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Ryan Fonseca, News Producer

Los Angeles likes to talk a lot about what we need to fix: crippling traffic, the worsening homelessness crisis, and our sometimes paradoxical relationship with nature. But despite all the talk, what's actually being done? And what's actually working? I explore how our civic leaders, experts and everyday citizens are addressing these problems and what that means for you.
I grew up all over Southern California, from the Ventura County coast to the High Desert to the San Fernando Valley. I earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Cal State Northridge, where I now teach part-time. I interned for KPCC way back in 2012 and returned to help jumpstart LAist in 2018. I live in Pasadena with my wife and two incorrigible cats.
I love that I get to be curious for a living. Is there anything about life in SoCal that you're curious about? Ask me below.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
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