Discovering the Cracks of Imperfection in My Suburban Desert

How an Arizona Native Stopped Dreaming of Snow and Winding Rivers

The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, Arizona, where I grew up, is a water recycling facility disguised as an ecological habitat. It is a diverse biome where water meets land. The city treats wastewater and funnels it into the preserve’s ponds, where it slowly filters back into the aquifer. Almost 300 species of birds, cottontail rabbits, snakes, red-eared slider turtles, and butterflies also live in the 110-acre park, as well as around its ponds and adjoining lake of reclaimed-water.

The regional library, where I first …

By Whitney M. Woodworth | August 21, 2015

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Bogotá, My Home Away From Home

I Began My Trip to Colombia as a Teen Feeling Lost, and Ended With a New Sense of Belonging in the World

by Natasha Verdon | August 12, 2015

After finishing seventh grade, I found myself at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, where my mother put me on a plane headed to Bogotá, Colombia.

It wasn’t as …

I Found Home in a Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

After Moving to L.A. From a Small Town, I Craved a Familiar Place

By Dominique Resendez | August 5, 2015

When I left Watsonville (pop. 52,000) in the fall of 2012 to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles, I expected to cry at the absence of family and friends. But …

The Crusty, Dusty Places That Angelenos Love

Zócalo and KCRW Asked Los Angeles What Old-School Places They'd Like to Live Forever

June 1, 2015

Who says Angelenos only like new, shiny things? When Zócalo and KCRW teamed up to ask locals, “What’s the old-school L.A. spot you love most and why?”, we were bombarded …

The Canyon That Houses Deep Cuts From My Family’s Past

Forty Miles South of Tucson, Madera Canyon Echoes With Memories of Marriage, Divorce, Loss, and Growing Up

by Paulina Pineda | May 15, 2015

The rustling of the leaves broke the silence as we sat on top of a giant boulder less than a mile up the trail. The rock appeared as if it …

Life in L.A. Is One Big ‘Boba’ Fête

Connecting to My Family’s Heritage and History Through a Plastic Straw

by Steven Cong | May 14, 2015

I have tried a lot of boba tea. And when I say “a lot,” I mean I’ve visited over 200 tea houses that sell these beverages—teas in a variety of …

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Why California’s Trails Are Disappearing From Our Maps

The Sierra Once Provided Refuge for the Central Valley; Now, Access to These Forests Is Being Threatened

Will We Ever Get Sane About Water?

We Have the Means To Keep Ourselves Peaceably Hydrated. The Will, For Now, Is Another Story.

The Next Great California Bridge Should Span the High Desert

Infrastructure Linking Palmdale and Victorville Could Boost L.A.—and All of North America

From Bethlehem to Palm Springs, Christmas Belongs in the Desert

During the Holiday Season, Southern California’s Coachella Valley Becomes a Place of Rebirth

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