Aaricka Washington
As the associate editor for How To LA, I not only write daily news stories in collaboration with the podcast, I lead strategy conversations with my team in order to create captivating, impactful stories for the podcast, digital site, radio and social media that capture the life, news, and culture of Los Angeles. In this role, I also report on original, L.A.-centric, in-depth stories monthly for the How To LA podcast. My stories largely focus on marginalized communities, youth and education. Lastly, I plan, coordinate and host community events with the aim of broadening and expanding audience reach within LAist and How To LA.
A community-driven local news reporter at heart, I've spent countless hours talking to parents, teachers, students, community members and school board trustees about the most crucial issues in education. I’ve covered breaking news, enterprise and investigative education stories for Chalkbeat Indiana and the Austin American-Statesman, focusing on the experiences of people from historically under-resourced communities that were similar to my childhood working class neighborhoods. I’ve also written for The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, Time Magazine and several other news publications.
Before becoming a professional journalist, I was a Teach for America corps member in Houston, Texas teaching Black, Latino and Southeast Asian kids in low-income schools.
I earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University-Bloomington.
My dad’s parents met in South L.A. after moving from Arkansas and Louisiana during The Great Migration in the late 1940s. They settled in Watts and started a large family of Washingtons. My family is currently all over South L.A. They are indeed witnesses of the most infamous, transformative parts of modern Black L.A. history. I was born in L.A. on the exact day my grandparents were married 40 years earlier. While I’m from L.A, I grew up mostly in Indianapolis, Indiana with my mom and visited nearly every summer. After living in Indianapolis, Houston, Austin and New York, it was time to return to my roots. I’m so happy to be back.
I’m an avid roller skater, long-distance runner, (soon-to-be) swimmer, and one helluva dope Auntie.
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Three things we learned while kayaking through the Sepulveda Basin. -
Through a new LA County project, young Latino share their stories about their mental health struggles, while becoming advocates. -
Five questions for WalkGood LA founder Etienne Maurice. -
Despite a historic tropical storm, thousands of people descended on downtown L.A. this past Sunday to attend what's billed as the largest fan celebration of Korean culture and music in the world. -
Flooding, Confusion but no major damage or injuries: Three LAist reporters reflect on Southern California officials response to Hilary. -
In the early days of hip-hop, a popular, trendsetting nightclub in L.A. turned into an after-school center for young artists and dancers. -
For the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, LAist revisits the origins of the music genre in Los Angeles. -
Parents, teachers and researchers reflect on student well-being three years after the COVID-19 pandemic upended K-12 education. -
Amid the economic turmoil of the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, one theater is still aims to bring solidarity and community -
Community colleges in Southern California could offer solutions for the climate change crisis.
