The Home Of LA LGBTQ+ Leader Gets Rare Historical Protection (And More Headlines)

On Tuesday, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously to protect Morris Kight’s home in Westlake. But this historical status goes a step further: a stipulation that the house itself cannot be moved.

Who is Kight? Some have called him the Harvey Milk of Los Angeles and the grandfather of LGBTQ+ rights. And it is also believed that part of the planning of the L.A. Pride Parade took place in his home.

When Kight moved to L.A. in 1958, he became a resource for the community during the turning point of the gay civil rights movement. His long list of accomplishments includes the creation of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Services Center (known as the L.A. LGBT Center today) and the Stonewall Democratic Club. He died in 2003.

In 2020, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation nominated the house to be designated a Historic Cultural Monument — but people raised concerns ranging from the property’s condition to upkeep costs.

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“The world's first gay services center was operating and thriving in that house,” said Rev. Dylan Littlefield, who’s been part of the groups organizing to nominate the house. “So to tear it down and just put up a sign, it's not gonna have the cultural impact that our historic cultural monument nomination is supposed to have.”

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Caitlin’s project, Queer LA — I wanted to highlight some of their work:

• LGBTQ+ Angelenos share their stories of what queer joy means to them.
• Take a look inside legendary drag club Dragstrip 66’s one-night reunion.
• Meet West Hollywood’s first-ever drag laureate, Pickle.

Stay safe and cool, L.A. There’s more news below — just keep reading. 

More news

• Canadian rapper Tory Lanez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion during an argument in 2020. He also faces deportation. L.A. prosecutors had sought a 13-year prison sentence.
• The city council voted to acquire Chinatown’s Hillside Villa apartment building last year. But the purchase has stalled and tenants could soon face eviction.
• There is a record number of first-year college students entering the UC system, led by Latinos, and an increase in enrollment for Native American students. (LA Times)
• Can you imagine watching a movie without any props? A Burbank studio that worked on Oppenheimer is at risk of losing its business because of the ongoing strikes.
• A push for a stricter search policy in California prisons is being fueled by a report that found “weak contraband prevention.” Some families say stricter rules in place make them less likely to visit. 

Wait! one more thing … donuts, conchas and a culinary event

Arturo Enciso of Gusto Bread holds a sheet of conches.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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In the last few weeks, we talked about conchas — our very own Gab Chabrán and How To LA host Brian De Los Santos entered the conchaverse and visited a few spots in Los Angeles (also, check out the podcast episode if you haven’t listened). And we also asked our audience about their favorite places to get the sugary treat. But this also got me thinking about …

Donuts. I grew up near a 24-hour mom-and-pop shop and I would often go there if I wanted to refuel after school or just hang out to people-watch. Now that I’ve moved, I found this guide to be very helpful if I’m feeling nostalgic or adventurous and want to try a quirky hipster donut.

And to circle back to conchas — Gab and Brian will be hosting an event on Aug. 17 where the topic is: summer cookouts. There will also be food and time after the event to talk to the duo about conchas, donuts and carnitas.