latimes--2020-03-27--Why L.A.'s beach ban hurts: The meaning of public spaces amid social distancing

The afternoon I heard that Los Angeles was shutting down to fight the deadly new coronavirus , I did what my gut always tells me to do in times of crisis .
I headed straight to the beach .
Whenever stuff is rough , whenever a reset is needed , the ocean is a salve .
I ’ m not a boat owner , an ocean sports enthusiast or even a surfer .
But I am a native coastal Southern Californian .
Thus , two things were immediately clear in my mind .
First , we had to join together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And second , we could not allow ourselves to lose our spirit as people of this land .
I had to run to the beach .
In childhood , my mother would tell us as explicitly as she could that SoCal beaches were “ ours , ” all of them .
It didn ’ t matter that other people had boogie boards and lavish barbecues , while all we could afford for picnics at the time were a few plastic tubs full of quartered oranges doused in chile salt .
We were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the same as the wealthy around us .
The beach was an equalizer .
Luckily today , I live close enough to the beach to make it an easy , spur-of-the-moment drive , the same as other Angelenos who maintain intimate relationships with their respective hills or canyons farther inland , or those who find their escapes in shopping malls or urban parks .
I watch and listen to the waves , inhale the salty air , read a bit , or not , and then leave .
This is how I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 12 , the day after the World Health Organization first called the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and the NBA suspended its season , when a flurry of entertainment events were postponed or canceled , and cultural institutions all over began shutting down , I spent a prudent and necessary half-hour at the quietest beach I know in L.A. city limits , Playa del Rey , to watch the sunset .
Bikers , joggers , couples sped along the walk in the chill of the waning light .
A pink and crimson sunset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edges of the marina .
I really needed the air and the sight of other Angelenos sharing the collective emotions of grief and fear as the ramifications of the looming crisis were becoming clear .
Would California be able to “ flatten the curve ” successfully while not losing its soul ?
Our silent glances seemed to carry the question into the air .
Every day since , I ’ ve gone outside , usually to the water or to a park near home .
I haven ’ t been alone .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus days .
From Echo Park Lake to Malibu , from the craggy south-facing cliffs of San Pedro to the creeks of the San Gabriel foothills , L.A. residents say they have found reassurance and rejuvenation in the open air , even as officials seek to clamp down even further on our use of public space .
On Monday , Laguna Beach announced a closure of its beaches and trails , citing too many visitors “ ” overwhelming the city ’ s ability to ensure social distancing outdoors .
The move followed closures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venice beaches .
Upping the ante , Gov .
Gavin Newsom later ordered the locking-up of parking lots at state parks , a “ soft closure ” delivered like a stern parent ’ s warning .
The same day , L.A. County said it was closing all unincorporated trails , which felt like another punishment .
I had one response to these developments : Gulp .
I followed this with another quick in-and-out trip to the shore .
One of the last channels of social cohesion and mental well-being that we have left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to public lands , and the public right-of-way .
Access to the sea .
Especially here .
Being outside is how we make life happen as Southern Californians .
It is a sensation that unites all , from folks who pine from a cramped stucco apartment balcony to those who bask in the luxury of a backyard with citrus trees .
Our instincts take us to fresher air , in good and in ill. Our obsessions with gardens , and trails are hopelessly intertwined with the grace of the region ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a , or along a concrete river that once spewed as it pleased , untamed , across the floor of the L.A. Basin .
As I did that first day , and since , I ’ ve spent many hours alone fretting over the threat of COVID-19 , and mourning the loss of life .
I ’ ve also spent time fretting over the threat that local officials may soon attempt to forbid us from going outside at all — as Italy and Greece have done , to help fight the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely heeding the instructions : Big , wide places where we ’ ve always seen humans interacting — malls , piers , even the freeways and overpasses , designed as spaces where we can move — are now devoid of people , on pause , without purpose .
Christopher Hawthorne , chief design officer for the city of Los Angeles and the former architecture critic for this news outlet , said in an interview that he and city officials up and down the City Hall ranks were aware of the needs of regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The crisis is forcing all of us to make sacrifices , he said .
“ It ’ s really a matter of common sense , ” said on Monday .
“ There ’ s a lot of space to operate , but people have tended to concentrate in popular spots .
It ’ s certainly not the case that the entire city is crowded .
There are plenty of places to go.
” Indeed , Los Angeles has more than 450 parks at our disposal , said Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recreation centers and museums are closed — and on Thursday , outdoor sports facilities ( skate parks , tennis courts , baseball fields , basketball courts ) were closed .
But the land and grassy plains that surround them currently remain free for all those not in a hard virus-related quarantine if we can keep 6 feet away from others .
Yet recent displays of overcrowded trails at Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park , Hawthorne noted , are cause for concern .
“ We ’ re asking everyone to think of the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is about keeping that common good in mind , ” Hawthorne said .
“ We ’ ve seen scenes of crowded public spaces all over the country , but my own sense is that people here in Los Angeles on the whole are being very careful and respectful , and we appreciate that.
” Mayor Eric Garcetti seemed to bolster the necessity for fresh air and safe socializing in statements he made March 20 as he described what he saw on walks in his neighborhood .
“ Suddenly , our big city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcetti said during a briefing .
“ People literally were waving , singing , shouting nice things — at a safe distance , of course — interacting with each other , ” Garcetti went on .
“ It was wonderful to see the spirit of the city , and its hope on the streets , the goodness of its people , in each one of these interactions.
” He dubbed the general vibe of the moment as “ L.A .
Love.
” Solidarity with others during the crisis must guide our personal choices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus is the top priority .
“ Right now , this is about socially coming together , even as we physically distance from one another , ” the mayor said .
“ And here ’ s just a parent hack : You can do P.E .
and instruction at the same time , if you walk and talk.
” By Sunday , Garcetti had adjusted his message .
The mayor warned of more closures if L.A. residents did not adhere to the guidelines .
“ Too many people , too close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Garcetti announced the closure of Runyon Canyon , Bronson Canyon and the Venice Pier .
On Thursday , the U.S. Forest Service closed campgrounds , picnic areas and other recreation sites in forests throughout California .
And on Friday came the final blow when Supervisor Janice Hahn announced that all L.A. County beaches would temporarily close .
On a recent afternoon with his family at the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area , Larry Briggs , 42 , a nursing assistant at an L.A. hospital , said he understood the need for physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ people are going to be out here , no matter what.
” “ Just making sure to keep a safe distance from others , ” said his partner , Lori Brown , 50 , who also works in a hospital .
Briggs and Brown and their two children ambled around the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial obelisk , set on a ridge with a commanding view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline .
The setting was spectacular .
“ We ’ re just trying to be outside , ” Briggs said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implication was clear .
After President Trump on Tuesday suggested the country could reopen in time for Easter , Garcetti pushed back , saying that Angelenos should be “ prepared for a couple months like this.
” But are we really ?
Steven W. Thrasher , a journalism professor at Northwestern University , studies HIV/AIDS as well as prisons .
Home isolation in a public health crisis is a meager “ taste ” of the “ torture ” that many incarcerated people endure on a far steeper scale , he said .
Balancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others should force a discussion of associated risks amid a pandemic , such as the threats to mental health , and for survivors of domestic abuse .
“ I ’ m not saying social distancing isn ’ t helpful ; it is , and it ’ s something that we have to do right now , ” Thrasher said Wednesday .
“ But it comes with risk and sacrifice , and those risks and sacrifices need to be distributed correctly and rewarded.
” If the restrictions are lifted too soon and COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ render the sacrifices of the last weeks moot .
Leticia Servin , a teacher in Long Beach , says she has been doing everything in her power to comply with the “ Safer at Home ” orders .
Servin is leading online learning , taking yoga sessions via YouTube and practicing proper social distancing .
She ’ s also been following an aspect of the crisis orders that she considers essential to survive it : taking walks for fresh air and exercise .
Servin , 50 , has lived in Long Beach most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t until the shutdown that she began learning about green space in her general geographical sphere that she simply didn ’ t know about before .
One such space is Signal Hill Park , at the top of the city of Signal Hill , featuring breathtaking views of the L.A. and Long Beach harbors .
“ It ’ s been years and I didn ’ t realize [ the park ] was , like , five minutes from my apartment , and I feel like I ’ m kind of savvy with public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And obviously I ’ m not .
But it ’ s been great , because I ’ ve been discovering Long Beach in a new way.
” It helps — or hinders — that spring began March 19 , ensuring that bouts of fresh rain and the corresponding flower bloom that follows may draw people outdoors even more than before .
But , she reasoned , what else are people going to do ?
“ I am going stir-crazy , it ’ s true , ” said Servin , whose walks offer moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by anxiety and dread .
“ For your mental health , it ’ s not OK.
It ’ s also causing a rift , because people when they panic do horrible things , and that ’ s when you see how people truly are .
It ’ s not ‘ Kumbaya , ’ because we ’ re still in the we-don ’ t-know phase.
” The Santa Monica Pier , one of the most famous in America , with its 1941 Streamline Moderne neon sign , concessions and vintage amusements rides is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials also decided to close the large beach-front parking lots that feed visitors to the historical landmark .
A few blocks away , the Third Street Promenade was deserted .
As rain moved into the region , Santa Monica police cruisers used loudspeakers to urge rambunctious groups of young people congregating on street corners to “ keep 6 feet apart.
” Nick Muller , 30 , and Camille Gomez , 22 , strolled hand-in-hand along the Santa Monica walkways in a light drizzle .
“ When I heard they were thinking of shutting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come down here , and thought since it started raining , there would be less people , ” Muller said .
“ We just want to enjoy it while we still can.
” Not long after leaving Muller and Gomez , I got a call from Denise Resendez , an educator and resident of Marina del Rey who has been a casual contact of mine since we found ourselves cavorting in Venice Beach with mutual friends last fall , in far happier and freer times .
“ I can ’ t , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t , ” she said with a wail .
“ They ’ re , like , filming people out hiking right now , and shaming them.
” She was angry and unsettled by the she was seeing on the news , not just against the crowds of spring breakers on Florida beaches , but also against small groups of people outdoors accused of being irresponsible or defiant of public-health orders .
Who is to know if they are not families who are already in close quarters at home ?
We decided to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the ocean .
It was before the beach ban was announced and she ’ d been in self-quarantine for days , fielding mounting calls from harried parents of her primary-school-age students .
She needed air .
The rain didn ’ t hinder our determination .
We ordered tacos and caldo to-go from Teddy ’ s Red Tacos on Winward Avenue and headed in the quiet drizzle to the basketball courts nearby to sit down and eat .
There , a dude dribbled and shot jumpers alone .
We minded one another but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , two bleached-blond guys wearing half of their wetsuits , barefoot and barechested to the rain , carried surfboards toward the water .
“ That ’ s what I ’ m talking about , ” Resendez yelled at them with laughter .
“ Boost your immunity.
” The surfers responded with affirmative shouts and thumbs-up .
Just then , a woman who called herself Sam pushed a grubby cart toward us and asked if we wanted any “ refreshments.
” Huh ?
we asked .
Beers were three dollars and shots of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I had never seen something like this in Venice , or really anywhere in L.A. Sam was under economic stress and said she had to make a living .
Times are tough .
Resendez and I could not stop smiling .
“ See this right here ?
This boosts my immunity ; this is part of my health , ” she said from a safe 6-foot distance .
“ This is my Vitamin C — community .
”

The afternoon I heard that Los Angeles was shutting down to fight the deadly new coronavirus, I did what my gut always tells me to do in times of crisis. I headed straight to the beach.
Whenever stuff is rough, whenever a reset is needed, the ocean is a salve. I’m not a boat owner, an ocean sports enthusiast or even a surfer. But I am a native coastal Southern Californian. Thus, two things were immediately clear in my mind.
First, we had to join together to fight back the COVID-19 respiratory disease. And second, we could not allow ourselves to lose our spirit as people of this land. I had to run to the beach.
In childhood, my mother would tell us as explicitly as she could that SoCal beaches were “ours,” all of them. It didn’t matter that other people had boogie boards and lavish barbecues, while all we could afford for picnics at the time were a few plastic tubs full of quartered oranges doused in chile salt. We were from the barrio but enjoyed the beach just the same as the wealthy around us. The beach was an equalizer.
Advertisement
Luckily today, I live close enough to the beach to make it an easy, spur-of-the-moment drive, the same as other Angelenos who maintain intimate relationships with their respective hills or canyons farther inland, or those who find their escapes in shopping malls or urban parks. I watch and listen to the waves, inhale the salty air, read a bit, or not, and then leave. This is how I find solace at the sand.
Very few people have been on the beach in Santa Monica since the state’s March 19 stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
On March 12, the day after the World Health Organization first called the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and the NBA suspended its season, when a flurry of entertainment events were postponed or canceled, and cultural institutions all over began shutting down, I spent a prudent and necessary half-hour at the quietest beach I know in L.A. city limits, Playa del Rey, to watch the sunset.
Bikers, joggers, couples sped along the walk in the chill of the waning light. A pink and crimson sunset gave way to purple over the rocky edges of the marina. I really needed the air and the sight of other Angelenos sharing the collective emotions of grief and fear as the ramifications of the looming crisis were becoming clear.
Would California be able to “flatten the curve” successfully while not losing its soul? Our silent glances seemed to carry the question into the air.
Venice Beach on March 21, a few days before beaches were ordered closed. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Every day since, I’ve gone outside, usually to the water or to a park near home. I haven’t been alone. And that’s a problem in these coronavirus days. From Echo Park Lake to Malibu, from the craggy south-facing cliffs of San Pedro to the creeks of the San Gabriel foothills, L.A. residents say they have found reassurance and rejuvenation in the open air, even as officials seek to clamp down even further on our use of public space.
On Monday, Laguna Beach announced a closure of its beaches and trails, citing too many visitors “ from inland cities ” overwhelming the city’s ability to ensure social distancing outdoors. The move followed closures of parking lots at Santa Monica and Venice beaches. Upping the ante, Gov. Gavin Newsom later ordered the locking-up of parking lots at state parks, a “soft closure” delivered like a stern parent’s warning. The same day, L.A. County said it was closing all unincorporated trails, which felt like another punishment.
On a Griffith Park trail on March 21, people appeared to try to maintain social distancing but, in some situations, didn’t succeed. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
I had one response to these developments: Gulp. I followed this with another quick in-and-out trip to the shore.
One of the last channels of social cohesion and mental well-being that we have left as societies fight the global pandemic is access to public lands, and the public right-of-way. Access to the sea. Especially here.
Being outside is how we make life happen as Southern Californians. It is a sensation that unites all, from folks who pine from a cramped stucco apartment balcony to those who bask in the luxury of a backyard with citrus trees. Our instincts take us to fresher air, in good and in ill. Our obsessions with gardens, plants and trails are hopelessly intertwined with the grace of the region’s fine weather. We are bound, at a mountain called Disappointment , or along a concrete river that once spewed as it pleased, untamed, across the floor of the L.A. Basin.
Advertisement
As I did that first day, and since, I’ve spent many hours alone fretting over the threat of COVID-19, and mourning the loss of life. I’ve also spent time fretting over the threat that local officials may soon attempt to forbid us from going outside at all — as Italy and Greece have done, to help fight the virus. In the meantime, Angelenos are largely heeding the instructions: Big, wide places where we’ve always seen humans interacting — malls, piers, even the freeways and overpasses, designed as spaces where we can move — are now devoid of people, on pause, without purpose.
Traffic is incredibly light at the intersection of the 101 and 110 freeways in downtown Los Angeles on March 20. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Access for all
Christopher Hawthorne, chief design officer for the city of Los Angeles and the former architecture critic for this news outlet, said in an interview that he and city officials up and down the City Hall ranks were aware of the needs of regular Angelenos to enjoy their parkland and coastline. The crisis is forcing all of us to make sacrifices, he said.
“It’s really a matter of common sense,” Hawthorne said on Monday. “There’s a lot of space to operate, but people have tended to concentrate in popular spots. It’s certainly not the case that the entire city is crowded. There are plenty of places to go.”
An aerial view of Dodger Stadium a day before Major League Baseball’s scheduled March 26 opening day. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Indeed, Los Angeles has more than 450 parks at our disposal, said Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Rose Watson. Indoor facilities such as city recreation centers and museums are closed — and on Thursday, outdoor sports facilities (skate parks, tennis courts, baseball fields, basketball courts) were closed. But the land and grassy plains that surround them currently remain free for all those not in a hard virus-related quarantine if we can keep 6 feet away from others.
Advertisement
Yet recent displays of overcrowded trails at Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park, Hawthorne noted, are cause for concern.
“We’re asking everyone to think of the city and the region as a whole. This is about keeping that common good in mind,” Hawthorne said. “We’ve seen scenes of crowded public spaces all over the country, but my own sense is that people here in Los Angeles on the whole are being very careful and respectful, and we appreciate that.”
An aerial view of the Venice Beach skatepark.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Mayor Eric Garcetti seemed to bolster the necessity for fresh air and safe socializing in statements he made March 20 as he described what he saw on walks in his neighborhood. “Suddenly, our big city feels like a small town,” Garcetti said during a briefing.
“People literally were waving, singing, shouting nice things — at a safe distance, of course — interacting with each other,” Garcetti went on. “It was wonderful to see the spirit of the city, and its hope on the streets, the goodness of its people, in each one of these interactions.”
He dubbed the general vibe of the moment as “L.A. Love.” Solidarity with others during the crisis must guide our personal choices, he argued. Stopping the spread of the coronavirus is the top priority.
Advertisement
Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles is empty at noon on March 20. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
“Right now, this is about socially coming together, even as we physically distance from one another,” the mayor said. “And here’s just a parent hack: You can do P.E. and instruction at the same time, if you walk and talk.”
By Sunday, Garcetti had adjusted his message. The mayor warned of more closures if L.A. residents did not adhere to the guidelines. “Too many people, too close together, too often.” By Wednesday, Garcetti announced the closure of Runyon Canyon, Bronson Canyon and the Venice Pier. On Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service closed campgrounds, picnic areas and other recreation sites in forests throughout California. And on Friday came the final blow when Supervisor Janice Hahn announced that all L.A. County beaches would temporarily close.
A security guard walks around the Grand Central Market in downtown L.A., where restaurants are limited to takeout or delivery orders. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Reasonable distance
On a recent afternoon with his family at the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Larry Briggs, 42, a nursing assistant at an L.A. hospital, said he understood the need for physical distancing. But, he added, “people are going to be out here, no matter what.”
“Just making sure to keep a safe distance from others,” said his partner, Lori Brown, 50, who also works in a hospital.
Briggs and Brown and their two children ambled around the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial obelisk, set on a ridge with a commanding view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline. The setting was spectacular. “We’re just trying to be outside,” Briggs said, “while we still can.”
Advertisement
A lone couple in Holmby Park on Monday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
The implication was clear. After President Trump on Tuesday suggested the country could reopen in time for Easter, Garcetti pushed back, saying that Angelenos should be “prepared for a couple months like this.” But are we really?
Steven W. Thrasher, a journalism professor at Northwestern University, studies HIV/AIDS as well as prisons. Home isolation in a public health crisis is a meager “taste” of the “torture” that many incarcerated people endure on a far steeper scale, he said. Balancing the needs to retain physical distance from others should force a discussion of associated risks amid a pandemic, such as the threats to mental health, and for survivors of domestic abuse.
“I’m not saying social distancing isn’t helpful; it is, and it’s something that we have to do right now,” Thrasher said Wednesday. “But it comes with risk and sacrifice, and those risks and sacrifices need to be distributed correctly and rewarded.”
If the restrictions are lifted too soon and COVID-19 cases spike, he said, it could render the sacrifices of the last weeks moot.
Sunset Boulevard, in an aerial view, is deserted on a recent day. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Leticia Servin, a teacher in Long Beach, says she has been doing everything in her power to comply with the “Safer at Home” orders. Servin is leading online learning, taking yoga sessions via YouTube and practicing proper social distancing. She’s also been following an aspect of the crisis orders that she considers essential to survive it: taking walks for fresh air and exercise.
Servin, 50, has lived in Long Beach most of her life. It wasn’t until the shutdown that she began learning about green space in her general geographical sphere that she simply didn’t know about before. One such space is Signal Hill Park, at the top of the city of Signal Hill, featuring breathtaking views of the L.A. and Long Beach harbors.
“It’s been years and I didn’t realize [the park] was, like, five minutes from my apartment, and I feel like I’m kind of savvy with public places,” Servin said. “And obviously I’m not. But it’s been great, because I’ve been discovering Long Beach in a new way.”
Rodeo Drive, in the heart of Beverly Hills, is quiet and empty, with many of the world’s biggest fashion brands closing their stores. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
It helps — or hinders — that spring began March 19, ensuring that bouts of fresh rain and the corresponding flower bloom that follows may draw people outdoors even more than before. But, she reasoned, what else are people going to do?
“I am going stir-crazy, it’s true,” said Servin, whose walks offer moments of tranquility and renewal in days troubled by anxiety and dread. “For your mental health, it’s not OK. It’s also causing a rift, because people when they panic do horrible things, and that’s when you see how people truly are. It’s not ‘Kumbaya,’ because we’re still in the we-don’t-know phase.”
Advertisement
Immunity booster
The Santa Monica Pier, one of the most famous in America, with its 1941 Streamline Moderne neon sign, concessions and vintage amusements rides is currently closed. On Sunday, Santa Monica officials also decided to close the large beach-front parking lots that feed visitors to the historical landmark. A few blocks away, the Third Street Promenade was deserted. As rain moved into the region, Santa Monica police cruisers used loudspeakers to urge rambunctious groups of young people congregating on street corners to “keep 6 feet apart.”
Nick Muller, 30, and Camille Gomez, 22, strolled hand-in-hand along the Santa Monica walkways in a light drizzle. “When I heard they were thinking of shutting everything down, we just had to come down here, and thought since it started raining, there would be less people,” Muller said. “We just want to enjoy it while we still can.”
Not long after leaving Muller and Gomez, I got a call from Denise Resendez, an educator and resident of Marina del Rey who has been a casual contact of mine since we found ourselves cavorting in Venice Beach with mutual friends last fall, in far happier and freer times.
The lights are on but the Santa Monica Pier is closed to the public on March 19. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t,” she said with a wail. “They’re, like, filming people out hiking right now, and shaming them.”
She was angry and unsettled by the quarantine scolding she was seeing on the news, not just against the crowds of spring breakers on Florida beaches, but also against small groups of people outdoors accused of being irresponsible or defiant of public-health orders. Who is to know if they are not families who are already in close quarters at home?
Advertisement
We decided to meet — outdoors, at a distance — by the ocean. It was before the beach ban was announced and she’d been in self-quarantine for days, fielding mounting calls from harried parents of her primary-school-age students. She needed air.
The rain didn’t hinder our determination. We ordered tacos and caldo to-go from Teddy’s Red Tacos on Winward Avenue and headed in the quiet drizzle to the basketball courts nearby to sit down and eat.
The bike path at Venice Beach on March 21. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
There, a dude dribbled and shot jumpers alone. We minded one another but didn’t share words. Behind us, two bleached-blond guys wearing half of their wetsuits, barefoot and barechested to the rain, carried surfboards toward the water.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Resendez yelled at them with laughter. “Boost your immunity.” The surfers responded with affirmative shouts and thumbs-up.
Just then, a woman who called herself Sam pushed a grubby cart toward us and asked if we wanted any “refreshments.” Huh? we asked. Beers were three dollars and shots of whiskey were five.
My jaw dropped. I had never seen something like this in Venice, or really anywhere in L.A. Sam was under economic stress and said she had to make a living. Times are tough. Resendez and I could not stop smiling.
Advertisement
“See this right here? This boosts my immunity; this is part of my health,” she said from a safe 6-foot distance. “This is my Vitamin C — community.”


latimes--2020-03-28--Why a fight over homeless people could determine how much coronavirus hurts California

Despite unprecedented attention and spending on homelessness , tens of thousands of people are still living on the streets of California amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Officials say failing to help them move indoors is a stumbling block in efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus , as cases across California spike and hospitals are rapidly filling up .
A new study puts the risk homeless individuals face in stark terms : It estimates that nearly 2,600 homeless people in the Los Angeles area alone will need to be hospitalized for COVID-19 , and about 900 of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows how an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile hospital system .
If that many homeless people do indeed stream into local hospitals in the coming weeks , it could lead to increased competition among all patients for beds and ventilators .
Officials have said California has far fewer of both than will be needed in coming weeks as hospitals fill up with the sick .
Homeless people , who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems , often from living on the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population .
“ It ’ s a really urgent thing , ” said Thomas Byrne , a co-author of the study and an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Social Work .
Far from giving in to such dire projections , state and local officials have started working on ways to quickly move people indoors , though so far the numbers have been small .
What Gov .
Gavin Newsom billed a week ago as a coordinated effort has in reality rolled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach that has hamstrung solutions to homelessness for decades .
Some cities and counties are rushing to open mass shelters and drawing up plans for how to leave some people outdoors .
Others are pinning their hopes on a state-backed effort to secure hotel and motel rooms .
Federal guidance has been confusing on how best to address homelessness during the outbreak and limit the spread of the coronavirus .
And some local governments lack the personnel for the massive challenge of moving people indoors quickly .
There also is a growing awareness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for homeless people might instead be needed for patients if hospitals are full , or for doctors , nurses and first responders who may be unable to return to their homes between shifts for fear of infecting their families .
That is despite the fact that Newsom this week drastically increased the number of hospital beds in the state to handle the expected flood of COVID-19 cases .
Statewide , there is little consensus on the best approach to getting homeless people off the streets .
Last week , Newsom allocated $ 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motels across the state for that purpose , along with an additional $ 100 million in emergency grants .
On Wednesday , he said that there are now 4,305 hotel rooms available across the state , all intended to be run by local jurisdictions .
But Los Angeles is relying heavily on new emergency shelters .
Some 6,000 beds are planned in city-owned recreation centers .
As of Monday , eight of those shelters had opened with a total of 366 beds .
And as of Thursday , most were at 100 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority .
She said five more shelters were to open by the end of the week , for a total of 13 with 561 beds .
There has been pushback to using the recreation centers , though , and a fear that they could be incubators for spreading the novel coronavirus among an already high-risk population .
While most health experts , advocates and some politicians agree that quick action will require using multiple types of shelter , they say single-occupancy spaces such as motel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Councilman Mike Bonin said while he ’ s encouraged by the shelters at recreation centers , he is angry and frustrated that there hasn ’ t been more movement on the issue of hotel rooms .
“ I think , based on the public health advice , that the best thing is for everyone to be housed in a hotel room , motel room or college dormitory , ” he said .
“ That is optimum from a public health perspective.
” Meanwhile , Los Angeles County has compiled a list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be rented for homeless people who are at high risk for COVID-19 , said Phil Ansell , director of the L.A. County Homeless Initiative .
That list has been sent to the state , which will negotiate with the owners of the hotels and motels .
It ’ s unclear how many rooms the state will fund .
The county also is trying to cobble together 2,000 hotel and motel rooms for anyone who needs to be quarantined or isolated because of the virus , not just people who are homeless .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are up and running with medical services , food , laundry service and security .
Three more hotels with 442 rooms are under contract and are being prepared for patients , said Kevin McGowan , director of the Office of Emergency Management .
“ We continue to prepare for additional capacity , ” McGowan said Thursday .
San Francisco has embraced the hotel approach in a dramatic fashion .
Last week , the county put out a call to see which hotels and motels might be interested in housing people .
The rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for housing those who now live in San Francisco ’ s roughly 19,000 single-room occupancy hotels , where bathrooms are often shared and conditions are crowded .
Several hotels , including posh establishments such as the Palace Hotel and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins , have offered more than 8,000 rooms for use during the pandemic .
Trent Rhorer , executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency , estimated the need at about 4,500 rooms .
Three hundred have been secured .
About 1,000 of those rooms would be reserved for medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients from crowded hospitals if they required a lower level of care .
The residents of San Francisco ’ s current homeless shelters would likely move to smaller motels , “ where we can better provide services that they would need.
” But the city also is planning to open three other shelters with about 2,500 beds , so those who remain in group settings can have more space .
They also want to create more space for people who are suspected of having COVID-19 and need to be isolated .
Rhorer declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to pay to rent hotel and motel rooms because negotiations were still underway , but said “ literally tens of millions of dollars ” would go toward accommodations and meals .
Dr. Mark Rosenberg , an epidemiologist and former assistant surgeon general of the U.S. , said that while single rooms are best , shelters could still be useful because it would allow for monitoring , finding and isolating infected people .
“ That doesn ’ t happen when people are on the street , ” Rosenberg said .
Finding space for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holdup , though .
There also aren ’ t enough people to provide services for the newly housed .
“ That is the main reason why a whole lot of things haven ’ t opened up so far , ” said Sam Cobbs , chief executive of Tipping Point , a Bay Area nonprofit that works on poverty issues .
“ It ’ s not because the places to put people aren ’ t there .
It ’ s because of the staffing.
” Which agencies should be providing medical care , meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point of contention .
While typically , county homeless services departments oversee homeless funding and nonprofit partners run shelters , Cobbs and others said the critical nature of the pandemic should mean county public health departments or medical professionals should provide some staffing .
“ It ’ s not a skill thing .
It ’ s a will thing , ” Cobbs said .
“ The emergency relief workers , they ’ re not interested or willing to staff the shelters because they are saying , ‘ Hey , that is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mayor Eric Garcetti cited some of the same concerns .
“ You can ’ t just put somebody in a hotel room , ” he said Tuesday .
“ You have to be able to monitor them and make sure that you can check on their temperature or , if they are symptomatic , you can check health.
” Some cities and counties , faced with staffing limitations , are now planning to leave homeless people on the streets .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently put out revised guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encampments if indoor space isn ’ t available , and instead allow people to remain where they are with enhanced sanitation services .
“ Even if communities are able to offer housing , forcing people against their will into services or accommodations of any kind is simply not an effective approach , ” said Barbara DiPietro , policy director of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council .
“ Trained outreach workers understand how to build relationships and engage people into care — and unfortunately , many communities are having to pull @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which may leave very vulnerable and isolated people without a trusted source of information and care.
” For those left on the streets , the pandemic has already disrupted daily life and caused a secondary set of problems .
Shaunn Cartwright , an activist in San Jose — where Santa Clara County has announced that at least one homeless person has died from COVID-19 — said the strict social distancing mandated by health officials is making it hard for homeless people to find food and services because many businesses are closed .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it took away 90 % of the places where they charge their phone — McDonald ’ s , libraries , Starbucks , ” Cartwright pointed out .
Randall Kuhn , a UCLA researcher who helped compile the study on how the coronavirus will affect homeless people , agreed that the shutdown in California and other states has meant that those sleeping on sidewalks are living without the resources they need .
Across the United States , nearly 22,000 homeless people , or 4.3 % of the homeless population , could require hospitalization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could go as high as 10 % .
More than 7,000 may need to be placed in intensive care .
Researchers estimate that 400,000 additional beds at a cost of $ 11.5 billion would be required to address the country ’ s emergency quarantine and shelter needs .
Kuhn said that Los Angeles in particular needs more ways to bring people inside because it ’ s not a given the outreach workers will be able to continue working on the streets if the outbreak continues .
“ The proportion of unsheltered individuals who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week or two of serious lockdown is probably no more than 10 % , ” Kuhn said .

Benjamin Oreskes, Anita Chabria, Doug Smith

Cots are set up six feet apart at Westwood Recreation Center last week to shelter homeless people amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite unprecedented attention and spending on homelessness, tens of thousands of people are still living on the streets of California amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Officials say failing to help them move indoors is a stumbling block in efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, as cases across California spike and hospitals are rapidly filling up.
A new study puts the risk homeless individuals face in stark terms: It estimates that nearly 2,600 homeless people in the Los Angeles area alone will need to be hospitalized for COVID-19, and about 900 of them will require intensive care. The data shows how an outbreak in this vulnerable population could strain an already fragile hospital system.
Advertisement
If that many homeless people do indeed stream into local hospitals in the coming weeks, it could lead to increased competition among all patients for beds and ventilators. Officials have said California has far fewer of both than will be needed in coming weeks as hospitals fill up with the sick.
Homeless people, who are more likely to have underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems, often from living on the streets, are at a higher risk for developing severe forms of COVID-19 than the general population.
“It’s a really urgent thing,” said Thomas Byrne, a co-author of the study and an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Social Work.
Far from giving in to such dire projections, state and local officials have started working on ways to quickly move people indoors, though so far the numbers have been small. What Gov. Gavin Newsom billed a week ago as a coordinated effort has in reality rolled out in the same patchwork, locally led approach that has hamstrung solutions to homelessness for decades.
Some cities and counties are rushing to open mass shelters and drawing up plans for how to leave some people outdoors. Others are pinning their hopes on a state-backed effort to secure hotel and motel rooms.
Federal guidance has been confusing on how best to address homelessness during the outbreak and limit the spread of the coronavirus. And some local governments lack the personnel for the massive challenge of moving people indoors quickly.
Advertisement
There also is a growing awareness that many beds and rooms originally planned for homeless people might instead be needed for patients if hospitals are full, or for doctors, nurses and first responders who may be unable to return to their homes between shifts for fear of infecting their families. That is despite the fact that Newsom this week drastically increased the number of hospital beds in the state to handle the expected flood of COVID-19 cases.
Statewide, there is little consensus on the best approach to getting homeless people off the streets.
A man looks out from behind a cluster of tents in downtown Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Last week, Newsom allocated $50 million to purchase or lease hotels and motels across the state for that purpose, along with an additional $100 million in emergency grants.
On Wednesday, he said that there are now 4,305 hotel rooms available across the state, all intended to be run by local jurisdictions.
But Los Angeles is relying heavily on new emergency shelters. Some 6,000 beds are planned in city-owned recreation centers.
As of Monday, eight of those shelters had opened with a total of 366 beds. And as of Thursday, most were at 100% capacity, said Heidi Marston, interim executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. She said five more shelters were to open by the end of the week, for a total of 13 with 561 beds.
There has been pushback to using the recreation centers, though, and a fear that they could be incubators for spreading the novel coronavirus among an already high-risk population. While most health experts, advocates and some politicians agree that quick action will require using multiple types of shelter, they say single-occupancy spaces such as motel or hotel rooms are safer.
L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin said while he’s encouraged by the shelters at recreation centers, he is angry and frustrated that there hasn’t been more movement on the issue of hotel rooms.
“I think, based on the public health advice, that the best thing is for everyone to be housed in a hotel room, motel room or college dormitory,” he said. “That is optimum from a public health perspective.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County has compiled a list of 5,000 motel and hotel rooms that could be rented for homeless people who are at high risk for COVID-19, said Phil Ansell, director of the L.A. County Homeless Initiative.
That list has been sent to the state, which will negotiate with the owners of the hotels and motels. It’s unclear how many rooms the state will fund.
The county also is trying to cobble together 2,000 hotel and motel rooms for anyone who needs to be quarantined or isolated because of the virus, not just people who are homeless.
So far, two hotels with 314 rooms are up and running with medical services, food, laundry service and security. Three more hotels with 442 rooms are under contract and are being prepared for patients, said Kevin McGowan, director of the Office of Emergency Management.
“We continue to prepare for additional capacity,” McGowan said Thursday.
Security guards outside the Echo Park Community Center, one of many area recreation centers that have become temporary shelters for homeless people due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
San Francisco has embraced the hotel approach in a dramatic fashion. Last week, the county put out a call to see which hotels and motels might be interested in housing people. The rooms mostly would be used for quarantine and for housing those who now live in San Francisco’s roughly 19,000 single-room occupancy hotels, where bathrooms are often shared and conditions are crowded.
Several hotels, including posh establishments such as the Palace Hotel and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, have offered more than 8,000 rooms for use during the pandemic. Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency, estimated the need at about 4,500 rooms. Three hundred have been secured.
About 1,000 of those rooms would be reserved for medical workers and, potentially, to move patients from crowded hospitals if they required a lower level of care.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti talks about the drawbacks of sheltering homeless people in hotel rooms during the pandemic without having their health monitored.
The residents of San Francisco’s current homeless shelters would likely move to smaller motels, “where we can better provide services that they would need.”
But the city also is planning to open three other shelters with about 2,500 beds, so those who remain in group settings can have more space. They also want to create more space for people who are suspected of having COVID-19 and need to be isolated.
Rhorer declined to say how much San Francisco was willing to pay to rent hotel and motel rooms because negotiations were still underway, but said “literally tens of millions of dollars” would go toward accommodations and meals.
Dr. Mark Rosenberg, an epidemiologist and former assistant surgeon general of the U.S., said that while single rooms are best, shelters could still be useful because it would allow for monitoring, finding and isolating infected people.
“That doesn’t happen when people are on the street,” Rosenberg said.
Staffing shortages
Finding space for homeless people is only part of the holdup, though. There also aren’t enough people to provide services for the newly housed.
“That is the main reason why a whole lot of things haven’t opened up so far,” said Sam Cobbs, chief executive of Tipping Point, a Bay Area nonprofit that works on poverty issues. “It’s not because the places to put people aren’t there. It’s because of the staffing.”
Which agencies should be providing medical care, meals and other services also has been a point of contention.
While typically, county homeless services departments oversee homeless funding and nonprofit partners run shelters, Cobbs and others said the critical nature of the pandemic should mean county public health departments or medical professionals should provide some staffing.
“It’s not a skill thing. It’s a will thing,” Cobbs said. “The emergency relief workers, they’re not interested or willing to staff the shelters because they are saying, ‘Hey, that is not a medical emergency.’”
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti cited some of the same concerns.
Salvation Army volunteer Christina Cuevas sets up cots for homeless people at Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles last week. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
“You can’t just put somebody in a hotel room,” he said Tuesday. “You have to be able to monitor them and make sure that you can check on their temperature or, if they are symptomatic, you can check health.”
Some cities and counties, faced with staffing limitations, are now planning to leave homeless people on the streets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently put out revised guidelines, advising local governments not to clear encampments if indoor space isn’t available, and instead allow people to remain where they are with enhanced sanitation services.
“Even if communities are able to offer housing, forcing people against their will into services or accommodations of any kind is simply not an effective approach,” said Barbara DiPietro, policy director of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. “Trained outreach workers understand how to build relationships and engage people into care — and unfortunately, many communities are having to pull back outreach services at this time, which may leave very vulnerable and isolated people without a trusted source of information and care.”
For those left on the streets, the pandemic has already disrupted daily life and caused a secondary set of problems.
Shaunn Cartwright, an activist in San Jose — where Santa Clara County has announced that at least one homeless person has died from COVID-19 — said the strict social distancing mandated by health officials is making it hard for homeless people to find food and services because many businesses are closed.
“When we went to shelter in place, it took away 90% of the places where they charge their phone — McDonald’s, libraries, Starbucks,” Cartwright pointed out.
Randall Kuhn, a UCLA researcher who helped compile the study on how the coronavirus will affect homeless people, agreed that the shutdown in California and other states has meant that those sleeping on sidewalks are living without the resources they need.
Across the United States, nearly 22,000 homeless people, or 4.3% of the homeless population, could require hospitalization, though researchers say the final number could go as high as 10%. More than 7,000 may need to be placed in intensive care. Researchers estimate that 400,000 additional beds at a cost of $11.5 billion would be required to address the country’s emergency quarantine and shelter needs.
Kuhn said that Los Angeles in particular needs more ways to bring people inside because it’s not a given the outreach workers will be able to continue working on the streets if the outbreak continues.
“The proportion of unsheltered individuals who could legitimately ride out more than a week or two of serious lockdown is probably no more than 10%,” Kuhn said.


latimes--2020-03-27--How do you connect with your faith under coronavirus self-quarantine? Take it online

On Sunday morning , Kerry Morrison shut the door of her home office , settled in at her desk and flipped open her laptop .
It was prayer time in the age of the coronavirus .
Her nondenominational Christian church , Ecclesia Hollywood , has moved gatherings online amid calls for social distancing to slow the spread of the pandemic .
As she sipped coffee and knitted a new scarf from the comfort of her Windsor Square home , her pastor welcomed the virtual faithful from the other side of the screen .
“ For the first time maybe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our shared experience of pain , ” Pastor Jon Ritner told his live-stream congregation of around 160 households .
“ But in the midst of all of that , I really believe the entire world is also united in a shared prayer.
” As state and local officials ramp up restrictions on Californians ’ movements , many houses of worship are moving their services , classes and prayer groups online .
Ecclesia announced its decision to broadcast Sunday gatherings earlier this month .
The shift to digital worship has touched multiple faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ synagogues and Buddhist temples , among others , to roll out contingency plans .
“ We ’ re trying to be flexible and adaptable and we ’ ll stay in constant communication through the Ecclesia Facebook page , ” Ritner said in a Facebook video .
“ We also hope that that page becomes a place where our community can come together.
” Morrison ’ s fellow congregants did their best to re-create the familiar , comforting rituals of their regular gatherings .
Several wrote about the makeshift elements they ’ d scrounged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Communion : banana bread and month-old Prosecco , an English muffin and coconut milk , or a saltine cracker and lemonade in place of a Communion wafer and wine .
“ It seemed like one of the most intimate worship experiences I have been involved in , ” Morrison , 64 , said .
“ We all sense that we are going through something that is globally profound.
” The shift comes at a time when multiple faiths would be preparing for key holidays — Easter , Ramadan and Passover all will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Tuesday that he wanted the nation to be “ opened up and just raring to go ” by mid-April , despite health experts ’ warnings that that timetable was premature .
“ I would love to aim it right at Easter Sunday , so we ’ re open for church service and services generally on Easter Sunday , ” he said in a Fox News interview .
Before the president ’ s comments , faith leaders already were making plans to hold holidays at a safe distance .
Last week , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public Mass until at least March 29 .
Roman Catholics in the Southland have been encouraged to pray at home while the archdiocese provides a livestream of non-public Masses from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels .
But that presents its own challenges .
“ What we ’ re finding is we ’ re starting to miss the physicality .
There is something really beautiful about being in the presence of other people , ” said Kathleen Domingo , the archdiocese ’ s senior director of the office of life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said , many faithful are joining the streams and using them as a lifeline during what can be an otherwise lonely and isolating time .
“ It is helpful to connect this way , even though it ’ s always going to be second-best , ” she said .
Aside from online services , the diocese continues to send priests to pray for and anoint those who are nearing the end of their lives , Domingo added .
“ They are some of the only people allowed into hospital settings right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate our medical and civic leaders recognizing the importance of that.
” At the Orange County Islamic Foundation , congregants first began social distancing by praying six feet apart .
When warnings from officials grew more dire , the mosque suspended its in-person prayers entirely .
“ It was hard because we love our worship , but not impossible , ” said Imam Tarik Ata .
Now , he said , people pray at home .
But when it comes time for reflection or spiritual talks , they too have moved to social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In lieu of online Friday prayers — which Ata said the mosque won ’ t host because the ritual requires a certain number of worshipers to be physically present — he plans on streaming an evening spiritual reflection .
That way , he said , he can continue to engage with the community .
“ People are saying they feel spiritually stronger now .
We were worried it would be the opposite , ” he said .
“ I think people , when they feel a sense of hardship , it is natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just our faith , but everyone.
” Rabbi Sharon Brous has suspended all in-person gatherings at Ikar — which means “ the gist ” or “ the essence ” in Hebrew — in accordance with experts ’ recommendations .
Just before Shabbat one evening earlier this month , the rabbi spoke to her flock in a Facebook live video .
For 16 years , she told them , they had come together as a community to celebrate Shabbat and find comfort and strength in the Jewish tradition .
Now , she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been warned it was not safe .
So , instead of gathering face-to-face that night , she shared words from the Torah in front of her computer ’ s camera .
Brous summarized an article she ’ d read about the Alaskan earthquake of 1964 , a 9.2 magnitude temblor that had whipped the city of Anchorage , triggering landslides that damaged much of the downtown area .
Researchers , she said , thought that they would come across the worst of humanity when they arrived .
Instead , they found connectedness in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told her virtual audience that she hoped they could be like the Alaskans who found “ resilience and levelheadedness and kindness and cooperation precisely in their moment of greatest vulnerability.
” “ Shabbat Shalom , everyone , ” one wrote .
“ Thank you so much for doing this.
” In addition to providing more online resources for prayer and learning , Brous said Ikar also has created a list of 330 people in the community who are particularly vulnerable due to age , health problems , job instability or because they suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current climate especially challenging .
“ There ’ s a buddy system , ” Brous said .
“ Everybody in the community should be in touch with someone else in the community.
” When Ikar sent an announcement that the congregation would no longer be meeting in person , people wrote back in distress , she said .
“ They said they collapsed to the ground in tears , knowing they wouldn ’ t be able to meet , even though they knew it was the right thing , ” she recalled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ability to go to your church or synagogue or mosque in a hard time is really important to people.
” The move to social media can alienate those who do not have easy access to the internet , she said , and older congregants who aren ’ t familiar with technology could easily be left behind .
“ One thing we are trying to do is address the digital divide as much as we can , ” she said .
“ We ’ re doing Zoom training for boomers and those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge ?
As a Jewish community , Brous said , “ we don ’ t use technology on Shabbat on Friday until three stars come out on Saturday night.
” That ’ s why her recent Facebook post took place before the sun went down .
Community members , she said , have been grateful for Ikar ’ s flexibility .
“ I heard from one person who was divorced and lived alone and struggled with anxiety and depression and suicidality , ” Brous said .
“ She said she was concerned for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through what it meant to be a community , and how members could still find comfort in one another without being in the same room .
A few Facebook and Zoom gatherings later , Brous said , the woman felt safely held by her congregation .

On Sunday morning, Kerry Morrison shut the door of her home office, settled in at her desk and flipped open her laptop. It was prayer time in the age of the coronavirus.
Her nondenominational Christian church, Ecclesia Hollywood, has moved gatherings online amid calls for social distancing to slow the spread of the pandemic. As she sipped coffee and knitted a new scarf from the comfort of her Windsor Square home, her pastor welcomed the virtual faithful from the other side of the screen.
“For the first time maybe in modern history, the world is united in our shared experience of pain,” Pastor Jon Ritner told his live-stream congregation of around 160 households. “But in the midst of all of that, I really believe the entire world is also united in a shared prayer.”
Advertisement
As state and local officials ramp up restrictions on Californians’ movements, many houses of worship are moving their services, classes and prayer groups online.
Ecclesia announced its decision to broadcast Sunday gatherings earlier this month. The shift to digital worship has touched multiple faith communities, forcing mosques, churches, synagogues and Buddhist temples, among others, to roll out contingency plans.
“We’re trying to be flexible and adaptable and we’ll stay in constant communication through the Ecclesia Facebook page,” Ritner said in a Facebook video. “We also hope that that page becomes a place where our community can come together.”
Morrison’s fellow congregants did their best to re-create the familiar, comforting rituals of their regular gatherings. Several wrote about the makeshift elements they’d scrounged from the cupboard when it came time for Communion: banana bread and month-old Prosecco, an English muffin and coconut milk, or a saltine cracker and lemonade in place of a Communion wafer and wine.
“It seemed like one of the most intimate worship experiences I have been involved in,” Morrison, 64, said. “We all sense that we are going through something that is globally profound.”
The shift comes at a time when multiple faiths would be preparing for key holidays — Easter, Ramadan and Passover all will be celebrated in April. President Trump said Tuesday that he wanted the nation to be “opened up and just raring to go” by mid-April, despite health experts’ warnings that that timetable was premature.
“I would love to aim it right at Easter Sunday, so we’re open for church service and services generally on Easter Sunday,” he said in a Fox News interview.
Advertisement
Before the president’s comments, faith leaders already were making plans to hold holidays at a safe distance.
Last week, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced the suspension of public Mass until at least March 29. Roman Catholics in the Southland have been encouraged to pray at home while the archdiocese provides a livestream of non-public Masses from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. But that presents its own challenges.
“What we’re finding is we’re starting to miss the physicality. There is something really beautiful about being in the presence of other people,” said Kathleen Domingo, the archdiocese’s senior director of the office of life, justice and peace.
Still, she said, many faithful are joining the streams and using them as a lifeline during what can be an otherwise lonely and isolating time.
“It is helpful to connect this way, even though it’s always going to be second-best,” she said.
Aside from online services, the diocese continues to send priests to pray for and anoint those who are nearing the end of their lives, Domingo added.
“They are some of the only people allowed into hospital settings right now,” she said. “I appreciate our medical and civic leaders recognizing the importance of that.”
At the Orange County Islamic Foundation, congregants first began social distancing by praying six feet apart. When warnings from officials grew more dire, the mosque suspended its in-person prayers entirely.
“It was hard because we love our worship, but not impossible,” said Imam Tarik Ata.
Now, he said, people pray at home. But when it comes time for reflection or spiritual talks, they too have moved to social media such as Facebook and YouTube.
In lieu of online Friday prayers — which Ata said the mosque won’t host because the ritual requires a certain number of worshipers to be physically present — he plans on streaming an evening spiritual reflection. That way, he said, he can continue to engage with the community.
“People are saying they feel spiritually stronger now. We were worried it would be the opposite,” he said. “I think people, when they feel a sense of hardship, it is natural to seek a higher power. Not just our faith, but everyone.”
Rabbi Sharon Brous has suspended all in-person gatherings at Ikar — which means “the gist” or “the essence” in Hebrew — in accordance with experts’ recommendations.
Just before Shabbat one evening earlier this month, the rabbi spoke to her flock in a Facebook live video. For 16 years, she told them, they had come together as a community to celebrate Shabbat and find comfort and strength in the Jewish tradition. Now, she said, many communities are shuttering because they have been warned it was not safe.
So, instead of gathering face-to-face that night, she shared words from the Torah in front of her computer’s camera. Brous summarized an article she’d read about the Alaskan earthquake of 1964, a 9.2 magnitude temblor that had whipped the city of Anchorage, triggering landslides that damaged much of the downtown area.
Researchers, she said, thought that they would come across the worst of humanity when they arrived. Instead, they found connectedness in the aftermath of a catastrophe.
She told her virtual audience that she hoped they could be like the Alaskans who found “resilience and levelheadedness and kindness and cooperation precisely in their moment of greatest vulnerability.”
Viewers left comments as she spoke.
“Shabbat Shalom, everyone,” one wrote. “Thank you so much for doing this.”
In addition to providing more online resources for prayer and learning, Brous said Ikar also has created a list of 330 people in the community who are particularly vulnerable due to age, health problems, job instability or because they suffered a recent trauma that would make the current climate especially challenging.
“There’s a buddy system,” Brous said. “Everybody in the community should be in touch with someone else in the community.”
When Ikar sent an announcement that the congregation would no longer be meeting in person, people wrote back in distress, she said.
“They said they collapsed to the ground in tears, knowing they wouldn’t be able to meet, even though they knew it was the right thing,” she recalled. “It was devastating to them. The ability to go to your church or synagogue or mosque in a hard time is really important to people.”
The move to social media can alienate those who do not have easy access to the internet, she said, and older congregants who aren’t familiar with technology could easily be left behind.
“One thing we are trying to do is address the digital divide as much as we can,” she said. “We’re doing Zoom training for boomers and those who are older in the community.”
Another challenge? As a Jewish community, Brous said, “we don’t use technology on Shabbat on Friday until three stars come out on Saturday night.” That’s why her recent Facebook post took place before the sun went down.
Community members, she said, have been grateful for Ikar’s flexibility.
“I heard from one person who was divorced and lived alone and struggled with anxiety and depression and suicidality,” Brous said. “She said she was concerned for her mental health.”
The pair talked through what it meant to be a community, and how members could still find comfort in one another without being in the same room.
A few Facebook and Zoom gatherings later, Brous said, the woman felt safely held by her congregation.


latimes--2020-03-27--'These are not numbers, these are neighbors,' Garcetti says as coronavirus cases surge in L.A.

Californians completed their first full week under orders to stay at home Thursday , as grim statistics mounted in the coronavirus outbreak : Confirmed cases in Los Angeles County rose by more than half in a single day , reaching 1,200 .
Nine new deaths were reported in the county , bringing the virus ’ s toll to 21 .
“ Even more disturbingly , we see that if this rate of increase continues , in six days , we will be where New York is today , the same number of cases per capita as they are struggling through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said during a somber online briefing Thursday evening .
That is not a record any city wants to break .
And it is , he said , more than just a figure .
“ These are not numbers , these are neighbors , ” Garcetti said .
“ There is no projection in which a couple weeks from now , we ’ re doing fine .
This will be tough.
” The number of coronavirus cases in California surged past 4,000 by Thursday evening , and the state ’ s death toll hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth rate could overwhelm hospitals in coming days .
New York , which has become the national epicenter of the coronavirus crisis , has had 285 deaths , more than three times as many as California .
But officials said California needs to brace itself for far more cases and deaths soon .
Nicholas Jewell , a biostatistics researcher at UC Berkeley who has been tracking the pandemic , said COVID-19 is spreading rapidly throughout the U.S. , at a rate quicker than or on par with countries hit the hardest .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear picture of the outbreak , Jewell said , the expected surge does not mean physical distancing and shelter-in-place orders aren ’ t working .
“ We knew going in we will not see any impact of shelter in place for at least two to three weeks , ” he said .
“ We have to be patient at this point and stay the course.
” President Trump took a more sanguine tone Thursday in a letter to governors — a further sign that he is eager to relax federal guidelines on school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stalled economy .
Public health experts have warned that he is moving prematurely and that there is not enough information to show the pandemic ’ s progress has slowed .
“ There is still a long battle ahead , but our efforts are already paying dividends , ” Trump wrote .
“ As we enhance protections against the virus , Americans across the country are hoping the day will soon arrive when they can resume their normal economic , social and religious lives.
” That day does not seem to be coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernardino County recorded 55 COVID-19 cases and three fatalities from the virus Thursday .
The number of confirmed cases has tripled in less than a week ; on Monday , there were only 17 .
The deaths include two men , ages 50 and 46 , with underlying health conditions .
In Riverside County , 197 COVID-19 cases were confirmed as of Thursday .
So far this month , eight people have died because of the virus , said county spokeswoman Brooke Federico .
All were age 70 or older , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the outbreak worsens , two federal medical stations will open in Riverside County to relieve stress on area hospitals that are preparing for an influx of cases .
Members of the National Guard began work Wednesday on one of the temporary medical facilities at the county fairgrounds in Indio .
A second location has not been confirmed , Federico said .
San Francisco leaders said Wednesday that their city could face a New York-sized crisis — falling short 1,500 ventilators and 5,000 hospital beds .
Said Mayor London Breed : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to whether we will need more.
” The virus — and efforts to halt its spread — have caused another California casualty , officials said Thursday : Stay-at-home orders and physical distancing have resulted in drastic drops in public transit ridership and cuts in availability .
As of March 20 , Metrolink ridership was down roughly 80 % across the system , which includes routes connecting Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside , San Bernardino , San Diego and Ventura counties .
This week that drop-off plunged to 85 % , system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an average of 43,000 to 6,292 .
As a result , Metrolink has cut train service by 30 % , said chief executive Stephanie Wiggins .
The new schedule was effective Thursday and will last for the foreseeable future .
It maintains peak-time routes and as many connections as possible for riders , she said .
“ We take seriously our role as a lifeline transportation service for our community , ” Wiggins said .
“ We also take seriously the need to keep both our riders and employees safe during this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transportation Authority is reducing bus service 15 % to 20 % and running trains less frequently .
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system is operating on an abridged schedule , shutting down at 9 p.m. , three hours earlier than normal .
And among San Francisco ’ s transit cuts is one that will sadden young riders and those who are young at heart : The little cable cars have stopped running halfway to the stars .
As anyone who has visited Los Angeles International Airport has noticed , air traffic also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger traffic is down 85 % , Sean Burton , president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners , said at a commission meeting Thursday .
That has rippled out into a 50 % drop in concession revenues , an 80 % decrease in rental car transactions and a 60 % fall in duty-free revenues .
“ Clearly , ” Burton said , “ the magnitude of what we are facing is immense.
” Times staff writers Kailyn Brown , Dakota Smith , Laura J. Nelson , Priscella Vega , Chris Megerian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this report .

Alex Wigglesworth, Rong-Gong Lin II, Soumya Karlamangla, Maria L. La Ganga

Californians completed their first full week under orders to stay at home Thursday, as grim statistics mounted in the coronavirus outbreak: Confirmed cases in Los Angeles County rose by more than half in a single day, reaching 1,200. Nine new deaths were reported in the county, bringing the virus’s toll to 21.
“Even more disturbingly, we see that if this rate of increase continues, in six days, we will be where New York is today, the same number of cases per capita as they are struggling through,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said during a somber online briefing Thursday evening.
That is not a record any city wants to break. And it is, he said, more than just a figure.
Advertisement
“These are not numbers, these are neighbors,” Garcetti said. “There is no projection in which a couple weeks from now, we’re doing fine. This will be tough.”
The number of coronavirus cases in California surged past 4,000 by Thursday evening, and the state’s death toll hit 83. Experts warn that such a growth rate could overwhelm hospitals in coming days.
New York, which has become the national epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, has had 285 deaths, more than three times as many as California. But officials said California needs to brace itself for far more cases and deaths soon.
Nicholas Jewell, a biostatistics researcher at UC Berkeley who has been tracking the pandemic, said COVID-19 is spreading rapidly throughout the U.S., at a rate quicker than or on par with countries hit the hardest.
While California continues to try to gain a clear picture of the outbreak, Jewell said, the expected surge does not mean physical distancing and shelter-in-place orders aren’t working.
“We knew going in we will not see any impact of shelter in place for at least two to three weeks,” he said. “We have to be patient at this point and stay the course.”
Advertisement
President Trump took a more sanguine tone Thursday in a letter to governors — a further sign that he is eager to relax federal guidelines on school closures and limiting social gatherings to boost the stalled economy. Public health experts have warned that he is moving prematurely and that there is not enough information to show the pandemic’s progress has slowed.
“There is still a long battle ahead, but our efforts are already paying dividends,” Trump wrote. “As we enhance protections against the virus, Americans across the country are hoping the day will soon arrive when they can resume their normal economic, social and religious lives.”
That day does not seem to be coming any time soon in California.
San Bernardino County recorded 55 COVID-19 cases and three fatalities from the virus Thursday. The number of confirmed cases has tripled in less than a week; on Monday, there were only 17. The deaths include two men, ages 50 and 46, with underlying health conditions.
In Riverside County, 197 COVID-19 cases were confirmed as of Thursday. So far this month, eight people have died because of the virus, said county spokeswoman Brooke Federico. All were age 70 or older, she said, and some had underlying health issues.
As the outbreak worsens, two federal medical stations will open in Riverside County to relieve stress on area hospitals that are preparing for an influx of cases. Members of the National Guard began work Wednesday on one of the temporary medical facilities at the county fairgrounds in Indio. A second location has not been confirmed, Federico said.
San Francisco leaders said Wednesday that their city could face a New York-sized crisis — falling short 1,500 ventilators and 5,000 hospital beds. Said Mayor London Breed: “It’s not even a question as to whether we will need more.”
The virus — and efforts to halt its spread — have caused another California casualty, officials said Thursday: Stay-at-home orders and physical distancing have resulted in drastic drops in public transit ridership and cuts in availability.
As of March 20, Metrolink ridership was down roughly 80% across the system, which includes routes connecting Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. This week that drop-off plunged to 85%, system officials said, with daily boardings falling from an average of 43,000 to 6,292.
As a result, Metrolink has cut train service by 30%, said chief executive Stephanie Wiggins. The new schedule was effective Thursday and will last for the foreseeable future. It maintains peak-time routes and as many connections as possible for riders, she said.
“We take seriously our role as a lifeline transportation service for our community,” Wiggins said. “We also take seriously the need to keep both our riders and employees safe during this global pandemic.”
The L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is reducing bus service 15% to 20% and running trains less frequently. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system is operating on an abridged schedule, shutting down at 9 p.m., three hours earlier than normal.
And among San Francisco’s transit cuts is one that will sadden young riders and those who are young at heart: The little cable cars have stopped running halfway to the stars.
As anyone who has visited Los Angeles International Airport has noticed, air traffic also has taken a huge hit. LAX air passenger traffic is down 85%, Sean Burton, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, said at a commission meeting Thursday.
That has rippled out into a 50% drop in concession revenues, an 80% decrease in rental car transactions and a 60% fall in duty-free revenues.
“Clearly,” Burton said, “the magnitude of what we are facing is immense.”
Times staff writers Kailyn Brown, Dakota Smith, Laura J. Nelson, Priscella Vega, Chris Megerian, Anita Chabria and Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-27--The quinceañera is another youthful casualty of the coronavirus

If Ashley Soltero had turned 15 in any other year , her quinceañera would have been much , much different .
She wouldn ’ t have waited to announce the May 2 date to her friends , her escorts — chambelánes — wouldn ’ t have been nervous about coming to dance practice , and her mother wouldn ’ t have been laid off in the midst of paying off Ashley ’ s $ 2,500 charro-style dress .
But it ’ s 2020 and COVID-19 has swept the globe .
Now it ’ s a season of lost rituals : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stage to receive a diploma and , for Latino families in L.A. and beyond , the quinceañera .
As unsettling as postponements and cancellations may be for the young , they may be even harder for parents who have invested so much of themselves in their children .
Soltero and her mother , Evelyn Yañez , have been planning her birthday celebration for a year .
“ I think she ’ s more excited , because I ’ m her only child , ” Ashley said .
“ She wants the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A quinceañera is part debutante ball , part coming-of-age ritual with religious overtones .
The celebration starts with a Mass .
Parents hire photographers , bands and choreographers to make sure the party afterward is perfect .
In places with huge Mexican American populations like L.A. , quinceañeras are part of the cultural lifeblood of the city and region .
Ashley , who turns 15 on April 8 , planned to stick with tradition .
She would dance with her father .
He would change her shoes from flats to high heels — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would receive her last doll , a sign of leaving childhood behind .
“ It ’ s a once-in-a-lifetime thing , ” Yañez , said .
“ When you go from being a girl to ... ” “ A young lady , ” Ashley finished , smiling wide enough to reveal her pink braces .
On Sunday , in hopes that her celebration might go on as planned in May , Ashley practiced dance steps underneath the shade of a gray tarp in her grandparents ’ driveway in El Monte .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practiced for their own quinces decades ago , although now they danced on concrete instead of dirt .
A mariachi version of “ Tale as Old as Time , ” a song from the film “ Beauty and the Beast , ” filled the morning quiet that enveloped the neighborhood .
The day before , all public and private gatherings had been prohibited anywhere within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health .
The dance practice included hand sanitizer and as much distancing as possible .
Yañez had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice .
And what if the quinceañera isn ’ t delayed , she reasoned , and none of her daughter ’ s quince court know the dance steps ?
What if the music plays and they just stand there in their elaborate party clothes ?
“ Five , six , seven , eight , ” Cynthia Garcia , a choreographer with My Quince Dances , counted off .
“ Go one , turn two.
” Only six of the nine chambelánes showed up .
One mother asked her son if he was sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Garcia spent most of practice rehashing last week ’ s steps .
If everyone had showed up , they could have practiced new moves , like lifting Ashley .
The girl ’ s waist-length dark brown hair swayed with each slow turn , the speed chosen to accommodate the ball-gown-like charro dress she would wear the night of her party .
For now , she wore a cropped black Adidas sweater and ripped blue jeans .
The tarp protected the dancers from the sun beating down that morning .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11-year-old cousin , rubbed sleep from his eyes before taking her hands in his .
The two boys on each side of her pivoted in Vans and jeans .
For one , it was his sixth quince as a chambelán .
For another , his fourth .
A couple of them are in quinces that have been postponed .
Over the past few weeks , Garcia has seen empty quinceañera venues and celebrations postponed after venues have canceled .
At a quince on March 14 , only half of the invited guests showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really heartbroken , ” Garcia said .
Quinceañera celebrations , not dissimilar to weddings , have become a billion-dollar industry , according to some .
The average quinceañera costs $ 21,781 , according to the Quinceañera Report .
Ashley ’ s quinceañera is costing around $ 20,000 .
The industry has taken a hit across the country , as state restrictions force families to postpone events indefinitely .
In the Central Valley , one venue allowed a family to reschedule from March 28 to a date in the summer .
The only problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a separate quinceañera that same day .
“ It ’ s sad for the quince , ” choreographer Noemi Ruffin said , referring to the birthday girl , “ because now she might have a court without her friends.
” In early March , Ashley grew worried after a friend postponed her quinceañera , and she wondered if she might have to do the same .
The teenager has held off on announcing hers for that reason .
“ I don ’ t want to get everyone ’ s hopes up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family has soldiered on .
Ashley is the youngest girl in the immediate family , and this would be the last quinceañera they would celebrate for a long time .
They ’ ve held off on canceling anything for fear of losing their deposits .
Ashley went for a dress fitting in Riverside on Saturday .
( To her father ’ s dismay , she picked out a black dress — although one with yellow , red and blue flowers trailing down the bodice . )
The invitations , which match the teenager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fiesta “ el 2 de mayo del 2020.
” Yañez ’ s mother told her she needed to send out RSVP cards , because it was unclear who would attend due to “ el virus.
” If it happens in May , Ashley ’ s special day will include a Spanish-language Mass at 2 p.m. and a reception that afternoon .
Her family has booked the hall , Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas , and a group to play banda , traditional brass-based Mexican music .
By April , Yañez has to pay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unexpectedly , she ’ s also having to apply for unemployment .
Last week , she was laid off from a wholesale store for sunglasses where she ’ d worked since her senior year of high school .
Across the state , workers are losing jobs as counties order the closure of nonessential businesses .
“ I am stressed and I am worried , but I have that hope .
I don ’ t want to lose that hope that this is all going to be over with , ” Yañez said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ She ’ s my only daughter .
I want to do everything for her.
” Yañez ’ s parents tried to do the same for their three daughters .
The couple met in El Monte soon after immigrating from Mexico in 1974 .
They raised their children there .
Her father , Ysidro Yañez , spent 44 years working in a company that made cabinet doors .
In Mexico , where his parents were farm workers , there was never enough money to celebrate Christmas .
In the U.S. , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a quinceañera .
At Yañez ’ s quinceañera in Baldwin Park , police had to come because there was so much traffic .
She likened it to the lines outside of grocery stores due to panic buying .
The hall , which could hold 500 , had to close its doors because so many people turned up .
“ I ’ ve always wanted my daughters to have more than what I had , ” said Alma Yañez , who is Evelyn ’ s mother and Ashley ’ s grandmother .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents .
We want them to have what we never did.
” For Ashley ’ s quince , her grandparents are helping pay for the hall , the cake and centerpieces from Mexico — bottles that will be topped with sombreros for her “ fiesta Mexicana.
” Grandfather and granddaughter will dance together , just as Ysidro danced with his daughters years ago .
As Ashley and her friends danced in the frontyard , her grandfather and another man cut dead palm fronds from a tree .
The rest of her family sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an odd feeling for the teenager , who doesn ’ t like to be the center of attention .
But she took it in stride , her cheeks dimpling with every smile .
The 14-year-old said she worried that her mother was even more stressed out than she was about the possibility of a delay , of this milestone going by unnoticed .
That , she said , hurts most of all .

Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, center, teaches dance moves to a group of youngsters for an upcoming quinceañera for 14-year-old Ashley Soltero, in El Monte on Sunday.
If Ashley Soltero had turned 15 in any other year, her quinceañera would have been much, much different.
She wouldn’t have waited to announce the May 2 date to her friends, her escorts — chambelánes — wouldn’t have been nervous about coming to dance practice, and her mother wouldn’t have been laid off in the midst of paying off Ashley’s $2,500 charro-style dress.
But it’s 2020 and COVID-19 has swept the globe. Now it’s a season of lost rituals: prom, grad night, walking across a stage to receive a diploma and, for Latino families in L.A. and beyond, the quinceañera. As unsettling as postponements and cancellations may be for the young, they may be even harder for parents who have invested so much of themselves in their children.
Advertisement
Soltero and her mother, Evelyn Yañez, have been planning her birthday celebration for a year.
“I think she’s more excited, because I’m her only child,” Ashley said. “She wants the best for me, you know?”
A quinceañera is part debutante ball, part coming-of-age ritual with religious overtones. The celebration starts with a Mass. Parents hire photographers, bands and choreographers to make sure the party afterward is perfect. In places with huge Mexican American populations like L.A., quinceañeras are part of the cultural lifeblood of the city and region.
Ashley, who turns 15 on April 8, planned to stick with tradition. She would dance with her father. He would change her shoes from flats to high heels — symbolizing the step into adulthood. She would receive her last doll, a sign of leaving childhood behind.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Yañez, said. “When you go from being a girl to ...”
“A young lady,” Ashley finished, smiling wide enough to reveal her pink braces.
A group of teens practice dancing for a quinceañera for Ashley Soltero, center. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
On Sunday, in hopes that her celebration might go on as planned in May, Ashley practiced dance steps underneath the shade of a gray tarp in her grandparents’ driveway in El Monte. It’s where her mother and her tías practiced for their own quinces decades ago, although now they danced on concrete instead of dirt.
A mariachi version of “Tale as Old as Time,” a song from the film “Beauty and the Beast,” filled the morning quiet that enveloped the neighborhood. The day before, all public and private gatherings had been prohibited anywhere within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The dance practice included hand sanitizer and as much distancing as possible.
Yañez had already paid a dance instructor for this second practice. And what if the quinceañera isn’t delayed, she reasoned, and none of her daughter’s quince court know the dance steps? What if the music plays and they just stand there in their elaborate party clothes?
“Five, six, seven, eight,” Cynthia Garcia, a choreographer with My Quince Dances, counted off. “Go one, turn two.”
Only six of the nine chambelánes showed up. One mother asked her son if he was sure he wanted to go, concerned about the coronavirus. Garcia spent most of practice rehashing last week’s steps. If everyone had showed up, they could have practiced new moves, like lifting Ashley.
Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, center, instructs the quinceañera dancers. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
The girl’s waist-length dark brown hair swayed with each slow turn, the speed chosen to accommodate the ball-gown-like charro dress she would wear the night of her party. For now, she wore a cropped black Adidas sweater and ripped blue jeans. The tarp protected the dancers from the sun beating down that morning.
The chambelán de honor, Ashley’s 11-year-old cousin, rubbed sleep from his eyes before taking her hands in his. The two boys on each side of her pivoted in Vans and jeans. For one, it was his sixth quince as a chambelán. For another, his fourth. A couple of them are in quinces that have been postponed.
Over the past few weeks, Garcia has seen empty quinceañera venues and celebrations postponed after venues have canceled. At a quince on March 14, only half of the invited guests showed up.
“The little girl was really heartbroken,” Garcia said.
Quinceañera celebrations, not dissimilar to weddings, have become a billion-dollar industry, according to some. The average quinceañera costs $21,781, according to the Quinceañera Report. Ashley’s quinceañera is costing around $20,000.
The industry has taken a hit across the country, as state restrictions force families to postpone events indefinitely.
Choreographer Cynthia Garcia, left, her assistant Salvador Ruiz, 11-year-old Marc Morales and Ashley Soltero. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
In the Central Valley, one venue allowed a family to reschedule from March 28 to a date in the summer. The only problem? The teenager’s friend was having a separate quinceañera that same day.
“It’s sad for the quince,” choreographer Noemi Ruffin said, referring to the birthday girl, “because now she might have a court without her friends.”
In early March, Ashley grew worried after a friend postponed her quinceañera, and she wondered if she might have to do the same. The teenager has held off on announcing hers for that reason.
“I don’t want to get everyone’s hopes up,” she said.
Still, her family has soldiered on. Ashley is the youngest girl in the immediate family, and this would be the last quinceañera they would celebrate for a long time. They’ve held off on canceling anything for fear of losing their deposits.
Ashley went for a dress fitting in Riverside on Saturday. (To her father’s dismay, she picked out a black dress — although one with yellow, red and blue flowers trailing down the bodice.)
The invitations, which match the teenager’s dress, welcome guests to a fiesta “el 2 de mayo del 2020.” Yañez’s mother told her she needed to send out RSVP cards, because it was unclear who would attend due to “el virus.”
If it happens in May, Ashley’s special day will include a Spanish-language Mass at 2 p.m. and a reception that afternoon. Her family has booked the hall, Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas, and a group to play banda, traditional brass-based Mexican music. By April, Yañez has to pay for food for 300 people.
But now, unexpectedly, she’s also having to apply for unemployment. Last week, she was laid off from a wholesale store for sunglasses where she’d worked since her senior year of high school. Across the state, workers are losing jobs as counties order the closure of nonessential businesses.
“I am stressed and I am worried, but I have that hope. I don’t want to lose that hope that this is all going to be over with,” Yañez said, her hands clasped in her lap. “She’s my only daughter. I want to do everything for her.”
Yañez’s parents tried to do the same for their three daughters. The couple met in El Monte soon after immigrating from Mexico in 1974. They raised their children there.
Her father, Ysidro Yañez, spent 44 years working in a company that made cabinet doors. In Mexico, where his parents were farm workers, there was never enough money to celebrate Christmas. In the U.S., he made sure that all his daughters had a quinceañera.
At Yañez’s quinceañera in Baldwin Park, police had to come because there was so much traffic. She likened it to the lines outside of grocery stores due to panic buying. The hall, which could hold 500, had to close its doors because so many people turned up.
“I’ve always wanted my daughters to have more than what I had,” said Alma Yañez, who is Evelyn’s mother and Ashley’s grandmother. “I think that’s our purpose as parents. We want them to have what we never did.”
For Ashley’s quince, her grandparents are helping pay for the hall, the cake and centerpieces from Mexico — bottles that will be topped with sombreros for her “fiesta Mexicana.” Grandfather and granddaughter will dance together, just as Ysidro danced with his daughters years ago.
As Ashley and her friends danced in the frontyard, her grandfather and another man cut dead palm fronds from a tree. The rest of her family sat nearby and watched the practice.
It was an odd feeling for the teenager, who doesn’t like to be the center of attention. But she took it in stride, her cheeks dimpling with every smile.
The 14-year-old said she worried that her mother was even more stressed out than she was about the possibility of a delay, of this milestone going by unnoticed.
That, she said, hurts most of all.