsom
It’ll be hard to muster the political will in Sacramento to raise taxes.
Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, a Los Angeles Democrat running for state superintendent of public instruction, said he’s long supported higher taxes on industries that have “skated away from taxation for a long time.”
But even the most progressive Democrats in California have had little appetite to raise taxes, he said, because many represent affluent areas such as Silicon Valley where their wealthy donors live.
Even when the state faced a projected $56 billion deficit over two years in 2023, Rendon said Democrats were “shrugging” at the problem and pointing to the state’s reserves as a solution, which he said reflected a culture of reliance on the rainy day fund.
This year, Newsom has already spoken out against a proposed labor-backed wealth tax ballot measure, consistent with his past opposition to similar proposals.
The ballot measure, titled “The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act” and filed with the state attorney general’s office in October, seeks to tack a one-time 5% tax on those with a net worth of at least $1 billion and use the money to fund the state’s healthcare and education programs. The effort is led by the SEIU-UHW, a powerful labor union representing healthcare workers, and St. John’s Community Health, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare providers in Los Angeles County.
State. Sen. Roger Niello, a Roseville Republican and vice chair of the Senate Budget Committee, applauded Newsom’s opposition to the proposed tax increase.
“To have a situation where we have developed an increasing deficit in the face of an economy that is not in recession, and revenues are increasing, it would seem to be silly to solve that by further increasing revenue,” he said.
While taxing the rich is a popular Democratic talking point, backing a proposal like that could mean alienating the wealthy donors Newsom will likely rely on for his presidential run.
There would also be no political gain for Newsom in his last year to stabilize the state’s progressive tax structure, which heavily relies on high-income earners, despite him promising to do so when he took office.
“He’s going to make more enemies doing it than he would not doing it,” Maviglio said.
