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Ethiopian Coffee ceremony honors family and health A clay coffee pot rests on a tray made from aluminum foil as incense burns near it. Coffee ceremonies are an important part of Ethiopian culture. Photo by Katya Castillo. Coffee is an essential drink in Ethiopian culture. It’s a community experience and...

Valley food bank answers the call for those in need during the pandemic Imelda Canales packages food to be distributed at MEND's biweekly Food Bank in Pacoima, Calif., on March 9, 2021. Photo by Katya Castillo. Cars start lining up by 7:45 a.m. on San Fernando Road in Pacoima, to...

Kobe Kendall (L) dives during quidditch practice while trying to pull the velcroed Snitch from Jackson Schulz’s (R) shorts in Irvine, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2021. Quidditch is familiar to most as a broom-flying, cape-wearing game of dodgeball, but the league sport played by muggles is a little less known than its magical...

Ernie Ezcurra (left), of HYT Polo, and Sean Goel (right) of Fair Hills Farms, gallop across the field during the Will Rogers Memorial Tournament Championship Match at the Will Rogers Polo Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2021. Hoofbeats pounding in their ears, snorting breaths from the horses as they...

Rich Hua (right) practices at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, Calif., on Sep. 26, 2021. Rich Hua never thought of motorcycle racing before his early 40s.   A private arm security who provided 24/7 support for a private family and transport jewelries between their stores  and a military contract...

Photo illustration by Dalaanii Cochrane. Feb. 4, 2019. With little to no warning, announcement, leaks or a single piece of promotional material , Respawn Entertainment–known previously for their sleeper hit Titanfall Franchise in the early 2010’s—released a new battle-royale game to the public: Apex Legends. For...

Table tennis player Jordan Jones hits the ball during a training session at Allen &Sons Table Tennis Club in Canoga Park, Calif., on Oct 8, 2021. Photo by David Pashaee. Wisps of white soared through the air against the indigo setting as ping pong balls crashed against the charcoal and vermillion-colored paddles. Beads...

Caroline Boone smiles at her American Saddlebred gelding, Juno, at Golden Glen Stables in Shadow Hills, Calif., on Nov. 14, 2021. My Golden Trinket patiently stands by the mounting block, softly swishing her tail in the air when flies dared to land on her golden body, as her charge Priscilla Oh prepares to...

Joseph Unruh leaps over a guardrail tree at the CSUN Library in Northridge, Calif., on Oct. 9, 2021. It started with simple warm-ups; small jumps to clear, vaults off a tree and safety landings from one ledge to another. It soon escalated into climbing onto a temporary walkway through construction and then over...

Santiago Cisneros (L) trains his client Tiffany La during a boxing session at Self Made Training Facility in Long Beach, Calif., on Sept 28, 2021.  When Santiago Cisneros was 4 years old living in San Jose, Calif., his father was arrested for selling drugs, leaving him, four siblings and a mother with no...