One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
A Diary Of LA In The Time Of Coronavirus
We are living through historic times. Help us capture this moment by contributing your own story. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
March 11, 2020.
That was the day "nonessential" staff at KPCC and LAist started working from home. I remember because it's my wedding anniversary.
My wife was out of town, and I aimed to call her before she beat me to it, but the coronavirus pandemic had already sent the news into a spin cycle and it was all I could do to keep up with the relentless pace of new information. It wasn't until I read a "happy anniversary" message from our mutual friend that I realized how absolutely I had blown it.
All of the days since seem to have blurred into one long Montuefritaturday. I'd tell you more — about piping audio from a church's live stream through the phone so that my 98-year-old grandmother can feel less isolated, about trying to help my wife troubleshoot video conferencing issues so that she can teach dance remotely, about arguments with family members over how seriously we should adhere to the stay-at-home orders — but each of those are journal entries for another day, and anyway my story isn't the point.
This story is much bigger, and it's affecting each of us in different ways. This is the story of Los Angeles in a time of social distancing, in a time of economic devastation, in a time of illness. We want your help to chronicle this historic time. We want your help to keep a diary of L.A. in the time of coronavirus.
SHARE YOUR STORY:
Click "PLAY" on the video below and then select whether you want to respond with video, audio or text.
Sponsored message
By submitting an entry, you are opting into American Public Media's Public Insight Network® (PIN®) and giving APM newsrooms permission to contact you for help with current or future news coverage.
Your submission will be saved in a secure database accessible only to American Public Media newsrooms. The information you provide through PIN will not be used for marketing or fundraising purposes, and our newsrooms will never quote you without first getting your explicit permission.
If you give us permission to publish your submission, we may edit before sharing it on-air, in print or online. We reserve the right to reuse or republish your submission, or to withhold your submission from publication. You must be 13 years or older to provide a submission.
About the Public Insight Network®
Founded in 2003, American Public Media's Public Insight Network® is a platform for connecting trusted journalists with knowledgeable sources and for fostering journalistic excellence, innovation and collaboration. Through American Public Media, you may have opportunities to also inform reporting for national programs and podcasts.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
