Greater LA

Hundreds of librarians are working as contact tracers in LA County during the COVID-19 pandemic. They're fit for the job thanks to their research skills and experiences with diverse communities.

The diversity at recent protests has been many years in the making, says one UCLA professor of African American Studies. However, some Black Angelenos are wondering whether non-Black protestors are sincere and committed, or they just want to appear “woke.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many nature programs have shut down due to statewide budget shortfalls. Some Black and Latinx families lost access to nature. The time indoors can affect a child’s physical and mental health. But perhaps there's a solution when schools reopen: outdoor classrooms.

LA Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks with Greater LA about the unrest, plus calls to cut funding from the Los Angeles Police Department and even dismantle it.

Thousands of Angelenos have crowded the streets of Los Angeles to protest police violence and the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other African Americans. It’s all happening in the face of a global pandemic. Nonetheless, Dr. Oliver T. Brooks says, “I’ve spoken to a number of African Americans, physicians and non-physicians, and the general consensus is we need t...

Hair salons have reopened in LA County, but when the COVID-19 pandemic kept them closed for more than two months, Angel Picazo was cutting hair illicitly out of his garage near Exposition Park. He says he did it because he needed the income. Some of his clients have included police officers.

High school students recently formed “Students for Floyd,” an LA-based group promoting social justice. They’ve spent days protesting across Southern California, and cleaning up destruction left behind on the streets.

Activists are calling for systematic changes in policing, as protests continue nationwide over the police killing of George Floyd. Gang interventionist Skipp Townsend says the recent protests and looting are a way for African American communities to express deep feelings of pain and burden. “It is probably the worst thing in the world to be African American and know that we are the less numbers, w...

Some peaceful protests turned violent in LA and nationwide over the weekend. KCRW checks in with communities sweeping up the glass and debris. The local organizer of Black Lives Matter shares about what she believes justice looks like. 

Santa Barbara has shut its main downtown road, State Street, to cars. Now, people are walking while keeping their distance, and restaurants are expanding dining rooms onto the sidewalks. LA County officials are considering a similar move.

At a federal prison along the Central Coast in Santa Barbara County, more than 1,000 inmates and correctional officers have tested positive for COVID-19. The impact weighs heavily on the surrounding community and family members of inmates who want to see early releases and better communication.

Growing up in LA, musician Mikel Jollett did not have it easy. He escaped from a cult at a young age, and he struggled to maintain a relationship with his father. He still got into Stanford and eventually became the frontman of the indie band called The Airborne Toxic Event. Jollett’s story is the focus of a new memoir and album, both titled "Hollywood Park."

Data reveals that African Americans are especially susceptible to COVID-19. Health experts point to a range of reasons: lack of testing, higher rates of underlying conditions, distrust of the medical establishment.

Even before COVID-19, securing a place to live in Avalon on Catalina Island was hard. There are cars, next to no crime, and 360 degree ocean views. Islanders call it paradise. But the waitlist for an apartment can be five years long, and the prices are comparable to West Los Angeles. But with stay-at-home orders, the beach town that relies so heavily on tourism has been devastated.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many Angelenos are sewing face masks as a way to generate income and find a sense of purpose when life feels like it’s coming apart at the seams.

It’s tough to maintain social distance inside jails and prisons. California officials are turning to zero cash bail so some inmates are released early. However, there are reports of repeat offenses. Meanwhile, State Senator Robert Hertzberg wants to rethink bail. He’s authored Senate Bill 10, which puts the decision to release an inmate into the hands of a judge and a computer algorithm — instead...

On this episode of Greater LA: The writers and publishers organization PEN America is looking for help from LA City Hall to support local literary professionals. A high school student recounts her journey to being a slam poetry champion. And, in the time of physical distancing, the director of LA Theatre Works says radio plays are having a moment.

On this episode of Greater LA: As we adjust to the new normal, some parents are concerned their young kids may be getting too much screen time as distance learning takes hold. A therapist addresses unease about the prospect of heading back to work as coronavirus restrictions slowly ease. And we take a look at the pandemic spectator’s sport of peeping into newscasters and commentators houses as the...

Rich, poor, housed, or unhoused, the coronavirus has touched every population. One of the oldest organizations in Los Angeles helping those in need is the Union Rescue Mission. The organization's longtime CEO, Andy Bales, says the last eight weeks have been like nothing he has ever seen.

Last weekend was the first glimpse of LA’s new normal. Under phase two of Governor Gavin Newsom’s reopening plan for California, several non-essential businesses — including clothing stores, bookshops, and sporting goods stores — were allowed to serve customers. Some formerly-closed state parks also welcomed hikers. As the state slowly reopens, people are cautiously rediscovering their routines.

Extra food packages, more cleaning products, and the return of flimsy single-use plastic bags are hallmarks of the pandemic, and they’re piling up in our wastebaskets. While a fair amount of the things we’re tossing are recyclable, workers at recycling plants are being forced to adapt to physical distancing. That’s slowed down an already struggling system.

An apartment building in Hollywood called Treehouse was designed for co-living and face-to-face interactions between residents. Now in the age of COVID-19, residents are hanging out via Zoom and playing virtual games together. Some have moved out, while others have signed new leases and moved in.

Crime fell 23% in Los Angeles during the first month of stay-at-home orders, according to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore. With residents staying home to curb the spread of COVID-19, it’s tougher to find someone on the street to rob, or to burgle a house without being seen.

A group of unhoused and housing insecure people have moved into homes in El Sereno owned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The state agency bought them decades ago, and many of the homes have been sitting vacant. Caltrans hasn't given the reclaimers permission to move in. New occupants don't have leases and aren't paying rent.

An estimated 40,000 day laborers in California are looking for work every day in parking lots, on street corners, and at hiring centers. Many are feeling the economic effects of COVID-19. They can’t find work or face reduced hours. A majority of day laborers lack legal residency status in the U.S., which means the social safety net is out of their reach.