grayscale photography of chessboard game

To Chess Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, now Blitzing Across the Stars

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Chess is a game in which perfection is strived for, only for mistakes or inaccuracies to steal the show. This is because to be human is not to be perfect, but to be flawed and yet still capable of brilliance.

A human chess player makes imperfect play something not only still capable of brilliance but even more magical to observe because of how finding our way, then losing it, only to fight our way back isn’t just what it means to be human, but what it means to be truly alive.



There’s still more to learn about just how GM Daniel Naroditsky passed away, but one thing that’s clear to any and everyone who followed his work was that his compassion, which is defined as “Suffering together with another, participation in suffering; fellow-feeling, sympathy,” was extended to anyone and everyone who loved chess, not to mention to all who were just learning the game.



In this moment of mourning, then, I think Naroditsky would ask for compassion not only for his friends and the countless people he inspired and now leaves behind, but for the entire online chess community, however more imperfect we may be in wake of his sudden unavailability to guide us through it anymore.



Indeed, I think Naroditsky, as someone who strove to advance the game with every fiber in his being, would love to see more unity across generations, and despite the borders or other allegiances between us, so we can model for the world how to settle our differences, especially in light of this technologically game-changing moment, honorably and in the interest of every future generation.

J.T.

Tonight we raise a toast: To the Rios-Vela Family

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This evening an array of old friends and neighbors are gathering at The Edmon in Hollywood for a Benefit Jam in honor of Sergio Rios Jr. and Ricardo Rios. At the same time, as Sergio and Amalia Rios prepare to bury their two sons soon, this fundraiser organized by Ivan Robles, Sergio and Ricky’s primo, is nearing its goal; please consider donating to ensure the family can better support Sergio’s two children, each less than two-and-a-half years old, in the days ahead.

J.T.

A Candle for Sergio Rios Jr. and his family, our family

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This is and will always be Sergio Rios Jr., born and raised in our neighborhood; a soul who took care of every last one of us, including me when I was 16 years old in the pit cheering for Rage Against the Machine at Rock the Bells in 2007.

Seven years later, I was fortunate enough to take the lot of these photos during your birthday party at the “Black” bar on Santa Monica Blvd on October 24th, 2014, when you turned 24 years old just a few weeks ahead of me.

Now, there are countless people reeling and whose lives are upended mourning for you and Ricky; now, there are so many eyes across the city worn from tears, so many of our voices gripped by the salt, so many childhoods belonging to the next generation which will only get to hear about you and your other half’s light in every room we got to share with you all.

Now there’s this family you leave behind, and a lifetime of missing you facing us like Mount Wilson in the distance; for your boys, our brothers, now there’s this manhood unlike anything we could ever imagine in our boyhood.

But because I know you wouldn’t back down if the roles were reversed, I promise to take it on to the best of my ability; I trust with everyone else who loves you that you and your people’s name will never, ever be in vain so long as we have a chance to yell it out.

From our neighborhood to the top of Mount Wilson, this is and will always be Sergio Rios Jr.

J.T.

Please Uplift the Name of Luis Ek, whose daughters now miss their Papa

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This Tuesday, April 13th, in the early morning hours, Luis Ek, pictured above this column at the top right with his two daughters, died of unknown causes just a block away from his home while attending to an errand. He was only 31 years old.

Luis Ek (Licho to friends), second from the left, with his clan since childhood in 2007.

As was customary for youth growing up along Virgil avenue in the early 2000s, Luis attended Lockwood Elementary, King Middle school, and John Marshall High school.

Also true to the fashion for many young Latinx kids in our community, Luis came to love heavy metal music at an early age in his life, and was as true to the form, replete with the rockero style of black hoodies, jeans, and skateboards, as he was loyal to his many friends, primos, and more who knew him.

One of Luis’s life-long friends and neighbors, Rene Martinez, noted of Luis, whose nickname was Licho:

“Happy, always smiling, ready to crack jokes. And always willing to help no matter what. Always had your back.”

In his early twenties, Luis became a father of two girls. After a separation from their mom, Luis faithfully attended to his daughters as their single parent. His daughters will now miss their papa, who could often be seen walking with the girls along Virgil avenue on their way to school, or just out for a stroll along Hoover street and the accompanying thoroughfares.

Constantly on his feet, one could also run into Luis picking up some pupusas after work at local California Grill, or laughing with one of the compradres over a drink after work. He was rarely ever truly alone; constantly on his way to someone, or for someone, in good spirits.

In 2018, for our community’s first-ever Back 2 School Party, Luis attended the show with his daughters, reliably smiling on. Our main photographer for the event, Samanta Helou-Hernandez, captured this photo of the trio.

Luis Ek (Licho), with his two daughters at the first-ever Back 2 School Party in East Hollywood; August 25, 2018. Photo courtesy of Samanta Helou-Hernandez at This Side of Hoover.

Luis is now survived by his two daughters, his mama and papa, siblings, tios, tias, primos, and many friends locally in Los Angeles and out as far as Yucatan, Mexico.

His prima, Genesis Ek, has set up this FUNDRAISER for a proper ceremony with respect to his untimely passing.

J.T.