In our 68th episode, we chat with Kenny Uong, a Junior student studying Metro and Urban Planning at Cal State Northridge, and one of the most recognizable figures for the urban planning community in Los Angeles today. Kenny and I discuss the roots of his passion for all things Metro, the importance of bus-only lanes for transportation service, Metro’s NextGen rollout, and more. See if you can keep up with Kenny’s various adventures via public transpo on Twitter at @_KennyUong_.
J.T.
In our 67th episode, we chat with Hugo Soto-Martinez. Hugo recently announced his candidacy for the office of the 13th Council District at L.A. City Hall. In this interview, he describes his background as the son of two immigrants who worked as street vendors through South Central Los Angeles, his experience organizing with domestic and service workers as a part of Unite Here Local 11, policy goals he’s interested in for CD-13, and how folks can get involved with his campaign. Learn more about Hugo at his new campaign website.
J.T.
Traveling in Los Angeles is not a fuss,
if everyone rides Metro Rail or Metro Bus.
Going with a friend, you can’t say no,
Since Metro is the way to go!
The county is connected
via public transportation.
Together, we are one big nation.
When we take transit everywhere,
We feel courageous, like a bear.
It’s always exciting
to soar over the traffic
that is causing all of the havoc.
Passengers wait for the train to arrive,
after a work day from nine to five.
Surfing the internet or reading a book,
then into the distance, they all look.
For only a dollar seventy-five,
you don’t have to drive.
To request a stop while riding the bus, simply pull the cord.
But for heaven’s sake, please don’t pull it if you are bored!
A public transit enthusiast like me,
would always use transit to get from Point A to Point B.
I definitely feel positive and free,
when I am not the one who’s driving, you see.
From skyline to sea,
or from SFV to SGV,
people all know
that Metro is the way to go!
K.U.
Kenny Uong is an avid transit rider and transit advocate who is currently an Urban Studies and Planning Major at Cal State Northridge. Having grown up in a household that relied on public transit to get around the region and seeing firsthand how unreliable transit service negatively affects riders, he strives to help improve it in the near future. Kenny originally published this poem in 2016.
In our 66th episode, we chat with Eunisses Hernandez, the co-founder and executive director of La Defensa, a community-based organization dedicated to decarcerating the largest jail population in the U.S, that is, the L.A. County Jail. Eunisses and I delve into her upbringing in Highland Park, as well as how the Great Recession informs her current work in policy-making and advocacy for communities of color. We also discuss her fundamental role in not just passing but overseeing the implementation of Measure J as a part of the Re-Imagine LA Advisory Committee, and even a brand new app that Eunisses and her organization have designed for court attendees called Rate My Judge, which goes live this Monday, July 12th! A galvanizing conversation for any and all organizers through the city.
J.T.
For those who search for and find their podcasts on Spotify, our first official trailer is now live!
J.T.
Listen to barber and entrepreneur, Sergio Morales, describe his journey from work as a security guard in downtown Los Angeles for the BID (Business Improvement District), to opening up his own barbershop in Cypress Park, Los Angeles. Sergio also describes a new certification he just got for scalp micro-pigmentation. To get in touch with him and schedule your haircut, find Sergio’s Instagram: @southpawcuts.
J.T.
In our 65th episode, we chat with Nicole Santa Cruz (@nicolesantacruz), formerly of the Los Angeles Times, and now a reporter for underserved communities in the Southwest with ProPublica (@propublica). Nicole and I discuss none other than the LAT’s Homicide Report, for which she spent over eight years tracking homicides in L.A. County, attempting to “put a face to the name” of people in Los Angeles whose lives were taken by murder or homicide crimes. We discuss the impact of homicides on families and communities in L.A., as well as common misconceptions about victims and their families based on “where they come from” or live, the Victim’s Compensation Program, and more. Learn more about the Homicide Report in Los Angeles here.
J.T.
