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When Obama Lived in Los Angeles...
Back then, he was known as Barry. After graduating high school in Hawaii, Barack Obama headed off to college where he spent two years, from 1979 to 1981, at Occidental College in Eagle Rock. His times there is said to have where his public service mindedness began, especially in his sophomore year, "growing increasingly aware of harsh inequities like apartheid and poverty in the third world." Then he wanted a wider urban experience and applied to Columbia, moving himself East. In this week's TIME magazine, a new and very young-looking photo set from his Oxy years appear. The aspiring photographer, Lisa Jack, had no idea she would be digging those photos up again years later.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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