With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
It's (Virtual) Commencement Season. A Dance Major Shares Her Experience
Cypress College dance major Kylie Christensen on graduation day outside her home. (Courtesy Kylie Christensen)
()
Cypress College dance major Kylie Christensen couldn't believe the news that she wouldn't have an in-person graduation ceremony.
“I went downstairs and I was crying to my dad, telling him that this isn't fair, and I've worked so hard for this and now I'm not going to get the recognition that I want to and anything like that.”
After attending Los Alamitos High School and joining its show choir for performances at Lincoln Center and the Grand Ole Opry, Christensen's lifelong love of singing took a sharp turn in community college. She changed her major to dance after taking a ballet class.
“It really saddens me that I didn't really get to spend the last couple months with all of my classmates. Because being in dance classes, you get really close with people, because dance can be very vulnerable sometimes.”
Support for LAist comes from
“Going through this, it has made me as well as my peers so much stronger, and I think it's helped us be a little bit more equipped for our future ahead of us.”
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
Best of LAist