Morning Briefing: Brown And Blue: On Race And Law Enforcement

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In a new essay, LAist contributor Catalina Lara, whose husband is a police officer, explores the difficult conversations happening in her Mexican American family around law enforcement and race.

"The perspective is complicated,” she writes. "[My husband] wanted for people like our parents to have Spanish-speaking, Mexican American, L.A.-born-and-raised officers in the community.

"Joining law enforcement, much like joining the military did for others, offered my husband a straight line into validation. Into belonging, and being able to provide for our new family … There was a singe of shame for being Brown that we used to feel when I was growing up, now there's a trickle of shame creeping up for being blue. And I don't know what to do about it."

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.

— Jessica P. Ogilvie

The Past 24 Hours In LA

Policing The Police: Long Beach police have released a video account of how our reporter, Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, got shot with a foam round during a protest. Members of a Mexican American police family find themselves navigating difficult conversations.

Money Matters: A new UCLA report looks at pandemic-related job losses among Asian Americans, in part due to xenophobia. Many renters have fallen far behind on rent, and some are calling for missed payments to be cancelled.

California Kids: Elementary schools in California can get a waiver to reopen, even if they're in a county on the state's COVID-19 watch list. We check in to see what’s been happening with new DACA applicants on a local level.

Safeguards: Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to see additional safeguards and preventative measures to protect essential workers, who have been hard hit by COVID-19. Local microgrids enable a small group of power users to isolate themselves from precautionary shut-off of power lines in order to generate and store their own electricity.

Food And Arts: The chefs who own La Casita Mexicana in Bell are battling to save their restaurant, and it’s become a case study in the frustrations experienced by local businesses in the opening and closing during the pandemic. Disney has again delayed the release of Mulan; it's not clear when any movies will be released in theaters.

Weekend Reads

There's a lot going on in the world right now, and it’s hard enough to keep up with our day-to-day lives without also trying to stay current on the news. But if you have some time this weekend, these articles provide some much-needed insight into the current moment in L.A., as well as some news you may have missed:

A DACA recipient attending Cal State L.A. tells his story in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision. (The Eastsider)

A Lancaster woman tells the horrific story of being dragged, naked, from her home by L.A. Sheriff’s deputies. (LA Sentinel)

How the pay-to-play scandal at L.A.’s city council intersects with the Crossroads of the World. (The LAnd)

California’s social equity programs in the cannabis industry vary widely in their effectiveness from one city and county to another. (Marijuana Business Daily)

The 90-something owner of the legendary Van Nuys eatery, Bill’s Burgers, might be selling his property. (Eater LA)

Cosplayers are dealing with unique concerns during the coronavirus pandemic. (Variety)

By arming taco venders with pepper spray, some communities are standing up for the beloved local businesses. (LA Taco)

One local man is passing quarantine time by constructing tiny replicas of L.A. landmarks. (LA Mag)

Photo Of The Day

Two women protest in front of the Banc of California Stadium, demanding a freeze on rent during the pandemic. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

(Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Help Us Cover Your Community

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The news cycle moves fast. Some stories don't pan out. Others get added. Consider this today's first draft, and check LAist.com for updates on these stories and more. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This post has been updated to reflect changes in what's coming up for today.

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