Community News
Quarantine, YouTube and Puppy Talk with London and Sedona Fuller
To all you parents who can’t stand to hear your safer-at-home kids say “I’m bored” one more time: Meet London and Sedona Fuller. They’ve been quarantined just like the rest of us but have found some fun ways to keep busy. True, the 8-year-old twins say it’s tough having their busy acting careers on hold. […]
CalBike Is Linking Angelenos to Bike Match
Because of the quarantine, local bike shop owners have seen bikes wheeled out of their stores more than ever before. Angelenos who haven’t hopped on a bike in years are back in the saddle, hoping that old adage – you never forget how to ride a bike – is true. Rusty or not, bike riding […]
Help Clear the Shelters this August
Even during this strange, socially distanced year, there are pets in search of a forever home. And your family can help Clear the Shelters – because the popular pet adoption campaign from NBC and Telemundo is back. To help individuals and communities continue to practice safe social distancing measures, the stations’ monthlong effort will feature […]
UNICEF Launches Free Virtual Kids’ Camp That Gives Back
Kids stuck at home this summer can have fun, and help out, through CAMP@HOME with UNICEF Kid Power. The online UNICEF camp features more than 75 short videos (only a couple of minutes long) that guide children through activities and new skills including sports, crafts, cooking and campfire songs. Videos run the gamut from crafts such as […]
JPL’s Pauline Hwang Has Her Sight on Mars
Pauline Hwang is a working parent here on Earth, but she spends her days looking to the heavens. Hwang works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena as the mission operations system manager for the Mars 2020 mission, which will land the Perseverance rover on the planet to study the possibilities for life on Mars. The rover is set to launch on July 20 from Cape Canaveral, […]
Scholarship America Keeps Students’ Dreams Alive
The COVID-19 pandemic might have interrupted the school year for U.S. college students, but their dreams continue. And a local student was one of 21 in the nation to receive Scholarship America’s 2020 Dream Award, a renewable scholarship for students with financial need who have overcome challenges to pursue their college ambitions. L.A. resident and Dream […]
Nickelodeon and Time Kick off Kid of the Year Search
Nickelodeon, Time and Time for Kids have launched the first-ever “Kid of the Year” honor, a multiplatform initiative recognizing extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities. Through Aug. 1, parents, teachers, friends (or anyone!) can nominate someone ages 8-16 who is doing incredible and inspiring work to make the world […]
Kids Can Read Their Favorite Books at Storyline Online Summer Camp
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Storyline Online literacy website streams free storytime videos of actors of all ages reading books for kids. It’s a delightful and literacy-building program, and this summer the foundation is giving kids a chance to get into the act through Storyline Online Summer Camp. To join in, kids just choose their favorite book […]
Teaching Kids to Heal Each Other’s Hearts
The best way to heal a child’s broken spirit is often through the loving gestures of another child, and one local nonprofit is putting its empathy-driven mission in the hands of our youth. Founded 10 years ago by filmmaker/activist Lysa Heslov and her husband, producer Grant Heslov, Children Mending Hearts (CMH) aims to combat bullying […]
L.A. Volunteers are Doing Good
Help. We’ve been living through a spring and summer where plenty of people in our community need it as we all come to terms with the devastating impacts of a health crisis around the world and systemic racial injustices here at home. But even these stormiest of clouds have a silver lining, lately displayed as […]
Fighting for Educational Justice for Black Children
As I wander through this constant maze of eight minutes and 46 seconds murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and all of the other members of my Black family and friends and culture, I think about my six children, the three sons and three daughters that left my womb and are becoming Black […]
Tweens Can Learn Civics – and Contribute to Charties – By Playing Online Games
iCivics, a civic education provider, has launched a summer initiative to engage students and their families in learning important civics skills at home – while also helping to make donations to national and global charities that are working every day to address urgent public needs like healthcare access, food security, racial inequality and youth engagement […]
JOANN Launches Masks for Schools Buy One, Give One Program
Although plans for the fall academic season are far from solidified, one thing is undoubtedly true: students, teachers and staff will be wearing masks when they return. JOANN fabric and craft stores are helping to prepare the nation’s most at-risk schools to get back safely with a new Masks for Schools program. With every pre-made […]
Volunteers Pitch in to Create Now
Create Now is using Fridays to create free fun programming for families on its Facebook and Instagram livestreams. Every Friday, the local nonprofit hosts “Volunteer Takeover Fridays,” offering a variety of arts programming, including fashion design, cooking, music and even TikTok dances. Create Now’s mission is to empower at-risk and high-risk youth and young adults […]
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Keeps Us Looking Up
I have a special place in my heart for Los Angeles Dodgers team manager Dave Roberts. As the first person of color to lead the MLB team, he’s broken barriers while unifying players and fans in new ways. On top of that, he’s a genuinely good guy – hardworking and full of grit, sure, but […]
Rescued Sea Lion Pups Returned to the Ocean
A couple of sea lion pups will spend World Oceans Day – coming up June 8 – back in the ocean, thanks to the Marine Mammal Care Center and Terranea Resort. Both pups were found separated from their mothers and emaciated, but were nursed back to health by Marine Mammal Care staff and were released […]
Hybrid Battery Recycling Company Pivots to Assist Medical Field
Eric Lundgren is a masked superhero of a different sort. As founder and CEO of BigBattery Inc., the largest hybrid battery recycling company in the country, Lundgren is importing millions of KN95 masks, COVID-19 test kits and medical supplies, and is donating mobile emergency power trailers at no cost to Los Angeles-area hospitals to power […]
Red Cross, LAUSD Serve 10 Million Meals in a Month
After one month of partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region reported in April that more than 10 million meals had been provided to students and families at the more than 60 Grab & Go Food Centers across the district. The organization praised the more than than […]
Partnering to Close the Digital Divide
The Weingart Foundation has granted $100,000 to Brotherhood Crusade, Community Coalition and InnerCity Struggle to tackle the food and technology inequities, also known as the digital divide, in Los Angeles and surrounding communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and families in underserved communities are primarily concerned with three major issues: the continuation of education through access to […]
Simona Grace, founder of Moms in Office, is California Mother of the Year
Simona Grace’s quest to help shape the world started at a young age. Growing up in Hungary during the decline of the communist regime, Grace saw the consequences of a lack of democracy firsthand. Searching for a better life, she left her home and family in Hungary and moved to the United States to attend […]
Actress Alyshia Ochse Embraces Slowing Down with Her Family
We are all in this together, so let’s be honest: being a parent during this time is really hard. Cue the Rolling Stones’ song that has been on repeat in my mind as I try to juggle being a conscious parent while working from home: No, you can’t always get what you want But if […]
Talking First-time Motherhood With Daniella Monet
We first met new mom Daniella Monet for our cover shoot and interview a couple of months before COVID-19 hit our shores. We soaked in the warm rays of sunlight pouring through the windows of Monet’s Sherman Oaks home as she and baby Gio gazed at each other in the middle of her big fluffy […]
From FURgotten to Top Dog
Three years ago, a shepherd mix named Sugar and her three week-old puppies were dumped at a “high-kill” shelter in Riverside. The dog family was just hours away from joining the approximately 670,000 dogs euthanized in shelters each year in the U.S. when The Furgotten, an L.A.-based nonprofit dedicated to saving dogs, stepped in and […]
This Father and Daughter Confronted Pain and Healed Together
They say it never rains in Southern California, but on a recent day rain clouds hovered over the hotel lobby where I sat in a corner booth sipping hot chocolate and eating breakfast sandwiches with Peter Harris and Adenike Harris, the father-daughter team behind Pops’nAde, a project they started in 2016 to help others heal […]
Why Your Family Counts in the 2020 Census
Ninety-five percent or about 143 million households in the country will receive an initial invitation to respond to the 2020 Census in their mailboxes between March 12 and 20, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It is important to respond, so that our state has a complete count. Our answers help decide how much money […]
For This Teacher, Tennis and Autism are a Winning Combination
Two things have been consistent throughout much of Emily Werman’s life: autism spectrum disorder and tennis. “I was born into a tennis-playing family, so I was introduced to the sport at an early age,” says the 25-year-old from Chicago, who was diagnosed with autism at age 12. “By that time, I was already playing competitive […]
For the Love of Family, Dance and L.A.
If you’re someone who is never satisfied with your progress, who is always, as singer Ciara puts it, trying to “level up,” you have a trait in common with “Dancing With the Stars” performer Gleb Savchenko. Born in Moscow, Savchenko has been dancing since his legs could hold his weight. Over the years, from Russia to Hong Kong and […]
This Tiny Alpaca Could Make a Big Difference
When alpaca Princess Pumpkin was born, she weighed 5½ pounds and should have been too small to survive. However, Michael James and Amber Cavalier Splier adopted and raised her as a “princess” in their “castle,” eventually letting her venture out in search of friendship with bigger alpacas. They’ve now turned this special alpaca’s story into a children’s […]
4 Ways Community Service Benefits Your Child
For some students, it’s just another box to check, another requirement to fulfill before graduation. For others, community service is a chance to explore possible careers, discover personal talents and interests and connect to their neighborhoods in a deeper and more profound way. Participating in community service can change lives – when students decide to […]
The Builder Bees Hive Offers Fun and Friendship for Girls
Orley Garber’s daughter had a problem that’s pretty typical for those on the autism spectrum: she had trouble making friends. “From preschool, I felt like she didn’t have a place,” Garber says, “because she was really overwhelmed in mainstream settings and she just felt annoyed by ‘the boys who don’t listen’ in special-needs settings.” Around […]
Meet a Mom who Means Business About Cookies
Kelley Hart truly loves what she does. When she was growing up, her parents encouraged her to pursue whatever interested her, and she credits their support with influencing her decision to become a world-traveling saxophone player. After she became a mom, she eventually gave up her musician life to spend more time with her son, […]
Helping Puppies Become Guide Dogs of America
During the holidays, Guide Dogs of America (GDA) launched a hearty campaign to solicit donations and volunteers for the organization, one of the nation’s leading training and learning centers for guide dogs. And while the holidays are over, GDA officials hope you’ll keep its mission top of mind. Through the work of GDA volunteers, staff […]
Youth Cycling Association: Paving a Road to Cycling for All
Royce Felten is an endurance cyclist. That makes sense for so many reasons. At age 14, he has already battled and beaten Hodgkins lymphoma. He has also faced the many challenges that go along with being a person with autism. So, what’s a 100-mile bike ride? “I just like being on the bike for long […]
Meet the Founders of Hope in a Suitcase
The idea for Hope in a Suitcase (HIAS) was born out of a chance introduction between L.A. moms Marsha Austen and Rebecca George, who struck up a conversation outside their children’s elementary school one day. Saddened by the plight of the more than 30,000 children separated from family in L.A. County’s foster care system, the […]
Ryan’s World: Making Toy Reviews and Dental Hygiene Fun
While Ryan Kaji, the kid behind Ryan ToysReview, has 2.5 million more YouTube subscribers than Beyoncé, he tries to keep a low profile. The L.A.-based Kaji family posts Ryan’s toy review videos (www.youtube.com/ryantoysreview) daily, but screen time ends by homework time, which allows the YouTube sensation to make room for music lessons, coding, soccer and tae kwon do. Still, his life […]
Natasha Case: Coolhaus Owner Combines Design and Ice Cream
An architect with good taste, Natasha Case designs cool edible “houses.” She’s the CEO and co-founder of Coolhaus, the ice cream brand she operates with her wife and business partner, Freya Estreller, a realtor and entrepreneur. Combining their design and real estate skills, they started baking cookies and making creative ice cream sandwiches in 2008. […]
Bridgid Coulter: Creating Diverse Spaces with Blackbird House
The moment you enter the new 12,000-square-foot Blackbird House in Culver City, your spirit shifts. With everything from soothing music and wellness and fitness classes to inspired interior designs and chef-curated cuisine, it feels like a retreat. I recently spoke with Bridgid Coulter, the woman behind this innovative co-working space launched by women of color […]
Educators, mentors and advocates celebrate their diversity
Amy Faigin fell into advocacy at a young age, and into teaching by accident. “When I realized at a pretty early age that ableism existed, I was immediately angry about it,” says Faigin, who is autistic and highly gifted. “And I just have never been a person who could keep my mouth shut, so I […]
Lynette Hoy: Developing Toys that Develop Young Minds
Teachers from every corner of the country rely on Lakeshore to furnish their rooms, stock their supplies and provide endless learning opportunities for their students. And each fall, Lakeshore introduces new products as part of its Gifts for Growing Minds collection, which is designed to help parents inspire learning at home. At the helm of […]
Kids for Change: LA Opera Helps Kids Dream Big
The LA Opera Camp for kids offered the perfect meaningful end-of-summer experiences for nearly 80 campers this year. And on Aug. 3, those students got the chance to showcase the performance they’d been practicing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion: “Then I Stood Up: A Civil Rights Cycle.” Over the summer, campers learned about the importance […]
Rebecca Crews: It’s Never Too Late to Be
Rebecca King-Crews, wife of Hollywood comedian and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Terry Crews, has a story to tell. And while it’s no fairy tale, her unique journey from childhood promise in music to choosing her family over career has come full circle. In her second act, King-Crews is bringing Regina Madre, the pseudonym she performs under […]
Meeting Special Needs Family Style
The mission statement on the Ed Asner Family Center website is broad: “To promote self-confidence in differently abled individuals and bring balance and wellness to those individuals and their families.” For neurodiverse kids and young people, this means programming that includes ballroom dancing, voiceover classes, adaptive karate, culinary class, health and fitness, comic-book making, fine […]
The Sasha Project LA: Art That Helps Heal
In some ways, Sasha Bogosian is like many 11-year-old girls you might meet. “I love unicorns and rainbows. My favorite colors are the rainbow colors. I like going to the movies with my friends. I like having sleepovers, going to museums, playing with my dog,” she tells me enthusiastically when we chat on the phone. […]
Life Lessons from Voice Actor Rob Paulsen
When talking to voice actor Rob Paulsen, you never know who might join your conversation. It could be Raphael or Donatello from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” Carl from “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,” “Animaniacs” Pinky and Yakko, or other characters Paulsen has voiced during a career that spans nearly 30 years. At 63, Paulsen is busier […]
‘One Day on the Gold Line’ is an Intersection of Race, Motherhood, Class, Culture
In her new memoir, “One Day on the Gold Line,” Pasadena author Carla Sameth’s aching desire to become a mother, followed by the life she experiences once that dream becomes a reality, will crack your heart open with pain and joy. This collection of loosely woven essays meditates on desire, motherhood, race and culture. Sameth’s […]
Esther Turan: On Creating Opportunities for Women in Film
It’s no surprise that Esther Turan – born and raised in Budapest to a theater family – became a filmmaker. After graduating from the Hungarian Film Academy in 2004, she established Moviebar Productions, featuring an all-female crew, to collaborate with filmmakers in Europe. As a director and producer, Turan creates innovative film projects that are gaining […]
Tomorrow’s Sci-Fi Writers Shine Today
Each May, the Pasadena Playhouse District transforms into a literary mecca. Its streets, alleyways, the playhouse itself and surrounding buildings teem with novelists, memoirists, journalists, food writers, political columnists and actors who cross the brick-laden streets to attend LitFest Pasadena. This year, L.A. Parent was a proud sponsor of a Litfest Pasadena event called The […]
John Ratzenberger: Seasoned Actor’s Work Spans Generations
You and your parents probably remember John Ratzenberger as the know-it-all mailman and bar regular Cliff Clavin on the hit TV show “Cheers,” but your kids have never heard of him. At least, not by those names. Depending on their ages, they may know him as the animated voices of Mack in “Cars,” P.T. Flea […]
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company Celebrates 26 Years
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company hosted its 11th Annual Be Unusual Gala in May. The star-studded event paid homage to 26 years of mentoring, educating and enriching the lives of underserved youth across L.A. through theater-based programs in local schools and juvenile detention centers. The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company Executive Director Melissa Denton says the […]
State’s First Surgeon General Takes on Childhood Toxic Stress
Did your last checkup include discussions of stressors such as physical, emotional and sexual abuse, violence, mental illness or substance abuse in the home, divorce or the incarceration of a family member? If California’s new Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, M.D., has her way, your next one will. Our state’s first surgeon general, Burke Harris, […]
Balancing Motherhood and Caring for Mother Nature
In April, Marissa Christiansen, executive director of Friends of the LA River (FoLAR), was gearing up for the 30th Great LA River Cleanup. She and her team were looking to galvanize 10,000 volunteers to pick up 140 tons of trash along the 51-mile span. But while she was excited to lead FoLAR’s cleanup for another […]
Joy Cho: Making Everyday Products Bring Cheer
Contemporary parents are probably familiar with the fresh, colorful work of Oh Joy! founder and creative director Joy Cho. Her super-popular blog, Oh Joy!, is now in its teen years, and Cho’s lifestyle brand creates cheery versions of everything from luggage to baby clothes to, most recently, Clorox wipes. Her fans are especially looking forward […]
Meet Jennifer Bliss of Vista del Mar Child and Family Services
Jennifer Bliss, LCW, Psy.D., is director of adoptions and foster care at Vista del Mar Child and Family Services, a local nonprofit that provides education, autism, adoption, residential-care, prevention and early-intervention programs. She recently shared some information about herself – and about Vista. What are some of your immediate goals in your new position? Building […]
The Family That Works Out Together
Many of us feel some pressure to “do it all” after we have children. That might look like taking on most (if not all) of the following: providing a safe and stimulating environment for our children, earning money, cooking nutritious meals, maintaining a social calendar and, somehow, staying in shape. It’s a high bar, and […]
Senta Greene: On Raising Strong, Compassionate Kids
Senta Greene is a change-maker. As founder and CEO of Full Circle Consulting Systems, an international consulting firm that specializes in the science of child and adolescent development, transformational leadership and community and family engagement, she is passionate about strengthening families and improving outcomes for children. I spoke with Greene about how she and her […]
The Pop-Ups (and Downs) of Popping Up
Like many L.A. mamas, I turned an innovative idea into a small business. Pop-up stores have been all the rage for a while now, and while you may view them as a trendy wave, they can be a great way to sell and market your products. On the flip side, they can also turn into […]
The Dude-la Helps Build New Dads’ Skills
Brian Salmon was a 19-year-old surfer dude in L.A. when he assisted as coach for his friend’s childbirth. “It was a humbling experience to witness and assist the birth of a human being, just amazing,” says Salmon, now dad to Daisy, 9, and Eva, 14. The life-changing experience led him to open two ultrasound clinics […]
Jessica Chang: Committed to Affordable Quality Daycare
As the mom of a toddler and baby, and the owner of three L.A.-area preschools, Jessica Chang understands the challenges facing parents seeking quality and affordable childcare close to home. Surprised and frustrated by the lack of affordable childcare in her Rancho Park neighborhood, Chang did some research and found that California is among U.S. […]
Products for Greener Parenting
L.A. parents are, in many ways, at the forefront of ecoparenting. Many Angeleno kids grow up visiting farmers markets, recycling their trash and spending time outdoors hiking or at the beach. But many products that our children use every day still contain a cocktail of chemicals. Children’s soaps, moisturizers and other personal-care products often contain […]
Julia Storm: Educating Parents About Digital Media
In my household, we were not on the same page about what age our son should be when he received his first cell phone. My husband (and son) figured turning double digits was the magical time, whereas I’d been thinking more like 13. Or 15. The guys won out, but it has been quite a […]
Because of Them We Can Campaign Launches Black History Subscription Box for Kids
From Instagram to the White House to the everyday household, the Because of Them We Can (BOTWC) campaign has come full circle. In 2013, Eunique Jones Gibson launched the Instagram campaign (@BecauseOfThem) during Black History Month, featuring photos of kids dressed as African American historical and contemporary figures such as Janelle Monae, Langston Hughes and […]
Kids Gym Provides Inclusion for Children – And its Owners
When Howard Luck was graduating from high school, his counselor told him that college would be way too demanding and that he should limit his career aspirations to bagging groceries at a local market. Howard has a variety of learning differences and had been in special education for much of his time in school. He […]
Despite Fire Devastation, Shemesh Enterprises Unique Culinary Program Continues
In the path of the Woolsey Fire that devastated our region in November was a unique occupational program, business and social enterprise that, thankfully, is already rising from the ashes. Shemesh Enterprises is many things to many people. To the farm fellows who work there – all young adults with disabilities – it is a […]
Rachael MacFarlane: First Picture Book Urges Kids to Play Freely
Rachael MacFarlane is best known as a voiceover actress. She currently voices Hayley on “American Dad,” created by her brother, animator Seth MacFarlane, who is also the creator of “Family Guy.” In fact, her partnership with her brother on “Family Guy” launched her voiceover career. MacFarlane’s latest project is a different kind of family collaboration. […]
Truman’s Adventure: A Parakeet, a Dog and a Family Explore L.A.
As a resident of the city that everyone loves to hate (including many of those who live here), it’s refreshing to see works that encourage us to embrace L.A. In her new children’s book, “Truman’s Los Angeles Adventure,” Barbara Dourmashkin, originally from New York but now living in L.A. with her husband and their two […]
Family and Community Pull Together to Battle Rare Disease
When I worked for the Dodgers, I oversaw their community relations’ health pillar, a project designed to reach out to those in the L.A. community who are suffering from serious illnesses, to send them gift packages that included paraphernalia signed by their baseball idols and sometimes to give them a baseball experience of a lifetime. […]
Course Offers Special-Needs Moms a Mindful Return to Work
Having a baby is a transformative experience, bringing intense physical changes and engulfing emotional ones due to the pending needs of this new human. The mind races from nesting to nursing to concern over who will care for this bundle of joy once parents return to work. These concerns are heightened when a child is […]
The Jeffrey Foundation Celebrates 46th Anniversary
The Jeffrey Foundation, an L.A.-based nonprofit serving children with disabilities and their families, recently honored 46 of the foundation’s supporters to celebrate the organization’s 46-year anniversary. “We wanted to show our gratitude to an extraordinary group of supporters who have helped the foundation become the full-service agency that it is today,” said Alyce Morris Winston, […]
Read While You Wait: Libraries and Barbershops Come Together
What do barbershops and books want? A moment in time with your head. And through Read While You Wait, a community-based children’s literacy program, the Los Angeles Public Library aims to use books to capture what’s inside kids’ heads before they get into the barber’s chair. City librarian John F. Szabo and Sr. Field […]
Aida Yodites: An Eye on Fashion and Comfort for Girls
I can’t wait to grow up! they think while they are still trapped in their young bodies, waiting impatiently for signs of adulthood. For boys, it’s that first, almost-invisible hint of a mustache. For girls, the first bra might be the confirmation they need. Aida Yodites remembers her first bra well: the giddiness she felt […]
Helping Out in L.A.
People often ask me how I manage to raise children in a city like L.A. They imply that my hometown is where shallowness abounds while social pressures prevail, where traffic divides communities and, in the absence of a central location, the most vulnerable populations become invisible. When I hear these complaints about the City of […]
‘This Is Us’ Star Lonnie Chavis Expands His #FixYourHeart Message
When NBC’s “This Is Us” star Lonnie Chavis discovered that a few people trolling his Instagram account were making fun of the gap in his teeth, he clapped back. Not with retaliatory words; instead, the 10-year-old sent a message that prescribes self-reflection and self-acceptance as antidotes to eradicating a culture of bullying and low self-esteem. […]
‘From Me to You’ – Letters from a Dad’s Heart
Norman Aladjem made it through a good-size chunk of his adulthood working as an entertainment industry executive and living it up as a child-free bachelor – you know, one of those “commitment-phobic L.A. men.” Hey, those are his words, not mine. When he was a teen in Cleveland, a cheerleader named Laura had been his […]
Six Telltale Signs Your Kid Is a Writer
As a 3-year-old, before I could even spell, I scribbled furiously in the notebooks I kept clutched at my side. My mom says it was a sign that I was going to become a writer. In honor of National Author’s Day (Nov. 1), I interviewed several California authors to discover what similar traits, if any, […]
Share, Care and Give With Food
Aihui Ong knows the universal power of food to show that we care. Years ago, reeling from a divorce and burned out from a 12-year career as a financial software engineer, Ong embarked on a backpacking trip that took her to 20 countries over 12 months. One of her biggest takeaways from her adventures was […]
Book Illuminates Undocumented Family’s Quest for the ‘American Dream’
When people read headlines about undocumented students or the Dream Act, they generally have a vague concept of what the ideas mean and how they affect the people involved. It’s easy to generalize with a 24-hour news cycle. It is even easier to think you understand some of the complex and challenging reasons people come […]
Mother-Daughter Graduates on a Mission to Make a Difference
The 2018 graduation season was doubly special for Cheryl Brown and Nicole Powell. Nicole, 22, earned a graduate degree from Harvard Divinity School and, days later, watched her mom, Cheryl, receive a Juris Doctorate from University of West Los Angeles School of Law. We caught up with the dynamic duo to talk social activism and […]
Mallika Chopra: Making Meditation Accessible for Children and Families
An increasing number of schools and studios throughout the country are introducing children to meditation and yoga to help them deal with stress and overstimulation. Mallika Chopra, mom, author and wellness expert, wants these coping tools to be accessible to all children – even outside a workshop or class. With the publication of her new […]
Author Joey Green Partners with James Patterson for Funny Kids’ Book
Joey Green, co-author of the new middle-grade sci-fi fantasy, “Not So Normal Norbert,” is one funny guy. His resume includes working as a “National Lampoon” writer and as a copywriter at the New York advertising agency J. Walter Thompson. His boss at the agency was a guy named Jim who occasionally wrote murder mystery books. […]
Hometown Basketball Hero Steps up to Save Local Christian School
During the last week of June, Angela Evans, founder of Frederick K.C. Price III Christian School in South Los Angeles, was going to announce that the acclaimed inner-city school was closing its doors after 33 years of service to the community. The school is located on the campus of Crenshaw Christian Center and has substantially […]
Rainbow Edwards-Barris: The Real Bow Tackles Parenting in New Book
If you’ve ever watched ABC’s “Black-ish,” you know that though Rainbow Johnson’s character (played by Tracee Ellis Ross) is a medical professional and mom of five, she is far from a parenting expert. Creator Kenya Barris uses irreverent humor to tackle family matters and societal issues on the show, and Rainbow, despite her best intentions, […]
Jake Monaco: Composing Music for Kids and Cartoons
The next time your kids watch Amazon’s “The Stinky & Dirty Show,” Netflix’s “Dinotrux” or Warner Bros. Animation’s “Be Cool, Scooby- Doo!,” take note of the whimsical music that syncs perfectly with the characters and plots. Film composer Jake Monaco is the artist behind this music, and he has a knack for producing unique tunes […]
Neighborhood Gallery Offers More than Art
Families in the Arlington Heights area of L.A. have a hidden gem in their neighborhood. The Underground Museum, an unassuming storefront art gallery, serves as a community center, farmers market, yoga and meditation studio and outdoor movie theater. Founded by the late painter and installation artist Noah Davis and his wife, Karon Davis, The Underground […]
Chris Erskine: On ‘Daditude,’ Humor and Dealing with Grief
My eyes were a faucet, leaking tears that dropped onto the newsprint and merged with the ink that made up Los Angeles Times writer Chris Erskine’s first column about the death of his oldest son, Christopher, in March. I tried to imagine the columnist at his writing desk, crafting raw grief into words as clear […]
Book Club Hits a Home Run Honoring African-Americans’ Achievements
As baseball season heats up, local children are catching up on some old school stats—specifically, the historical achievements of African American baseball players. Pop quiz: Which baseball player hit more homeruns than Babe Ruth in a single season? The answer is Josh Gibson. While his name may be unfamiliar to some, it’s etched in the […]
Breegan Jane: Designing New Visions for Work and Family
In 2014, Breegan Jane had the kind of wedding that inspires dreams. With glowing skin and an adorable baby bump, she wore a gorgeous sand-colored gown as she and her groom stood barefoot on the beach. But since the couple’s marriage and Leona, a restaurant they owned, fell apart a few years later, she has […]
Millennial Dad: Mother’s Day, Kate’s Way
Every Saturday morning, yard sales generously pepper neighborhoods across the Southland. From the colonial fences of San Marino to the drought-resistant gardens of Venice, Angelenos will eagerly haggle over your refuse. And as a card-carrying member of the minimalist movement, my wife, Kate, likes to host the occasional yard sale to get rid of our […]
A Moment on the Lips, a Lifetime in the Landfill
Sheila Morovati wants you to add one more word to the environmental mantra of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” “Refuse, refuse, refuse,” says the Malibu mom of two. What she wants you to refuse is that plastic straw restaurants plunk unbidden into the glass of water they bring you with your meal. That’ll be easier for folks […]
Local Author’s Memoir Chronicles Summertime Joys and Woes
Summertime. Your kids love it, but do you? You don’t have to answer that. Instead, sit back and live vicariously through Kristen Hansen Brakeman, a La Cañada mom of three daughters and author of “Is That the Shirt You’re Wearing???,” a humorous book that chronicles her family’s shenanigans over two summers. “Normally, I would write […]
The Baby Box Co. Aims to Put Babies to Sleep and Take Parents to School
New parents have many questions, and often turn to Google in their quest for answers. L.A.-based The Baby Box Co. and its global Baby Box University aim to supply information on parenting basics – and actual resources to help parents keep their babies comfortable and safe when theyare sleeping – in one handy package. Inspired […]
Jessica Patay: Helping Moms Be ‘Brave Together’
Rancho Palos Verdes mom Jessica Patay has always found joy and rejuvenation in what she calls “Ya-Ya-Sisterhood” gatherings – warm and hilarious get-togethers with girlfriends over dinner or at the spa or on weekend girlfriend trips. She didn’t let becoming a mom put an end to these outings, but when her middle son, Ryan, was […]
Mike and Heather Spohr: Survival of the Fittest for Parents of Toddlers
If you love “The Walking Dead” but have young children at home, you’ve probably fallen behind in your consumption of the zombie show – or anything like it. Next time you tuck your tot in, get your fix via a hilarious parody of zombie survival guides: “The Toddler Survival Guide.” Written by husband and wife […]
Any Given Sunday: A One-Act about Brunch in Los Angeles
On Sunday, Kate and Isaac Parfrey are awakened by Leo, whose cry pierces through their Westside bungalow. Kate retrieves the 1-year-old and the squeal stops immediately. Silence. Beautiful silence. 6 a.m.: Kate: “Oh no you don’t. You’re getting up, too.” Isaac’s attempt to sleep in is thwarted. He rises and prepares two pots of coffee, […]
Qualifying Families Receive Energy-Saving Solar Panels
As a hard-working mom of six kids (and expecting a seventh), Jessica Bolanos knows a thing or two about saving money – and not just for her family. She spreads the wealth-saving love to families across the L.A. area. As a representative for GRID Alternatives, a non-profit solar installer and solar advocacy organization, Bolanos has […]
Compton/Woodley Los Angeles Enrichment Program Teaches Kids to Fly
On a recent chilly and rainy day at Compton/Woodley Airport, clusters of middle and high school students buzzed around the facility. Some hung out inside the airport’s Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM), staffing the front desk, lounging on couches or working on computers inside the experiential classroom. Others braved the weather and ventured outside. A few […]
L.A. Parent Chat Room: Meet Screenwriter and Author John August
You may know L.A. local John August from his screenwriting credits, which include “Big Fish,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” But, now he’s notched up a new credit: middle-grade novelist. “Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire,” an engaging and exciting blend of magic, mayhem and mystery, introduces readers to 12-year-old Arlo, […]
Calling All Sporty Moms in Los Angeles
As a child, I took to sports with enthusiasm and fortitude. While I was never the strongest member of my teams and I was usually the shortest, the one thing I had on my side was speed. My pint-size demeanor combined with a lifetime of walking twice as fast to keep up with the longer […]
Volunteer Coach-Turned Executive Director Leads Club 42
Imagine a 23-year-old – one who has no children – telling you how to raise your kiddos. That’s just what Erin Jones Wesley, executive director of a baseball and recreation nonprofit called The 42 Initiative, has spent a great deal of her time doing these last few years. “At 23, I said [to the leadership […]
Children’s Book Portrays Kindness as Heroic
There is something special about hearing the elders in your family tell stories. The sound of their voices, coupled with the way they journey through plot twists and describe past events and real-life characters, burrows into listening ears and, sometimes, plants the desire to captivate others with story. For children’s book author Marja Perren, the […]
Getting ‘Centered’ at L.A.’s Nature Centers
It has been one of those weeks of endless traffic, of arguing over screen time, of too much social media and disheartening news reports. So, on a crisp, clear Sunday, I head to Eaton Canyon Nature Center in Pasadena. It is a rare morning when I am alone, so I decide to scope out this […]