You Can't Eat the Sunshine   /     YCES in Quarantine Episode #138: Embedded with Kemal Cilengir Documenting the Black Lives Matter Protests in Los Angeles

Hall of Justice, Broadway & Temple. May 27. Photo by Kemal/StreetwiseLA

Download Podcast Episode!

You Can’t Eat the Sunshine returns with an all-new Quarantine format, inviting folks who are passionate about Los Angeles history and historic preservation to join us for a conversation about the places that matter more than ever, as much of Los Angeles shelters in place under Mayor Eric Garcetti’s "Safer At Home" directive.

Our special guest on June 5th, 2020 is Kemal Cilengir, a street photographer and activist who has spent the past week running on adrenaline and fumes, documenting the Black Lives Matter protests in Los Angeles following the murder of George Floyd.

If you’ve ever wondered what compels a regular Angeleno to charge into the heart of a chaotic and dangerous street protest, camera in hand, then tune in for a bare knuckles trip into the Spring 2020 action, from Downtown Los Angeles to the Fairfax District to Santa Monica–and back again to document the emotionally tough scenes of the morning after.

Kemal loves his native Los Angeles, and has dedicated himself to telling stories that are overlooked by the mainstream media, even as network reporters phone it in from the safety of a helicopter or behind police lines. His Black Lives Matter protest photo essays paint astonishing scenes of strife, hope and courage in the heart of our city.

Weird fact: Kemal was in the same Santa Monica High School class as, and ran track with, Donald Trump’s policy advisor Stephen Miller. It’s probably nature and not nurture, but even his erstwhile classmate Kemal doesn’t know what that guy’s freaking problem is.

Links to learn more about our guests, the episode’s topics, and us:

Kemal Cilengir is the creator of Streetwise L.A., a documentary blog that included a remarkable collaboration with formerly homeless Skid Row journalist Amos (aka Chicago). You can follow Kemal’s work on Instagram and L.A. Taco.

Esotouric is our historic Los Angeles tour company, presently not operating due to the pandemic. We have a newsletter, a YouTube channel, a selection of books and maps celebrating Los Angeles history, and can be followed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Closely Watched Trains

Our campaign for transparency around the American Cinematheque’s proposed sale of the Egyptian Theatre to Netflix. Petition update: In a pandemic, as rioters fill the streets, Netflix quietly purchases the Egyptian Theatre. Our Richard Schave is quoted in this Indiewire piece that doesn’t just reprint the corporate press release, but digs deeper into a troubling Hollywood land grab.

Nine years after the low income tenants were evicted and Robert Stacy-Judd’s National Register Aztec Hotel entered a period of anxious uncertainty, Monrovia’s Planning Commission says it can welcome nightly guests. (Aztec discussion begins at 16:50.)

Good Eats in Isolation

Zonzon Organic produces small batch Tunisian tomato sauce and shakshuka in its Arts District cannery. For orders of $35 and up, they will deliver in Los Angeles.