Dear LA

by Brad Firtel

You are an incredible city. You are home to some of the most famous, wealthiest, most prestigious individuals in the world. You are unique. Not one part of you is the same as another. You are both rustic and modern, both urban and rural. You are one of a kind. You are home to four of the most successful sports teams in American Sport history. The Lakers have won 16 national titles. The Dodgers have won the world series 7 times. The LA Galaxy has won the MLS cup 5 times. And lastly, the Rams have won the Super Bowl twice while playing for LA. You are home to many ground breaking projects, such as sofi stadium. You have housed some of the most historical concerts in musical history. You hosted Elton John’s last performance in North America at Dodger Stadium. You are home to some of the most distinguished universities in the country, in the world even. You are home to some of the highest ranking research hospitals in the nation. Cedar Sinai for example, the number 2 hospital in the country. UCLA is the number 11 hospital. Along with this, they both house the top physicians in the country as well. On the contrary LA, you contain a quarter of the homeless population in the nation. Some of your most historical landmarks are built off of a story that not many people know. People don’t know about some of the horrors others went through in order for LA to be this popular tourist destination. 300 families lost their homes, unwillingly for the creation of one of the most historical stadiums ever built. You have the largest gang population in the United States, a significant portion of which distributes illicit drugs. Many of these gangs increasingly work with Mexican DTOs and criminal groups to purchase wholesale quantities of illicit drugs for retail and midlevel distribution in the HIDTA region. This drug trade took my cousin’s life, and has taken many other peoples cousins, parents, childrens, and siblings lives away from them. This drug trade has taken pieces and years out of my friends lives. It has taken people I care about down a dark path. Los Angeles, you are home to the largest amount of violent crimes in the state. 29,400 violent crimes You are home to the largest amount of rape crimes in the state at 2,274. That is 2,274 cases too many. You are home to crazy, stupid, reckless drivers. You are in the top 5 for most car accidents in the country. In 2021 alone, Los Angeles County experienced a total of 40,669 reported motor vehicle crashes. 4,477 motor vehicle collisions in Los Angeles County resulted in severe or fatal injuries. 40 percent of these fatal motor vehicle collisions are caused by drunk drivers as well, showing both a growing and ongoing issue in this city. Along with car accidents, air pollution is among the worst in the United States as well. Overall, you are an amazing city. You have your flaws, but you also have an incredible atmosphere. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to grow up in such an extraordinary city, and I never plan on leaving.