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I took part this afternoon in the third annual LAy Of The LAnd Writer’s Conference put on by Loyola Marymount University’s Creative Writing Program and Graduate English Department. I was invited by professor Ruben Martinez and introduced by Evelyn McDonnell, one of two recent LMU hires with a strong journalism background. (The other is Lynell George, the author and writer on L.A.) This year's theme was “The Wired City: Writing The Future of LA.,” which for the students in the audience turned into mostly a discussion of New Media and blogs. I was the optimist, as well as the old guy of the bunch; it also was a good chance for me to catch up on the websites of my co-panelists:
Cindy Mosqueda has been blogging at Loteria Chicana since 2001, but my last mention of the site was back in 2009. She recently announced both her completion of the L.A. Marathon and her engagement to Sean Campbell.
Juan Devis is the producer of KCET's immersive community story-gathering initiative, Departures, which has been taking an interesting trip along the Los Angeles River. The project's latest multi-media "mural" looks at the stretch of river between Compton Creek and Long Beach.
Kyle DePinna, a senior at LMU, is co-founder of the music website Shifty Rhythms.