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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“Representation now more than ever is so important because we're fighting for our lives." -
Analysts found the district has been losing about 100 Black educators per year to retirement. Having a Black teacher has been shown to improve academic outcomes for Black students.
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SoCal fire officials gathered to discuss this year's fire season outlook and ask for the public's help in preventing wildfires.
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L.A.’s next mayor will inherit a city facing significant challenges.
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The newest Magellanic penguin was born to proud parents Robbie “The Brave One” and Kate “The Flirt.”
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A state appeals court ruling allows four species of bumblebee — the Crotch bumblebee, the Franklin bumblebee, the Suckley cuckoo bumblebee, and the Western bumblebee — to be added to the state's endangered species list.
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While the Biden Administration said the guest list hasn’t been finalized, the likely decision to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela from Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles is frustrating activists and politicians.
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The decision to walk away from the $325 million deal avoids a potentially lengthy court battle over a deal that's now at the center of a federal corruption probe.
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Want To Decide Where $8.5 Million Gets Spent In The City? Applications For New Program Close TuesdayL.A. REPAIR is the city’s first “participatory budget program,” and it’s focused on community investments in historically underserved neighborhoods.
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Diane Williams' piece is part of L.A. County's anti-hate campaign.
