Sarah Portnoy

Professor and author

Assistant professor of Spanish at USC; author of the new book “Food, Health, and Culture in Latino Los Angeles”

Sarah Portnoy on KCRW

You see street vendors all over LA, but they’re technically illegal under city law. Today, a city council committee votes on a measure to change that.

How street vendors are integral to LA’s Latino food scene

You see street vendors all over LA, but they’re technically illegal under city law. Today, a city council committee votes on a measure to change that.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

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The world of 1970s Laurel Canyon is on full display in Ginny Winn’s book, “Grievous Angels, Trout Masks, and American Beauties: 1970s Rock & Roll Photography of Ginny Winn.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Residents want a nearby landfill — where a chemical reaction is happening underneath — to shut down to preserve their health. Months later, it’s still operating.

from KCRW Features

It’s primary day here in California and more than a dozen other states.

“High & Low” chronicles John Galliano’s rise with Givenchy and Christian Dior, then his downfall due to alcoholism and anti-Jewish remarks.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Santa Monica City Council recently voted to explore compensating the descendants of a Black man named Silas White for his plot of land on Ocean Ave.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Though votes are still being tallied, LA Magazine Reporter Jon Regardie weighs in on which LA races will go to a run-off in November and which saw early wins.

from KCRW Features

Should a rise in Congressional retirements set off alarm bells? Are Democrats off base with their current platform? How will a new law impact campus free speech?

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In “Problemista,” a Salvadoran immigrant longs to become a toy designer when he arrives in New York. The challenges of getting a U.S. work visa threaten his dreams.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

LA Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani said his ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly stole millions to pay gambling debts. His story raises plausibility questions.

from KCRW Features