The Brief

Two years ago, 11-year-old Soma joined a long legacy of Venice Beach surfers.

He’s progressed from riding on his stomach to standing upright and has set his sights on a bigger goal— getting barreled.

“If it comes — a giant wave — I wanna surf not on top, but… in the wave,” Soma said.

On a recent Saturday, Soma, who has autism, was one of 20 kids in the lineup as part of the PlayLA Adaptive Para Surf Clinic.

The program is part of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks’ effort to expand opportunities for youths with disabilities.

“We've seen the benefits of kids who've been told, ‘You can't do this,'” said Kelly Caldwell,  principal recreation supervisor for the Play LA program. “Giving them a place to play, it just, it changes their world.”

Soma’s mom Fumi Suzuki signed him up, in part because her husband read that children with autism are at higher risk of drowning than their peers. Suzuki said she’s seen her son become more confident and she’s bonded with the other parents standing on the shore.

“I [feel] really grateful for this community,” Fumi Suzuki said. “It's like a family.”

How adaptive surf came to LA

After Los Angeles agreed nearly a decade ago to host the 2028 Olympics, organizers committed $160 million to local youth sports. LA28 has contributed $60 million to PlayLA since 2018. The International Olympic Committee also chipped in, according to Recreation and Parks.

Los Angeles Recreation and Parks staff use a beach wheelchair to help Penny Pedersen move from the beach to her surfboard.

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Greta Pederson, left, and sister Penny Pedersen, right, catch a wave at Venice Beach.

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The money helps subsidize programs for low-income families, and pays for staffing and equipment for new sports, including table tennis, fencing and archery.

The funding has also helped expand the city’s programs for youths with disabilities. Adaptive youth sports include swimming, volleyball, skateboarding, blind soccer and track and field.

Three years ago, the city partnered with the Challenged Athletes Foundation to host the first surf clinics for youths with disabilities.

“The goal of this program is to make sure that everyone has access,” said Adaptive Sports Facility Director Erika Luna Diaz. “We want to make sure that there [are] no limitations.”

Each participant in the PlayLA Adaptive Para Surf Clinic is paired with at least one instructor. The kids rotate in and out of the surf over the four-hour duration of each session.

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Native Hawaiians brought surfing to California in the late 19th century, but the sport has not always been accessible to all.

Segregation limited access to beaches and pools for communities of color. Early surfing competitions marginalized women and territorial locals harassed and intimidated newcomers.

While the sport has become more inclusive, there are still challenges, including polluted beaches and a lack of accessible beach parking.

Bringing stoke and safety to all

The first goal, explained instructor Evan MacCarthy, is that the surfers are safe. Participants learn to never turn their back on the ocean and protect their head in the surf.

“A very close second goal is stoke,” MacCarthy said.

Surf instructor Alexander Lewin lets go of the board as Henry Pedersen catches a wave.

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The city pays for all the required equipment, including surfboards, wetsuits to insulate participants against the cold and brightly colored rashguards that help identify the kids in the water. Families are not required to disclose their child’s disability, but if they choose to do so, it can help the program plan for their individual needs. For example, there’s a wheelchair with puffy inflated tires to move kids with limited mobility from their personal chair to their boards.

While the program is free to families, between staff and equipment, it costs the city about $291 for each child to participate.

The ratio of instructors to students in the city’s surf program for youths without disabilities is 1 to 5, but in the para surf clinic, there’s at least one instructor assigned to every participant. Additional staff, called “water watchers,” help monitor the kids in the surf.

“Everybody has their own specific needs and wants,” said instructor Alexander Lewin. “I think here it's our job to kind of match up that need and want with an instructor who can fulfill that.”

“I love bringing stoke to the place, so that's my job here,” Lewin added.

A day at the beach 

The PlayLA Adaptive Para Surf Clinic sets up at the end of Venice Beach's access mat, a mesh net that provides a firmer surface for wheelchairs and other mobility aids.

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The Rec and Parks crew arrives at 6:30 a.m. to set up tents, breakfast and lay down plastic track to help wheelchair users reach the shore.

The approximately 25 members include surf instructors and a dedicated lifeguard.

Families arrive a couple hours later. After the youths sign in, they wriggle into wetsuits with the help of a staff member.

Alex, 10, doesn’t like the feel of the neoprene against his skin, so instead he wears the rashguard over his swimtrunks.

Alex, like others with autism, can become overwhelmed with certain sensations, sounds and visuals. For example, the whistling and yelling common in other youth sports programs.

“It's like an alarm that goes off in his head and he can't think logically and he's looking at you, but he can't hear and process the instructions,” said his mom, Artemis D. LAist agreed not the publish the family's last name to protect their privacy.

Here she doesn’t have to explain why her son needs an alternative — it’s freely offered.

“That's the kind of thing that I'm so thankful for,” she said.

A PlayLA staff member fits Anna with a wetsuit for the first time.

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Next, the kids pair off with a surf instructor and at least one other person who keeps an eye on the participants in the water.

For first-timers, like 9-year-old Anna, the lessons start on the sand.

Instructor Sophie Holdorff shows her how to lay on the board on her belly, and windmill her arms with cupped hands to paddle through the water.

Surf instructor Sophie Holdorff teaches Anna the basics of riding a surf board. "I do this work to make sure that people know how to be safe and comfortable and confident in the ocean," Holdorff said. "All of that builds stoke and empowerment and courage."

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Her mom, Kristine, saw the clinic posted online several months ago.

“ I couldn't believe my eyes,” Kristine said. “I always thought surfing is for, you know, special people, athletes.”

LAist agreed not to use Kristine and Anna’s last time to protect their privacy. Kristine said her daughter struggles with developmental challenges and post traumatic stress disorder.

“Things like [surfing] are gonna bring her joy,” Kristine said. “Maybe bring her back to normalcy and hopefully help her feel better and catch up with her peers emotionally and physically.”

Anna catches her first wave within half an hour of arriving at the beach.

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Less than 10 minutes later, Anna walks into the water holding Sophie’s hand.

“It's nerve wracking for me, but I'm getting used to it,” Kristine said.

Kristine watched as the instructors encouraged Anna to widen her stance on the board.

“Anna is actually following directions, which is something that she normally has a problem with,” Kristine said. “I see that sometimes she is getting sidetracked, but they bring her back to where she needs to be.”

Anna stands up for the first time. Holdorff, left, later helps her widen her stance and open up her hips to better balance on the board.

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When Anna returns to the shore, her instructor Holdorff shows her how to dig for sandcrabs as the water recedes from the sand.

Anna’s eyes scan the ground for the v-shaped indents in the sand.

“I love them,” Anna gasped as she holds up the squirming, gray crustacean. “Can I take them home?”

Anna’s preoccupation with the surf and the sandcrabs also gave Kristine, and her mother, a rare moment of calm.

“For her to do one thing for such a long period of time without getting distracted and running — it's running away mostly — it's awesome,” Kristine said.

Anna, right, also learns how to find sand crabs (Emerita Analoga) beneath v-shaped marks in the sand. Her first reaction? "So cute."

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Physical and social benefits of ‘surf therapy’

Research shows that youths with disabilities who participate in surf programs can improve their balance, coordination, strength and endurance.

But there are also social benefits, said University of Rhode Island education professor Emily Clapham. She’s studied the outcomes of youths with disabilities who participate in surf programs for the last 16 years.

Surfing as a group creates the camaraderie of team sports without the competition.

“There's no winner, there's no loser,” Clapham said. ”Everybody's participating and trying the best they can. Everybody has a different goal in mind and surfing really enables that to happen.”

Penny, left in the red wetsuit, Greta, and Henry Pedersen, right, catch a wave together. Los Angeles Recreation and Parks hosted eight para surf clinics between June and September 2025.

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For example, at Venice Beach, one child works on overcoming his fear of the water while another gets tips on their stance.

“You really want the child or individual to be able to do as much as they can independently,” Clapham said. “Because that's really where that empowerment comes from.”

Clapham said there’s a child in her program who enjoys sitting on the board backwards to watch the wave break behind him.

“Who are we to say that's not the correct way to surf?” Clapham said. ”It's really a beautiful thing to see all the different variations.”

Clapham has noticed the rhythmic motion of the waves and white noise of the waves soothes children with autism who can get overwhelmed by sensations, sounds and sights.

“It really helps them to calm down and to be able to bring your body down to a relaxed state,” Clapham said. “Now your brain is open, you can learn because you're not in a state of survival mode.”

Though there’s no count of surfing programs for people with disabilities nationwide, Clapham said she’s seen an increase in recent years and there’s now an international organization dedicated to surf therapy research and professional development.

Austen Ramirez demonstrates another way to ride the waves.

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"These kids are, are so much more, their ability is so much more than, than what I think society assumes," said surf instructor Evan MacCarthy, right.

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Meeting kids where they’re at

The vast majority of the participants smile nonstop while in the water, but there are a few meltdowns throughout the morning.

On his first wave, Alex jumps off his surfboard in shallow water and tweaks his knee.

His mom, Artemis D., the clinic staff and a lifeguard don’t see signs of a more serious injury, but Alex refuses to get back in the water.

The instructors tell Alex he can come back when he’s ready.

“They don't stress him out,” Artemis said. “They don't make him feel more overwhelmed than the world already feels.”

Alex, 10, shows off a sand crab he caught while taking a break from surfing.

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Alex flips over several of the sand crabs to check for the masses of orange eggs that some females carry.

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She said in other recreation programs and at school her son’s behavior can be misunderstood as defiance rather than overwhelm.

“He gets in trouble a lot,” Artemis said. “Sometimes he doesn't even know what he's doing wrong. If someone would take the time to explain, maybe he would learn.”

Students with disabilities are often disciplined for defiant, disruptive or disorderly behavior at higher rates than their peers. An analysis from the Hechinger Report found in California the rate of suspensions for these infractions is twice as high for students with disabilities than those without.

“We finally found an activity he could do and not get kicked out of or yelled at, or feel different,” Artemis said of the surfing program.

“We just want these kids to have the absolute best time of their lives today,” said instructor Alexander Lewin. “It ranges different for each kid. Some kids, it's literally just get in the wave and ride it on your stomach and some of these kids, they are fully into popping up and almost going sideways on a wave. It's just all the levels in between.”

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Alex tells his mom he wants to go home, but is distracted when a French bulldog, his favorite for their squishy faces, walks by and lets him scratch his head.

He hunts for sand crabs, rolls around in the sand and talks to his friend Soma, who attended his birthday the week before. They met through the surf clinic. Another friendly French bulldog walks by.

Artemis said she isn’t worried about judgment from the other families.

“The kids don't stop and stare because it's like, ‘OK, well I know what he's feeling because that happens to me sometimes,’” she said.

Less than an hour before the program ends for the day, Alex gets back in the water to test out a tandem surfboard.

“It was good to see him not give up today,” said his instructor, Patrick Caldwell. “I think that it was a moment of growth for him.”

More than 600,000 Californians are at risk of losing CalFresh food benefits after expanded work requirements imposed by the federal government go into effect next month, state and county officials warned Wednesday.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Donald Trump last summer, included “multiple significant changes to CalFresh,” the state’s version of SNAP that serves about 5.4 million people, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

They include requirements that some adults work, volunteer or participate in a school or job-training program for 20 hours a week.

People who don’t meet the expanded work requirements will be restricted to three months of CalFresh benefits every three years, according to the state Department of Social Services. CalFresh benefits can be used to buy almost any food, as well as seeds or plants that can grow food.

The new federal rules will now affect people experiencing homelessness, veterans and former foster youth, unless they are excused for other reasons.

About 260,000 people in L.A. County are at risk of losing CalFresh benefits under the new requirements, according to Hilda Solis, chair of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

“These expanded work requirements are going to create more barriers for people who are already struggling to meet ends,” she said at a briefing Wednesday. "It's not about creating opportunity, it's about making it harder for people to keep the benefits that they already qualify for.”

About 108,000 people in L.A. County have already lost their CalFresh benefits since the bill was passed last July, which Solis said is putting more pressure on local food banks and community-based organizations that are already operating at capacity to meet residents’ needs.

What are the changes to CalFresh?

Three main changes to CalFresh are planned for this year: expanded work requirements, disqualification of some people without U.S. citizenship and a new funding model that will pull more money from state and local sources instead of the federal government.

The work-requirement changes go into effect in June and are expected to affect about 665,000 Californians, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. The rules will be expanded to include people up to age 64. Previously, it applied to those up to 54 years old, according to officials.

There are some exemptions, including people who would be unable to meet the necessary hours because of a physical or mental illness and those caring for children under 14 years old.

Back in April, eligibility guidelines changed for certain Californians without U.S. citizenship. They disqualified some groups from being eligible for CalFresh, including refugees and victims of trafficking, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

An estimated 72,000 people were expected to lose benefits because of limited eligibility.

In October, the way CalFresh is funded is expected to change, shifting more costs to states and counties. California could face roughly $480 million in new annual costs and $190 million for counties, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

How could it affect LA County?

The roughly 260,000 Angelenos likely to be affected by the expanded work requirements may not lose their benefits immediately. People will be evaluated on the new rules when they apply or recertify to keep their CalFresh benefits, according to Jackie Contreras, director of the county’s Department of Public Social Services.

Contreras said people don’t need to take action today, and the department will notify Angelenos directly before any changes affect their case. She encouraged residents to keep their contact information up to date, carefully review all notices and contact the department for questions or assistance.

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is preparing to see people lose their benefits in the fall as recertifications roll in, according to CEO Michael Flood. The organization has been shoring up the supply through private donations from farmers and manufacturers, as well as purchasing food with funding from the county.

L.A. County committed $12 million to the Food Bank during the federal government shutdown last fall, which translated into about six million pounds of food, or roughly 5.5 million meals.

Flood said the organization was able to stretch those resources into this year, distributing some of the purchased food now and in the coming months to help offset the loss of CalFresh benefits. But the L.A. Regional Food Bank is already seeing an increased demand for food assistance, which he said has been driven primarily by higher prices and inflation.

“We all see it … shopping in a grocery store, those who, you know, need to fill up the gas tank to get to work,” Flood said. “That is something that's coming through loud and clear and really is causing ... challenges for people's budgets here locally.”

During a recent distribution in Baldwin Park, for example, food provided for about 2,000 households ran out half-an-hour before the event was slated to end, Flood said. He added that it’s likely the surge in demand will continue through the end of this year and into the next, and that the L.A. Regional Food Bank is “doing everything we can to try to increase resources.”

On the state level, $20 million has been deployed to help counties prepare for the expanded work requirements, according to Assemblymember Alex Lee, chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

Lee co-authored a bill that aims to exempt former foster youth from the expanded work requirements. The bill is pending in the state Legislature.

At least seven wildfires burning around Southern California are sending smoke across the region. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has extended a smoke advisory warning of unhealthy air through 10 p.m. Thursday.

What does a smoke advisory mean?

Local health officials send out warnings when the air quality is unhealthy. The advisories encourage people to avoid outdoor activities and take other steps to limit contact with smoky air.

Where are the wildfires?

Wildfires are burning in Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Barbara and L.A. counties. You can keep tabs on the fires on the CalFire website.

How bad is the air?

Wildfire smoke is generally worse for your health than the kind of “garden variety urban pollution” Angelenos are used to, said Suzanne Paulson, an atmospheric chemist at UCLA. But air quality depends on where you live, and might change from hour to hour. The good news is that low-cost air quality sensors have made it easier to find out just how bad the air is in your neck of the woods. You can check PurpleAir, Clarity, and IQAir for real-time data on pollution levels, often down to the neighborhood level.

How to avoid breathing bad air

Staying indoors in the best way to avoid bad air pollution, Paulson said. You can also try to avoid the worst areas. “So for example, I ride my bike to work. I regularly look at the map and see if the air quality is OK, and sometimes I even change my route,” Paulson said.

The city of Santa Ana is just $85 short of closing what started as a $13 million budget deficit. On the chopping block: after-school programming, park maintenance and more.

The city manager’s office presented another round of cuts to balance the budget at yesterday’s City Council meeting. Officials reported that the current proposal avoids layoffs and furloughs. Most of the cuts will come from the Public Works Department at more than $3 million.

Santa Ana's current budget proposal includes an estimated $85 deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

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More on what’s being cut 

The Police Department is seeing a proposed $2 million in cuts, but could still be allocated $4 million more than last year, according to the budget draft.

The city is looking to cut 20 vacant full-time positions and reduce part-time spending.

Five non-mandated commissions will also be dissolved, including the youth, parks and recreation, and arts and culture commissions. The move will save the city nearly $28,000.

Ambulance services will be cut down from a 24-hour unit to a 12-hour unit, saving $250,000, and fees will increase.

How did we get here? 

At a City Council meeting earlier this month, officials reported that the city’s revenue increased by 3% compared to last year, but spending is up 6%, with hikes in labor and pension/liability costs.

What’s the deal with youth programming? 

The Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League, also known as PAAL, costs the city more than $877,000, about 80% of which goes toward salaries for its current fiscal budget.

PAAL costs the city about $5,400 per child, compared to youth programs run by the Parks and Recreation Department, which cost about $100 per kid.

PAAL’s after-school and summer programs serve 87 children, and more than 200 are mentored and coached through its sports programming. The program’s budget will be slashed by about half.

Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez said this move should not be seen as a cut to youth services.

“Through this new proposed recommendation, we’ll reinstate exercise instruction at four different elementary schools, and we will increase the services from 228 children to 2,200 children,” Hernandez said. “We are not cutting youth services, we're actually adding youth services while saving money for our city.”

Mayor Valerie Amezcua said the library and parks departments can do the same programs, but not the way PAAL does.

“I just want to make sure whatever cuts we're making, that we continue to include our Police Department. To me, that's very important for the public trust,” Amezcua said.

What’s next? 

The city isn’t completely in the clear when it comes to its finances. Measure X, a voter-approved sales tax, will be reduced in 2029, resulting in the loss of at least $30 million in annual revenue before completely expiring in 2039. The City Council, aside from Councilmembers David Penaloza and Jessie Lopez, has supported asking voters if the tax should be made permanent.

A public hearing to review the drafted budget will be held on June 2. Details will be posted on the city’s website.