Julia Barajas
explores how college students achieve their goals, whether they’re fresh out of high school, pursuing graduate work or looking to join the labor force through alternative pathways.
Published September 12, 2025 5:00 AM
A study for Panel 3 of the "Vendedoras de Flores" mural at Scripps College.
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The Alfredo Ramos Martínez Research Project
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Courtesy Louis Stern Fine Arts
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Topline:
A new exhibition at Scripps College, titled “Pintor de Poemas: Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez,” recasts the artist's legacy. The show features a series of mural studies, drawings, and paintings by the acclaimed Mexican modernist — some of which have never been shared with the public.
Why it matters: In art history circles, said gallery director Erin Curtis, there’s a tendency to regard Ramos Martínez’s work, which often featured Mexican landscapes and Indigenous people, as merely “serene, beautiful, decorative.” But the exhibition shows that Ramos Martínez and his work were deeply attuned to injustices around him.
The backstory: Ramos Martínez, who was a respected educator and painter in Mexico, moved to the U.S.in 1929, seeking medical treatment for his infant daughter. In the 1930s,the country expelled or pressured an estimated 1 million people of Mexican descent to leave. Robin Dubin, who guest-curated the show, believes this shaped the artist’s appetite for risk.
Don’t stop with the gallery: In the 1940s, Scripps College commissioned Ramos Martínez to paint a mural in the Margaret Fowler Garden. The artist died before completing the work, but it still stands today and serves as a lesson in fresco painting.
Maybe this has happened to you: A loved one dies, and then, while sorting through their remaining belongings, you discover something about them, something that makes you see them in a different light.
A new art exhibition at Scripps College has the same effect.
In “Pintor de Poemas: Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez,” a series of mural studies, drawings, and paintings by the acclaimed Mexican modernist — some of which have never been shared with the public — recasts the artist's legacy.
In art history circles, said gallery director Erin Curtis, there’s a tendency to regard Ramos Martínez’s work, which often features Mexican landscapes and Indigenous people, as merely “serene, beautiful, decorative.”
But the exhibition, guest-curated by Scripps alumna Robin Dubin, shows that Ramos Martínez’s work was anything but apolitical.
A quiet rebellion
The bilingual show is divided into four sections: “revolution,” “labor,” “indigenismo,” and “war.”
In the gallery, kept dim to preserve the artist’s work, viewers will encounter a series of arresting images. This includes: A woman weeping over the body of a loved one; torture victims hanging with their feet and ankles bound; men toiling over the construction of new buildings, while, in another frame, another gaggle of men, clad in suits and bowties, smoke cigars and sip apéritifs; in another frame, four barefoot women — a group of flower vendors — walk in unison, with a determined look in their eyes as they face a day’s work.
Through wall text in English and Spanish, attendees learn that after 10 years of studying art in Europe, Ramos Martínez returned to Mexico City, just ahead of the 1910 Mexican Revolution. During that time, he established art schools, where students were taught to get out of the studio and paint the world around them. In 1929, Ramos Martínez came to the United States seeking medical treatment for his infant daughter, who was battling a serious bone disorder. Then, in the 1930s, amid the Great Depression, the country expelled or pressured an estimated 1 million people of Mexican ancestry to leave, including scores of U.S. citizens.
To understand Ramos Martínez’s work — including what he made public and what he shielded from view — knowing these biographical details is important, said curator Dubin.
At a lecture in 2023, she said the artist “was somewhat pigeonholed by his reputation as a painter of idyllic, rural, and poignant religious scenes.”
“Any commissions that came his way probably would have been with the understanding that this was the type of imagery that they could expect,” she said.
For a Mexican immigrant, failing to abide by expectations could be perilous. In 1932, the famed Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros — one of Ramos Martínez’s former students — was deported after completing “América Tropical” in downtown L.A. The mural, a sharp rebuke of imperialism and the oppression of Indigenous people, was whitewashed after its unveiling.
“Ramos Martínez was the primary earner for his family, which included a sick child who needed regular and extremely expensive medical care,” Dubin added. “Especially in the midst of the Great Depression, it's probable that he could not afford any loss of income ... that could affect his ability to access or pay for medical care for his daughter. These realities likely had an outsized impact on the types of public art commissions he was offered or prepared to accept.”
But, in private, Ramos Martínez was more rebellious.
In 1932, he used conté crayon and tempera to draw a man on a page from the L.A. Times. The man has high cheek bones and a strong, straight nose — features that according to curator Armando Pulido, the artist typically used to represent Indigenous subjects. The work is titled “El Defensor/The Protector,” and in this image, the unafraid man holds up a fist. This piece is an integral part of the show.
"El Defensor/The Protector," one of several pieces created by the artist on newsprint.
Dubin named the exhibition after reading a line by Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío, whom Ramos Martínez befriended in Paris.
“Ramos Martínez es de los que pintan poesías ... no copia, sino interpreta. Él expresará la tristeza de los pescadores, la melancolía de las aldeas, los hombres inclinados por el peso del trabajo,” Darío wrote.
Those words are imprinted on a gallery wall: “Ramos Martínez is one of those who paints poetry ... he does not copy, but instead interprets. He will express the sorrow of the fisherman, the melancholy of the villages, the men bent under the weight of the work.”
Where else to visit after the gallery
Just a short walk from the gallery, visitors can continue learning about Ramos Martínez.
About 80 years ago, Scripps College commissioned the artist to paint a mural in the Margaret Fowler Memorial Garden.
The garden is housed in a tranquil courtyard, centered around a small fountain. Draped in wisteria, the garden walls are now home to a Ramos Martínez fresco. Here, students stop to leisurely read a book or catch up with friends. As a student at the women’s college, Dubin spent many afternoons there.
Making a fresco can be tough — it involves painting with water-based pigment directly onto wet plaster, so that the image becomes part of the wall.
Ramos Martínez died in 1946, before he could complete “Vendedoras de Flores (The Flower Vendors).” And because fresco work must be done in stages, viewers can see the progress of his work, how the mural was coming together.
“Las Vendedoras de Flores (The Flower Vendors)" at the Margaret Fowler Garden.
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Julia Barajas
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LAist
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When Ramos Martínez painted the fresco, he was housed in Dorsey Hall, the same dorm where Dubin lived decades later.
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Julia Barajas
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LAist
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One of the walls features a Zapotec woman, wearing the same type of headdress worn by women in Yalálag, a village in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
During her lecture, Dubin reflected on the significance of her presence: “The elevation of this Zapotec woman, as an iconic and powerful figure, is a significant statement on the walls of an institution that in the 1940s admitted very few, if any, students or faculty of color,” she said.
It is also significant that Ramos Martínez painted this image at a school that was “constructed on Tongva land, using Spanish mission revival style architecture,” Dubin added.
In her view, the fresco was and remains an act of defiance.
“She represents a reclamation of Indigenous humanity,” said Dubin, “in a time and place that sought to dehumanize people like her.”
Plan your visit
“Pintor de Poemas: Unseen Works by Alfredo Ramos Martínez” will launch with a free opening reception Saturday from 7-9 p.m. The exhibition ends Dec. 14.
Cesar Becerra Jr. happily receives a gift from church members at Rock of Salvation.
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Jonathan Olivares
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
If you’re looking to donate, volunteer or find ways to give back, we’ve rounded up a list to help you get started.
Why now: With the holiday season underway, organizations across Boyle Heights and East LA are seeking volunteers to help distribute food, assemble bicycles, sort toys and sponsor families in need.
Local food distributions: The Weingart East LA YMCA hosts a food distribution every Monday and Wednesday to ensure families have access to nutritious meals. Volunteers are needed for each food distribution from 8:45 a.m. to noon.
Read on ... for other ways to give back on the Eastside.
This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Nov. 25.
With the holiday season underway, organizations across Boyle Heights and East LA are seeking volunteers to help distribute food, assemble bicycles, sort toys and sponsor families in need.
If you’re looking to donate, volunteer or find ways to give back, we’ve rounded up a list to help you get started.
Build bicycles and organize donations at a toy giveaway
The Weingart East LA YMCA is hosting its 19th Annual Toy Giveaway on Dec. 18, and volunteers are needed to help prepare toys and provide support. Before the event, volunteers can help by assembling bicycles and sorting and organizing toys on Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to assist on event day from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Weingart East LA YMCA hosts a food distribution every Monday and Wednesday to ensure families have access to nutritious meals. Volunteers are needed for each food distribution from 8:45 a.m. to noon.
Mercado al Aire Libre, which started earlier this month, provides families with free, fresh and seasonal produce on the first and second Wednesdays of every month at its farmers-market-style food distribution. The mercado takes place from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Wednesday of the month and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday. The next mercado will be on Dec. 3.
Address: Salesian Family Youth Center, 2228 E. Fourth St., Los Angeles
How to volunteer: Those interested in volunteering can reach out to Celene Rodriguez by phone at (323) 243-5758 or email at celene@visionycompromiso.org.
Drop off toys at First Street businesses
LAFC’s Expo Originals supporters group is collecting new, unwrapped toys and Venmo donations ahead of its annual community toy drive Dec. 14. Venmo contributions will go toward toy purchases, and the last day to donate is Dec. 6. Toys can be dropped off in person at the locations below until Dec. 13.
Proyecto Pastoral is collecting new jackets to keep its participants at the Guadalupe Homeless Shelter warm.
Where to donate: Jackets can be dropped off at the Proyecto Pastoral office located at 135 N. Mission Road from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sponsor a family, child or classroom ahead of the holidays
Proyecto Pastoral has many opportunities for the community to give back during its Holiday Drive this year. Those interested in fulfilling holiday wishes for a family, child or classroom have until Dec. 1 to register. Proyecto Pastoral will pair sponsors with community members in need to fulfill items from their wish list.
Individual toys also can be dropped off at Proyecto Pastoral’s office. The toys will be distributed to children who participate in Proyecto Pastoral’s youth programs at their end-of-year celebrations.
Makenna Sievertson
breaks down evolving policies and programs with a focus on the housing and homelessness challenges confronting some of SoCal's most vulnerable residents.
Published November 25, 2025 2:51 PM
California Attorney General Rob Bonta during a news conference Aug. 2.
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Myung J. Chun
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Greystar, which manages hundreds of properties in California, has agreed to pay $7 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company and other landlords used a price scheme to raise rents artificially high.
Background: In January, Greystar was named as a defendant in an antitrust lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the U.S. Department of Justice and several other states against software company RealPage, which officials say uses algorithmic models to recommend price increases to subscribers.
Bonta alleges that Greystar used RealPage’s system to coordinate rental prices with other landlords by illegally sharing and gathering confidential information. According to his office, RealPage’s “price alignment scheme” affected rentals across the country, especially in multifamily buildings in Southern California, including in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino.
The settlement: Bonta announced last week that, as part of the settlement, Greystar has agreed to stop using software that uses competitively sensitive information to set rent prices, including from RealPage.
The company has also agreed to cooperate in the federal prosecution of RealPage and the other landlords named as defendants, such as Camden and Willow Bridge.
Greystar statement: Greystar told LAist that it’s “pleased this matter is resolved,” and the company “remain[s] focused on serving our residents and clients.”
Go deeper ... for more information on the case.
Greystar, which manages hundreds of properties in California, has agreed to pay $7 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the company and other landlords used a price scheme to raise rents artificially high.
In January, Greystar was named as a defendant in an antitrust lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the U.S. Department of Justice and several other states against software company RealPage, which officials say uses algorithmic models to recommend price increases to subscribers.
Bonta alleges Greystar used RealPage’s system to coordinate rental prices with other landlords by illegally sharing and gathering confidential information. According to his office, RealPage’s “price alignment scheme” affected rentals across the country, especially in multifamily buildings in Southern California, including in Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino.
"Whether it's through smoke-filled backroom deals or through an algorithm on your computer screen, colluding to drive up prices is illegal,” Bonta said in a statement. “Companies that intentionally fuel this unaffordability by raising prices to line their own pockets can be sure I will use the full force of my office to hold them accountable.”
Details on the settlement
Greystar is the largest landlord in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice, managing nearly 950,000 rental units across the country. In California, the company manages about 333 multifamily rental properties that use RealPage’s pricing software, according to Bonta’s office.
Bonta announced last week that as part of the settlement, Greystar has agreed to stop using software that uses competitively sensitive information to set rent prices, including from RealPage.
The company also has agreed to cooperate in the federal prosecution of RealPage and the other landlords named as defendants, such as Camden and Willow Bridge.
Greystar said in a statement to LAist that it’s “pleased this matter is resolved” and the company “remain[s] focused on serving our residents and clients.”
Settlement with RealPage
The U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement with RealPage on Monday to resolve its claims against the company.
If the settlement is approved by the court, RealPage would be required to stop using competitors’ private, sensitive information to set rental prices and remove or redesign features in its software that limited price drops or aligned prices between competitors, according to the Justice Department.
RealPage also would be required to cooperate in the lawsuit against property management companies that have used its software and agree to a court-appointed monitor to make sure it complies with the proposed settlement.
Dirk Wakeham, president and CEO of RealPage, said in a statement Monday that the proposed resolution marks an important milestone for the company and its customers.
"We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the DOJ, which brings the clarity and stability we have long sought and allows us to move forward with a continued focus on innovation and the shared goal of better outcomes for both housing providers and renters,” Wakeham said.
RealPage denies any wrongdoing, attorney Stephen Weissman said in a statement.
Kavish Harjai
writes about transportation policy in L.A.
Published November 25, 2025 2:29 PM
One of the appeals partially accepted stemmed from a road safety project the city completed on Hollywood Boulevard last year.
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Courtesy of Los Angeles Department of Transportation
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Topline:
On Monday, Los Angeles officials considered claims that it did not install Measure HLA-mandated mobility upgrades where it should have. But the Board of Public Works rejected most of the claims, meaning the city maintains its position that it has been doing road work largely in accordance with Measure HLA. It was the first hearing of its kind since the city began accepting appeals this summer.
Measure HLA: The ordinance requires the city to install mobility upgrades, like bike lanes and pedestrian signal improvements, when it resurfaces at least one-eighth of a mile of certain streets throughout the city. As of August, L.A. city residents can file appeals claims to the Board of Public Works explaining why they think the city was not complying with Measure HLA. For more instructions and an explanation on that process, you can read LAist’s story here.
First round of appeals: The Board of Public Works partially sided with the appellant in one appeal and rejected the other six. Joe Linton, in his capacity as a resident and not as editor of Streetsblog L.A., filed all the appeals heard on Monday. “It’s the very first time, so we’re kind of throwing a lot of spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks,” Linton told LAist. “Not a lot stuck.”
One appeal approved: Linton partially won his appeal claiming the city did not adequately install pedestrian improvements along a nearly half-mile portion of Hollywood Boulevard that it resurfaced last year. The city said it will publish an “appeals resolution plan” to fix sidewalks there within the next six months. “It was really obvious to me that the city’s justification … was not true, so I was glad that that was acknowledged,” Linton said.
Most rejected: In the other six appeals, the Board of Public Works agreed that the city’s work was properly exempted from Measure HLA because it only involved restriping the road. Linton had argued in those appeals that the city's work should have triggered Measure HLA because it involved reconfiguring lanes, modifying parking and adding new signage.
More appeals to be heard: The Board of Public Works on Monday will hear four additional appeals Linton filed.
Yusra Farzan
covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.
Published November 25, 2025 2:19 PM
Newport Beach residents to decide on plan to build far fewer housing units in the city.
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Allen J. Schaben
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Los Angeles Times
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Topline:
Newport Beach voters will decide if they want to replace a state-approved housing plan with one that zones for far fewer new homes in 2026.
How we got here: Proponents of the plan called the Responsible Housing Initiative say the state-approved housing plan will negatively affect quality of life.
About the initiative: The initiative rejects the city’s current housing plan — which allows for more than 8,000 homes — and instead proposes just 2,900 homes exclusively for extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
The state-approved city plan: According to California law, Newport Beach needs to build 4,845 new units — 3,436 of which must be affordable for very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
Read on ... for more on next steps and tug-of-war over development plans.
Newport Beach voters will decide if they want to replace a state-approved housing plan with one that allows for far fewer new homes in 2026.
Proponents of the plan, called the Responsible Housing Initiative, say the current plan will make the city overcrowded and negatively affect quality of life.
“This isn’t downtown Los Angeles,” said Charles Klobe, president of Still Protecting Our Newport, which backs the Responsible Housing Initiative.
Last week, city leaders voted to put the initiative in front of voters after the Newport Beach Stewardship Association submitted the Responsible Housing Initiative petition with more than 8,000 signatures. The initiative rejects the city’s current housing plan and instead proposes an amendment to the general plan to facilitate the development of 2,900 homes exclusively for extremely low-, very low-, low- and moderate-income households.
The city’s current housing plan, which has the backing of the state, allows for more than 8,000 homes, including the required affordable housing units.
“ We're against the city building more market rate than the state required. We believe it's a giveaway to developers who will fund re-election campaigns of the council,” Klobe said.
What does California law require?
California’s Housing Element Law sets housing targets for local governments to meet, including for affordable units. It allows the state to intervene every eight years to let cities know how much housing they must plan for. The law also requires cities to put together a housing element showcasing how they will achieve the state’s plan. The state then approves of the element or sends it back to cities to reconfigure according to the requirements.
According to California law, Newport Beach needs to build 4,845 new units — 3,436 of which must be affordable for very low-, low- and moderate-income households. According to the city, Newport Beach can’t just plan for affordable housing units “because that would assume all future projects would be 100% affordable, which is not realistic based on previous development experiences.” And so, the city’s rezone plans include more than 8,000 units.
Councilmember Robyn Grant said during the council meeting that she’s not in favor of the state mandate. But, she added, “After extensive legal analysis and public outreach and workshops and hearings and meetings and more meetings, this council approved an updated general plan to bring Newport Beach into compliance and avoid serious penalties, including the loss of local land use control."
Newport Beach did appeal the state’s housing mandates on the grounds that it did not take into account how some of the city’s coastal lands are protected from urban development, but the appeal was rejected.
To learn more about how Newport Beach arrived at its state-approved housing plan, click here.
What is the Responsible Housing Initiative proposing?
The Responsible Housing Initiative counts the number of housing units already in development and proposes an additional 2,900 affordable housing units to meet the state mandate.
Klobe said they believe the initiative will receive state backing because “they claim to want affordable housing and our initiative requires it.”
Supporters of the measure contend the city’s current plan will increase the population, result in excessive traffic and disrupt the quality of life. They also sued Newport Beach for not first going to voters, but they failed in court.
To learn more about the Responsible Housing Initiative, click here.
What’s next
Voters will have a chance to weigh in on the Responsible Housing Initiative in November 2026.
