Standing up from the ashes
In Altadena, neighbors become first responders
Staring into the bonfire warming the wet, misty morning air outside of his North Pasadena home, Jorge Trujillo recalled the morning when everything changed for him and for tens of thousands of Altadena and Pasadena residents.
His eyes darted back and forth over the flames...
Parenting, serving and finding themselves
Pierce College veterans grow in the military and beyond
Katie Hirahoka was running on two hours of sleep, but as a new mother with an energetic, wobbling toddler to take care of, this wasn’t unusual. As she paced around the United States Army center in Germany, Hirahoka didn’t give much thought to her lack...
Searching for a forever home
Families build a love of fostering pets
Phyliss Siebold opened her Facebook 12 years ago to a post of a white poodle terrier mom and her four 19-day-old puppies. The puppies were dumped at a shelter and going to be euthanized if nobody took them in to foster. So, Siebold contacted the rescue to...
Juggling bedtimes and deadlines
Student parents show resilience
In a small construction company, Cindy Argueta found herself sorting through spreadsheets, receipts and financial transactions to obtain her position as a bookkeeper and accountant. She had worked in the industry for years, but shortly after she gave birth to her youngest son in 2022, Argueta received news from her...
From unwelcome to unconditional
Queer families take many forms
Cameron Brenner’s earliest memories of middle school hallways are not of the laughter of friends nor the excitement he could have felt. They are of whispers and pointed stares. Instead of finding peers and friendship, he found himself being called slurs.
Gym class was a nightmare. Out...
Family through faith
The aroma of coffee and fresh baked pastries drifted through the foyer as people gathered. Their laughter and greetings filled the space with warmth. Across the room, a teenager hesitated in the doorway with tense shoulders, until a group of peers waved him over, making space in their circle. In one of the...
Santa Barbara, CA
A couple walks in the Santa Barbara Harbor on Oct. 4, 2024. Photo by Owen Meza-Vandermeer.
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains less than two hours from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a city that blends its rich history, pleasant weather and natural beauty into its laid back community....
Brotherhood on the open road
Ray Perez (left) and Armando Cantu (right), members of Southern California branch of Operation Restoring Veteran Hope, fist bump on the I-10 on their way to Mormon Lake, Ariz., on Sept. 20, 2024. Photo by Emil Rizkalla.
In early October, about a dozen members of the Bunker motorcycle club, lead by Ray Perez,...
A descent into Death Valley
Visitors take photos at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park on Oct. 19, 2024. Photo by Owen Meza-Vandermeer.
Driving through the rugged Panamint Mountains, visitors to Death Valley National Park wind down the narrow, twisting road of Highway 190. After about an hour of navigating the mountainous terrain, the valley floor finally...
Tours, tombstones and true crime
Graveline Tours owner Adam Levine at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif. on Oct. 2 2024. Photo by Veronica Rosas.
Adam Levine is like a kid in a candy shop as he walks through Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. He pulls out his phone to document the 142-year-old, gothic stone chapel with crawling...