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awalkerinla.bsky.social
Alissa Walker
@awalkerinla.bsky.social
25K followers 490 following 1.5K posts
I'm a writer and a walker in LA. Tracking the city's megaevent progress at Torched. Co-host LA Podcast, new episodes drop every Monday. LAUSD mom. @awalkerinla everywhere else. Sign up for my newsletter at torched.la 🔥
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Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · Jun 16
Thanks to John Oliver for quoting my highly scientific analysis proving we don’t need federal troops in LA
Reposted by Alissa Walker
thewaroncars.bsky.social
Tickets are still available for our only live show in Los Angeles: Monday, November 17 at Dynasty Typewriter with guests @awalkerinla.bsky.social and @billwearsties.bsky.social. Don't miss out!

www.dynastytypewriter.com/calendar-squ...
Yellow graphic with picture of Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear, both wearing black with book cover of Life After Cars between them. Graphic says "Streets For All Presents The War on Cars Book Event with hosts/authors Doug Gordon & Sarah Goodyear"
November 11, 2025 at 4:58 AM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Sanitation department customers in the city of LA, please send me your photos and stories of how the Great Green Bin Apocalypse of 2025 has affected (or infected?) you
November 11, 2025 at 5:04 AM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Need a summary of last week's election results and why they matter to you, an LA voter, in 49 minutes or less? Join me, @mikebonin.bsky.social and @rachelreyes.bsky.social for this week's episode of LA Podcast. @laforward.bsky.social

Listen here: www.thinkforward.la/50-ways-to-l...
An LA Podcast show graphic showing the LA Podcast logo and a illustrated grizzly bear holding the state of California with the word Democracy on it, and a sign that reads YES ON 50 over a map of the U.S. The title of the show is shown over the graphic, November 10, 2025, Episode 278 and 50 Ways to Leave Your Legislator
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
julesboykoff.bsky.social
My latest @theguardian.com: As a genuine soccer fan & generational political talent, freshly elected NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani might be able to achieve the unthinkable: force the FIFA behemoth to share its lucre by targeting its tax exemptions & extreme privilege www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Zohran Mamdani has upended US politics. Now he should take on Fifa | Jules Boykoff
New York’s mayor-elect has taken on powerful institutions. With the World Cup taking place in his city, he should challenge Fifa next
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Another reason you should come on this tour: so you can watch the reaction from LADOT engineers when you ask them if they can turn all the signals in the city green in all directions at the same time just like in The Italian Job. They love this question!
November 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Back by popular demand! Come tour ATSAC, one of the most sophisticated transportation-monitoring systems in the world, to see how a famous legacy improvement of the 1984 Summer Olympics is preparing for 2028. You must be a Torched subscriber at the 🔥🔥 level to join, so what are you waiting for?
Tour ATSAC with Torched on November 19
Join 🔥🔥 subscribers for what's become a beloved annual tradition
www.torched.la
November 10, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
freedom.press
"Now the city attorney says in a leaked memo the real problem is that 'anyone can claim they are a Journalist.' Fine. Maybe those anyones shouldn’t get shot in the head, either," the @ladailynews.bsky.social' editorial board writes.
Los Angeles city attorney to press: drop dead
Why does the city attorney hate the press so much she literally wants ink-stained wretches — and their contemporary multi-media cousins — shot by the police?
www.dailynews.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
warrenjwells.bsky.social
I know it's not surprising anymore, but it's still shocking to see US police beating people in the streets for...celebrating a world series win.
November 8, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
ajschnack.bsky.social
This is a crucial thread from @awalkerinla.bsky.social incorporating reporting by @shoton35mm.bsky.social and commentary by @adamrose.bsky.social about the LAPD’s hideous overreach on the night the Dodgers won the World Series.
November 7, 2025 at 11:56 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Of course @lataco.bsky.social @shoton35mm.bsky.social has the definitive account of what unfolded before and after Saturday’s victory — which illustrates over and over again how LA is completely unprepared to handle celebrating fans
Bartenders and Innocent Bystanders Tear Gassed, Knocked Over By Horses, And Shot With ‘Rubber Bullets’ During World Series Night Celebrations ~ L.A. TACO
One man who was walking to Gold Room bar had to get surgery on his finger after being shot with a “rubber bullet.” “He was just running away and they got him in the leg and shot the top of his finger ...
lataco.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:36 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
I wrote about LA's remarkable opportunity to once again use the World Series as trial run for upcoming megaevents. Unfortunately our leaders are incapable of envisioning a city that cheers together: there was very little planning for public celebration and a whole lot of leeway for police aggression
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 7, 2025 at 4:44 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Still my favorite shot from the day. There was only one place with enough space to guarantee a glimpse of LA's winning team: the freeway overpasses. Or, for a handful of fans who bravely scurried down a slope of spiky century plants, the freeway itself.

Let's just have next year's parade there?
Dodger fans fill a freeway overpass with one person holding a Freeman jersey, #5, as the double decker buses filled with players sails below the overpass on an empty 110 freeway, save for a dozen or so people who are lined up in the median to watch from below
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
herebox.org
pedestrianize those streets ahead of time ... expand LA's celebratory capacity
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 4d
In 217 days people from all over the globe are going to congregate in LA to watch extremely intense sporting matches in public. What's the strategy to welcome these fans if we're tear-gassing anyone who dares to drink a Modelo on the sidewalk?
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 6, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
daviddaniel.bsky.social
"Fans who have been through literal hell over the past year have every right to watch such an emotional moment in a communal setting. And those of us without spacious living room sectionals will absolutely have to rely on projectors and parking lots and — gasp — maybe even public spaces."
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 4d
In 217 days people from all over the globe are going to congregate in LA to watch extremely intense sporting matches in public. What's the strategy to welcome these fans if we're tear-gassing anyone who dares to drink a Modelo on the sidewalk?
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 6, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
newgranarchist.bsky.social
Alissa Walker knocks it out of the ballpark with this piece
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 4d
In 217 days people from all over the globe are going to congregate in LA to watch extremely intense sporting matches in public. What's the strategy to welcome these fans if we're tear-gassing anyone who dares to drink a Modelo on the sidewalk?
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
bohemiamountain.bsky.social
Well worth subscribing to Alissa’s Torched newsletter if you care about L.A., sports, the Olympics, World Cup and urban infrastructure/traffic/transportation. I love it when it lands in my inbox!
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 4d
In 217 days people from all over the globe are going to congregate in LA to watch extremely intense sporting matches in public. What's the strategy to welcome these fans if we're tear-gassing anyone who dares to drink a Modelo on the sidewalk?
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 6, 2025 at 8:39 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
In 217 days people from all over the globe are going to congregate in LA to watch extremely intense sporting matches in public. What's the strategy to welcome these fans if we're tear-gassing anyone who dares to drink a Modelo on the sidewalk?
Winning streak
It's past time to expand LA's celebratory capacity to match the records of our world-champion teams
www.torched.la
November 6, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Update: LACMA leadership did not voluntarily recognize the union
LACMA Declines to Voluntarily Recognize Union Despite Overwhelming Staff Support LOS ANGELES – Yesterday evening, LACMA management informed staff that it will not voluntarily recognize LACMA United, instead requiring a National Labor Relations Board election despite clear majority support as shown by hundreds of staff-signed union authorization cards. Notably, NLRB representation elections are on hold as we enter the 37th day of the federal government shutdown, thereby delaying employees’ progress toward collective bargaining. This decision stands in stark contrast to recent unionization efforts at peer institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art (2019), the Academy Museum (2022), and the Natural History Museum (2025), all of which won voluntary recognition. It also comes at a time when staff members, along with millions in this country, face health care and food insecurity, and the cultural sector suffers threats to freedom of expression and funding. LACMA United represents the culmination of more than two years of organizing that began with workers in a handful of departments and grew organically across the museum. Today, our effort has won deep and broad support from virtually every department that would be part of the bargaining unit—including curators, educators, art installers, conservators, registrars, visitor services staff, facilities workers, researchers, designers, and development associates. This enthusiasm for building our union reflects the shared challenges facing LACMA workers at every level who make the museum's daily operations and ambitious programming possible. The urgency of our organizing effort has only intensified as workloads increase in advance of the April 2026 opening of the David Geffen Galleries. Staff across departments—many performing demanding physical labor—are stretched thin as deadlines accelerate. Without adequate protections, this pace is unsustainable and has already contributed to burnout and turnover among dedicated employees who deserve better from an institution they've helped build. LACMA United seeks better wages, benefits, and working conditions for employees who have dedicated themselves to one of the nation's premier encyclopedic museums. Our organizing effort has received signed union authorization cards from an overwhelming majority of eligible staff, as well as over 400 signatures from community members who support our cause. LACMA's status as a county museum makes management's position particularly troubling. Unlike mutual benefit nonprofits, LACMA was established by Los Angeles County as a public-benefit corporation and receives more than $30 million annually in public funding. This gives LACMA a particular obligation to its workers and the Los Angeles community it serves. In response to management's position, LACMA United has filed with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), asserting our status as public sector employees under county oversight. Despite this setback, we remain confident and united. Our path to recognition may take additional steps, but the strength of our support—from colleagues and community alike—is undeniable. We call on LACMA management to reconsider granting voluntary recognition and respect what workers have made clear: we are stronger together.
November 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
awalkerinla.bsky.social
So Delta wants people to work these megaevents for free "in the spirit of service" but doesn't want to pay their own service employees a living wage, which will absolutely do much more to "leave a lasting legacy of unity and impact across the region"
Delta Air Lines, Founding Partner of the LA28 Games, is also the Presenting Partner of the LA28 Volunteer Program and is playing a key role in launching and sustaining the program. “Delta is proud to stand alongside LA28 to launch a volunteer program that reflects the heart of Los Angeles and the spirit of service that defines our people,” said Alicia Tillman, Chief Marketing Officer at Delta Air Lines. “We see this initiative as more than a pathway to the Games—it’s a powerful opportunity to uplift communities, foster connection, and leave a lasting legacy of unity and impact across the region.” Since LA28 was awarded the Games in 2017, LA28 employees have participated in more than 100 community events throughout Southern California, with organizations including YMCA Metro LA, Heal the Bay and Angel City Sports, to name a few. Most recently, LA28 expanded its volunteer opportunities to residents in the community, staging pilot events in October with Shine LA and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to prepare for scaling its volunteer efforts ahead of the LA28 Volunteer Program’s official launch.
November 6, 2025 at 3:26 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
LA28's volunteer program (not to be confused with the city of LA's volunteer program Shine LA) is now open for registration: la28.org/en/volunteer...

It's sponsored by LA28 partner Delta Air Lines, which recently tried to prevent a new minimum wage for LA's tourism workers from going into effect
LA28 VOLUNTEER PROGRAM PRESENTED BY DELTA AIR LINES LAUNCHES, INVITING ANGELENOS TO JOIN AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE ROAD TO THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES Registration of Interest in LA28 Volunteer Program Opportunities Now Open at LA28.org LOS ANGELES (November 6, 2025) — The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games announced the launch of the LA28 Volunteer Program presented by Delta Air Lines. This dynamic program enables participants to get involved as soon as this year with service opportunities throughout the LA region leading up to the LA28 Games. Details on Games-time volunteer roles will be shared in 2026 as the program continues to evolve leading up to 2028. Registration of interest for LA28 volunteer opportunities is now open on the LA28 Volunteer Program page. Volunteers are an essential aspect of a successful Games, serving as a meaningful touchpoint for visitors from around the world and shaping memorable experiences for athletes, fans and the local community. Launching the LA28 Volunteer Program more than two years ahead of the Games enables LA28 to offer a variety of opportunities for Angelenos to serve their city and create a lasting impact through the power of community volunteerism, while also expanding the region’s volunteer base leading up to Games time. "We are not waiting until 2028 to tap into Los Angeles’ resilience, generosity and grit. This unique initiative channels the spirit of volunteerism long before the Opening Ceremony, and we have the chance to create a model for future Host Cities, as well as a legacy for Los Angeles and the Games,” said Reynold Hoover LA28 Chief Executive Officer. “Our hope is that this program can be a catalyst for Angelenos to give back to the city they love, unite across communities and help build a stronger city together.”
November 6, 2025 at 3:22 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
New billboards that just went up around LAX 👀
A billboard atop a building that reads STOP LAX's $1.5 B carmageddon plan LAXgridlock.com paid for by friends of Westchester LAXGRIDLOCK.com with an image of heavy traffic going into the airport The same billboard in a more zoomed-out shot showing the building on a busy street filled with cars and the well-known parking spot shuttle that's yellow with black dots shuttling people to the sepulveda lot. The street sign of the cross street reads Westchester Pkwy
November 5, 2025 at 9:23 PM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
This is today! Join us at noon on Zoom!
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · 12d
Over the past year, many of my megaevent-related geospatial questions have been answered by Nick Franchino, GIS manager for the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning.

Join us to talk open data, digital twins, and the importance of jurisdiction as the games span a dozen cities
Torched Talks with LA County GIS manager Nick Franchino
Let's crunch some megaevent data on November 5
www.torched.la
November 5, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Reposted by Alissa Walker
mattdpearce.com
Politicians should probably get on Bluesky to get better in touch with the American electorate.
November 5, 2025 at 2:42 AM
awalkerinla.bsky.social
*taps sign*
awalkerinla.bsky.social Alissa Walker @awalkerinla.bsky.social · Jun 26
Two years ago I interviewed a 31-year-old NY state assemblymember about a 7-year-old girl killed by an SUV driver in his district. I hung up the phone, astonished that I'd talked to a legislator who so thoughtfully articulated what actually needs to change on our streets.

He'll make a great mayor
In February, 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun was crossing the intersection of Newtown Road and 45th Street in Astoria with her mother and sister when the driver of a 2021 Ford Explorer blew through a stop sign, striking and killing Dolma. One month later, New York City Department of Transportation commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez visited the crash site with other officials, met with community members demanding a traffic signal be installed, and promised to make changes to the street - including "daylighting" the intersection using curb extensions and plastic bollards. State assemblymember Zohran Mamdani also visited the scene that day and realized that something else needed to change. "When you take a step back and think about traffic violence in New York City," he said, "you start to understand that this is a systemic issue that is incentivized by the policies that we have in place with regard to the design of our streets and what kind of vehicles we allow to be on our roads." Whether a driver runs a stop sign or a red light, statistically, certain cars - namely, bigger SUVs and trucks - are more likely to kill a 7-year-old. This is why Mamdani is co- introducing legislation for a weight-based vehicle-registration fee intended to discourage people from purchasing heavier vehicles. "The car industry is pushing the sale of heavier and larger vehicles," he says. "The state has to make it clear that these types of vehicles come with a certain kind of cost." soar above adult shoulders. But there may be another way to disincentivize the purchases of such vehicles, says Edwards. "One other potential idea would be for someone, maybe a city's DOT, to start keeping a list of the different makes and models of vehicles that are killing pedestrians and cyclists, or kids specifically, and post that publicly," he says. "That could bring awareness to which cars are more dangerous and also potentially affect insurance rates, which would possibly convince people not to buy certain cars." There's a bit of accountability in New York's bill, which would require the State DOT to track all fatal crashes by vehicle weight. But the other encouraging aspect of the proposal is that the collected fees stay local, by county, and, after the annual dedications to highway, bridge, and transit trust funds are met, a full 75 percent of the funds raised will go toward safety improvements like bike lanes, bollards, road diets, pedestrianization of streets, and raised crosswalks. This means the neighborhoods most impacted by large vehicles are likely to see the biggest changes. And that might be the most important part of the legislation, says Mamdani. "This is an initiative to make our streets safer for our children," he says. "And we are making sure a significant portion of this funding goes toward creating the very streetscapes that we know will save their lives."
November 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM