Art & Entertainments

From Sharecropping to the Voting Booth in 3 Generations

By Jaime E. Love 3 weeks ago

Diversity in literature is about more than just authorship and characters’ skin tones. Cultures generate unique storytelling strategies that are often overlooked or afforded less critical significance than white, Western master narratives.

The award-winning collaborators Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney excel at presenting biographical tales rooted in Black culture’s oral histories, theater, poetry, music, art. Complex and evocative, “Loretta Little Looks Back” spans three generations of children in one fictional Mississippi family enduring a new type of enslavement (sharecropping, under the Jim Crow laws of segregation) and ultimately triumphing over new types of voter suppression (a literacy test and a poll tax).

Based on interviews and oral histories culled from sharecroppers who lived in the South in the 1920s through the 1960s, including Andrea Davis Pinkney’s own family members, the novel interweaves the voices of Loretta (speaking from 1927 to 1930); her little brother, Roly (1942-50); and Roly’s

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Six ways to get your SoCal art and culture in person

By Jaime E. Love 3 weeks ago

Tired of just streaming shows at home? Ready to lay your eyes on a real canvas, hear the patter of dancers’ feet in person, catch a concert in the company of a live audience? Here are a half-dozen SoCal shows following COVID-19 protocols for a safe, distanced, in-person experience.

“The Quest”
The L.A.-based site-specific dance company Heidi Duckler Dance celebrates its 35th anniversary with a 10-day series of walk-up and drive-up performances at different locations. The Thursday performances, at 7 and 7:45 p.m., are drive-up shows at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Studio City; Friday is another drive-up, at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City; and Saturday shows at 6:30, 7:15 and 8 p.m. are drive-in at North Figueroa Street in Mt. Washington. Shows run daily through Oct. 10. $35-$400. heididuckler.org

“Driven: A Latinx Artist Celebration”
The Museum of Latin American Art in

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How The Entertainment Convention Community Is Adapting Mid-Pandemic

By Jaime E. Love 3 weeks ago

For years, entertainment conventions have been a thrilling right-of-passage for die-hard enthusiasts to celebrate all things comics, art, film, television, pop culture and more. Whether it gives someone an occasion to dress up in their favorite cosplay character, meet their most admired celebrity or interact with creative artists selling unique merchandise, the demand is overwhelming for these annual events in cities all across the U.S. and beyond. Where else can you find The Joker, Darth Vader and Thanos walking a convention floor? One villain, however, that these successfully proven businesses did not see coming showed up unannounced earlier this year in the form of coronavirus.

Just as other businesses and society in general have found ways to adapt in their communication skills during this pandemic, these entertainment groups have also had to adapt, in order to continue in some capacity. With a majority of convention spaces unavailable

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6 Beauty Trends From Latinx Cultures

By Jaime E. Love 4 weeks ago

Jenna Brillhart and Jesse Blanner, HelloGiggles

With the Latinx diaspora expanding over 20 countries, “Hispanic” isn’t a one-size-fits-all term—especially when it comes to beauty and style. As Hispanic womxn, we’re challenging these narratives by embracing all aspects of our culture and choosing which ones are right for us. This Hispanic Heritage Month, HelloGiggles will be taking a deep dive into the beauty of our culture through Mi Cultura, Mi Belleza. We’ll be featuring essays about hair and identity, giving beauty tips from our abuelitas, highlighting the unique style of the Afro-Latina community, and more.

Beauty trends within the Latinx community go beyond the latest TikTok fad or new lipstick launch. They’re enriched with culture, influenced by history, and are often passed down by generations from abuelitas to tías to nietas. And with so much richness within the Latinx beauty space, it’s important to highlight the different trends from

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