The Brief

There are a few strongly held beliefs in Southern California. We judge travel by time instead of distance, In-N-Out is a must, and some locals really lean into that Valley Girl accent.

The accent went from a simple place signifier to a stereotypical white girl phenomenon.

It’s a dictionary entry. A movie, twice over. A stereotyped demographic. All under the guise of the “Valley Girl.”

The roots of the ‘Valley Girl’

My interest in the "Valley Girl" origins started with a conversation with a stranger at a concert entrance. People around us were speaking with that familiar upward inflection and creaky voice.

"You know, the accent came over from Hawai‘i," he asserted.

That statement got me thinking. What do I actually know about the accent and how it grew? I began to dig in.

(As for Hawai‘i, my later interviews with linguists showed there's little truth to that. But reader, if you know of evidence to the contrary, send it my way!)

Before the ‘80s, being called a “Valley Girl” usually meant you were just from a valley area. What valley? Basically any in California. If a Woodland Hills woman won an award, headlines would often read something like “Valley Girl wins big.” The same goes for Santa Clarita Valley women, and so on.

But things largely changed in 1982 when musician Frank Zappa released his best-selling single ever, the Grammy Award-nominated song “Valley Girl.” There, his 14-year-old daughter Moon Unit Zappa riffed lyrics inspired by the teenage girls she grew up around in the San Fernando Valley.

“Encino is, like, so bitchin’,” Moon said with a lot of rise in her voice. She sang of shoe stores in the Galleria, mini-skirts, and repeated teen lingo that would make today’s Gen Alpha say “barf me out.” Her improvised lyrics were an amalgamation of teenage things she heard and saw.

It’s not the sole reason for the term’s popularity, but Zappa’s song gets a lot of credit. (By the way, there was a response to that song called “Marina Men.”)

Sometimes called Val Girls and Valspeak, there were even books published before about how to eliminate that particular Valley Girl sound.

But Zappa’s buzz helped make it popular. Reseda even held a "Valley Girl" contest that year. Ironically, the winner was from La Verne in the San Gabriel Valley, and a judge went on record as saying, “Valley girls are from everywhere.”

A portrait of musician Frank Zappa on April 23, 1980.

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Rob Brown, Herald Examiner Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

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An undated photo of Moon Unit Zappa, the daughter of musician Frank Zappa.

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Herald Examiner Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

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He was probably onto something. While the accent is associated with Southern California, Teresa Pratt, an assistant professor of linguistics at San Francisco State University, said the term gets evoked in other places.

“They can’t even name the actual valley,” Pratt said, “but they know that it’s, like, somewhere around L.A.” (And yes. Pratt has a sort of valley girl accent, in case you were wondering).

“Nobody’s thinking about geography,” they added. “That’s how language works, right? You label something and then it takes on its own life.”

How did it start?

Pretty much all linguists can agree on one thing — no one knows for sure. (Or should that be ‘fer sure’?) New speech patterns arise unpredictably and how and why can be hard to track down. Where people first start noticing a way of talking may not even be when it started.

For example, when it comes to "uptalk" — the rising intonation at the end of a sentence that’s associated with “Valley Girl” — no one can even say which country it started in, although theories abound.

(It’s been associated with a speaker’s insecurity, or even our dwindling attention span. As in, "If I ask this as a question will you look away from your phone?" Meanwhile the UK blames a popular Australian soap opera that brought antipodean uptalk to British TV.)

The same goes for the overuse of “like.”

What is known is that growing up, we develop our accents by absorbing how people talk around us, so in a place as racially and culturally diverse as California, we sometimes get influenced by multiple speaking styles.

For example, some Californians’ accent can be traced to Chicano English. Linguists also know that "Valley Girl" is strongly associated with the California vowel shift, which is when the pronunciation of vowels happens in different parts of the mouth compared to other states.

Just watch Saturday Night Live’s famed skits about “the Californians.” The skit is exaggerated, but there’s some truth to it. Pratt says the accent is found across the state.

The ‘Valley Girl’ persona

The 1983 "Valley Girl" movie poster art, featuing Deborah Foreman and Nicolas Cage.

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Courtesy Everett Collection

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Norma Mendoza-Denton, a linguistic anthropology professor at UCLA, says what linguists understand as the standard California accent, which is closely associated with “Valley Girl,” is often identified with whiteness. It makes sense given that the valley was initially populated by white families living in tacitly segregated suburban subdivisions.

Class and intelligence are also at play. While plenty of different people speak like “Valley Girls,” the imagined girl is a ditzy one with money to spend. Moon Zappa did, after all, use the teen slang she heard hanging out at the mall.

“Sometimes you will have a stereotype that’s so strong that it sort of carries along into the broader consciousness of the population with it,” said Mendoza-Denton.

Society dug its heels into the “Valley Girl” trope as an easy target for misogyny toward young women. Just watch the Valley Girl movie or Clueless, and you’ll see women characters deploy a roster of slang with a certain dress, but they’ll also be depicted as air-headed and shallow.

The accent’s influence

A girl in 1982 may have jinxed us when she suggested that no one would remember “Valley Girl” in six months.

More than 40 years have passed, and there are still big ways the trend impacts public perception.

Pratt says while things have been added to the idea of the “Valley Girl” character, the social analysis of her hasn’t changed much.

“Now she has a Starbucks cup or something, which wasn’t true 20, 30 years ago, but the core of her orientation to consumerism has not changed,” they said. “It’s still superficial. It’s still vapid. It’s still without any deep meaning.”

She’s modernized, so to speak. It’s less about Moon’s lavish mall trips and probably more today about smoothie excursions at Erewhon.

But with popularity, a reminder to not forget who actually makes up our home.

“It’s a bummer when L.A. gets stereotyped as like surfer dudes and white girls,” said Tyanna Slobe, a linguistic anthropologist at Dartmouth College. “That erases the linguistic variation in L.A.”

As federal officials suspend funding to L.A.’s main homelessness agency — citing mismanagement — a recent audit found the agency did not spend tens of millions of dollars allocated to it.

The audit found the L.A. Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) underspent its overall budget by $108 million in the last fiscal year ending in June 2025, mainly because of “program delays.” The year before, the underspend was nearly $150 million. Some of it was carried forward to future years, auditors wrote.

Specifically to federal dollars, the audit shows LAHSA spent at least $7 million less than it had budgeted last fiscal year. LAHSA had budgeted $61.5 million in such dollars. It spent only about $49 million to $54.4 million, per the audit.

Underspending at LAHSA was called out more than four years ago, in a January 2022 audit that found the agency left $3.5 million in federal grants on the table by not using them.

A spokesperson for LAHSA has not responded to a request for comment.

LAHSA is governed by a 10-member commission that is half appointed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, and half appointed by each of the five county supervisors. Bass has served on the commission since she appointed herself to it in fall 2023.

Bass’ office said in a statement that the mayor “has grave concerns about LAHSA and zero tolerance for mismanagement and negligence.” The federal money suspension puts lives and progress on homelessness at risk, the statement added.

The mayor’s office statement says the mayor “previously directed the city to evaluate how to move away from the agency.”

When the City Council considered in March whether to withdraw the city’s funds from LAHSA and instead have the city directly oversee the dollars, Bass cautioned that the city first would need “a serious, thoughtful transition plan,” adding that “the last thing we need is a new department and more bureaucracy.”

Spokespeople for the county supervisors have not returned messages for comment on the underspending.

City of L.A. also underspends

The city of L.A. also has been underspending its homelessness budget — to the tune of $513 million in Bass’ first full fiscal year as mayor that ended June 2024, according to an analysis later that year by City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s office.

Federal officials cited that in their letter Thursday as one of many reasons for their suspension of funds to LAHSA. The letter incorrectly attributed the full underspend to LAHSA. The findings were instead about the city’s overall homelessness spending, a portion of which goes to LAHSA.

Spokespeople for HUD have not responded to an emailed request about the inaccuracy.

A controller’s analysis for the following fiscal year, ending June 2025, found the city again underspent its homelessness budget, by at least $473 million.

“Breaking City Hall from its decades old dysfunctional system is how we finally brought homelessness down by 17%,” Bass said in a statement at the time. “I’m glad to support the controller’s recommendations to further reform the status quo.”

Other problems found in audit

The federally required audit, known as a single audit, must be done each year by an accounting firm hired by LAHSA.

The latest one, finalized last month and covering the fiscal year that ended last June, found failures surrounding poor bookkeeping and accounting of taxpayer money at the agency — which spent over $800 million in public funds last fiscal year.

The agency’s financial statements initially included “significant” inaccurate amounts that needed to be adjusted late in the audit process, the auditors found.

It found the inaccuracies stemmed from a "significant deficiency” in LAHSA’s “internal controls,” which are supposed to safeguard against financial inaccuracies and fraud.

Vacant tax-funded apartments

LAist reported Thursday that LAHSA has been using tax dollars to pay for more than 250 empty apartments as part of an initiative Mayor Karen Bass introduced years ago to make housing readily available to unhoused people. That’s just over a third of the units in the strategy, known as master leasing, according to an LAist review of official data.

The vacancies have been tying up tax dollars — largely overseen by the county — that could house hundreds of people in other approaches, according to official financial data.

Other funds leaving LAHSA

In response to previous audits that found major problems with LAHSA’s oversight of tax dollars, county supervisors decided last spring to withdraw all of the county’s $300 million-plus in annual funding of services through LAHSA and instead have the county directly manage it starting July 1.

Problems identified in the latest audit reiterate why the county pulled its funding, Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement Monday.

The city is considering moving in a similar direction as the county. A key City Council panel — its homelessness committee — recently recommended the full council start shifting city homelessness funding out of LAHSA over the course of the next fiscal year. Bass urged caution, saying moving too quickly to shift funding could disrupt services for unhoused people.

LAHSA has long functioned as the L.A.’s homeless services department, with over $300 million in city money expected to flow through LAHSA this fiscal year.

A cookie business with well over a dozen flavors ranging from Mexican hot chocolate to mango sticky rice? How very L.A.! Lei’d Cookies started as a pandemic pop-up. Nowadays, you'll find them in the Culver City Arts District.

About the owner

Baker and owner Leilani Terris posing, holding two cookies from Lei’d Cookies.

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Courtesy Leilani Terris

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Co-owner Leilani Terris originally thought she'd become a physical therapist. After applying to school, she took a gap year, taught herself to bake and connected with co-owner James Lewis to start their cookie business.

Terris sat down with Austin Cross, who hosts AirTalk every Friday, to explain how their cookies take customers on a bite-sized journey to other countries.

What's the best way to experience Lei'd Cookies?

Add ice cream to a warm cookie at their Culver City shop. If you want a more communal experience, take a trip with a group of friends to Smorgasburg L.A., which takes place every Sunday in downtown L.A.

Known for international flavors

Terris wants customers to get a taste of other cultures. Lei'd Cookies has put a spin on ghriba, a type of shortbread cookie from Morocco, and spicy Mexican hot chocolate.

Bakery details

• Although Terris didn't start with professional culinary experience, her co-owner, James Lewis, worked in restaurant management for years prior to opening.
• They joined Smorgasburg L.A.'s list of vendors in 2021.
• Lei'd Cookies opened its brick-and-mortar in Culver City in 2023.

Cookies we tried

• Orange Date Blossom Cookie (Ghriba inspired and includes apricot jam and walnuts)
• Mayan (cinnamon, cayenne, and chocolate from Tabasco, Mexico)
• Mango Sticky Rice
• Guava and Goat Cheese (their best-seller)

What should we try next?

Southern Californians could face floods and fires this year.

A hot, dry winter has led to fires already, and experts said Friday at a news conference in Los Angeles that that is projected to continue.

Different from previous wildfire seasons, though, experts are also closely watching El Niño, a powerful weather pattern that causes changes in winds and ocean temperatures.

“California is faced with multiple disasters, whether it be fires, floods, hazardous material incidents,” said Brian Marshall, fire and rescue chief with the California Office of Emergency Services. Marshall said the El Niño “could impact fires and could impact flooding across the state.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a 63% chance of a “very strong” El Niño from November to January. It could be one of the most powerful since 1950, according to the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center.

Heavy El Niño storms could trigger flash flooding and debris flows in wildfire burn scar areas.

The effects of the rapidly developing El Niño on this year’s wildfire season remain uncertain, and experts urged residents to stay vigilant.

“Even very strong El Niño events do not lead to the expected impact everywhere,” according to the Climate Prediction Center.

William Deverell, director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, said more rain can also increase plant growth, which can eventually dry out and create more fuel for fires.

Robert Garcia, fire chief in the Angeles National Forest, said the recent Burro Fire provided “some indicators of what may be ahead” as vegetation starts to dry. The Burro Fire charred 30 acres and burned for about a week in May in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Glendora.

What you can do to stay safe

Fire officials advised people to create defensible space around their homes by clearing it of dry vegetation and other flammable materials.

Pre-fire conditions, including the abundance of dry vegetation, were “dominant drivers” of burn severity in the Eaton, Palisades and Hughes fires in January 2025, according to a new study led by San Diego State University in collaboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory researchers.

“Regions like Los Angeles … have a lot of human populations who are living closer to these environments that are susceptible to wildfires,” said Madeleine Pascolini-Campbell, a scientist at JPL and a co-author of the study.

Beyond fire prevention, defensible space also helps firefighters enter properties to extinguish flames.

“Wind-driven, ember-casting wildfires moving through a community without defensible space makes it very difficult for us to be able to combat those fires,” Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime E. Moore said at the news conference. “It makes it unsafe for our firefighters and those that are working hard to protect your home.”

Los Angeles Unified has renamed two campuses previously named for Cesar Chavez. The move follows a New York Times investigation that found the famed labor leader sexually abused girls and women.

The board voted to rename the schools Friday following town hall meetings and a vote among staff, students and parents at each campus.

Cesar Chavez Learning Academies in San Fernando is now Arroyo High School, and Cesar Chavez Elementary School is now Oakland Street Elementary School.

How did the change come together?

A March New York Times investigation found survivors of Chavez’s abuse included United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta. The LAUSD Board voted unanimously a week later to begin a renaming process for the two campuses after a consultation with the schools’ communities.

With one exception, none of the other prospective names were associated with specific people.

Arroyo High School

Previously called: Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academy

Other names considered:

• Valley High School
• Rudy Acuña High School (Rodolfo "Rudy" Acuña is a Chicano studies scholar who died earlier this year at age 93.)

The vote: Arroyo High earned 557 of 1,063 votes, and was the most popular choice among each of students, parents and staff. It’s based on the street where the school is located. (“Arroyo” is Spanish for “creek.”)

Oakland Street Elementary School

Previously called: Cesar Chavez Elementary School

Other names considered: 

• Eagles Elementary
• Arroyo Elementary

The vote: Oakland Street Elementary received 211 out of 314 votes, and was the favorite among each of students, parents and staff.

What's next?

The district has designated $209,000 for renovations associated with the name changes, including changing signs and marquees.

The single largest cost is refurbishing the high school’s hardwood gym floor, which will cost an estimated $120,000. Other significant costs include removing and replacing metal lettering on the front of the high school for $25,000, as well as removing and replacing crash pads and banners in the gym for $30,000.

Have other thoughts on school names?

Senior editor Ross Brenneman contributed to this story.