Imperfect Paradise

Big Bear Valley’s ‘royal couple’ Jackie and Shadow & their emotional journey to parenthood

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The famed Big Bear bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow have become a global internet sensation. Tens of thousands of fans tune in to watch every season as the couple expands their family. LAist Reporter and resident Jackie & Shadow expert Makenna Cramer discusses the recent mating season and the latest in the couple’s parenting saga.

For more on the worldwide fascination and obsession with the eagle couple, listen to our 2024 episode with Makenna and former Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido.

Read Makenna’s full report at LAist.com.

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Rotten food, disease, isolation. What we know about conditions at the Adelanto ICE detention center

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

At least four people have died in custody at an ICE detention facility in Adelanto, California. A recent lawsuit alleges that living conditions there are inhumane, and some are comparing the facility to "concentration camps." LAist Reporter Julia Barajas has been reporting on Adelanto and takes us there – she tells us about detainee experiences and how California lawmakers are trying to enforce accountability.

Read Julia’s full report at LAist.com.

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Looming strike, budget deficit, and superintendent under federal investigation. What it could all mean for LAUSD's 400,000 students and staff

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles Unified School District could face an open-ended strike if multiple labor deals are not made by April 14. The potential strike comes at a time when the district faces significant challenges, including a budget deficit and a superintendent under FBI investigation. LAist K-12 Education Senior Reporter Mariana Dale breaks down how we got here and the consequences for the district's 400,000 students, their families, teachers, and staff.

Read Mariana’s full report at LAist.com.

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Whistleblower alleges manager asleep on job during Eaton Fire response. Complaint raises questions about accountability and preparedness

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

A whistleblower at the L.A. County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) filed a complaint alleging a colleague with a history of sleeping on the job was in charge of emergency workers sending evacuation alerts during critical moments of the Eaton Fire. LAist Climate and Environment Senior Reporter Erin Stone breaks down the complaint, what happened at OEM when the January 2025 fires broke out, and the serious concerns raised about OEM’s preparedness for the next big disaster.

Read Erin’s full report at LAist.com.

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We did the math: Men speak way more than women in the 10 films up for the top Oscar

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

The Academy has historically favored men when it comes to giving out its Oscars statuettes. Women are once again not only underrepresented among this year’s Best Picture nominees, but also fared worse than last year. Emily Tarinelli analyzed how much female characters speak across the 10 nominated films, including top contenders like Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet. On Imperfect Paradise, Emily talks about her findings, why what female characters are saying on-screen matters, and what gender disparity in dialogue can tell us about the kinds of movies that are institutionally valued.

Read Emily’s full report at LAist.com.

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Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Mother Road had its problems too

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

As Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary, we look back at its enduring impact as an iconic road that stretched from Illinois to California — and some of its darker past. It wasn’t just a mode of transportation for family road trips. The historic route was also a primary path for Black Americans to escape the South during the Jim Crow era, all while navigating around sundown towns. L.A. Explained Reporter Cato Hernandez joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss the significance of Route 66, its influence on California and its effect on Black migration to the West.

Read more of Cato’s reporting at LAist.com.

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California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

California has spent billions of dollars on a free universal preschool program available to all eligible 4-year-olds in the state. However, there are no official plans in place from the state to evaluate the success of the program, also known as transitional kindergarten, or TK. LAist Early Childhood Senior Reporter Elly Yu joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss why experts say research is needed, who is accountable for TK’s success, and what California can learn from other states with similar programs.

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Money, politics and power: Casey Wasserman remains head of LA28 Olympics despite connections to Jeffrey Epstein. What does this mean for Olympics planning?

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

LA 2028 Olympics head Casey Wasserman is facing growing pressure to resign from his post after recently released Epstein files revealed emails Wasserman exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell. The board behind LA28 — the private planning committee in charge of organizing the 2028 Games — has voted to keep Wasserman at the group’s helm, despite many city officials calling for his resignation, including L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. LAist reporter Libby Rainey has been tracking the Olympics and joins Imperfect Paradise to discuss what power the mayor has to remove Wasserman, the relationship between the city and LA28 and what it means if Wasserman does step down.

Disclosure: Los Angeles civil rights attorney Connie Rice, who LAist interviewed for this story, is a Life Trustee of LAist.

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Inside an Orange County immigration court. What it reveals about the Trump Administration’s changing policies

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues, we explore what’s happening on the legal side of immigration enforcement. One group of court observers at the Santa Ana Immigration Court is trying to help immigrants and asylum-seekers who appear there get a fair shot under the law.

LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle tells us about her experience following the court observers and how what’s happening in these courtrooms determines the fate of undocumented immigrants across the U.S. We also discuss how immigrants, lawyers, and even judges are trying to keep up with the administration’s rapidly evolving immigration policies.

Read more of Jill's reporting at LAist.com.

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After disasters, California mandates timely reports. Why it matters that more than 100 of them are years overdue

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Catastrophic fires are becoming more and more common across California. After-action reports about the fires and other disasters can help officials prevent past mistakes. But the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or CalOES, has failed to deliver legally mandated reports on time following disasters for years. LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis looks at why the agency is so far behind, whether anyone is being held accountable and the worrying consequences for all Californians when we can’t learn from past emergencies until years later.

You can read all of Jacob Margolis’ reporting at LAist.com.

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A Cambodian Genocide survivor was undergoing the legal immigration process and had protections against deportation. So why was she detained by ICE indefinitely?

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Sithy Yi and her family fled Cambodia to the U.S. following the takeover of their home country by the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. But Yi’s visa application process has taken years, and despite complying with ICE, she’s been detained. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins us to breakdown Yi’s story and how new policy changes from the Trump administration will affect Yi’s fate and the legal status of so many other immigrants like her.

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LAPD requested nearly $100 million from the city for the Olympics. Will taxpayers be footing the bill?

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The 2028 LA Olympic Games were promised to be no-cost to taxpayers. However, the Los Angeles Police Department requested nearly $100 million from the city for additional resources to police the games. LAist reporter Libby Rainey tells us what’s in LAPD’s request, how this could impact the city budget, and what it means for your tax dollars.

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The Trump Administration wants your confidential voter data. What’s behind their battle with CA and other states?

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The legal battle with the Trump administration to get access to your sensitive voter data began in Orange County, but is now playing out nationally. The outcome could affect hundreds of millions of people across the country and determine how the federal government uses your private voter information. Shortly after suing Orange County, the Justice Department sued California and 22 other states, along with Washington D.C., for their full voter files. The Trump administration suffered its first legal setback this week with a federal judge’s ruling to dismiss the DOJ’s lawsuit against CA. But the legal and political battle is far from over. LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle dives into the Trump administration’s unprecedented push for states’ voter rolls, what’s behind it, and how it could end up in the Supreme Court.

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Where is LA a year after the fires? Checking in with survivors, rebuilding and nature

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

It’s been one year since two of the most destructive fires in California’s history – the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades – killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. In this episode, we talk with LAist Climate and Environment Reporter Erin Stone on how families in the Palisades and Altadena are rebuilding. We'll also hear from LAist Reporter Libby Rainey on how some Altadena residents are coming together to build back quicker and more affordably. Finally, LAist Science Reporter Jacob Margolis takes us to the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains for a check-in with nature.

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Meet the filmmakers who love AI (Redux)

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on March 19, 2025.

It’s hard to find people in Hollywood who are willing to speak publicly about their enthusiasm for AI, for fear of being seen as “siding with the machines.” And yet, many people are quietly using the technology already. In this episode, we interview two enthusiastic early adopters of AI in filmmaking about how they’re using it, its strengths and limitations, and how they respond to people who say AI is going to ruin Hollywood.

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How AI became a Hollywood villain – especially for animators (Redux)

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on March 12, 2025.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why the first AI generated movies you will see will likely be animated, and what it means for the people who make them, and for everyone else in Hollywood.

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Shuttle Endeavour’s final mission for a new home and space exploration

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles is an integral part of space shuttle Endeavour’s journey. The California Science Center is building a new, larger home for the shuttle, which will make it the only place in the world to see a complete shuttle system with its equipment in launch position. The project – years in the making – still has a long road ahead. LAist reporter Makenna Sievertson takes Imperfect Paradise inside the museum’s expansion, discusses Endeavour’s significance to LA and space exploration.

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Residents left behind at elder care facilities in LA raise serious questions about evacuation preparedness

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:29:36 +0000

In the early morning hours of January 8, the Eaton Fire raced closer to the MonteCedro retirement community in Altadena, California. Nearly 200 of the facility’s residents were evacuated, but two women were left behind, raising serious questions. In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, LAist Health and Housing Reporter Aaron Schrank looks at what went wrong, who should be held accountable, and what it reveals systemically about emergency preparedness.

You can read more of Aaron’s reporting for his Left Behind series at LAist.com.

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Altadena childcare providers' struggle to rebuild raises questions about government disaster response

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

At least 280 childcare spaces were affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires in January. LAist reporter Libby Rainey and early childhood senior reporter Elly Yu followed two women who ran childcare businesses out of their homes until the Eaton Fire destroyed them. In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, they look at how these two childcare providers are rebuilding their lives and businesses, the catch-22 they found themselves in around government assistance, and the state of the child care industry at large.

For more, you can read Libby’s latest reporting on Felisa Wright and Elly’s story on Francisca Gunawardena on LAist.com.

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Gender-affirming care for transgender youth is at risk in LA and nationwide

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Nearly 3,000 patients have been forced to find gender-affirming care elsewhere after the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles closed their LA Center for Trans Youth Health and Development in July. The closure comes amid threats of cuts to federal funding for providers of gender affirming-care and other attempts to restrict LGBTQ rights nationwide. LAist producer Kevin Tidmarsh joins us to talk about what’s next for transgender healthcare in this political moment and how families with trans kids will find care and support now.

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Health workers say ICE agents at hospitals are compromising patient care

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, there’s been an uptick in ICE presence in hospitals across the country. At Adventist Health White Memorial hospital in Boyle Heights, doctors say that hospital administrators have even allowed immigration agents to interfere with patients’ medical care. LAist correspondent Jill Replogle has been reporting on the hospital. She tells us how healthcare workers are dealing with immigration agents showing up in emergency rooms and clinics, what it says about patients' rights to privacy and the treatment of immigrants in hospitals moving forward.

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California's new public preschool program for 4-year-olds: Exploring transitional kindergarten

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

All four-year-olds in the state of California now have access to a free preschool program in their local school district. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a plan to expand the state’s transitional kindergarten, or TK, program in May 2021, as part of a broader move to create the largest free early education program in the U.S. So what does transitional kindergarten offer kids and what are the challenges in its implementation? In this episode of Imperfect Paradise, we break it down with the LAist education team: Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas, Senior K-12 Reporter Mariana Dale and Senior Early Childhood Reporter Elly Yu.

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‘Taken: The Agents Raiding Communities and the People Trying to Stop Them’ from Latino USA & CalMatters

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This special episode on Imperfect Paradise is from our friends at Latino USA and CalMatters. It tracks the rise of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, a key figure in the Trump Administration’s deportation efforts and explores the consequences of the raids to the people captured here in LA and around the country.

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Who pays for the 2028 Olympics? LA taxpayers may be on the hook

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In less than a thousand days, Los Angeles will be hosting the summer Olympics. Many cities worldwide have been put into debt by the games, so what could they mean for Los Angeles? LAist reporter Libby Rainey joins Imperfect Paradise to look back at the history of the games when LA last hosted them, the financial outlook for the city, and what role the federal government might play.

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Why the site of the largest methane leak in US history still hasn’t been shut down

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Regulations on gas storage facilities have been tightened since the detection of the Aliso Canyon leak, which started in 2015 and lasted nearly four months. But residents remain worried about long term health effects following the leak. LAist Climate and Environment Reporter Erin Stone discusses the 10-year anniversary of the disaster and what’s standing in the way of the facility being closed for good.

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How becoming a US citizen just got harder under the Trump administration and what it means for Angelenos

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:18:55 +0000

The Trump administration’s immigration policies have resulted in raids and protests in Southern California and across the country, and the administration has also moved to tighten who gets citizenship. Recently, the federal government pushed out new guidelines for naturalization. The situation has raised fundamental questions around what it means to be a U.S. citizen and how the process to become one is changing. LAist Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas looks at how these changes are playing out inside a citizenship prep class at Pasadena City College.

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Prop 50: Is California’s redistricting push a threat to democracy or a defense of it?

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Proposition 50 is part of a nationwide battle over control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Californians are being asked to take a side: Should the state be temporarily allowed to redraw congressional maps to counter the Trump administration and redistricting in Texas? LAist Civics & Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze and Civics & Democracy Engagement Producer Brianna Lee break down the arguments for and against ballot measure Prop. 50, and how the Nov. 4 special election could shape local and national politics for years to come.

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An LA Commission created to tackle city government scandals is being stymied

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 01:07:50 +0000

A charter reform commission was created in 2024 in response to multiple Los Angeles city government scandals, including the leak of a racist tape featuring City Council President Nury Martinez. One of the commission’s aims was to modify the LA charter, which is basically the city’s constitution. But reports indicate that this commission is struggling to do its job. There are calls for transparency around its very structure. LAist Watchdog Correspondent Jordan Rynning joins Imperfect Paradise to talk about the commission’s issues and how this work will affect the lives of Angelenos.

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Reports about failures in response to the January LA fires and a 2018 fire have striking similarities

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:37:19 +0000

A new report details the Eaton and Palisades fires, including failures in the emergency response. But this report bears striking similarities with another -- which chronicled the response to the 2018 Woolsey Fire in Southern California. LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis discusses the reports and what they mean for L.A. County moving forward.

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How union organizing is being upended by private universities in Southern California

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Big companies like Amazon and SpaceX are claiming that the National Labor Relations Board – an independent federal entity in charge of overseeing unionizing efforts – is unconstitutional. In addition to those companies, colleges like the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University are also joining the movement to push back against labor groups. If this movement succeeds, it could make unionizing harder on a broader level. LAist higher education reporter Julia Barajas joins us to talk about why these universities are seemingly working against faculty attempting to organize and what it could mean for unions at universities – and beyond – in the long term.

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Why California's protest law is flawed and the consequences to protesters

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0000

After the George Floyd protests of 2020, California took steps to rein in violent policing of protests by passing laws restricting how law enforcement uses less-lethal weapons, like tasers and rubber bullets. But high profile protests in 2024 and 2025 – including this summer’s protests against the ICE raids in Los Angeles – have revealed major flaws in those laws. LAist Senior Editor Jared Bennett joins us to talk about an investigation around these flaws and what they mean for people exercising their right to free speech.

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The Huntington Beach library at the center of America’s culture wars

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Censorship efforts at libraries nationwide have increased steadily over the last several years. In the 2023 - 24 school year, more than 10,000 book bans were counted in the country’s public schools. These efforts have become a cornerstone of a larger national debate over cultural influences and parents' rights to restrict those influences. LAist Orange County Correspondent Jill Replogle joins us to talk about how censorship efforts are playing out at the Huntington Beach library. We look at how the town’s conservative city council and residents are facing off over the council’s efforts to exert greater control over the library and how the choice to remove a few books from a library shelf can have far-reaching effects.

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An update to the Bass vs. Crowley feud

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Last month, former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley filed a legal claim against Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass, alleging defamation, retaliation and negligence in the wake of Bass’ firing of her. It’s the latest chapter in a feud that erupted during the historic wildfires in January. In light of these new developments, we bring you our original episode from April 2025 about how Bass and Crowley’s feud came to be.

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Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is officially in prison. What questions remain?

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Disgraced former Orange County supervisor Andrew Do reported to federal prison in Arizona on August 15th. Do had been found guilty of accepting bribes in exchange for directing millions of taxpayer dollars to a nonprofit that was supposed to be feeding hungry seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of those dollars were diverted elsewhere. Now that Do is in prison, LAist watchdog correspondent Nick Gerda joins us to discuss what questions still remain in the case, how much money is expected to be recovered and who else might be held accountable for the scandal.

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The cost of becoming a teacher in California. Who can afford to do it?

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Across the U.S., states are constantly in the midst of teacher shortages. California's teaching prep and residency programs are supposed to be part of the solution. But many hopeful teachers struggle to balance their passion with the risk of debt and high cost of living. Imperfect Paradise guest host and K-12 Senior Reporter Mariana Dale and LAist’s Higher Education Reporter Julia Barajas bring us the tale of two teachers in L.A. County, who are both facing difficult financial and professional choices. They examine what their stories say about teacher shortages and the cost of becoming an educator.

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Deputies severely beat a man struggling with mental health issues. Where are the records?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies severely beat Joseph Perez in 2020, then arrested him. His mom Vanessa alleges that she had previously told law enforcement that Perez has a serious mental illness and would need to be placed in a psychiatric facility. Mother and son believe the deputies used unnecessary force on Perez and are the center of an ongoing legal battle, attempting to hold the sheriff’s department accountable for its actions. LAist Mental Health and Wellbeing Reporter Robert Garrova shares more about the case and discusses efforts for transparency around investigations into allegations of excessive use of force.

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Despite three 911 calls, how did two men with disabilities die in their home during the Eaton Fire?

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

West Altadena residents Anthony Mitchell Sr. and his son Justin Mitchell were stuck at home when the Eaton Fire erupted Jan. 7. Both had disabilities, and to evacuate, they needed help. Mitchell Sr. and family members called 911 multiple times as the fire spread. But first responders didn't make it in time to evacuate the father and son. Seven months after the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires, guest host Jill Replogle looks back with LAist climate and environment reporter Erin Stone. They discuss the timeline of the 911 calls and how emergency planning continues to leave people with disabilities behind in Los Angeles.

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The dirty secret of trash: Illegal dumping in the Southern California desert

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Diapers, concrete and construction debris. The open secret about trash in Southern California is that some of the waste people assume is being properly handled is actually being disposed of on remote sites in the California high desert. The state agency in charge of waste, CalRecycle, has said the scale of illegal dumping has become an emergency. LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis investigated several illicit sites in the Antelope Valley. His investigation raises questions about illegal dumping practices, accountability and the toll it all takes on nearby residents.

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Inheriting: Leialani & The Occupation of Guam

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In honor of Guam Liberation Day on July 21, this week we feature an episode from the Inheriting podcast. It's about a CHamoru woman untangling the deeply complex history between the U.S. and the island she was raised on.

Leialani Wihongi-Santos is CHamoru and was raised on the island of Guam with a distorted view of history. She was taught that the United States "saved” her island from occupation by Imperial Japan. As she’s gotten older, Leialani has learned that framing is not entirely true. In some ways, the U.S. military took advantage of the island and the people who live there, sometimes destroying culture and customs that had survived centuries of colonization. Leialani is now determined to understand more of this history from a CHamoru perspective, so she can preserve and teach it to others. In this episode from season one of Inheriting, she turns to her grandpa, Joseph Aflleje-Santos, for answers.

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How one man rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Struggling with addiction and reentry after multiple stints in prison, Cesar Quijano discovers ultrarunning, a hobby that turns into his addiction and salvation. Through Cesar’s story to complete a 100-mile race, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and producer Lucy Copp explore urgent questions around what support people need to successfully transition out of prison and into society.

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Are Latino pollsters helping or hurting the Democratic cause?

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

As Democrats confront declining Latino support across three consecutive presidential elections, a fierce debate is unfolding within the party: Are Latino advocacy groups and polling firms helping or hurting the Democratic cause? Critics argue that a flawed messaging strategy — and a complacent advocacy infrastructure — have led to Latino voters drifting right, even toward Donald Trump. But advocates push back, warning that the narrative of a dramatic rightward shift is exaggerated and politically dangerous. In the final episode of a three-part collaboration with Latino USA, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and Latino USA host Maria Hinojosa take you inside the high-stakes debate over the future of Latino political power in America.

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Trading in the American Dream for the Mexican Dream

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000

For decades, there’s been a persistent story about Mexican immigrants crossing the border for a better life in the United States. But there’s a new trend emerging: Mexicans and Mexican Americans, disillusioned with American politics, moving to Mexico for a more fulfilling life. In the second episode of a three-part collaboration with Latino USA, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and Latino USA’s Maria Hinojosa sit down with a Mexican American creative who moved to Mexico, as well as a Mexico City native, to discuss the “Mexican Dream.”

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Getting lost in Latina trad wife TikTok

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

During a flurry of election-related anxiety, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido re-downloaded TikTok and fell down a very specific rabbit hole: Latina trad wife content. Videos of women waking up at three in the morning, making “lonche” for their husbands and espousing traditional lifestyles – have become popular and gone viral on social media. In the first episode of a three-part collaboration with Latino USA, Imperfect Paradise goes behind the scenes with one particular so-called trad wife, Lupita Duarte, to understand what her motivations, politics and aspirations can tell us about the cultural moment.

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Did the cellphone ban in high schools work?

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

On February 18th, 2025, the LA Unified School District, the second largest public school district in the country, implemented an all-day cell phone ban for its students. Now that it’s the end of the school year, we head to Venice High School to see how the ban actually went.

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On the ground for LA's historic ICE protests

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:10:00 +0000

ICE raids began last Friday across Southern California. People have been detained and there have been confrontations between protesters and law enforcement. What exactly went down and where does Los Angeles go from here? We hear from family members of people detained by ICE and talk with LAist Civics and Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze about the unprecedented week that Angelenos just experienced. Also we take a look at the history of this moment -- and why it's significant that it's all happening in LA.

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Return from Mexico

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In 2009, Gloria Arellano de la Rosa was banned from re-entering the U.S. for ten years, finding herself separated from her four children and husband. But unlike Daniel Zamora, she didn’t remake her life in Mexico. Every day she waited to go home to the U.S. Fernanda Echavarri tells the story of what happens when Gloria finally returns to the States and reunites with her family.

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Inheriting: Nicole & the Third World Liberation Front

Wed, 28 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we bring you an episode from Inheriting Season One. Inheriting is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations.

Nicole Salaver’s uncle, Patrick Salaver, was one of the leaders of the Third World Liberation Front at San Francisco State University in the late 1960s. This movement not only led to the recognition of the term “Asian American,” but also brought ethnic studies to colleges nationwide. Pat made a difference in the world as a Filipino civil rights leader, but is largely unknown by the public. Now, Nicole wants to set the record straight and honor her uncle’s legacy, while building her own.

Follow more of Nicole’s work on her show, the Cultural Kultivators Podcast.

Stay connected with us! Email us at inheriting@laiststudios.com to share your questions, feelings, and even your story.

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Inheriting: Bảo & the Vietnam War

Wed, 21 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Bảo Trương’s parents both fled Vietnam in 1975 following the war. His father Thuận was a pilot for the South Vietnamese Air Force and left the day before the Fall of Saigon, evacuating almost 100 people to Thailand on a plane. Thuận has now been settled in the U.S. for decades, but he still writes songs mourning the Vietnam of his childhood – a country that, to him, no longer exists because it is still under a communist government. On the flipside, his son Bảo wants to live in the Vietnam of today, a yearning his father doesn’t understand. In this episode, the father and son sit down for a frank conversation about the country they both long for, in different ways.

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Inheriting: Victoria & the Cambodian Genocide

Tue, 13 May 2025 21:05:20 +0000

Growing up in Long Beach, California, Victoria Uce was surrounded by a loving and supportive family, while her dad, Bo, lost his parents at a young age in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. Victoria only ever knew the basics of this story. Mainly, that her dad was forced to join the country’s mobile youth brigade and take part in the state-sponsored violence that tore Cambodia apart. In this episode, Victoria talks to her father about how he turned away from a life of violence to live a life of compassion and gave her the kind of safety in childhood that he never had.

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How the Rent Brigade took on LA’s landlords

Wed, 07 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000

In the days after LA’s early-January wildfires, tenant advocate Chelsea Kirk noticed a trend: rent gouging. Rents were shooting up past their legal limit. In the wake of the fires, as natural disaster collided with LA’s severe housing shortage, we trace how a collective of volunteers organized themselves to bring rent gouging to light in LA County. What did they find? And where do we stand on rent gouged listings and charges, four months later?

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From ranchers with guns to gurus with crystals: How extremism in the American West has evolved

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

When Portland, Oregon-based reporter Leah Sottile began covering extremism in the American West a decade ago, she was interviewing ranchers, fundamentalist Mormons and “sovereign citizens” who did not believe the federal government should own land. During the pandemic, she began noticing that New Age wellness leaders were talking about many of the same ideas. “I just couldn't quite reconcile the aesthetic difference. Like these weren't people in camouflage, they were like in yoga pants talking about the same thing.” Leah Sottile talks to LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin about how extremism has evolved, as well as her new book, “Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age.”

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Can Oakland point the way for the future of liberal cities

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Journalist Alexis Madrigal is obsessed with the port of Oakland. He even has a tattoo of a shipping container! In his new book, The Pacific Circuit, he makes the case that Oakland is where the real-world impacts of globalization are felt, and serves as a warning for other port communities. He documents the impact that the tech/logistics industry has had on his hometown, and profiles a Black environmental justice activist fighting back against economic forces that want to erase her and her community.

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The fallout over LAFD funding: Bass vs. Crowley

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Amid the devastating Palisades and Eaton Fires that killed more than two dozen people, a political conflict came sharply into focus surrounding the funding of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Finger-pointing as to who was to blame included former LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and LA Mayor Karen Bass. The two women would be lambasted for their handling of one of the most destructive natural disasters in Southern California history. But instead of coming together to fend off attacks and manage the fire response, Bass and Crowley ended up engaging in a very public feud. We look back at each side's accusations, the funding of the LAFD, the political futility of blame, and what it might tell us about preventing future wildfires in Los Angeles.

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Rebuild or leave? One Black family in Altadena decides their future after Eaton Fire

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

The biggest question hanging over most people in Los Angeles who lost homes in the Palisades and Eaton Fires is whether to rebuild or leave -- a question that's especially fraught for Altadena's Black community, who faced a long history of redlining.

Charel Bailey’s parents have lived in Altadena since 1977, and she desperately wants them to rebuild after the fire. Her dad has been on the fence. We follow the Baileys as they grapple with this question and ultimately, come to a decision.

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When the disinformation machine comes for you

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Renée DiResta joined the Stanford Internet Observatory to analyze how propaganda spreads online. But in 2023, she went from studying the online disinformation machine to becoming its target. We dive into what happened when a right-wing conspiracy made Renée its villain, as well as how disinformation has changed over the last three presidential elections and where Renée is finding hope for a better future online.

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‘Free the Tee’ Redux: Fighting back against LA golf course scalpers

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

This episode originally aired on June 12, 2024.

LA was rocked on March 4 when Dave Fink, a golf influencer, posted a viral video on Instagram detailing how brokers - largely using a Korean messenger app- were snatching up prime time tees at Los Angeles’ public golf courses and reselling them. Here’s how an unlikely crew of golf enthusiasts’ fight to keep golf in L.A. accessible and affordable is paying off. Host Antonia Cereijido reports.

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Meet the filmmakers who love AI

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

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How AI became a Hollywood villain – especially for animators

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Hollywood taught us to be afraid of a super powerful artificial intelligence that will one day conquer humanity. So not surprisingly, many screenwriters and actors are very skeptical of AI, and concerns about AI were central to the Hollywood labor strikes in 2023. But animators may actually be the most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why the first AI generated movies you will see will likely be animated, and what it means for the people who make them, and for everyone else in Hollywood.

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Highland Park: Land of the snake

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Tucked away in Highland Park - a neighborhood that’s been dubbed “ground zero” for gentrification - sits a small park dotted with native plants and spiraling mosaic sculptures. La Tierra de la Culebra Park was established in the early 90s by guerilla artist Tricia Ward. In the decades since, the neighborhood has transformed massively and a battle has emerged between the founder and the new stewards of the park over who the park is for and how the park should be preserved.

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NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING: And the Oscar Goes To…

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

With Hollywood getting ready for the biggest awards show in movies, this episode of the new LAist Studios podcast NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING is all about the Oscars! Hear Oscar nominees Peter Straughan and Kris Bowers, and actress Caitlin Reilly duke it out for the ultimate award — winning a game show where the points are made up by our host, Franklin Leonard.

Guests: Screenwriter Peter Straughan (“Conclave”), composer Kris Bowers (“The Wild Robot”), and actress and comedian Caitlin Reilly (“Hacks,” “Loot”).

NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler.

Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.

New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 10 p.m.

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LA Made: The Other Moonshot - Part 4: The Landing

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In the final episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": Despite several stopgaps and hiccups, the moon landing is a monumental success, although many Black Americans feel it’s come at a cost to their progress. The discrimination Charlie, Nate and Shelby faced at work finally makes it into government hearings. And the trio today reflect on their contributions to the space race, expressing their sense of pride and wonder, as well as unresolved wounds from their experiences.

"LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.

Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. The Other Moonshot is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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LA Made: The Other Moonshot - Part 3: Making an Impact

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": The launch of Apollo 6. Nate and Charlie must choose how to respond when their work is undermined by superiors, leading to tense stand-offs. Meanwhile Shelby works on a project which will define his legacy — and our view of Earth. Workplace pay disparities come to light, while the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. reveals tensions that the engineers can no longer ignore.

"LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.

Visit BetterHelp.com/moonshot to get 10% off your first month. The Other Moonshot is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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LA Made: The Other Moonshot - Part 2: Spring Loaded to Failure

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": Were these three engineers set up to fail? The space race starts to hit debilitating roadblocks, and the Black aerospace engineers are beginning to feel the weight of the workplace — and the clock ticking. Shelby, Nate and Charlie develop different ways to cope with the pressure. A tragedy during an Apollo 1 flight simulation raises the stakes even further, while outside the company, racial tensions come to a head in nearby Watts.

"LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.

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LA Made: The Other Moonshot - Part 1: Ignition Starts

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In this first episode of "LA Made: The Other Moonshot": America aims for the moon. President John F. Kennedy stands proudly behind the mission to advance the country and welcomes a diverse team to get the job done. That team includes three Black engineers who have a studded background — Charlie Cheathem, Nathaniel LeVert and Shelby Jacobs. However, the three men quickly realize that social progress is slower than scientific advancement.

"LA Made: The Other Moonshot" is a production of LAist Studios with Reasonable Volume, and the third season of the LA Made franchise.

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Is it possible to build a fire-proof house?

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Some of the most striking images to come out of the Los Angeles wildfires are photos of a single intact house, surrounded by rubble. We wondered: why do some houses burn down and not others? Is it possible to build a fire-proof house? Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido, correspondent Emily Guerin, and host of the LAist Studios podcast The Big Burn Jacob Margolis, look at what preventative measures you can take to try to save your house in a wildfire. Plus, we meet a man who tried to build a fire-proof house and a woman who lost everything, yet chose to rebuild in exactly the same place.

To see photos of the bunker home in Topanga Canyon: https://www.instagram.com/p/CkueCwIrHta/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Eaton Fire Ring Cam footage: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEydaaLvfra/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=9c2269c5-a77d-42d6-8333-3c4ad540ccd0

Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety homes on fire video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQIHtMQ_y5k&ab_channel=InsuranceInstituteforBusiness%26HomeSafety%28IBHS%29

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Why fires happen in Southern California — and how we can prevent them

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The same factors that make Los Angeles an appealing place to live, like large urban scale development intertwined with nature, are also the reason we need a fundamentally different approach to fire. Host Antonia Cereijido and science reporter and host of LAist podcast The Big Burn Jacob Margolis dive into what makes Southern California’s ecology unique and what that means for fire management.

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The first five days: Inside LA’s most destructive wildfires

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 20:25:00 +0000

Larry Mantle has been a radio host in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years. Over the course of hosting his live, daily, public affairs call-in show on LAist 89.3, he’s covered the region’s biggest triumphs and tragedies, hearing from officials and Angelenos alike. Covering the Palisades, Eaton, and other current LA wildfires has been especially trying. “I have never seen in such a short period of time this kind of devastation,” said Mantle. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijdio and AirTalk’s Larry Mantle take us inside the first five days of the wildfires and how Mantle is helping Angelenos process the devastation throughout Southern California on his show.

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LAist newsroom answers your questions about the fires

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:26:58 +0000

Los Angeles County has been ravaged by multiple fires. Thousands of structures were destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of Angelenos have evacuated. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and correspondent Emily Guerin answer your most commonly asked questions about wildfires such as: Why are so many houses built in fire prone areas? How did the fires get so bad? What should I pack in my go bag? Plus, we get wildfire and evacuation advice from our podcast about wildfires, The Big Burn, with Science Reporter Jacob Margolis.

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How one man rebuilt his life, 100 miles at a time

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 4 Redux - The Eagle Lovebirds

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This episode first aired on August 14, 2024.

Jackie and Shadow are two beloved bald eagles who live in Big Bear, a ski town a couple hours northeast of L.A. They went viral in 2024, as people tuned in to a livestream of their nest to see if their eggs would hatch. Fans around the world became deeply attached to the lovebirds, obsessing over the couple’s devotion to each other and their eggs. For Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido, the story became personal when she also began her parenthood journey. Antonia explores how our relationship to wildlife can help us better understand ourselves.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This episode includes details about pregnancy complications.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 3 Redux - The Bear Nuisance

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This episode first aired on August 7, 2024.

The first deadly black bear attack in California’s history was confirmed recently in a small mountain town in Northern California. While wildlife officials say fatal bear attacks are rare, this recent death and growing encounters between bears and people underscore how high the stakes are as wild and urban worlds merge.

LAist climate reporter Erin Stone takes a deeper look at bears through the lens of the mountain town of Sierra Madre, where she lives. Just 25 minutes from downtown L.A., the residents of Sierra Madre increasingly come face-to-face with black bears.

Erin looks at the history of bears in the U.S., how black bears ended up in Southern California, and how Sierra Madre is choosing to respond to the black bears living in its community.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 2 Redux - The Coyote Villain

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This episode first aired on July 31, 2024.

If the mountain lion is thought of as a celebrity, then, many would think of the coyote as a villain. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin looks into why we vilify coyotes, what scientists actually know about them, and how they’ve adapted and thrived in some of the most urban parts of Southern California. Emily also explores the historic and cultural baggage that may inform people’s attitudes about coyotes.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This episode includes details about a deadly coyote attack of a toddler.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears Part 1 Redux - The Mountain Lion Celebrity

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This episode first aired on July 24, 2024.

One of Hollywood’s recent celebrities wasn’t a person, but a feline. The famed mountain lion made headlines in Los Angeles and nationwide. He became a household name for making his home in Griffith Park, right in the middle of L.A. But the overwhelming support for P-22 wasn’t enough to save him. LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle looks into P-22’s stardom, people’s obsession with him, and what his story says about our ability to coexist with wildlife in a rapidly changing, increasingly urban world.

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Hollywood’s flopping, send in the clowns

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

A surprising performance art has taken off in Los Angeles – clowning – against the backdrop of an entertainment industry that has barely recovered after a lengthy strike. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido and producer Victoria Alejandro look into the rise of clown culture in L.A., how Hollywood actors, writers and other creators found their way to it, and ask why this art form is resonating now.

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Too young to vote, but not to care: 3 high schoolers watch the election

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 08:23:37 +0000

In what is one of the most consequential elections in modern US history, many high schoolers had to leave it to other adults to choose the next President, Donald Trump, which will directly impact their futures. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia, LAist K-12 Senior Reporter Mariana Dale, and LAist Studios producer Monica Bushman follow three Los Angeles high school students – progressive Lucia, moderate Joseph, conservative Alexander, who are closely monitoring the elections and have clear political views. Antonia, Mariana, and Monica explore how the high schoolers think about civic duty and their role during an election when they’re old enough to understand what’s at stake, but too young to vote.

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George Gascón’s reelection loss and whether there’s a future for the progressive prosecutors' movement

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Nathan Hochman defeated incumbent George Gascón in the Los Angeles County District Attorney race. Many see the outcome as a bellwether for the criminal justice reform movement nationwide. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze breaks down the LA DA race results and helps us understand what Hochman's decisive victory and Gascón’s loss means. Also, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido speaks with Alyssa Kress from the Prosecutors Alliance of California (PAC), a nonprofit that supports progressive prosecutors including Gascón, about the future of the broader social justice movement and their strategy moving forward.

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Republican strategist on what both parties get wrong about the Latino vote

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

As the country’s second largest group of eligible voters, Latino constituents will play a pivotal role in the upcoming election. As both parties try to capture and define the elusive “Latino vote,” Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido sits down with Republican strategist Mike Madrid to explore what Republicans and Democrats get wrong in their messaging, why Latino men have been drawn in by MAGA politics, and what defines the third generation Latino voter who’s coming into their own this election.

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LA City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson on the tape scandal fallout, homelessness, and the presidential election

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Marqueece Harris-Dawson is now one of the most powerful leaders in the city, as the new Los Angeles City Council President. He stepped into the position in September, two years after the council tape scandal shocked the city and the nation. Harris-Dawson speaks with Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido about the ongoing fallout from the scandal that could affect L.A.’s redistricting process, and he gets real about his top priority for the city, the L.A. 2028 Olympics, and the U.S. presidential election.

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OC Supervisor Andrew Do to plead guilty to corruption charge following LAist investigation

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has resigned and agreed to plead guilty for a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars in COVID relief funds meant to feed needy seniors. Do’s criminal charges and plea agreement follow an LAist investigation, which uncovered more than $13 million in public funds directed by Do to Viet America Society (VAS) without disclosing his daughter was a leader at the nonprofit. The U.S. Attorney called Do’s conspiracy “Robin Hood in reverse.” Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido speaks with LAist Correspondent Nick Gerda, who broke the story nearly a year ago, about LAist’s investigation and its impact.

*This episode was updated with breaking news of Andrew Do’s criminal charges and plea agreement.

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Patrisse Cullors on leaving BLM, racial justice, and the election

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Artist, abolitionist, and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Patrisse Cullors shares her perspective on what's at stake in the 2024 election and reflects on the current state of the BLM movement. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido’s conversation with Cullors is part of a series of interviews with notable Californians in the lead up to the election, in which they talk about a range of key issues.

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Judith Butler on gender anxiety and the election

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In Butler’s latest book Who’s Afraid of Gender, renowned feminist and gender studies theorist Judith Butler maps out how the right has invoked a fear of gender ideology to galvanize their base. Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido sits down with Butler to discuss how they see this playing out in the U.S. presidential election and how they believe gender should be addressed at a societal and political level.

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District Attorney Gascón: Part 4 - Nathan Hochman vs. George Gascón

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón is locked in a tough reelection battle this November against Nathan Hochman. In candid, in-depth interviews with LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze, Hochman and Gascón make the case for their differing approaches to running the country’s largest prosecutor’s office and differing views on criminal justice reform.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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District Attorney Gascón: Part 3

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 09:01:00 +0000

George Gascón faces backlash from inside his own D.A.’s office and from the public. He’s become a national scapegoat for right-wing media. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze explores how Gascón’s policies have played out for people imprisoned, like Jose Santana, and families of victims. And Frank speaks to recalled San Francisco D.A. Chesa Boudin about his experience and whether the November election could be a referendum on not only Gascón, but also the national progressive DA movement.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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District Attorney Gascón: Part 2

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

George Gascón is unlike many prosecutors. His background and sweeping criminal justice policy reforms as Los Angeles District Attorney have made him a polarizing national figure. LAist Correspondent Frank Stoltze speaks with Gascón about his journey from hard-nosed LAPD cop to one of the most progressive prosecutors in the country and reports on the rebellion inside Gascón’s own DA’s office that began brewing within hours of him taking office.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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District Attorney Gascón: Part 1

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Voters elected Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón in 2020 on his promises to undo decades of mass incarceration, tackle what many viewed as excessive prison sentences, and to generally create a fairer system. LAist Civics & Democracy Correspondent Frank Stoltze explores the criminal justice system Gascón set out to change. He examines decades-old practices and the impact on the people imprisoned through the case of Jose Santana. Santana ended up being sentenced to 22 years in adult prison for robbing two kids of their cellphones when he was 15.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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‘Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative’ host Jess Shane challenges the ethics of documentary storytelling

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:01:00 +0000

In the podcast series Radiotopia Presents: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative, host and producer Jess Shane questions the value of some basic tenets of documentary storytelling — guidelines we follow here at LAist — like, never pay your subjects, and don’t share editorial control with them.

The five-part series sparked so many conversations for us at LAist that Imperfect Paradise Antonia Cereijido sat down with Jess to talk about the questions she raises in the series about how to make documentaries more ethically.

Listen to the five-part series Radiotopia Presents: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative wherever you get your podcasts.

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‘Radiotopia Presents: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative’ on Imperfect Paradise

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

This week, Imperfect Paradise brings you the first episode of Radiotopia Presents: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative. In the series, host and producer Jess Shane questions the value of some basic tenets of documentary storytelling and explores what really happens when stories about people’s lives are collected, edited, and consumed.

Listen to the five-part series Radiotopia Presents: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative wherever you get your podcasts.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 5 - Roads & Wildlife

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that impact, and some of the other ecological solutions that are taking shape.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 4 - The Eagle Lovebirds

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

CONTENT ADVISORY: This episode includes details about pregnancy complications.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 3 - The Bear Nuisance

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Erin looks at the history of bears in the U.S., how black bears ended up in Southern California, and how Sierra Madre is choosing to respond to the black bears living in its community.

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 2 - The Coyote Villain

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 1 - The Mountain Lion Celebrity

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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NHPR’s Outside/In: The New Space Race on Imperfect Paradise

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

This week, Imperfect Paradise brings you New Hampshire Public Radio's Outside/In. In this episode, host Nate Hegyi and producer Justine Paradis explore the new space race and how it could impact our views of the Big Dipper. What if you were to look up at the sky and see more visible satellites than stars? What if the Big Dipper and Orion were drowned out by a satellite traffic jam, criss-crossing through space? A growing number of astronomers are sounding the alarm about such a possibility, even within the next decade.

Featuring Samantha Lawler, Jonathan McDowell, Aaron Boley, and Roohi Dalal, with thanks to Edward Oughton.

Listen to new episodes of Outside/In every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.

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Return from Mexico

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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LAist Studios presents Passing The Mantle: Is Gen Z less curious than the Baby Boomers?

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations. In this first episode, Larry Mantle and his son, Desmond, 23, talk about their wide-ranging interests and shared drive to understand why things are the way they are, and discuss whether today's generation is as intellectually curious as Larry's peers in the 1970s.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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Return to Mexico: Part 3

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Unable to return to the U.S., Daniel Zamora struggles to build a life in Mexico, until a trip abroad suddenly upends his perspective. Lorena Ríos reports.

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Introducing Passing The Mantle, from LAist Studios

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Passing the Mantle is a new podcast from LAist Studios about family, curiosity and the things that change — and stay the same — across generations.

It's co-hosted by Larry Mantle, host of LAist 89.3’s AirTalk, the longest-running daily talk show in Southern California, and his son Desmond Mantle. Even though Desmond is in law school pursuing a different career, he shares his dad’s fascination with the world and drive to understand why things are the way they are.

Diving into topics like gender dynamics, mental health, religion and sex, Larry and Desmond will discuss shifting societal values, the life experiences that have shaped their perspectives and stories that neither of them have shared before... gaining a new understanding of the world, and each other, in each episode.

Passing the Mantle premieres July 8th.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Return to Mexico: Part 2

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Daniel Zamora waits for the decision on his deportation appeal and has to figure out how to make a life in Mexico — find work, get an apartment. All the while, Daniel tries to keep up his cross-border relationship. Lorena Ríos reports.

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Return to Mexico: Part 1

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Daniel Zamora took a roadtrip in 2011 that would take an unexpected turn to the Texas border. That detour would shatter the course of his life. Journalist Lorena Ríos reports.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes mention of suicidal ideation.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers services to talk to a skilled counselor. If you are feeling distressed and need to talk to a counselor, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit https://988lifeline.org/.

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Listen to Reimagining Democracy for A Good Life, hosted by longtime equity advocate Angela Glover Blackwell. Available now at policylink.org/reimagining-democracy or wherever you get your podcasts

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‘Free the Tee’: Fighting Back Against LA Golf Course Scalpers

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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A Challenging Year for LGBTQ+ Teachers in SoCal

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 18:30:00 +0000

It's pride month, and today we're looking at how that's showing up in the classroom. Educators and students, who identify as LGBTQ+, are navigating a difficult landscape. This school year has been marked by protests, book restrictions, and bans on the pride flag on some K through 12 campuses — not to mention legislation that’s been passed, or is pending, in some states that have been labeled “anti-gay” or “anti -trans.”
From our fellow LAist Studios podcast How To LA, host Brian De Los Santos speaks with LAist reporters Caitlin Hernandez and Mariana Dale and we hear from LGBTQ+ teachers in SoCal about what this school year was like for them.

You can find their digital story on LAist's website here: https://laist.com/news/education/lausd-lgbtq-los-angeles-county-chino-antelope-valley-teacher-student-support

Guests: LAist reporters Caitlin Hernandez and Mariana Dale

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LAist & NPR present 'Inheriting' Episode 2 - Carol & the Los Angeles Uprising: Part 2

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In part two of Carol Kwang Park’s story, we follow Carol’s journey to connect more deeply with her family – and introduce the family-led conversations that are central to Inheriting. Decades after the 1992 LA Uprising, Carol finally learns what her mom experienced during the riots and how she made it back home. It allows for a better understanding of her mother, as well as her family’s journey leading up to the Uprising – which she never had as a child. For the first time, Carol also talks to her brother, Albert Park, about what it was like to work at the gas station as kids, especially around the time of the Uprising.

How can I support? Inheriting is entirely funded by supporters like you. If you want to hear future seasons of the show, go to LAist.com/Inheriting and click on the orange box to donate.

If you want to learn more about any of the historical moments we talk about on our show, visit our website: LAist.com/Inheriting. We have a variety of resources for you, as well as lesson plans from the Asian American Education Project.

Lesson 5.2.1 (Grades 1-5)-Asian Americans as Activists and Accomplices
https://asianamericanedu.org/activists-activism-accomplices.html
Lesson 5.2 (Grades 5-12): The 1992 LA Civil Unrest https://asianamericanedu.org/1992-la-civil-unrest-systemic-racism.html
Lesson 5.3 (Grades 7-12): Building Community Consciousness and Coalitions https://asianamericanedu.org/building-community-consciousness-and-coalitions.html

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LAist & NPR present 'Inheriting' Episode 1 - Carol & the Los Angeles Uprising: Part 1

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Carol Kwang Park was 12 years old, working as a cashier at her family’s gas station in Compton, California, when the 1992 LA Uprising forever changed her life. Her mom was at the gas station that day and Carol was unsure if she’d even make it home. At the time, she didn’t understand why tensions came to a head in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King. She also never understood why her mother insisted on keeping the business going, especially after the Uprising. As an adult, a personal crisis prompts Carol to finally start processing that event and her place in history.

Content Warning: This episode contains racial slurs and discusses police brutality.

How can I support? Inheriting is entirely funded by supporters like you. If you want to hear future seasons of the show, go to LAist.com/Inheriting and click on the orange box to donate.

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The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Bonus

Sat, 25 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin gives us insights into the making of The Gen Z Water Dealmaker series. In this bonus episode, Emily speaks with Luke Runyon, the co-director of The Water Desk at the University of Colorado-Boulder's Center for Environmental Journalism about how she thought through the series that follows the epic negotiation over the Colorado River's future during the current historic water crisis.

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The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 4

Wed, 22 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Host Antonia Cereijido speaks with negotiations expert Victoria Medvec about how to make the best possible deal. Medvec also helps identify ways the Colorado River water rights representatives could still change tactics and reach an agreement before time runs out.

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The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 3

Wed, 15 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

JB Hamby and the other lead negotiators on the Colorado River have to come up with a long term solution to manage the river in the face of climate change. Will they reach a deal before it’s too late?

LAist correspondent Emily Guerin examines how JB's position on water has dramatically evolved since he first won office a few years ago. She brings us back to the current water negotiations as the conflict between the Upper and Lower Basins becomes very public, and JB struggles to convince Imperial Valley farmers that they need to cut back.

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NPR & LAist Studios present 'Inheriting'

Sun, 12 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Japanese American Incarceration. The Third World Liberation Front. The 1992 Los Angeles Uprising. What you think you know isn’t always the full story. Inheriting is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families that explores how the past is personal. Hosted by NPR’s Emily Kwong, we go deep with families on how their most personal, private moments are part of history.

How can I support? Inheriting is entirely funded by supporters like you. If you want to hear future seasons of Inheriting, donate at LAist.com/Inheriting and click on the orange box to help us make Season 2.

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The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 2

Wed, 08 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

JB Hamby is the dealmaker from California, and at 28 years old, he’s the youngest and least experienced among the representatives from the seven states involved with the Colorado River water negotiations. LAist correspondent Emily Guerin explores the beginnings of Hamby’s understanding of water growing up in the Imperial Valley, a desert farming area in California.

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The Gen Z Water Dealmaker: Part 1

Wed, 01 May 2024 09:00:00 +0000

The Colorado River is in the midst of one of the worst water crises in recorded history. Climate change and overuse are taking a significant toll. Seven states, including California, must compromise and reach a solution to prevent the river from collapsing.

In late 2023, the tensions were running high between the major players in the water world as they convened at the annual Colorado River conference in Las Vegas. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin was there, seeking to learn as much as she can about the people with the most power on the river.

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NPR Host Tonya Mosley on ‘She Has A Name,’ Reporting Her Family’s Own True Crime

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

She Has A Name is set against the backdrop of the drug epidemic in 1980s Detroit. The new podcast hosted by NPR's Tonya Mosley blends elements of investigative journalism and memoir to tell a story about loss and redemption, mending broken family ties, and the trauma experienced by countless individuals who've lost loved ones to violence.

Listen to all episodes of She Has A Name from APM Studios and Truth Be Told Presents here.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode of She Has A Name includes discussion of some heavy topics, including murder and other acts of violence. Listener discretion is advised.

For support and resources, please visit:

Project Cold Case
National Organization for Victim Assistance
VictimConnect Resource Center

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 8

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 8:

Adolfo finds new information about the night Oscar died, and has to have a difficult conversation about what really happened to Oscar.

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This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 7

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 7:

Adolfo learns about the dangers of Santa Barbara’s bluffs and gets a second opinion on Oscar’s death report.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions about fatal injuries and suicide.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 6

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 6:

Adolfo reckons with his own relationship to his past and the Chicano student movement. And he finds someone who may have clues about what happened the night Oscar died.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 5

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 5:

Was Oscar going to leave the Chicano student movement? Adolfo discovers new information about Oscar’s last months.

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Imperfect Paradise presents: The Big One : The Earthquake

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

You’re at Union Station when the big one hits. The next two minutes are terrifying. By the time you make your way outside, the Los Angeles you know is gone. In Episode One, you experience what the first hours after a massive earthquake could be like.

Get Ready For The Big One. What You Need To Know

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 4

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 4:

Adolfo finds a briefcase with information that could lead to clues about Oscar’s death.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 3

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 3:

Adolfo gets his first lead on a person possibly involved in Oscar’s death.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 2

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 2:

Adolfo learns that there was a dark side to Oscar’s experience in the Chicano student movement.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary Redux: Part 1

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, the 2022 podcast from LAist Studios, has been optioned by Participant and is simultaneously being developed as a scripted and documentary limited series.

Part 1:

Oscar Gomez was a star of the 1990s Chicano student movement and then, unexpectedly, he died. A rattling event in host Adolfo Guzman-Lopez’s life spurs him to investigate Oscar’s death.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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LAist Investigates: The Unknown Mandate - Accessing Medication Abortion at California Universities

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido is joined by LAist Senior Health Reporter Jackie Fortier and Higher Education Correspondent Adolfo Guzman-Lopez to break down their investigation into why many students and faculty across California's public universities don't know that medication abortion is mandated on their campuses. This is the latest LAist Investigates episode on Imperfect Paradise that highlights reporting from our newsroom.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes first-hand description of an outpatient abortion procedure.

For additional information and resources, you can visit https://abortion.ca.gov/

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Strippers Union: Part 4

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Part 4: Half a year after Star Garden reopens as a union club, the dancers are still negotiating a contract. LAist producer Emma Alabaster brings you the latest. Plus, some of the dancers have set their sights on a different dream: a worker-owned cooperative strip club.

Here are some resources that informed our reporting:

For more resources

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Strippers Union: Part 3

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Part 3: The Star Garden Topless Dive Bar reopens as a union strip club, but the fight doesn’t end there. What happens after the victory? LAist Producer Emma Alabaster has the story.

Here are some resources that informed our reporting:

Working It: Sex Workers on the Work of Sex (In particular, the essay "White Supremacy in Organizing" by Domino Rey)
Yes, A Stripper Podcast
Unequal Desires: Race and Erotic Capital in the Stripping Industry by Siobhan Brooks
Tits and Sass: Service Journalism by and for Sex Workers

Click here for more resources

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Strippers Union: Part 2

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Part 2: When the Star Garden strippers go public with their union campaign, they get pushback from the club’s management and a group they didn’t anticipate - other strippers. LAist Producer Emma Alabaster reports.

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Strippers Union: Part 1

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Part 1: In 2023, North Hollywood’s Star Garden reopened as the only unionized strip club in the U.S. LAist Producer Emma Alabaster tells us the behind-the-scenes story of the workplace conditions that pushed the dancers into action.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes sensitive content about sexual assault.

For sexual assault and harassment support and resources, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, which is a service of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network).

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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Imperfect Inquiry: Have Identity Politics Been Hijacked?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Imperfect Paradise Host Antonia Cereijido speaks with philosopher and author of Elite Capture: How The Powerful Took over Identity Politics (And Everything Else) Olúfemi O. Táíwò. They examine the question: are identity politics over? It’s a question that was raised and we began to explore with Imperfect Paradise’s Nury & The Secret Tapes series. Antonia examines that question more deeply with Táíwò and presses him on why he believes identity politics have failed to deliver on their promise to create greater social equity and what he thinks is the more effective political alternative. Antonia’s conversation with Táíwò kicks off the first Imperfect Inquiry, a recurring Imperfect Paradise segment in which Antonia interviews thinkers, experts, and stakeholders on themes, issues, and questions that we examine on the show.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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RFK Jr. - The Presidential Candidate for Wellness Conspiracists?

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories" Part 4: RFK Jr. - The Presidential Candidate for Wellness Conspiracists?
A year after Yoga’s “Queen of Conspiracy Theories” first release, Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido explores a new, unexpected chapter in this story with Conspirituality podcast host Matthew Remski, Politico journalist David Freedlander, and LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin, who reported the series. This episode examines how the conspiracy theories, once relegated to a subset of yoga and wellness communities, are being brought into the political mainstream through the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is campaigning on a mix of conspiracies from both the wellness world and the far right.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 3 REDUX

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Part 3: Kundalini Yoga’s #MeToo Moment
In early 2020, just as fears about coronavirus are worsening, women begin accusing the founder of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, of sexual assault. Guru Jagat’s surprising response sets the stage for her radicalization during the pandemic.

CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of Sexual Assault

(Original Air Date: Jan. 18, 2023)

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Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 2 REDUX

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Part 2: Kundalini Royalty
Katie Griggs, a young woman from rural Maryland, discovers Kundalini yoga in her early 20s and goes all in. She transforms herself into Guru Jagat, a beloved and controversial yoga and wellness influencer in Los Angeles. In this episode, her friends, family, and coworkers grapple with how she changed in the final years of her life. And we explore the connections between yoga and conspiracies like QAnon.

(Original Air Date: Jan. 11, 2023)

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Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories": Part 1 REDUX

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Before her sudden death in 2021, Guru Jagat had become a famous Kundalini yoga teacher based in Los Angeles. But as the global pandemic grew, she started talking like a far-right coronavirus conspiracy theorist. What does her journey down the rabbit hole tell us about the appeal of conspiracies in the yoga and wellness community?

Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories" explores Guru Jagat’s rise to fame and follows along as she responds not just to the pandemic, but to a #metoo movement scandal that rocked the Kundalini yoga world in early 2020. It also explores themes of misinformation, how a healthy distrust in government and medicine can turn dark, the "relativism around truth" in the wellness industry and the influence of social media on radicalization.

The series first came out in December 2022. We're republishing it because it's one of our favorites and remains relevant. We've updated the series with a fourth episode.

In this first episode, Guru Jagat starts the pandemic with an understandable skepticism of official medical advice, but quickly grows to embrace an array of far-right conspiracy theories.

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Under The Influence with Jo Piazza on Imperfect Paradise

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This week, Imperfect Paradise, the show about hidden worlds and messy realities brings you an episode of Jo Piazza’s - podcast Under the Influence with Jo Piazza.
Last December, Jo had LAist reporter Emily Guerin on to talk about Imperfect Paradise: People vs. Karen, the story about a white mom-fluencer who falsely accused a Latino couple of a crime and their fight to hold her accountable
If you haven’t listened to Imperfect Paradise: People vs. Karen yet, we encourage you to binge the series. In this episode you'll hear Jo and Emily get into some behind the scenes details that went into making People vs. Karen, and a deeper discussion into the role social media played in this story.

Binge all Imperfect Paradise episodes here.

Listen to Under The Influence with Jo Piazza.

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Imperfect Paradise presents HTLA: Volunteers Take On The Homelessness Crisis: Part 3 & 4

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:18:41 +0000

This week, Imperfect Paradise is featuring Part 3 & Part 4 of a four-part series from How To LA.

HTLA host Brian De Los Santos and producer Evan Jacoby are taking a closer look at L.A. Mayor Karen Bass's "Inside Safe" program. They also recap some of the big questions we've asked throughout the series, and bring a new question to many of our guests from the previous episodes: "What should the relationship be between mutual aid volunteers and government agencies?"

If you want to learn more about mutual aid in Los Angeles, check out Evan's reporting on LAist.com

Or, if you want to learn about mutual aid groups in your neighborhood and maybe join them, check out these resources:

Los Angeles:

National:

https://www.mutualaidhub.org/

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains strong language and includes sensitive content about drugs, rape, suicide, and death.

For substance dependency and mental health support and resources, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text 988.

Guests in Part 3: Nono, unhoused resident of an Inside Safe motel in Palms; Nick Gerda, LAist Unhoused Communities Reporter; LA Mayor Karen Bass; Councilmember Kevin de León of Council District 14; Councilmember Nithya Raman of Council District 4; Hawk, U.S. Veteran & Skid Row Resident

Guests in Part 4: Aria Cataño, founder of WaterDrop LA; Ndindi Kitonga, founder of Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA); Councilmember Nithya Raman of Council District 4; Benjamin Henwood, PhD, professor of social policy and health at the University of Southern California

Music in Part 3 episode composed by: Chris Schlarb, Dexter Thomas, Evan Jacoby, Geir Sundstøl, Meitei, Ricky Eat Acid, Woo

Music in Part 4 episode composed by: Dexter Thomas, Evan Jacoby, Ill Considered, Meitei, Nala Sinephro, Ricky Eat Acid

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Imperfect Paradise presents HTLA: Volunteers Take On The Homelessness Crisis: Part 1 & 2

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

This week, Imperfect Paradise is featuring Part 1 & Part 2 of a four-part series from How To LA.

Unsheltered life in L.A. can be dangerous and even deadly — and there has been a massive increase in the death rate for unhoused people in the county over the last few years.
There is work being done by the mayor’s office to get people off the street and into temporary housing. But the promise of services — whether in the form of housing, treatment for substance addiction, or mental health counseling — cannot help if people aren’t alive in 6 months, a year — or 5 — to receive them.
While they wait, many unhoused people have come to rely on mutual aid volunteers to cover their immediate needs, from overdose prevention to fresh drinking water.
In this mini-series from How To LA, host Brian De Los Santos and producer Evan Jacoby explore what these mutual aid groups actually do for our unhoused neighbors, and where these service gaps come from in the first place.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains strong language and includes sensitive content about drug overdose and death.

For substance dependency and mental health support and resources, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text 988.

Guests in Part 1: Ndindi Kitonga, founder Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA); Jesse Goldshear, volunteer with PUMA and postdoc researcher studying public health at the University of California, San Diego; Aria Cataño, co-founder of WaterDrop LA; Sade Kammen, volunteer with WaterDrop LA and social worker in Skid Row

Guests in Part 2: LA Mayor Karen Bass; Councilmember Kevin de León of Council District 14; Councilmember Nithya Raman of Council District 4; Hawk, U.S. Veteran & Skid Row Resident; Sade Kammen, Volunteer With WaterDrop LA; Nick Gerda, LAist Unhoused Communities Reporter

Music in this episode composed by: Chris Schlarb, Dexter Thomas, Evan Jacoby, Floating Points, Geir Sundstøl, Ill Considered, Imaginary Softwoods, indiegamemusic.com, K. Leimer, Laurie Spiegal, Nala Sinephro, Laurie Spiegal, Meitei, Ricky Eat Acid, Woo

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The Castle: Part 4

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 4: What’s the history behind the on and off-stage gender dynamics in Western magic? And what impact did the summer of 2020 have on the field of DEI? Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido explores these questions with magic historian Margaret Steele and Amber Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff of the Division for Equity and Inclusion at UC Berkeley.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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The Castle: Part 3

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 3: Carly Usdin is at risk of getting kicked out of the Magic Castle. Plus, after 2020, the Magic Castle makes changes to address issues of inclusion, including setting up a Diversity and Inclusion Committee. LAist Senior Producer Natalie Chudnovsky explores how the Castle’s promises to do better pan out, several years later.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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The Castle: Part 2

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 2: Once inside the iconic members-only Magic Castle, queer hobbyist magician Carly Usdin starts to become disillusioned with the club. LAist Senior Producer Natalie Chudnovsky dives into how this comes to a head in 2020, when the Magic Castle faces allegations of racism and sexism.

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

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The Castle: Part 1

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 1: When Carly Usdin moved to Los Angeles, they became obsessed with getting inside its iconic members-only club for magicians, the Magic Castle. LAist Senior Producer Natalie Chudnovsky tells the story.

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Imperfect Paradise presents LAist Investigates: The Truth Inside California's Nursing Homes

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido is joined by LAist reporter Elly Yu for a special single episode of LAist Investigates, the first of many to come episodes dedicated to one of our newsroom’s investigations. Elly breaks down the history and reality of treatment that led to the “warehousing” of mental health patients in nursing homes across California.

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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People vs. Karen: Part 4

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 4: LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin and Imperfect Paradise host Antonia Cereijido explore how and why Sadie and Eddie Martinez’s accuser, Katie Sorensen, went viral with her false accusation, plus how mom-fluencers can spread conspiracies. With insights from “Momfluenced” author Sara Peterson.

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#SadieMartinez #ImperfectParadise #LAistStudios

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People vs. Karen: Part 3

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Part 3: The white woman who falsely accused a Latino couple of attempting to kidnap her kids faces an investigation and goes on trial after her accusers fight to hold her accountable. Can the same criminal justice system that so-called Karens abuse be used to bring them to justice? LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin reports.

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#SadieMartinez #ImperfectParadise #LAistStudios

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This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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People vs. Karen: Part 2

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:26:49 +0000

Part 2: When a Latino couple, Sadie and Eddie Martinez, is falsely accused by a white woman of attempted kidnapping, their lives are upended as the accusation goes viral. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin examines how the police’s investigation takes an unexpected turn and how the dark corners of the internet may have influenced the couple’s accuser.

CONTENT WARNING: Sensitive subject matter

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People vs. Karen: Part 1

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 17:56:26 +0000

Part 1: Sadie and Eddie Martinez, a Latino couple, were falsely accused of attempted kidnapping by a white mom-fluencer in Petaluma, California. LAist Correspondent Emily Guerin tells us about Sadie’s quest to hold her accuser accountable, amid the “Karen phenomenon” when multiple white women were caught in viral videos falsely accusing people of color of crimes.

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#SadieMartinez #ImperfectParadise #LAistStudios

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This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Nury & The Secret Tapes: Part 4

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 22:10:30 +0000

In the year since the L.A. City Council tape scandal, a lot has changed.

Efforts are underway to reform the redistricting process. Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo are gone from the council. Only Kevin De León remains. Progressive shifts in the council are influencing its policies, and new elected members are working to forge a new way forward in L.A. This is the last episode of Nury & The Secret Tapes.

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Go to Hellofresh.com/50imperfect and use code 50imperfect for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months! Grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Nury & The Secret Tapes: Part 3

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 02:06:45 +0000

Host Antonia Cereijido presses former L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez to account for the racist, hurtful comments she made on the secret recording that rocked Los Angeles and led to her resignation.

CONTENT WARNING: Sensitive subject matter.

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Nury & The Secret Tapes: Part 2

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 23:52:36 +0000

Before the L.A. City Council tape scandal, Nury Martinez, the former council president, was known as a champion of working class immigrants. After, she became the poster child of anti-Blackness and colorism in the Latino community. Host Antonia Cereijido examines how Nury's upbringing influenced her politics and the divisions that emerged within the council under Nury's leadership, leading up to the secretly-recorded conversation.

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Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Nury & The Secret Tapes: Part 1

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

We take you behind the scenes of the L.A. City Council tape scandal, a year later. The secret recordings of the conversation among four of the city’s most powerful Latino leaders making racist, derogatory insults – exposed thorny, unresolved issues of race and politics. Host Antonia Cereijido explores those issues and speaks with the people who were most affected by the tapes, including former councilman Mike Bonin. And for the first time since resigning, former L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez breaks her silence.

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This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.*

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Introducing Imperfect Paradise: Nury & The Secret Tapes from LAist Studios

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

“Imperfect Paradise: Nury & The Secret Tapes” tells the story of the biggest political scandal in recent Los Angeles history. A secret recording leaked online in 2022 exposed then-LA City Council President Nury Martinez making racist and derogatory remarks. A year after the scandal and her resignation, Nury breaks her silence in an exclusive interview with LAist.

From LAist Studios, “Imperfect Paradise: Nury & The Secret Tapes,” coming September 27, 2023.

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From LAist Studios: Imperfect Paradise Returning Sept. 27, 2023

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000

We are excited to announce LAist Studios' award-winning narrative podcast "Imperfect Paradise" relaunches in September as a weekly show with Antonia Cereijido as our host! Be sure to follow and subscribe to "Imperfect Paradise" wherever you get your podcasts.

From LAist Studios: "Imperfect Paradise", new weekly episodes coming September 27th.

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The Barbie Tapes: When Girls--and Barbie--Could Do Anything

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Ruth and Elliot Handler are gone, and the new Mattel team, led by a man who feared the volatility of the toy business, diversified the company and made a big gamble on electronics. It didn’t work. Fortunately, Barbie ends up in the sure hands of some trailblazing women executives, who could see that the culture was moving in a direction very compatible with Barbie’s persona. From the workforce to the workout, Barbie was a doll of her times.

This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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Battle of the Bulge

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

For Barbie, the cultural upheaval of the 60s and 70s incites one identity crisis after another as Mattel tries to keep up with the times. On top of that, she has a new boyfriend to deal with. Ken's creation is a big hit for Barbie fans, but he’s facing a few growing pains of his own. In this episode, we investigate Ken's origin story, delve into the inner workings of Mattel, and hear how Barbie's inventor, Ruth Handler, was ousted from her own company.

This podcast is supported by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.

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Introducing LA Made: The Barbie Tapes from LAist Studios

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0000

"LA Made: The Barbie Tapes," from LAist Studios, tells the true story of the making and marketing of the most famous doll in the world, Barbie, told by the people who did it. We’ll hear from Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler, who spent years trying to convince her own company to make a teen aged fashion doll.

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How COVID Changed Everything - Part 3 - Acting

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:02:00 +0000

LAist Studios & USC Annenberg's School of Journalism Present: How COVID Changed Everything

A series where graduate students in the USC Annenberg School of Journalism examine the many ways—both dramatic and nuanced—that the pandemic has changed life in ways we are only now beginning to understand.

Part 3: Acting

While the pandemic caused a lot of stasis, it also inspired plenty of action. Once we accepted the changes that the pandemic brought, what did we do with them? How did we take action? In this episode: LA cultural workers fight for better work conditions, one survivor decides to fight back against domestic violence, a small foundation keeps the legacy of a ground-breaking Finnish gay artist alive, and a nurse rethinks the way we process death and dying.

Content Warning: This series contains sensitive subject matter and mentions of domestic violence. Listener discretion is advised.

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How COVID Changed Everything - Part 2 - Adapting

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:01:00 +0000

LAist Studios & USC Annenberg's School of Journalism Present: How COVID Changed Everything

Part 2: Adapting

Change is a given, but COVID-19 truly forced the hand of change. In this episode we explore the ways people have found to adapt and rethink how we accept change. In this episode: the fate of a beloved Hollywood record store, the reflections of an American Hockey League player, the impact of COVID-19 on a sickle cell patient, and the challenges of pandemic-related gentrification in Mexico City.

Content Warning: This series contains sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised.

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How COVID Changed Everything - Part 1 - Rethinking

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000

LAist Studios & USC Annenberg's School of Journalism Present: How COVID Changed Everything

When the World Health Organization declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency last month, it marked an over 3 year journey through the deadliest pandemic in US history. While COVID-19 may no longer be an official public health emergency, the effects it's had on every fabric of society can’t be overlooked.

In this series, graduate students in the USC Annenberg School of Journalism examine the many ways—both dramatic and nuanced—that the pandemic has changed life in ways we are only now beginning to understand: in the workplace, the family and the world. Every story is about change. Every narrative involves a moment or moments when everything was different from before.

Part 1: Rethinking

The pandemic forced us to rethink how we approach both daily life and life’s milestones. People had to get creative with how they held ceremonies, how they coped with stress and how they would carve a new way of life post pandemic. In this episode: a wedding that takes place in a video game, services at one of the oldest synagogues in the western hemisphere, the de-stressing power of ice baths, and a group of international Gen Zers re-examines the meaning of life and work.

Content Warning: This series contains sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised.

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Part 4 - “Imperfect Paradise” Presents: Finding Home con DACA

Thu, 11 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Brian returns to Los Angeles. But his ideas of "home" have changed.

Music from this episode composed by: Geir Sundstøl, Modarchive, Natalia Lafourcade, Old Saw, Woo, Yeahman

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Part 3 - “Imperfect Paradise” Presents: Finding Home con DACA

Wed, 10 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Brian finally sets foot in Mexico. His audio diary chronicles what it was like to feel at home while feeling like an outsider.

Music from this episode composed by: Floating Points, Geir Sundstøl, Modarchive, Yeahman

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Part 2 - “Imperfect Paradise” Presents: Finding Home con DACA

Tue, 09 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Brian is surprised by a letter from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It’s his Advance Parole document. He can travel to Mexico – his country of birth – for the first time in 30 years. The days ahead become a sprint to prepare and make travel plans. He only has a month to return to the U.S., or he could lose DACA and be denied reentry.

Guest: Roberto Gonzales, a professor of sociology at University of Pennsylvania, who has testified before Congress on immigration policy.

Music from this episode composed by: Chris Schlarb, Dexter Thomas, Geir Sundstøl, Mamman Sani, Nicklas Nygren, Old Saw, and Yeahman

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Part 1 - “Imperfect Paradise” Presents: Finding Home con DACA

Tue, 02 May 2023 09:00:00 +0000

California is home to around 2 million undocumented people. And in Southern California, roughly 80,000 of them have DACA, Deferred Action Childhood Arrival (although some stats put that number higher). It allows people to get a work permit, to pay in-state tuition, and to get a drivers license. But there are a lot of freedoms it doesn't grant, like freely traveling outside the US.

How to LA host Brian De Los Santos has had DACA for about a decade. He recently got approved to do something big: he's going to Mexico for the first time since he was 2 years old, through a process called advance parole.

It's a travel permit that allows DACA recipients to leave the country and come back. However, the permit is issued with a very specific time window, and is only given for certain travel reasons.

And the big one: it doesn’t guarantee admission back into the country. But despite the stress, Brian's taking the opportunity to go Mexico and see family he hasn't seen since he was a toddler.

In the first part of this series, Brian's bringing in a couple of his friends and fellow DACA recipients to talk about all of his hopes and fears for the trip, and what it's like to live with DACA in the U.S., which is very much like living in limbo every day. We've got more of Brian's story over on LAist.com, so be sure to check that out.

As A DACA Beneficiary, I’ve Been Waiting For This Trip To Mexico All My Life

If you have DACA and want to apply for advance parole, it's very important that you consult with an immigration attorney. These organizations can help get you started:

CALIFORNIA MEXICO CENTER https://www.california-mexicocenter.org/cmdsummer2023/

CARECEN LA https://www.carecen-la.org/can_i_apply_for_advance_parole?locale=en

Guests:
Chris Farias, LAist social media producer; José Alonso Munoz, deputy communications manager for United We Dream, an immigrant youth-led support network

Music Credits This Week:
Chris Schlarb, The Mod Archive, Quetzal, Naran Ratan, Natalia Lafourcade, Austin Cross, Old Saw, & Anthony Barilla

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NPR's Code Switch on Imperfect Paradise

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Hey, Imperfect Paradise listeners, this is Emily Guerin. I'm one of the hosts and senior producers of this show. We're doing something a little different and we're bringing you an episode of the NPR podcast Code Switch. My colleague Josie Huang is talking to one of their hosts about the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California, and what it says about the dark side of the Asian American dream. I hope you like it.

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Kundalini Yoga’s #MeToo Moment

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:30:00 +0000

In early 2020, just as fears about coronavirus are worsening, women begin accusing the founder of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, of sexual assault. Guru Jagat’s surprising response sets the stage for her radicalization during the pandemic.

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Kundalini Royalty

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Katie Griggs, a young woman from rural Maryland, discovers Kundalini yoga in her early 20s and goes all in. She transforms herself into Guru Jagat, a beloved and controversial yoga and wellness influencer in Los Angeles. In this episode, her friends, family, and coworkers grapple with how she changed in the final years of her life. And we explore the connections between yoga and conspiracies like QAnon.

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“Queen of Conspiracy Theories”

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Guru Jagat starts the pandemic with an understandable skepticism of official medical advice, but quickly grows to embrace an array of far-right conspiracy theories.

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Introducing Season 4: Imperfect Paradise - Yoga's "Queen of Conspiracy Theories"

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 13:45:00 +0000

This 3-episode season explores Guru Jagat’s rise to fame and follows along as she responds not just to the pandemic, but to a #metoo movement scandal that rocked the Kundalini yoga world in early 2020. It also explores themes of misinformation, how a healthy distrust in government and medicine can turn dark, the "relativism around truth" in the wellness industry and the influence of social media on radicalization.

Episode #1 will be available to stream on January 3rd.

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Update: Alex Villanueva Loses

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 19:26:08 +0000

Alex Villanueva has conceded the election. The next sheriff of LA County will be Robert Luna. More analysis to come soon.

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Sheriff Villanueva - Part 5

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

By the end of 2021, Alex Villanueva has done a 180. Once supported by the local Democratic party, he’s become a darling of Fox News. Instead of working closely with immigration activists, he’s proposing a military-style approach to clear all the unhoused off the streets. He’s won the intense loyalty of the overwhelming majority of his deputies, but lots of people who voted for him in 2018 have changed their minds. Villanueva now faces an uphill fight to win another four years in office.

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Sheriff Villanueva - Part 4

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

In 2019, LA County Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Marco Vazquez, Jr. outside his home while he was having a mental health crisis. Later, members of Vazquez’ family say they were followed and harassed by Sheriff’s deputies. They’re not the only ones.

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Sheriff Villanueva - Part 3

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

There have been deputy gangs in the LA County Sheriff’s department for almost as long as anyone can remember. These groups can be violent, misogynistic, discriminatory and powerful – they can control much of what happens at some sheriff’s stations. Sheriff Villanueva simultaneously denies gangs exist and claims he has banned them.

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Sheriff Villanueva - Part 2

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

When retired Lt. Alex Villanueva announces his candidacy for sheriff in 2017, no one takes him seriously. But with the support of the local Democratic party, immigrant rights activists, and lots of political savvy, he pulls off a shocking defeat of the sitting sheriff – something that hasn’t happened in over 100 years. Almost as soon as he takes office, Villanueva re-hires a former deputy (and friend) who was fired for domestic violence and lying, and things begin to go off the rails.

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Sheriff Villanueva - Part 1

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

We begin with a scene of a very strange press conference: Sheriff Alex Villanueva is threatening to open a criminal investigation into an LA Times reporter, and our host, Frank Stoltze, is questioning him about it. Through Frank’s reflections on his time covering policing in LA County, we learn that Villanueva is the product of a department that has been riddled with scandals for decades: racial profiling, jail violence and deputy gangs. We learn how Villanueva sees himself as the man to fix it.

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Introducing Season 3: Imperfect Paradise - The Sheriff

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 20:36:13 +0000

Alex Villanueva, an underdog maverick, runs for LA County Sheriff as a progressive reformer in 2018 and wins, surprising everyone. After taking office, he turns into a vindictive leader who mocks reform, protects his friends and attacks his enemies. And now he’s up for re-election. Follow veteran KPCC correspondent Frank Stoltze as he pieces together this story in a 5-episode season of Imperfect Paradise launching October 5, 2022.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 8

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo finds new information about the night Oscar died, and has to have a difficult conversation about what really happened to Oscar.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 7

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo learns about the dangers of Santa Barbara’s bluffs and gets a second opinion on Oscar’s death report.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 6

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo reckons with his own relationship to his past and the Chicano student movement. And he finds someone who may have clues about what happened the night Oscar died.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 5

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Was Oscar going to leave the Chicano student movement? Adolfo discovers new information about Oscar’s last months.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 4

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo finds a briefcase with information that could lead to clues about Oscar’s death.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 3

Mon, 30 May 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo gets his first lead on a person possibly involved in Oscar’s death.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 2

Tue, 24 May 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Adolfo learns that there was a dark side to Oscar’s experience in the Chicano student movement.

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The Forgotten Revolutionary - Part 1

Mon, 23 May 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Oscar Gomez was a star of the 1990s Chicano student movement and then, unexpectedly, he died. A rattling event in host Adolfo Guzman-Lopez’s life spurs him to investigate Oscar’s death.

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Introducing Season 2: Imperfect Paradise - The Forgotten Revolutionary

Fri, 13 May 2022 16:56:30 +0000

In the early 1990’s, hateful anti-immigrant political rhetoric roused California’s Chicano student rights movement, and college student and radio host Oscar Gomez was one of its most prominent voices. Some thought he was going to be the next Cesar Chavez. But on November 17, 1994, Oscar was mysteriously found dead on the Santa Barbara shore.

Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary follows host and reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez as he investigates Oscar’s death and revisits his own past and ties to the Chicano movement.

The Forgotten Revolutionary is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/imperfect

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Home is Life: Episode 3

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 22:14:00 +0000

David attempts to rally his supporters, some of whom find themselves conflicted.

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Home is Life: Episode 2

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

A tour of similar housing projects goes off the rails, and ends up doing more harm than good to David’s cause.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

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Home is Life: Episode 1

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

David Gillanders wants to build housing for people experiencing homelessness in Orange County. When his idea hits more opposition than expected, city officials send him out to try to win over the neighborhood.

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