Southland Sessions

Civic Imagination
Hosted by artist and designer Rosten Woo, this episode will explore civic art and culture, including looks at artist's working as first and second responders during the pandemic, the production and deconstruction of civic memory, art and abolition, and the future of public space in Los Angeles.
TRANSCRIPT
ROSTEN WOO: HELLO, AND WELCOME
TO "SOUTHLAND SESSIONS," WHERE
EVERY WEEK WE SHOWCASE THE
VIBRANCY AND THE RESILIENCE OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S CREATIVE
COMMUNITY. I'M ROSTEN WOO, A
CIVIC ARTIST AND DESIGNER
INTERESTED IN THE WAYS THAT
CULTURE GROUNDS COMMUNITY AND
SHAPES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND ESPECIALLY
IN THE WAYS THAT WE USE CULTURE
TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE WE
LIVE. APPROPRIATELY, IN THIS
EPISODE, WE'LL BE CHECKING
IN WITH ARTISTS AND THINKERS WHO
DEAL WITH THE CIVIC SPHERE FROM
CREATIVELY PROVIDING BASIC
SERVICES LIKE FOOD AND PPE TO
RETHINKING HOW WE CREATE AND
MAINTAIN CIVIC MEMORY, WORKING
TOWARDS ABOLITION, AND REWRITING
THE RULES OF PUBLIC SPACE.
ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR
THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED
BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR
THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND
CULTURE.
[CROSSING SIGNAL BEEPING]
CARMEN ARGOTE: I
GOT YOUR MESSAGE.
[BEEPING CONTINUES]
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY
YOU WOULDN'T HELP ME.
[BEEPING CONTINUES]
I ALMOST DIED.
[SIRENS]
[WHOOSH]
IS THIS FEAR SO PARALYZING?
MOVING WITHIN THE CITY, THERE'S
JUST NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE. I
CAN HEAR THE HELICOPTERS, AND I
CAN HEAR EACH CAR OUT ON THE
FREEWAY, AND I CAN HEAR THE
BIRDS.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
IN LOS ANGELES NOW, I TRY TO BE
INVISIBLE. WHEN I SEE SOMEONE
WALKING TOWARDS ME, I PERCEIVE
THEM AS A THREAT. MAYBE, LIKE,
THEY'RE NOT WEARING A MASK, OR
MAYBE THEY'RE TAKING UP THE
WHOLE SIDEWALK. THEY COUGH. YOU
MOVE DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
I THINK BACK TO BEING ABOUT 10
OR 11 YEARS OLD, PICO UNION, THE
1990s IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND
WALKING HOME AFTER SCHOOL FROM
THE BUS STOP AND SEEING A GROUP
OF MEN RELATED TO GANGS AND JUST
LEARNING TO SORT OF SEE OUT
OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE AND WALK
DIAGONALLY AS A HABIT WITH
ENOUGH DISTANCE SO THAT
THEY WOULDN'T NOTICE. NO
EYE CONTACT. INVISIBLE.
[HAMMER POUNDING]
[CRASH]
[HAMMERS POUNDING]
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, AND I GO
UP UNTIL I MEET CESAR CHAVEZ.
CESAR CHAVEZ ALL THE WAY. THEN
I CROSS SOTO RIGHT HERE, PAST
THE LAUNDROMAT AND FREEWAY.
SO I FOLLOW MISSION, AND
MISSION IS JUST A REALLY LONG
STREET. ALL THE SORT OF GLASS
REPAIR PLACES ARE HERE.
YOU SAY NOT TO TAKE
IT PERSONALLY.
THAT IT'S THE SITUATION IN THE
WORLD. IT'S NOT THE SITUATION
IN THE WORLD. IT'S YOU. YOU
WEREN'T THERE FOR ME.
YOU'VE DECIDED...
THAT MY BODY'S CONTAMINATED.
[SIREN]
[TEA KETTLE WHISTLING]
[LEAVES RUSTLING]
READING ABOUT THE SURFACES THAT
IT LIVES ON, DURATIONS OF
SURFACES. WOOD--24 HOURS.
STEEL, FABRIC.
I THINK THE SCOPE OF IT IS
ACTUALLY TOO BIG. CAN'T LIVE
THE WAY THAT I NEED TO LIVE. I
FEEL LIKE I'M NOT MADE TO LAST.
I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'S GONNA
MAKE IT. JUST, LIKE, VERY AWARE
OF, LIKE, THIS ORGANIC BODY AND
THEN THE CITY, AND IT'S, LIKE,
THE TOUCHING. I WANT TO TOUCH
THE CITY. WANT TO TOUCH THE
CITY.
[INSECTS CHIRPING]
[SCRAPING]
[WHOOSH]
[BARKING]
THE FEELING IS FAMILIAR, THIS
FEELING WHEN THE CITY BREAKS,
WHEN IT ENCOUNTERS DISASTER. IT
REMINDED ME OF THE BUS RIDE TO
MY HOUSE IN '92,
THE DAY OF THE RIOTS.
I REMEMBER THE SMOKE AND
THE COLOR INSIDE THE SMOKE, AND
I REMEMBER THAT IT FELT KIND OF
LIKE A MOVIE. I WAS AT A
DISTANCE, AND SO I WAS SORT OF
WATCHING IT HAPPEN FROM BEHIND
MY GLASS AND SEEING PEOPLE ON
THEIR ROOF ON THEIR LAWN CHAIRS
WATCHING THE CITY BURN FROM A
DISTANCE LIKE YOU WOULD
WATCH A TELEVISION SHOW.
I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
I SAW. EVERY TIME, I RETELL IT,
IT FEELS MORE FALSE, BECOMES
MORE ABSTRACT LIKE IT DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
[CLATTERING]
IN THE HOSPITAL, I WAS REALLY
ALONE.
IT WAS A SPECIFIC KIND OF
QUARANTINE. NO VISITORS,
STARING AT THE WALL, JUST
LOOKING AT THE LIGHT MOVE FROM
ACROSS THE WAY.
I WAS HOPING THAT
YOU'D BE THERE.
[FOOTSTEPS]
LIKE, ALL THIS PAIN THAT YOU'VE
HAD IS LIKE A ROOM IN YOUR
CHEST. THERE'S THIS
ARCHITECTURE INSIDE YOU THAT'S
TURNING INTO THE ARCHITECTURE
THAT YOU'RE IN.
YOU'RE LIVING IN IT, AND YOU
DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IT. IF YOU
WERE TO LET ME IN, YOU'D HAVE
TO CONFRONT YOURSELF.
[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN GO
BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE. I
DON'T THINK...
[CROSSING SIGNAL BEEPING]
THINGS WILL BE THE SAME.
[BEEPING CONTINUES]
WOO: THAT WAS "LAST LIGHT," AN
INCREDIBLE DOCUMENT BY
L.A.-BASED ARTIST CARMEN
ARGOTE. WATCHING THIS BRINGS ME
BACK TO A RECENT PAST THAT
ALREADY FEELS LIKE IT WAS A
VERY LONG TIME AGO, THE EARLY
DAYS OF COVID BEFORE THE
REALITY THAT WE'RE NOW LIVING IN
BECAME THE BASELINE, BACK WHEN
WE REALLY FELT THE JARRING
CHANGES AND THE EMPTINESS AND
BROKENNESS OF THE CITY IN A NEW
WAY. AS SCARY, DARK, AND
ALIENATING AS THIS TIME HAS
BEEN, IT'S ALSO HAD SOME MOMENTS
OF GENUINE HOPE FOR ME BECAUSE
LET'S BE HONEST. LIFE IN L.A.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WASN'T
EXACTLY WORKING OUT FOR MOST
OF US, SO HERE AT THE EDGE OF
DESPAIR, WE'VE ALSO FOUND HOPE,
SIGNS THAT THE OLD SYSTEMS THAT
SEEMED LIKED THEY MIGHT NEVER
CHANGE LITERALLY CANNOT CONTINUE
THIS WAY. WE'VE SEEN PROFOUND
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS TO DEFUND THE
POLICE, END RENT, AND ABOLISH
ICE. NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING TO
CHECK IN WITH ARTISTS PATRISSE
CULLORS, ALEXANDRE DORRIZ, AND
NOE OLIVAS AS WE TALK ABOUT
THE ROLE THAT ART CAN PLAY
IN ABOLITION AND IN EFFORTS
TO RECLAIM OUR HUMANITY.
ANGELA DAVIS: IN THE WHOLE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES,
THE IMPACT OF RACISM HAS BEEN
TO ATTEMPT OT CONTAIN BLACK
PEOPLE, HAS BEEN TO ATTEMPT TO
STIFLE THE DESIRES TOWARDS
LIBERATION. ONE OF THE WAYS IN
WHICH THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED IS
BY TRYING TO CONVINCE BLACK
PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE COMPLETELY
POWERLESS BEFORE THIS HUGE
APPARATUS. IT'S BUILT INTO THE
SYSTEM. IT'S BUILT INTO--IT'S
BUILT INTO THE NATURE OF THE
SOCIETY AND GETTING BACK TO THE
QUESTION OF WHAT A REVOLUTIONARY
IS, A BLACK REVOLUTIONARY
REALIZES THAT WE CANNOT BEGIN TO
COMBAT RACISM, WE CANNOT
BEGIN TO EFFECTIVELY
DESTROY RACISM UNTIL WE'VE
DESTROYED THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
WOMAN: HOW DO WE PROTECT
OURSELF IN THIS MOMENT? HOW DO
WE, YES, RESPOND TO THE
TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE CRIMES
AGAINST HUMANITY, AND YET,
ALSO, HOW DO WE BUILD A VISION,
A VISION WHERE WE CAN IMAGINE
BLACK PEOPLE LIVING, BLACK
PEOPLE THRIVING, WHERE PART OF
THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS
NOT JUST RESPONDING TO OUR
DEATH BUT ACTUALLY DEVELOPING
SOMETHING THAT HAS THE ABILITY
TO RAISE MY CHILD, TO RAISE MY
CHILD'S CHILD, AND HIS
CHILDREN'S CHILDREN? WE'RE NOT
FIGHTING SO HARD BECAUSE WE
WANT TO FIGHT SO HARD. WE'RE
FIGHTING SO HARD BECAUSE WE HAVE
A VISION. WE HAVE A VISION
FOR WHAT WE DESERVE, FOR WHAT
EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING, ANIMAL
BEING, PLANT BEING DESERVES, AND
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BLACK LIVES
MATTER, REMEMBER THAT OUR
MOVEMENT IS ABOUT IMAGINING,
IMAGINING A WORLD WHERE BLACK
FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY FREE.
WOO: WHY CRENSHAW DAIRY MART,
AND, LIKE, WHAT'S THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAKING A SPACE
LIKE THAT OR HOWEVER YOU THINK
OF IT? LIKE, WHY DID YOU COME
TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS THING?
DORRIZ: SO WE ARE THE CRENSHAW
DAIRY MART. WE RUN A SPACE
WHICH FOCUSES ON ABOLITION,
ANCESTRY, AND HEALING, AND IT
WAS, YOU KNOW, SLOWLY FOUNDED
IN 2018, IN THE SUMMER OF 2018,
AND IN THE LAST TWO YEARS,
WE'VE BEEN PLANTING SEEDS AND
WATERING--WATERING THOSE SEEDS
TO BE ACTUALLY BLOSSOMING
DURING A PANDEMIC.
OLIVAS: PATRISSE AND ALEX
STARTED THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
FREEING THE LAND AND WERE
LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AREAS TO
LOOK AT IN ORDER TO START THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT ABOLITION
AND ALSO CREATING AN
ENVIRONMENT WHERE WHAT WOULD IT
LOOK LIKE WHERE ABOLITION AND
ARTISTS WOULD COME TOGETHER?
WHAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT
WOULD CREATE AND JUST KIND OF
LISTENING TO THEIR
CONVERSATION, PATRISSE INVITED
US TO KIND OF LIKE START THIS
PROJECT OF THINKING ABOUT
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR
ABOLITIONISTS AND ARTISTS TO
COME TOGETHER. WE REALLY TOOK
OUR TIME, REALLY KIND OF LIKE
PLANTING THOSE SEEDS AND REALLY
TAKING CARE AND WATERING, AND
WHAT THAT MEANS IS KIND OF JUST,
LIKE, LISTENING. OUR OPENING WAS
WITH IN COLLABORATION WITH FOR
FREEDOMS, BUT THAT WAS JUST
WEEKS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND
ALEX LIKES TO TALK ABOUT IT IN
THE WAY THE CRENSHAW DAIRY MART
WAS VERY MUCH BIRTHED DURING
THE PANDEMIC, AND WE KIND
OF HAD TO GO WITH THOSE--
WITH THOSE CHALLENGES AND
KIND OF LIKE RETHINK.
DORRIZ: THE USE OF LAND THAT WE
HAVE, THAT WE RENT AT THE
CRENSHAW DAIRY MART IS, LIKE,
OUR PARKING LOT SPACE AND THE
PUBLIC SPACE VERSUS THE ACTUAL
GALLERY SPACE IS A FAR CRY AS
FAR AS LIKE HOW MUCH--HOW MUCH
WE ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH KIND OF
PARKING LOT AND PROJECTS THAT
NOE HAS LED WITH CARE NOT CAGES
MURAL THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM
AIRPLANES, YOU KNOW, FROM FORMS
OF MARK MAKING AND, LIKE, THE
BLM SIGN THAT NOE LED. SO IT'S
LIKE THESE THINGS--YOU KNOW,
IT'S USING THE IMAGINATION FOR
PROJECTS THAT ARE EXTERIOR
FACING AND, LIKE, PUBLIC
FACING AND TOGGLE THE
IMAGINATION SO THAT IT'S
NOT JUST IN THE GALLERY.
WOO: WHAT IS ABOLITION? WHY IS
IT IMPORTANT, AND WHAT DOES IT
HAVE TO DO WITH ART? WHY DO
ARTISTS AND ABOLITIONISTS NEED
A SPACE TOGETHER AT ALL?
CULLORS: YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK
THE CONCEPT OF ABOLITIONISTS
HAS CHANGED OVER TIME,
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE AT IN
HISTORY, AND SO WHAT WE
UNDERSTAND AS ABOLITIONIST WE
OFTEN, YOU KNOW,
THINK--PROBABLY THE FIRST
PERSON THAT WOULD COME INTO
MIND IS, LIKE, HARRIET TUBMAN,
AND THINKING ABOUT THE
ABOLITION OF CHATTEL SLAVERY IN
THIS COUNTRY. I THINK THE
MODERN-DAY TERM THAT WAS REALLY
COINED BY ANGELA DAVIS IS
TALKING ABOUT THE ABOLITION OF
THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX,
WHICH IS THE INDUSTRY OF
PUNISHING HUMAN BEINGS, AND WHEN
WE SAY WE'RE ABOLITIONISTS,
WE DON'T MEAN THAT WE'RE
ANTI-ACCOUNTABILITY. IF OUR
CURRENT SYSTEM WAS ABOUT
ACCOUNTABILITY, BREONNA TAYLOR
WOULD HAVE RECEIVED JUSTICE. SO
WE KNOW THAT IT'S A SYSTEM THAT
IS BASED IN ABUSING, MAIMING,
HARMING, AND KILLING BLACK
PEOPLE AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND THAT THE BASIS OF THE
CURRENT SYSTEM THAT WE LIVE IN,
WHICH IS, AS BELL HOOKS CALLS
IT, A WHITE, HETERONORMATIVE,
PATRIARCHAL, SEXIST, RACIST
SYSTEM. THAT SYSTEM IS A
SYSTEM THAT IS PREDICATED ON
ANTI-BLACKNESS, AND IT NEEDS
ANTI-BLACKNESS TO EXIST.
ABOLITION IS A PRO-BLACK
FRAMEWORK. THE ONLY WAY WE GET
TOWARDS ABOLITION IS IF WE HAVE
THE HONEST, POWERFUL, AND
NECESSARY CONVERSATIONS AROUND
HOW WE ENDED UP IN A CAPITALIST,
PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH
AND HOW WE GET OUT OF IT.
WOO: SO YOU HAVE THIS
HUGE, HEAVY, BIG SYSTEMIC THING
ON ONE HAND, AND THEN ON THE
OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE, LIKE,
ART, AND I THINK A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHEN THEY THINK, "ART,"
THEY'RE LIKE, "OH.
WELL, THAT'S LIKE THAT EXTRA
NICE THING IN YOUR LIFE THAT
KIND OF GIVES IT GIVES IT SOME
SPARKLE OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT." THEY DON'T THINK OF
THOSE THINGS AS BEING, LIKE,
WHAT'S THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN--LIKE, WHY HAVE ART AND
ABOLITION CONNECTED. LIKE,
WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP?
CULLORS: ABSOLUTELY. I LOVE
THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THAT UP,
ROSTEN, BECAUSE I THINK PART OF
WHAT RACIAL CAPITALISM--LET ME
SAY IT THAT WAY--PART OF WHAT
RACIAL CAPITALISM HAS DONE HAS
MADE ART A COMMODITY AND MADE
IT A THING IN WHICH ONCE
SOMETHING IS COMMODIFIED,
DEPENDING ON WHAT IS THE TREND
AND WHAT IS THE TREND INSIDE OF
A CAPITALIST SYSTEM, THAT
COMMODITY IS OFTEN IN DIRECT
RELATIONSHIP WITH WHAT IS MOST
NORMATIVE TO WHITENESS. SO
THERE'S BEEN A DEEP, DEEP
INTENTIONALITY, AND THAT TO
ME, THAT KIND OF ATTENTION IS AN
ABOLITIONIST FRAMEWORK. I DON'T
BELIEVE THAT ABOLITION IS JUST
THIS POLITICAL THING THAT WE
ASPIRE TO DO AT SOME POINT.
ABOLITION IS HOW WE LIVE EVERY
SINGLE DAY. ABOLITION IS HOW WE
SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER EVERY
SINGLE DAY. WE DON'T MAYBE GET
IT RIGHT ALL THE TIME. WE ALSO
TRY TO MODEL IT IN HOW WE SHOW
UP IN THE ART WORLD, AND
SO WE ARE TRYING TO INTERVENE IN
THAT WORLD AS A TINY, LITTLE
TEAM AND ALSO TRYING TO
SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY FOR
OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER.
WOO: AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME TO
TALK WITH ME. THIS HAS BEEN
AWESOME, AND I WISH YOU A LOT
OF LUCK AND SUCCESS IN BUILDING
THIS WORLD THAT WE WANT TO LIVE
IN TOGETHER.
CULLORS: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
REALLY. APPRECIATE IT.
OLIVAS: THANK YOU.
CULLORS: THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL.
WOO: THE PANDEMIC HAS ALSO
CREATED THE SPACE FOR US TO
REEVALUATE A LOT OF THINGS THAT
ONCE SEEMED PERMANENT, AND IT'S
OPENED UP ROOM TO DREAM AND
RECLAIM. PUBLIC MONUMENTS TAKE
UP SPACE IN OUR CITY, AND THEY
FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON
PARTICULAR IDEAS AND STORIES
ABOUT THE PLACES WE LIVE.
ACROSS THE NATION, OLD
MONUMENTS THAT OFTEN REPRESENT
A WHITE SUPREMACIST, SETTLER,
COLONIAL IDEA, THEY'RE COMING
DOWN AND THEY'RE BEING
REAPPROPRIATED AND
RECONFIGURED. HERE IN L.A.,
WE HAVE SEEN A REMARKABLE
UN-MONUMENTING AT SITES
THAT HAVE HELD TROUBLING
TRIBUTES TO COLONIZATION.
[WOMAN SPEAKING CHUMASHAN
LANGUAGE]
WOMAN: HELLO, RELATIVES. MY
HEART IS WITH YOU TODAY. WE
HAVE REACHED A TIME AND SPACE
WHERE THE OPPRESSED ARE TAKING
A FIRM STANCE AND SAYING,
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH," A TIME WHEN
WE HAVE TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEM
THAT DOESN'T WORK AND HAS NEVER
WORKED FOR OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR.
MAN: GRAB THE ROPES, EVERYBODY.
GET A ROPE. EVERYBODY, GRAB A
ROPE. SEPARATE ROPES. SPREAD
OUT. GRAB IT.
[PEOPLE SHOUTING]
WOMAN: 3!
WOMAN AND MAN: 1, 2, 3!
[BANG]
WOMAN: YES!
[CHEERING]
[DRUMS PLAYING]
[SINGING IN CHUMASHAN LANGUAGE]
CALDERON: AS WE SAID, THIS
DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A
CELEBRATION. THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING OF HEALING THAT NEEDS
TO OCCUR AMONGST OUR PEOPLE.
THIS IS A MAN WHO HAS CREATED
GENETIC TRAUMA FOR MYSELF
AMONGST OUR ANCESTORS. THESE
ANCESTORS OF OURS, THEY
STRUGGLED LOVING THEMSELVES
BECAUSE SOMEBODY LIKE THIS TOLD
THEM THAT THEY WERE DISGUSTING,
TOLD THEM THAT THEY WERE
USELESS OTHER THAN FOR SEX AND
FOR SLAVERY, AND BECAUSE
OF SOMEBODY
LIKE THAT, WE STRUGGLE TODAY
AS A COMMUNITY. "THESE STATUES
AND MONUMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN
ERECTED ALL OVER OUR SACRED,
UNSEATED LANDS ARE CONSTANT
REMINDERS OF THE DOMINANT
SOCIETIES, OF THEIR NEED TO
CELEBRATE THE WRONGS OF THE
PAST. WE CANNOT TEACH LOVE
AND COMPASSION TO OUR YOUTH WHEN
THEY RECEIVE A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT NARRATIVE IN
SCHOOLS AND OUTSIDE OF TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. IT IS TIME TO TEACH
THE TRUTH AND REMOVE THE LIES
AND OPPRESSION.
IT IS TIME TO REMOVE THE
COMMEMORATIONS OF HATE,
BIGOTRY, AND COLONIZATION."
WOO: NOW WE'RE GOING TO CHECK
IN ON SOME ARTISTS WHO ARE
HELPING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
REALLY THE NATION TO RECKON
WITH ITS OWN HISTORY. IN THIS
CONVERSATION WITH ARTISTS
SANDRA DE LA LOZA, JOEL GARCIA,
AND MERCEDES DORAME, WE'LL HEAR
ABOUT THE LONG ROAD TO REMOVING
THE FATHER SERRA AND COLUMBUS
STATUES FROM DOWNTOWN L.A. AND
ABOUT NEW WAYS TO TELL STORIES
ABOUT THE LAND AND THE WORK TO
COME.
I'M GOING TO START MAYBE WITH
JOEL. WE GOT IN TOUCH JUST
BEFORE A REALLY AMAZING ACTION
THAT YOU ORCHESTRATED WITH SOME
OTHER FOLKS THAT I WAS ABLE TO
WITNESS, THE TAKING DOWN OF THE
FATHER SERRA STATUE, AND SO I
JUST WANTED TO HEAR IF YOU
COULD TALK A BIT ABOUT THE
PROCESS THAT LED UP TO THAT.
GARCIA: I'M AN INDIGENOUS
PERSON, SO I ALSO UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS NOW MY ANCESTRAL
HOMELAND. AS A YOUNGSTER, I
ENGAGED WITH DOWNTOWN L.A. IN
MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, WORKING
WITH MY UNCLE AS A YOUNGSTER,
LIKE, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE HAD
A JEWELRY SHOP ON FIFTH AND
BROADWAY. SO I BECAME VERY
FAMILIAR WITH GRAND PARK, WHICH
WAS A BUS STOP THAT I WOULD
HAVE TO GET OFF OF, AND I
BECAME FAMILIAR WITH OLVERA FOR
A VARIETY OF REASONS, RIGHT? SO
THOSE TWO STATUES THERE JUST
WERE ALWAYS PRESENT. WHILE I WAS
WORKING AT SELF HELP GRAPHICS,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS
STEWARDING WAS A DIA DE
LOS MUERTOS TRADITION,
AND FOR THE LAST 6
YEARS AT GRAND PARK, SELF HELP
HAS INSTALLED IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
AND ARTISTS A COMMUNITY ALTAR
NIGHT, AND IT TOOK PLACE
DIRECTLY ACROSS WHERE THE
COLUMBUS STATUTE WAS. SO THIS
WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY
PRESENT, AND FOR EVERY YEAR, WE
HAD TO STRATEGIZE AROUND HOW TO
JUST MAKE IT DISAPPEAR WITHOUT
CALLING ATTENTION TO IT EITHER.
WOO: WHAT HAPPENED IN GRAND
PARK? I THINK SOME PEOPLE
WATCHING WILL JUST NOT BE
FAMILIAR.
GARCIA: SO IT STARTED OFF ON A
FUNNY NOTE BECAUSE EVERYBODY
WAS CELEBRATING THE CHANGING OF
COLUMBUS DAY TO INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES DAY, WHICH IS A GREAT
THING, BUT AS THE FESTIVITIES
WERE TAKING SHAPE, I WAS, LIKE,
"WELL, WAIT A MINUTE. LIKE,
IT'S KIND OF ODD THAT WE'RE
GONNA CELEBRATE INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES DAY IN A PARK THAT HAS
A COLUMBUS STATUE." SO I JUST
KIND OF FLIPPANTLY THREW THAT
OUT ON FACEBOOK. PEOPLE REACTED
TO IT IMMEDIATELY, AND I THINK
THAT NIGHT SOMEBODY WENT AND
THREW, LIKE, PAINT ON IT. 9
MONTHS LATER NOW, A PUERTO RICAN
ARTIST TANYA MELENDEZ, WHO
IDENTIFIES AS TAINO--THIS IS
DURING THE HURRICANE, HURRICANE
MARIA, ONE THAT HIT PUERTO RICO.
THERE WAS NO COVERAGE IN THE
NEWS, SO HER AND I WERE TALKING,
AND WE DECIDED TO GO TURN TO THE
COLUMBUS STATUE INTO AN
ALTAR, AND WE WERE MIDWAY IN THE
PROCESS WHEN WE WERE SURROUNDED
BY THE SHERIFFS AND, I GUESS,
THE SECURITY TEAM THERE AT GRAND
PARK, AND THEN THAT INCIDENT
REALLY PUSHED COUNTY OFFICIALS
TO RESPOND AND GETTING THE BALL
ROLLING A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
O'FARRELL: I THINK TO MOST
PEOPLE THIS ISN'T A BIG DEAL,
AND TO MOST PEOPLE, THEY'RE
FAIRLY INDIFFERENT TO IT, BUT
IT'S REALLY NOT OK TO BE
INDIFFERENT TO THE CELEBRATION
OF AN IMAGE OF SOMEONE WHO WAS
PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
COMMITTING ATROCITIES.
[CHEERING AND SHOUTING]
[DRUMS BEATING]
[CHEERING]
DORAME: I ALSO GREW UP IN LOS
ANGELES. I'VE LIVED IN OTHER
PLACES, BUT I FIND MYSELF
CONTINUALLY BACK IN THIS PLACE
THAT I CALL HOME, AND WHY I
HAVE MY WORK LOCATED THERE AND
WHY IT'S SUCH AN
INTERESTING--OR A POINT OF
INTEREST IS BECAUSE OF MY
TONGVA ANCESTRY, AND SO TONGVA
ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE
ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THE
LOS ANGELES BASIN. SO MUCH OF MY
EARLY EXPERIENCE IN EXPLORING
THE CULTURE IN CONNECTION
WITH MY ARTWORK, IT WAS LIKE
UNBURYING THINGS OR DECODING.
WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHY, FOR ME, THE
PHOTOGRAPH ACTS AS THIS KIND
OF RECORD OF MEMORY, THIS WAY TO
CODE SOMETHING AS TONGVA AND
MAKE IT PERMANENT. I FEEL LIKE
MY PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN
ON THIS STANCE OF, LIKE, IN
MEMORIALIZING A SPACE THAT IS
TEMPORARY, WHERE MY ACCESS TO IT
IS TEMPORARY. SO WHEN THIS
CALL CAME OUT TO
THINK ABOUT MONUMENTS, MY
FIRST THOUGHT WAS, "OH, THAT'S
NOT EXACTLY WHAT I DO, BUT I'M
REALLY INTRIGUED BY THIS IDEA."
I WAS WATCHING EVERYTHING GOING
ON AROUND THE SERRA STATUES
COMING DOWN, WHICH WAS SO
INVIGORATING, I GUESS IS
A GOOD WORD, AND THEN I REALLY
STARTED TO THINK, "WELL,
WHAT SHOULD A MONUMENT BE?"
I'VE SPENT ACTUALLY A LOT OF
TIME IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AND YOU WALK AROUND THESE
AREAS WHERE JUST TONS OF PEOPLE
TRAVEL TO THESE PLACES TO LOOK
AT THIS THING THAT REFERENCES
BACK TO A PAST, AND I THINK ONE,
SOMETIMES YOU GET THIS QUESTION
AS A PERSON TALKING ABOUT THESE
DIFFICULT HISTORIES, SUCH
AS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
TONGVA IN LOS ANGELES, AND
PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, WHY DO YOU
NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ANYMORE?
LIKE, CAN'T YOU JUST LET IT GO?"
KIND OF SENTIMENT, AND THEN I
KIND OF THINK OF THIS IN REGARDS
TO THESE MONUMENTS, WHICH ARE
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GATHER TO
REMEMBER, RIGHT? SO THE PROCESS
OF REMEMBERING, I FEEL LIKE,
IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WAY BACK
WHEN I WAS THINKING A LOT ABOUT
WHY AND WHO AND WHAT GETS
REMEMBERED, AND SO WHEN I WAS
THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS
IDEA AND THIS RELATIONSHIP OF
THE HISTORY OF OUR CURRENT
MOMENT AND THE COLUMBUS STATUE,
I REALLY WANTED TO POINT TO NOT
A PERSON. I WANTED TO TAKE THIS
IDEA OF LOOKING UPWARD, WHICH IS
OFTEN THE POSITIONING YOU'RE PUT
IN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE
STATUES, AS WE OFTEN ENCOUNTER
THEM, OF LITERALLY STANDING
AND LOOKING UP, AND INSTEAD
OF HAVING THAT BE A PERSON
OR AN INDIVIDUAL, REALLY
LOOK AT THE CULTURE AS
SOMETHING THAT'S THRIVED.
GARCIA: THE PROJECT THAT
MERCEDES IS REFERRING TO. COMES
FROM NOT JUST THE REMOVAL OF
THE COLUMBUS STATUE. LIKE, IT
COMES SPECIFICALLY FROM THAT
EFFORT, BUT ALSO FROM THIS
QUESTION THAT THE CITY--OR NOT
JUST THE CITY BUT THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY IS TRYING TO, LIKE,
LAND ON IS, LIKE, "HOW DO WE
RECONCILE WITH THIS HISTORY?
HOW DO WE ALLOW FOR THESE
AUTHENTIC STORIES TO COME AND
BE NOT JUST REMEMBERED BUT
HONORED BY EVERY PERSON
WHO INHABITS THE U.S.?"
RIGHT? AND SO FOR ME AND, LIKE,
IN SANDRA'S WORK, LIKE,
YOU KNOW, OUR WORK HAS
BEEN ABOUT FLATTING THOSE
HIERARCHIES, AND THIS
PROJECT THAT MERCEDES'
WORK IS PART OF,
IT'S TITLED "MEMORY AND
FUTURITY AND YAANGNA,"
RIGHT? SO REALLY THINKING
BACK BEYOND THIS NOTION OF L.A.,
OF JUST THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES,
BECAUSE EVEN WITHIN SOCIAL
JUSTICE SPACES, WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT LOS ANGELES AND THE EAST
SIDE, IT ALWAYS BEGINS IN THIS,
LIKE, VERY ROMANTICIZED NOTION
OF BOYLE HEIGHTS, OF, LIKE THIS
COMMUNITY THAT WAS JEWISH,
THAT WAS BLACK, THAT WAS MEXICAN
AMERICAN, JAPANESE, BUT RARELY
IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND
IN THAT NARRATIVE DO YOU HEAR
THE INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE, THE
INDIGENOUS STORIES. SO THE IDEA
OF THIS PROJECT CAME FROM, LIKE,
HOW DO WE AS A ARTS DEPARTMENT
FOR THE COUNTY MOVE TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT FOR NOT JUST TONGVA
FOLKS BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY?
DE LA LOZA: TRADITIONAL
MONUMENTS TEND TO ERECT--BE
BRONZE MONUMENTS, ERECT,
SINGULAR, FIXED, REDUCED,
NARROW NARRATIVES, AND SO I'M
NOT SURE THAT, LIKE, THE
SOLUTION IS TO CREATE
A TRADITIONAL MONUMENT
AND SLAP ON A COUNTER
NARRATIVE ONTO THAT. I'M MUCH
MORE INTERESTED IN HOW CAN
MONUMENTS BE LIVING, ACTIVE
SPACES IN WHICH WE LEARN AND
PROCESS HISTORY. RECENTLY, I
JUST COMPLETED A MEMORIAL
DESIGN. IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE
PROJECT WITH THE ARTIST AND
GREAT FRIEND ARTURO ERNESTO
ROMO, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH
AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
ORGANIZATION CALLED EAST YARD
COMMUNITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, AND THEY REALLY LED
A REALLY ELABORATE PROCESS TO
MEMORIALIZE A SPACE CALLED
SLEEPY LAGOON, WHICH WAS
KNOWN FOR A ROUNDUP OF
TEENS IN THE EARLY 1940s
WHEN A YOUNG PERSON WAS FOUND
DEAD AFTER SOME FIGHTS THE NIGHT
BEFORE. THAT EVENT IGNITED A
WHOLE MEDIA KIND OF FRENZY,
DENIGRATING A WHOLE SUBCULTURE,
AND A SUBSEQUENT ROUNDUP OF
WORKING-CLASS YOUTH, BUT WE
WANTED TO HONOR THAT EVENT, BUT
WE ALSO WANTED TO HONOR THE LAND
ITSELF AND GO TAKE THE HISTORY
BEYOND THAT SINGULAR EVENT.
SO WITHIN THAT MEMORIAL, IT'S
A MEMORIAL THAT HONORS ZOOT
SUIT CULTURE AND YOUTH
CULTURE AND ALSO LOOKS AT THE
HISTORY OF THE LAND ITSELF.
GARCIA: SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY WAS, LIKE,
WHAT IF YOU JUST PLANT OAK TREES
AT GRAND PARK? WHAT IF BRINGING
BACK THESE TREES THAT HAVE, YOU
KNOW--THAT INVITE THEIR OWN
ECOSYSTEM IS THE BEST MONUMENT
THAT WE CAN DO FOR L.A.? YOU
KNOW, LIKE, INDIGENOUS MEMES,
LIKE, OH, MY GOD, SO HILARIOUS,
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
ALWAYS SURFACES IS, LIKE, YOU
KNOW, WHEN FOLKS STOP WHATEVER
THEY'RE DOING, WHETHER THEY'RE
DRIVING OR WHATEVER, JUST TO
LOOK AT A HAWK FLYING BY OR AN
EAGLE FLYING BY, AND IT'S ALSO
SAD THAT, LIKE, WE GO TO THESE
GREAT LENGTHS TO INTERACT
WITH, LIKE--MERCEDES IS LAUGHING
BECAUSE IT'S TRUE--THAT WE GO TO
THESE GREAT LENGTHS TO INTERACT
WITH THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE PART
OF THE CITY OR PART OF THE
SPACE, THAT THE BEST THING WE
COULD DO IS HELP THEM COME BACK.
DORAME: I THINK THERE IS THIS
KIND OF INTERNAL, LIKE, HUMAN
PART OF US THAT GATHERS IN
THOSE PLACES. IT ALSO MAKES ME
THINK OF SLEEPY LAGOON. LIKE,
WHY WAS THAT A PLACE THAT
EVERYONE GATHERED? LIKE, WHO
DOESN'T WANT TO GO SWIMMING IN
THE SUMMER, RIGHT? IT'S KIND OF
THIS HUMAN DRIVE TOWARD THESE
SPACES THAT INVITE US RIGHT?
AND I THINK SO OFTEN THESE KIND
OF TRADITIONAL MONUMENTS AS WE
SEE THEM ARE NOT INVITING
NECESSARILY. SO I FEEL LIKE
HAVING OAK TREES WOULD HAVE THIS
POTENTIAL OF GATHERING AND
POINTING TO SOMETHING AND PAYING
ATTENTION TO SOMETHING AND MAYBE
LEARNING OR RECONNECTING.
GARCIA: THAT STATUE AT OLVERA
STREET BEING GONE NOW HAS
STARTED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
RETURNING LAND TO THE TONGVA
COMMUNITY. THAT SIMPLE ACTION
HAS MADE IT--YOU KNOW, IT'S
MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO
HAVE, LIKE, THESE BIG, BIG
QUESTIONS.
WOO: IT'S BEEN CLEAR FOR A
WHILE NOW THAT SO MUCH OF HOW
WE LIVE IS GOING TO HAVE TO
CHANGE, AND THAT INCLUDES THE
WAYS THAT WE CREATE,
PARTICIPATE IN, AND WITNESS
CULTURE. FRANKLY, WITH SO MANY
PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH JUST
BASIC NEEDS, YOU HAVE
TO ASK WHAT'S
THE POINT OF CULTURE AT A TIME
LIKE THIS? SO NOW WE'RE GOING
TO CHECK IN WITH SOME ARTISTS
AND CULTURE WORKERS THAT HAVE
TAKEN ON SOME VERY DIFFERENT
ROLES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE PANDEMIC, AND THEY'VE
CONTINUED TO ADAPT THEIR
WORK AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
[SOUZA MARCH PLAYING]
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
KRISTINA: KRISTINA WONG!
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
I BECAME THE REAL-LIFE ELECTED
OFFICIAL OF SUB-DISTRICT 5
WILSHIRE CENTER KOREATOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL. HOW DID I
WIN OVER THOSE 72 VOTERS IF YOU
INCLUDE THE VOTE THAT I CAST
FOR MYSELF?
[LAUGHTER]
WAS IT MY HEART-STIRRING
MESSAGE, MY VISION FOR MAKING
KOREATOWN A SAFE HAVEN FOR ALL
IMMIGRANTS, MY MISSION TO
PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE? IT
WAS ALL THAT, BUT IT WAS
ESPECIALLY MY ABILITY TO PASS
AS KOREAN!
[GONG]
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
53.5% OF KOREATOWN IS LATINX,
AND I AM NOT ABOVE HISPANDERING
TO THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
WOO: IN THIS ROUNDTABLE, WE'RE
GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT
MEANS TO PROVIDE DIRECT
SERVICES OR TO ACT AS A SECOND
RESPONDER AS A CULTURAL
PRACTICE AND ABOUT CULTURE AS
AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE. WE'LL
SPEAK WITH: KRISTINA WONG, A
COMEDIAN WHO ORGANIZED A SEWING
SQUAD THAT CREATES AND
DISTRIBUTES PROTECTIVE GEAR;
JIA GU, AN ARCHITECT AND ARTS
ORGANIZER WHO REORGANIZED HER
SPACE TO SUPPORT WATER
DISTRIBUTION; AND VIJAY GUPTA, A
VIOLINIST WORKING TO KEEP
CULTURAL CONTINUITY THROUGH
THE PANDEMIC IN L.A.'s SKID ROW.
DO YOU CONTINUE DOING YOUR
PERFORMANCE WORK OR YOUR MUSIC
OR YOUR ARCHITECTURE ALONGSIDE
THIS OTHER KIND OF WORK, OR IS
IT INSTEAD OF, OR HOW DO HOW
DID THESE THINGS RELATE TO EACH
OTHER?
WONG: I WANT TO JUMP IN AND SAY
THE REASON WHY I RAN FOR OFFICE
TWO YEARS AGO AND BEFORE THAT
IS I WAS REALLY IN A PLACE
WHERE I COMMENT A LOT ON THE
WORLD IN MY WORK, AND IT
DIDN'T MAKE SENSE ANYMORE FOR
PEOPLE TO COME INTO THEATERS
AND PAY TICKET MONEY FOR ME TO
GO, "ISN'T IT CRAZY? ISN'T THIS
CRAZY?" AND I LITERALLY WAS,
LIKE, ARTISTS AND POLITICIANS
HAD SWITCHED JOBS. THEY NOW
CREATE THE SHOCK AND SPECTACLE
THAT HAVE US QUESTIONING
REALITY. WE NOW RECLAIM THE
QUIET SPACE FOR SOCIAL TRUTH,
AND WE'RE BASICALLY WHAT'S LEFT
TO BE THE SOCIAL WORKERS BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO
HAVE THERAPISTS AND SOCIAL
WORKERS OUT THERE. SO THAT'S WHY
I DECIDED TO RUN TO
SEE IF IT MADE SENSE FOR
ME TO INJECT MYSELF AS A
CREATIVE IN THAT WORLD.
GU: I THINK VERY SIMILARLY,
LIKE, WE ASK OURSELVES, I MEAN,
LIKE, ALMOST EVERY DAY, LIKE,
IS IT HELPFUL OR HARMFUL FOR AN
ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION
TO STEP INTO A KIND OF
SERVICE-BASED ACTION WHERE WE
DON'T HAVE EXPERTISE ABOUT
SYSTEMS AND, LIKE, BEST
PRACTICES SUPPORTING THE
UNHOUSED, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S
JUST, LIKE, THE NEED IS SO
GREAT, BUT ALSO THE IDEA THAT
IT'S A CULTURE OF SURPLUS IS
REALLY, LIKE, QUITE A DANGEROUS
NEO-LIBERAL IDEA, I THINK,
BUT WE'RE ALL PROBABLY
UNDERSTANDING, BUT I THINK
CULTURE REALLY KIND OF
UNDERGIRDS AND GIVES MEANING
TO EVERYTHING THAT'S
INTOLERABLE ABOUT WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THIS MOMENT. I
THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR, LIKE, ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGS
TO REMEMBER THAT THE WORK
IS REALLY VITAL AND IT'S
REALLY VITAL FOR A KIND OF,
LIKE, VITALITY OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
GUPTA: YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME
TIME, IT'S LIKE THAT QUESTION
OF CULTURE ALWAYS IS ASKED OF,
YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF
WHOSE CULTURE IS IT AND TO WHAT
END, YOU KNOW, AND, ROSTEN, I
JUST WANT TO WANT TO POINT TO
THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, THE
RECENT EXHIBIT "HOW TO HOUSE
7,000 PEOPLE IN SKID ROW." THE
ORGANIZATION THAT I FOUNDED 12
YEARS AGO, STREET SYMPHONY, AND
THE LOS ANGELES POVERTY
DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY SHARE
OFFICE SPACE AT THE SITE OF
ROSTEN'S NEW EXHIBIT, AND
THE WORK OF STREET
SYMPHONY OVER THE LAST 12
YEARS HAS BEEN TO CREATE A
RELATIONAL LABORATORY FOR
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND INCARCERATION,
RECOVERING FROM HOMELESSNESS,
INCARCERATION ACROSS LOS ANGELES
COUNTY, AND SO THE WORK OF
STREET SYMPHONY NOW THROUGH
COVID HAS BEEN TO CONTINUE
TO SHOW UP TO MAKE MUSIC IN
COMMUNITIES IN RECOVERY,
COMMUNITIES IN REENTRY, MOSTLY
BASED IN SKID ROW, OFTEN THROUGH
ZOOM, WHICH HAS NOW ILLUMINATED
FOR US THAT WI-FI IS A PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE, IS A HUMAN RIGHTS
NECESSITY, AND I ACTUALLY FIND
THAT FOR MYSELF I FIND FAR FEWER
FOURTH WALLS UP IN COMMUNITIES
WE ARE LIKELY TO CALL VULNERABLE
OR MARGINALIZED THAN I
DO IN COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE THERE TO CONSUME ART.
WONG: I'LL SAY IT ALSO THAT I
FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME
LIFE--LIKE, LITERAL
LIFE-OR-DEATH STAKES RIGHT NOW,
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SORT OF
MAYBE WHAT VIJAY WAS TALKING
ABOUT, BUT, LIKE, THIS IS THE
TIME WHEN YOU CUT THE B.S. OUT
OF YOUR SCHEDULE, AND YOU
GO--YOU REALLY CUT TO WHAT
MATTERS AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO? WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TO
CREATE?
WOO: DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS HAS
CHANGED THE WAY YOU WANT TO
PRACTICE YOUR OTHER WORK, THE
REST OF YOUR WORK OR CHANGE
YOUR PRACTICE KIND OF GOING
FORWARD IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY?
WONG: IF THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY
DOES NOT SHIFT THE WAY ANY
ARTIST IS MAKING OR THINKING
ABOUT THEIR WORK, THEN THERE'S
SOMETHING REALLY, LIKE,
WRONG--YOU'RE WRONG, ARTIST,
YOU'RE WRONG! LIKE, THIS IS A
HUGE WAKEUP CALL THAT THE WAY
WE'VE BEEN PROCEEDING HAS NOT
BEEN RIGHT. SO WITH THAT SAID,
YES. FIRST, I THOUGHT, "OK. I'M
JUST GONNA MAKE A FEW MASKS.
FACTORY MASKS WILL SHOW UP,"
AND THEN IT WAS LIKE, "OOPS.
SYSTEMIC RACISM HAS LEFT
ALL THESE PEOPLE WITHOUT
MASKS. I GOT TO GO HELP THEM,"
SO I FOUND MYSELF JUST SO
OVERWHELMED I STARTED THIS GROUP
CALLED THE AUNTIE SEWING SQUAD
BECAUSE SO MUCH LITERAL SWEAT,
BLOOD, AND TEARS HAVE GONE INTO
MAKING THESE MASKS AND DOING
THIS WORK ON BEHALF OF US. IT
DOES FEEL LIKE AN ART PROJECT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M RUNNING A
NONPROFIT WITHOUT THE NONPROFIT
STATUS. I FEEL LIKE I AM RUNNING
AN ENSEMBLE THEATER EXCEPT
INSTEAD OF ACTORS I HAVE PEOPLE
SEWING AT HOME, AND I'M
TRYING TO JUST
COORDINATE THEM,
AND IT'S, LIKE, THE VERY FIRST
POST WAS LIKE, "DON'T BE
A BULLY. ONLY TALK ABOUT MASKS."
THIS IS MY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR
AUNTIE SEWING SQUAD. WITHIN
3 MONTHS, WE HAD
CORE VALUES, A MISSION
STATEMENT. I WAS LIKE, "WHAT
THE HELL? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?"
GU: SOME THINGS ARE REALLY
DIFFICULT, LIKE, GETTING
5 MILLION MASKS OUT, BUT SOME
THINGS ARE REALLY SIMPLE, LIKE
JUST TURN ON THE WATER FOUNTAIN
IN THE PARK, RIGHT, AND JUST
ALLOW PEOPLE TO STAY WHERE THEY
HAVE THEIR TENTS AND DON'T
SWEEP THEM, BUT ONE THING WE
IDENTIFIED THAT WAS, LIKE, A
SKILLSET WE HAVE IN OUR ORG IS
THAT WE'RE GOOD AT ORGANIZING,
AND SO AT THE VERY LEAST, WE
CAN BUILD UP CERTAIN KINDS OF
SOCIAL-POLITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURES, LOGISTICAL
INFRASTRUCTURES THAT WOULD
THEREFORE AT LEAST ENABLE
ANOTHER ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE
SOME OF THAT WORK. WE'RE, YOU
KNOW, OPEN TO THESE OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS SORT OF BORROWING
SPACE FROM US, AND AS AN
ORGANIZATION, THAT'S SORT OF OUR
WAY OF WORKING IS WE BORROW
A LOT OF SPACE FROM OTHER
PEOPLE. SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF
AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP
THAT'S BEEN SET UP AROUND, LIKE,
ACCESS TO PROPERTY, YOU KNOW.
GUPTA: I DO THINK THAT THERE IS
A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE
HAD AROUND THE SHIFT THAT HAS
TO HAPPEN IN HOW WE SUPPORT THE
ARTS, THAT RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO
CONTINUE HAVING THE
CONVERSATION THAT BIGGER IS NOT
BETTER BECAUSE RIGHT NOW BIGGER
IS DOING NOTHING. RIGHT NOW,
IT'S THE SMALL WHO ARE DOING.
SO HOW DO WE SHIFT THE
CONVERSATION FROM EXTRACTIVE
PHILANTHROPY, ESPECIALLY IN
THIS KIND OF CODED LANGUAGE
AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
AND SOCIAL IMPACT AND SOCIAL
INNOVATION, TO ACTUALLY
BEING WHAT IT REALLY NEEDS
TO BE, WHICH IS MUTUAL AID?
WOO: TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, I'VE
HARDLY BEEN OUTSIDE SINCE
MARCH. AND WHEN I HAVE, I'VE
BEEN TAKING MY KIDS TO THE
BEACH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK,
BUT FROM MY CAR WINDOW, I CAN
SEE THE WORLD TRYING TO
RECONFIGURE ITSELF WITH THESE
NEW SPATIAL RULES. IF WE NEED
TO BE DOING MORE OUTSIDE NOW,
HOW DO WE REORGANIZE THIS
PUBLIC SPACE? HOW DO WE MAKE IT
FAIR? HOW DO WE MAKE IT BETTER?
HARRIS-DAWSON: DESTINATION
CRENSHAW IS AN OPEN-AIR
PEOPLE'S MUSEUM THAT RUNS ALONG
CRENSHAW BOULEVARD DESIGNED TO
CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN LOS
ANGELES TO OUR CITY, TO OUR
STATE, OUR COUNTRY, AND WORLD.
WOMAN: WE'VE DONE A LOT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH AND
WELFARE OF LOS ANGELES, AND WE
WANTED TO TELL THE STORY.
HOWARD: THESE ARE THEIR
EXPERIENCES. THESE ARE THEIR
STORIES THAT WE'RE TELLING
STRAIGHT FROM THEIR MOUTH INTO
THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
FINLEY: AND THIS IS PART OF OUR
CULTURE. THIS IS OUR CULTURE.
HARRIS-DAWSON: DESTINATION
CRENSHAW GREW OUT OF A
LONG-HELD TRADITION IN THE
BLACK COMMUNITY, THAT IS TO
TURN DISENFRANCHISEMENT AND
DISCRIMINATION INTO
OPPORTUNITIES AND BENEFITS FOR
OUR COMMUNITY.
WOMAN: I THINK
DESTINATION CRENSHAW HELPS
SOLIDIFY A FOOTPRINT IN
LOS ANGELES BECAUSE I THINK IT'S
A VERY VISIBLE REMINDER THAT
PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF CRENSHAW BOULEVARD.
FINLEY: WE HAVE PUT DOWN SOME
SERIOUS, SERIOUS CULTURAL
ROOTS, SO WE NEED TO BUILD ON
THAT.
HOWARD: THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
ENGAGING. THIS IS ABOUT
PARTNERING IN THE DESIGN WITH
PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR
COMMUNITY, THEIR HISTORY, THEIR
ASPIRATIONS, AND SO WE NEED
THEM.
KEITH: THERE NEED TO BE KIND OF
VISUAL REMINDERS THAT THIS IS A
PROUD AFRICAN AMERICAN
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I THINK
DESTINATION CRENSHAW IS
ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN.
WOO: NEXT, WE'RE JOINED BY SOME
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING
THROUGH THESE COMPLEX ISSUES IN
CONCRETE WAYS. WE'LL TALK TO:
LYRIC KELKAR FROM INCLUSIVE
ACTION FOR THE CITY;
CHRISTOPHER HAWTHORNE, L.A.'s
CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER; AND CITY
COMMISSIONER AND CICLAVIA CHIEF
STRATEGIST TAFARAI BAYNE.
I THOUGHT WE WOULD TALK ABOUT
PUBLIC SPACE. LIKE, WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN NOW? WHAT ARE THE
WAYS IN WHICH, LIKE, WE'RE
RETHINKING IT, AND WHAT ARE THE
LESSONS WE'RE LEARNING AT THIS
TIME, AND WHAT CAN WE KIND OF
TAKE FROM THIS MOMENT THAT WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE FORWARD
IN THE WAY WE PLAN AND LIVE IN
THE CITY?
KELKAR: SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
BEEN THINKING ABOUT A LOT FOR
MANY YEARS FOR PUBLIC SPACE IS
WHO HAS ACCESS TO IT AND
ESPECIALLY AS AN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ENGINE, REALLY
SPECIFICALLY STREET VENDORS,
SO STREET VENDORS ARE, LIKE,
REALLY AN INTEGRAL PART OF L.A.
CULTURE, AND WE THINK ABOUT HOW
WE CAN INCLUDE THEM AS A SOURCE
OF LOCAL ECONOMY. THEY SELL A
LOT OF FOOD GAPS. THEY PROVIDE
SERVICES TO A LOT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND HOW WE CAN
MAKE SURE THAT ESPECIALLY AS
FOLKS MOVE OUTSIDE AND USE
PUBLIC SPACE MORE, HOW DO WE
ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN USING IT FOR A REALLY
LONG TIME ARE ABLE TO ACCESS
IT IN AN EQUITABLE WAY AND
GET A PIECE OF THIS PIE?
BAYNE: AND RIGHT NOW, I
MEAN--LYRIC UNDERLINED IT FIRST
WITH ACCESS TO SPACE, PUBLIC
SPACE AND THE RIGHT TO BE, THE
RIGHT TO EXPRESS IN PUBLIC
SPACE. I THINK WE'RE REALLY
THINKING ABOUT NOW RESILIENCE
IN THESE SPACES AND WHAT IT
MEANS TO LOOK AT THE NEXUS OF
SERVICES, CULTURE, AND HEALING
THAT IS GOING TO BE KIND OF OUR
FUTURE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC
SPACES, SO I THINK THOSE ARE A
LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE RACKING
AROUND MY BRAIN RIGHT NOW
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE.
HAWTHORNE: THE WAY IN WHICH WE
HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS,
THE RACIAL JUSTICE CRISIS, AND
A CLIMATE CRISIS PLAYING OUT AT
THE SAME TIME IS REALLY
UNPRECEDENTED. YOU KNOW, I
SUPPOSE ONE COULD SAY IT OFFERS
UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES.
I'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO STAY
AWAY FROM THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
SUFFERING, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS, SO MANY
PEOPLE ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A
LIFELINE AT THIS MOMENT
IN RESPONSE TO
AND IN DEALING WITH ALL
3 OF THOSE.
WOO: WHAT'S ALREADY GOING ON IN
TERMS OF THE WAYS THAT PUBLIC
SPACE IS BEING RECONFIGURED
BOTH AT THE LEVEL OF POLICY AND
ALSO JUST AT THE LEVEL OF
ACTUAL HUMAN ACTIONS LIKE THE
INFORMAL?
HAWTHORNE: RIGHT. I THINK THAT
IT TOOK A WHILE FOR EVEN THE
MEDICAL COMMUNITY, TO SAY
NOTHING OF FOLKS WORKING ON
POLICY, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
WHAT THE IMMEDIATE LESSONS ARE
ABOUT HOW THIS VIRUS OPERATES.
I MEAN, WE WERE IN THE DARK FOR
SO LONG, AND I REMEMBER AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE CRISIS--I'M
SURE EVERYBODY RECALLS--HOW
MANY PHOTOGRAPHS WE ALL SAW ON
THE FRONT PAGE OF NEWSPAPERS
AND THEIR WEB SITES OF EMPTY
PUBLIC SPACES. REMEMBER, THERE
WAS ALWAYS THOSE SLIDE SHOWS OF,
YOU KNOW, MILLENNIUM PARK,
CHAMPS-ELYSEES, TIMES SQUARE
TOTALLY DEVOID OF PEOPLE, AND
THE MESSAGE THAT THAT SENT WAS
THAT THERE WAS SOME DANGER
IN PUBLIC SPACE OR BEING OUTSIDE
WHEN, IN FACT, PUBLIC SPACES
WERE BEING CLOSED AS A WAY TO
KEEP--AND I THINK WE LEARNED
THIS LESSON MORE OVER TIME--THEY
WERE REALLY CLOSED TO KEEP
PEOPLE FROM GOING FROM ONE
INTERIOR SPACE TO ANOTHER. SO
THE FIRST THING I'D SAY IS I
THINK, PARTICULARLY IN THE
MESSAGES WE SENT OR THE WAYS IN
WHICH WE SYMBOLIZE THE ROLE OF
PUBLIC SPACE HERE, WE GOT OFF
TO AN UNFORTUNATE START
FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW.
WOO: I BARELY HAVE GONE OUTSIDE.
LIKE, I'VE BARELY BEEN OUT
SINCE MARCH EXCEPT FOR TO THE
LOCAL PARK. YOU KNOW, I CAN
SOMETIMES SEE THINGS OUT MY
WINDOW, BUT, LIKE WHEN YOU--YOU
KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO,
LIKE, YOUR WHOLE KIND OF
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS IS PEOPLE,
HOW ARE PEOPLE USING THE
STREETS?
KELKAR: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED PRETTY EARLY ON IN THE
PANDEMIC IN THE CITY OF L.A.
WAS A BAN ON STREET VENDING
OR, LIKE, AN EFFECTIVE BAN ON
THE WORK THAT THEY DO, AND
THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR
STREET VENDORS BECAUSE THAT'S
THEIR LIFELINE. THEY'RE VERY
LOW-INCOME ENTREPRENEURS.
THEY'RE BUSINESS OWNERS.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THEY MAKE ENDS MEET, AND
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN
AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND THE
ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT'S ENSUED,
YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE VERY LOW
INCOME TYPICALLY. THERE WAS
A BAD MESSAGE COMING FROM POLICY
SAYING THAT STREET VENDORS WERE
NOT A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE,
WHEREAS I PERSONALLY--AND I KNOW
A WHOLE MOVEMENT OF FOLKS WHO
BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE VERY MUCH
A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE, AND
THEY ARE THE MOST EQUIPPED
TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION
THEIR BUSINESS INTO
A PANDEMIC-COMPLIANT--AN
INDEPENDENT AND COMPLIANT WAY,
YOU KNOW. SO NOW FAST FORWARD
6 MONTHS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT
THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE CITY
OF L.A. TO ALLOW FOR FOLKS
TO BE OUTSIDE AND UTILIZE
THE SPACE IN A GREAT WAY.
BAYNE: I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS
CITY KIND OF EVOLVE THROUGH
THIS PROCESS. YOU KNOW, I
APPRECIATE LYRIC'S CONVERSATION
AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE DYNAMICS
OF PUBLIC SPACE RIGHT NOW IN
TERMS OF, LIKE--LIKE, FOR
CICLAVIA, WE'VE THOUGHT MORE
ABOUT STREET VENDING MORE IN
THESE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THE
DYNAMIC OF THE NEGOTIATIONS OF
THE STREET SPACE BETWEEN
BUSINESSES, STREET VENDORS,
PEDESTRIANS, WHEELCHAIRS. I
MEAN, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE NOW
VYING FOR THAT PUBLIC SPACE, FOR
THAT SIDEWALK, FOR THAT STREET
SPACE, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY
AWARE OF THE CONFLICTS THAT
EXIST IN THOSE SPACES, BUT I
THINK THEY'VE COME MORE
TO BEAR IN THIS MOMENT
WHERE EVERYBODY NOW IS
FIGHTING FOR THAT SIDEWALK.
WOO: YOU BROUGHT UP THIS IDEA,
TAFARAI, OF KIND OF LIKE A
STRUGGLE OVER WHO AND WHO GETS
ACCESS TO THE SPACE. THERE'S A
FINITE AMOUNT OF SPACE. HOW DO
YOU DECIDE WHO GETS ACCESS TO
IT? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS SORT OF,
LIKE, THE DEFAULT SOLUTION THAT
WE KIND OF--THAT WE SEEM TO BE
HEADING TOWARDS RIGHT NOW, AND,
LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME
INTERVENTIONS OR SOME
ALTERNATIVES THAT THAT YOU CAN
IMAGINE, LIKE, WOULD BE BETTER
THAN THE DEFAULT?
BAYNE: YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK
AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MANY OF
THE CITIES, SO MANY OTHER CITIES
HAVE BEEN WAY MORE DYNAMIC
ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH
THEIR STREET SPACE. YOU KNOW,
AND I FAULT ALL OF US. YOU
KNOW, LIKE I JUST FEEL LIKE THE
DEFAULT ABOUT HOW FLEXIBLE WE
ARE WITH HOW WE USE THAT
ASPHALT, IT'S BEEN VERY
FRUSTRATING FOR, I THINK, A LOT
OF PEOPLE. LIKE, I HAVE A SLOW
STREET NEAR MY HOUSE, AND I BIKE
IT EVERY DAY TWO MILES. IT
GIVES ME GREAT EXERCISE IN A WAY
THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BIKE
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD NORMALLY.
SLOW STREETS IS A PROJECT BY
LOS ANGELES
DEPARTMENT--LADOT--DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION TO
ESSENTIALLY--SIMPLY TAKE A
RESIDENTIAL STREET IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MAYBE A MILE
SEGMENT, TWO-MILE SEGMENTS, AND
YOU BASICALLY PUT A-FRAMES IN
THE STREET AND DESIGNATE WITH
THE A-FRAMES THAT IT'S FOR
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS. SO
SLOW STREET. SO CAR TRAFFIC IS
EXPECTED TO GO THROUGH VERY
SLOWLY. IT JUST MAKES IT TO A
MIXED USE STREET ESSENTIALLY FOR
SEGMENTS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A GREAT
LITTLE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S ALSO
SO LIMITED TO JUST THESE
NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, AND
THAT ENERGY IS SOMETHING THAT WE
SHOULD BE BUILDING ON FOR,
YOU KNOW, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
AROUND SUPPORTING LOCAL,
SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW,
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BE
OUT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
WOO: WHAT, LIKE, WOULD BE A
NON-DEFAULT, LIKE, EXPANSIVE
IDEA OF HOW WE COULD BE
RECONFIGURING THIS? ARE THERE
THINGS THAT COME TO MIND OR
THAT SEEM LIKE MODELS OR GOALS?
HAWTHORNE: DEFAULT HERE FOR SO
LONG AND FOR TOO LONG HAS BEEN
CAR-MOBILITY, MOTORDOM,
ACCESS FOR DRIVERS, AND, YOU
KNOW, WE SPENT ALMOST 75 YEARS
BUILDING UP A CITY THAT WAS
DESIGNED TO PRIORITIZE THAT
KIND OF MOVEMENT, AND CICLAVIA
AND SOME OTHER EVENTS HAVE BEEN
HUGELY INFLUENTIAL AND
BEGINNING TO DISLODGE THAT, AND
SO MUCH OF THE WORK WE FACE, I
THINK, IN REMAKING CITIES HAS
NOT TO DO WITH MAKING AS MUCH
AS MUCH AS UNMAKING OR
DISMANTLING, AND THAT'S
CERTAINLY TRUE WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THE CULTURE OF MOTORDOM IN
LOS ANGELES. THE LAST DECADE HAS
BEEN FULL OF EXPERIMENTS IN SORT
OF EPHEMERAL OR TEMPORARY
CHANGES TO THE STREETSCAPE THAT
ALLOWED US TO SEE AND USE THAT
SPACE IN NEW WAYS, AND CICLAVIA
IS ABSOLUTELY AT THE HEART
OF THAT, BUT WE ALSO HAD THE
ENDEAVOR SPACE SHUTTLE MOVING TO
THE CITY, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLY
INFLUENTIAL AND DREW AN
INCREDIBLE CROSS-SECTION OF
FOLKS OUT INTO PUBLIC SPACE TO
SEE THIS VERY STRANGE SIGHT. WE
HAD THE ROCK GOING THROUGH THE
STREETS OF L.A. GOING TO LACMA,
THE LEVITATED MASS PIECE,
AND THEN WE'VE HAD VARIOUS WAVES
OF PROTESTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN,
AGAIN, HUGELY INFLUENTIAL, SO
BEGINNING WITH THE IMMIGRATION
RIGHTS PROTESTS THAT FILLED
THE STREETS IN 2006,
EVEN BEFORE CICLAVIA, AND I
THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT AWAITS
US NOW--AND THIS IS A REALLY
GOOD MOMENT, THRESHOLD TO THINK
ABOUT IT IS HOW MANY OF THOSE
CAN BECOME PERMANENT, NOT JUST
THE ONES THAT WERE ALLOWED OR
UNLEASHED BY THE PANDEMIC, BUT
THESE ARE FORCES THAT HAVE BEEN
MOVEMENTS, FORCES, THAT HAVE
BEEN BUILDING FOR MUCH LONGER
THAN A DECADE, AND WE'RE AT A
MOMENT WHERE WE CAN THINK ABOUT
WHICH ONES OF THOSE I THINK WE
CAN TRY TO FORMALIZE OR MAKE
PERMANENT, AND THAT'S REALLY THE
CHALLENGE AND THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT WE FACE AT THIS MOMENT.
KELKAR: IN L.A., WE KNOW THAT
THERE'S BOTH THE UNHOUSED
POPULATIONS THAT EXIST IN
PUBLIC PARKS, AND THERE'S ALSO
STREET VENDORS, WHO DO A LOT OF
WORK THERE, SO FIGURING OUT HOW
WE CAN EITHER CHANGE POLICIES
TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE TO ALLOW
FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR
THE SUPPORT THAT PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS NEED
AND LEAN INTO THE DIFFERENT
SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT
THAT BOTH TAFARAI AND
CHRISTOPHER HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN
TERMS OF STUFF LIKE MUTUAL AID
AND HOW WE SUPPORT THE WAYS THAT
THE COMMUNITY HAS CREATED
SOLUTIONS AND DO THAT IN A
RESPONSIBLE, CODIFIED WAY SO
THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO KEEP
DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES. LIKE,
WE NEED TO BE BETTER TOGETHER.
WOO: IS THERE A LESSON THAT
THIS TIME SEEMS TO HAVE TAUGHT
YOU OF, LIKE, HERE'S SOMETHING
I FOUND OUT ABOUT PUBLIC SPACE
IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS?
HAWTHORNE: I WANT TO STRESS
THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS
HAVE BEEN COMING FROM
COMMUNITIES, FROM THOSE
PROTESTS, FROM THE SOCIAL
MOVEMENTS, AND TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT WE'RE TRYING ON THE CITY
SIDE TO LEARN FROM, TO LISTEN
TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE, BUT I
THINK, AGAIN, THE LESSONS HAVE
REALLY COME NOT IN ANY TOP-DOWN
WAY. THEY'VE COME FROM
COMMUNITIES AND FROM ALL OF US
TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION TO HOW
SPACE IS BEING RECONFIGURED.
WOO: THANKS FOR WATCHING WITH
US. THERE'S A LOT TO THINK
ABOUT AFTER LISTENING TO ALL
THOSE DIFFERENT VOICES, BUT I
HOPE YOU FOUND THIS
CONVERSATION HELPFUL,
INSIGHTFUL, OR EVEN INSPIRING.
I KNOW THESE TALKS HAVE BEEN
REALLY USEFUL TO ME, AND I HOPE
THAT THEY WERE OF SOME USE TO
YOU, AS WELL. WE'VE ONLY SHOWN
YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE
CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, BUT IF
YOU GO TO KCET.ORG, YOU WILL
FIND MANY MORE VIDEOS, ARTICLES,
AND PERFORMANCES FROM ACROSS
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THANKS FOR
SPENDING TIME WITH US. STAY
SAFE, BE WELL AND TAKE CARE.
ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR
THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED
BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR
THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND
CULTURE.
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