During February’s LASA, we considered bodies in LA. Thank you to LAPL’s Central Branch for hosting us in the morning.
We welcomed Dr. Cynthia Willard, faculty leader of the USC-Keck Human Rights Clinic. Her work involves the forensic documentation of human rights abuses for asylum seekers here in Los Angeles. She shared her path to this work as well as the larger contexts of immigration law and the processes for seeking asylum. Noah reflected that it saddened him that such a small percentage of those seeking asylum are heard; “It is really hard to know how to balance the safety issue with protecting all and be a place free from persecution.” Dr. Cindy helped us to work together to consider how bodies memorialize trauma. She explained how forensic documentation translates to more successful attempts to obtain asylum status. Sofia “loved how the speaker’s job incorporated social justice and the medical field.”
Anna was fascinated by how the morning and afternoon connected through this theme of bodies. After lunch, we walked to the LA Athletic Club to consider LA’s oldest private club, conceptualizing fitness in early 20th century LA, and the club’s current attention on broadening their community. Katy, who enjoys athletics, particularly liked visiting the Club.
We toured with Jennie Tucker and Suzanne Joskow and learned about their plans to use the walls of the space to share the deep history of the club in LA. And we met their artist in residence, Lauren Halsey, who graciously took time out of creative process to share her journey, her love of basketball, and her thoughts on working from the roof of the LAAC. Noah liked that she “was trying to blend art with community engagement.”
We continued our conversations as we walked back to the library to end our today together and look forward to meeting again in March.