A Tale of Two Rivers: Los Angeles and San Antonio Trudi Sandmeier 00:00Today on Save As: Leslie Dinkin 00:01What I really liked about the L.A. River, I guess, is that it doesn’t pretend to be anything else, you know. It…
Date archive for: May 2024
A Tale of Two Rivers: Los Angeles and San Antonio
Why do urban rivers look like they do? What makes one river key to a city’s identity and another one largely unknowable? We wrap up Season Four with a trip to the banks of the Los Angeles River, where Cindy Olnick chats with new dual-degree alum Leslie Dinkin about her award-winning master’s thesis, Heritage in Practice: A Study of Two Urban Rivers.
Leslie wanted to know what happened to set the Los Angeles and San Antonio Rivers on such different courses in the development of their respective cities. In addition to comparing their histories, she walked nearly sixty miles along both rivers. In her thesis, she documents the experience through her written reflections and hundreds of photos by Rio (yes, Rio) Asch Phoenix. In the episode, she shares stories, insights, and part of her conversation with Char Miller, Director of Environmental Analysis and W. M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College.
Read MoreSeason 4, Episode 11Beyond the Stage: Uncovering Drag Culture in Los Angeles
Drag performances have long been a draw for audiences in L.A., though often held “underground” because of threats of persecution. In addition to its entertainment history, drag has had a role in affirming and protecting gender identity. Architect and recent graduate Jesús (Chuy) Barba Bonilla researched this history for his master’s thesis, Drag Culture of Los Angeles: Intangible Heritage through Ephemeral Places. In this episode, Willa Seidenberg chats with Chuy about how he chose this topic and why it matters within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. He delves into the challenges of researching drag’s hidden and erased heritage and the vital need to uncover, document, and share these stories.
Read MoreSeason 4, Episode 10Beyond the Stage: Uncovering Drag Culture in Los Angeles Cindy Olnick 00:00Today on Save As… Jesús Barba Bonilla 00:01Drag is not new. I think it’s important for people to understand this and for people to know that there’s a lot more to…