Our Newsroom’s Mission: Uncovering LA (With Your Help)

You deserve great local news – and we need your help to find those stories. We listen to what you’re curious about, what keeps you up at night, and who you want held accountable. We’re inviting you to be part of the conversation.

How does who you are and where you live affect what kind of justice you get in Southern California?

More Asian Americans live in L.A. County than any other county in the U.S.  The communities are varied and complex and often invisible in the mainstream media. I tell the stories of recent immigrants and families who have been here for generations to answer the question: How do you navigate the intersection of being Asian and American and what impact does that have on L.A.’s future?

The Southern California economy is strong, so why are so many people living paycheck to paycheck? I tell the stories of these Angelenos, their struggles and the many creative ways they make a living. I share information on strategies that can put people on the path to greater prosperity.

I focus stories on college students who are at a crossroads, particularly those on the first rung into higher education. Many of those students are trying to overcome academic and other challenges because they believe college will be the path to a better life. How do the people around them – in their personal lives and at the institutions they attend – help or hinder their success?

Is your local school any good? What does ‘good’ even mean? I help parents understand what defines quality education and which tools let them assess — and sometimes even choose — their own schools. I examine the forces that drive which students get advantages and which students get left behind, in school and beyond.

Exposure to the arts can open doors to a creative life, but not everyone has the same opportunities to be creative – even though California state law requires access to arts education. I explore what’s being done to address the disparity and who does, and does not, get to learn about and make art.

I connect educators and caregivers of children ages 0–5 in L.A. County who live and breathe our early childhood system every day with academics, researchers, and policy makers to reveal gaps between the two and shine a light on what’s working and what’s not.

I'm interested in the tension between California's status as an environmental leader and the reality of our enormous fossil fuel consumption and production. I'm also examining the tension between our need for more housing and the reality of our hotter, drier, more fire-prone future.

I bring you onto the scene of the stories Angelenos are talking about today and help you understand how they’ll affect you. I’m always on the lookout for news and unique stories about Los Angeles – let me know if you have one.

We’re living longer than ever before. What are we doing to get ready as California rapidly ages? I connect aging adults and caregivers with information, experts, and policy makers to help them understand risks and bridge the gaps in care.

It is still very hard for many people to talk about mental health. I explore how Southern Californians are trying to overcome the stigma, how that differs depending on your community, and what it will take to make help more accessible. 

It’s not just you. Southern California’s sky-high housing costs are changing how we live and who can afford to keep a roof over their head. I will help you understand the factors that got us here, what’s being done to help those struggling, and new pressures around the corner. 

Southern California is home to many new immigrants – about a third of L.A. County residents are foreign born. Immigrants are creating an evolving definition of ‘American.’ I will deepen the understanding of how immigrants are changing the region and how L.A. changes immigrants.

Los Angeles is the home of arts and entertainment. My job is to help you figure out what is worth your time, and introduce you to other talented Angelenos who make it happen. This is a space for the creative work you care about – or don’t know about yet.

Los Angeles is the most diverse and interesting food city in the United States. It’s a place where street tacos are as revered as any 12-course omakase dinner – and rightly so. My job is to connect hungry Angelenos – through food – to the culture, history, people, and neighborhoods that make up our city. 

Infrastructure is what we build together to make life better (and the things that break). My role is to reveal the often-surprising and important systems that make life possible in and around L.A. 

From homelessness to demographic changes to rising sea levels, I help you understand rapidly changing Orange County — no matter which side of the “Orange Curtain” you live on. 

Democracy can be messy.  In Southern California, the political system is changing in front of us, from how we vote to who is running for office. Many voices are shouting to be heard. I examine who gets listened to, and why, and provide a guide to anyone who wants to more fully participate in civic life.

Southern California has a long and troubled history when it comes to policing. I explore a continuing disconnect between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve, look at when reforms have worked and where and why tensions remain. I'm always examining whether justice is being served.

I help Angelenos understand the role religion plays in their daily lives and the lives of their neighbors, in a region that has long been a safe haven for oppressed religious and ethnic communities worldwide.

From the consequences of climate change to the next Big One, the threat of another natural disaster is never far away. I help Southern Californians understand the science shaping our imperfect paradise and get them prepared for what’s next.

More military veterans live in Southern California than anywhere else in the nation. I tell their stories – from those who excel after discharge to those who falter. How is America supporting its commitment to veterans and their families?  How are we falling short?