Julia Paskin
I think of myself as a reverse engineer when it comes to the experiences of Southern Californians. I work to understand and highlight stories from often unheard voices and work backwards to demonstrate how and why that experience is possible. From immigration, law enforcement, to homelessness, to the environment, how do laws and policies impact our lives? And what social, political, and environmental forces inform our experiences? What solutions work and who do they serve?
I grew up in an old New York City tenement, raised by a working-class, single mom (shout out to Mama Paskin). I came to California to study at CalArts and in search of lower rents (the misguided irony!) so issues of economic equity and the arts are both close to my heart. I came to journalism after working in the performing arts and then social justice and political organizing.
While I may have left NYC fleeing an unlivable economy, I stayed here after falling in love with Greater Los Angeles and all that our diverse communities have to offer. I have now spent nearly half my life here and have made an art of defending LA from anyone who dares to talk trash-- because anyone who doesn’t have anything nice to say about our town, just doesn’t know enough about it.
Julia is the host of All Things Considered on weekdays on LAist 89.3 and The L.A. Report podcast.
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Our local waterway ranked ninth in an annual report of the most endangered rivers in the U.S. -
West Hollywood is angling to become a weed destination but asks patrons to respect the neighbors.
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For the first time in some 30 years, the holidays of Ramadan, Easter, and Passover took place at the same time, marking a time of reflection and renewal.
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Culver City officials are responding to an encampment of unhoused people that has expanded into a pedestrian walkway by giving pedestrians more space.
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The Jewish commemoration of Passover starts this Friday. Here's a look at both the urban legend and the true story around why an orange is included in some modern seders.
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Deputy Sean Essex was taken into custody Friday. He is being charged with lewd and lascivious acts and oral copulation with a child under the age of 14.
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A study looking at data from across the state during the 2020 shelter-in-place order highlighted who is getting what kind of pollution in their own backyards.
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That's bad news for the Golden State, which gets almost a third of its water from the Sierra Nevada mountains, and is in its third consecutive year of drought.
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It’s time again for a strange, beautiful, and uniquely Southern California experience: The annual Grunion Run.
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The contamination has forced the closure of the scenic Loop Trail to public access.
