Sports

Column: Reparations for Chavez Ravine families? Not so fast, say some descendants

Published

1 year ago

July 12, 2024

Column: Reparations for Chavez Ravine families? Not so fast, say some descendants

Larry Herrera-Cabrera’s email to me in May was as polite as it was challenging.

He reached out shortly after The Times editorial board wrote about proposed state legislation that would attempt to right the wrong of Chavez Ravine.

Sponsored by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, the bill would require the city of Los Angeles to erect a monument to the families, most of them Latino, who were pushed out in the 1950s to make way for Dodger Stadium. The city would also have to create a task force to study reparations for the “large, long-lasting disparities” faced by those families and their descendants.

Bemoaning what happened in Chavez Ravine is part of the modern L.A. gospel. I’ve read essays by former residents decrying what happened, read books and seen plays and documentaries that captured their plight and enjoyed Ry Cooder’s 2005 concept album, “Chávez Ravine,” which gathered Chicano music legends — Little Willie G, Lalo Guerrero, Ersi Arviz and Don Totsi, among others — to sing about the sordid saga from beginning to end.

That’s why I found Herrera-Cabrera’s email so fascinating.

“My wife and I are both descendants of three families that lived in Chavez Ravine up to 1950,” he began. “Despite the legislative findings in [Carrillo’s bill], and fables on the Internet and elsewhere, our families were neither left destitute, nor were they bitter about moving.”

He went on to offer an alternative narrative I had never considered — one where Chavez Ravine families took the money the city gave them, bought homes elsewhere and went on with their lives. Where descendants feel insulted at the insinuation in Carrillo’s bill that they need help. Herrera-Cabrera’s note added nuance to a tale long considered an open-and-shut, black-and-white case of municipal racism.

Priscilla Leiva, professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o studies at Loyola Marymount University, has spoken with Herrera-Cabrera as part of “Chavez Ravine: An Unfinished Story,” a multidisciplinary project she’s leading with former resident Carol Jacques that includes hundreds of photos and dozens of oral histories. She wasn’t surprised that I was, well, surprised.

“Latino narratives are always flattened, but especially with [the Chavez Ravine] population, because the displacement was so egregious,” Leiva said.

The public long ago stopped paying attention to “what happened before and what happened after,” she noted, which means “a lot of people don’t want to recognize or acknowledge any nuance.”

I visited Herrera-Cabrera and his wife, Katherine, at their spacious San Juan Capistrano home earlier this month. It’s nestled on a hill resembling the neighborhoods where their parents grew up, except this is upper-middle-class suburbia instead of the “poor man’s Shangri-La,” as a photographer famously described Chavez Ravine and as Cooder titled a song.

Larry Herrera-Cabrera, shown holding a photo of his Uncle Henry, killed in combat during World War II.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

In Herrera-Cabrera’s study, a Biden-Harris sticker was wedged above a photo of his late mother Sally, alongside photos of his biological father and maternal uncles in their World War II uniforms. He described his decades in city and county government as a “progressive bureaucrat,” proudly remembering how he stood up to racist politicos in Santa Barbara County in the 1980s and officiated same-sex marriages as Long Beach city clerk after the Supreme Court legalized them in 2013, two years before he retired.

“Having that connection to [helping] the community was really important to me,” he said as we stood over a kitchen table to look at family photos shot around Chavez Ravine in the 1940s. Three of his maternal uncles in Army uniforms around their mother at a park. His mother and her sisters, wearing sunglasses and bobby soxer skirts and sweaters. A group of unidentified young pachucos.

“Our family’s history gave us strength,” the 71-year-old continued. He’s tall, with bright eyes that make his glasses shine even more. “I know they suffered hardship. Things don’t always work out, but you gotta keep pushing.”

His grandparents used the money from the city of L.A. to buy a home in nearby Lincoln Heights, where Herrera-Cabrera was born in 1952. Nine years later, his mother and stepfather moved to Rosemead but frequently visited his Uncle Joe in Solano Canyon at the base of Dodger Stadium, where some Chavez Ravine families had relocated. City officials had promised them a spot in a public housing project to be built over their bulldozed homes. The stadium went up instead.

“In the early days, you could sit on a hill and watch the games for free,” Herrera-Cabrera said. He and his family sometimes went to games, but he preferred playing with cousins outside Uncle Joe’s house while their elders listened to the game on the radio and reminisced about Chavez Ravine. “They spoke fondly of those days. No one complained about having to move.”

He can’t remember when he learned of the prevailing narrative casting the Chavez Ravine families as pitiable, but he “didn’t care for it.” Nor did Katherine, who eventually joined us in the kitchen.

“Who wants to admit that they’re downtrodden?” she said before referencing the Arechiga family, one of the last holdouts in Chavez Ravine before L.A. County sheriff’s deputies forcibly evicted them. They had lived at their condemned home without paying property taxes for years, according to newspaper accounts at the time.

“Now they come back saying they want reparations?” she said.

“[Chavez Ravine] is more than just the photos of people being dragged out,” Larry Herrera-Cabrera added, referring to the infamous 1959 photo of four L.A. County sheriff’s deputies dragging a member of the Arechiga clan from her home. “It’s their accomplishments.”

A woman being carried down an outdoors staircase at her home

His perspective about what Chavez Ravine should mean changed in 2019, after a trip to the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium to fulfill a promise to his mother. There lies the grave of his maternal uncle, Henry Rivas, an Army private who died in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest at 19. Between them, Larry and Katherine have at least a dozen relatives who served in World War II.

“To think they thought that fascism was worse than what they faced at home was telling,” she said.

“And then they returned and became successful,” Larry added. “I had one uncle who worked in aerospace, and my Uncle Joe worked in the post office. Another uncle opened a restaurant. My dad Domingo did construction. My Uncle Ted — Teodoro — he started a men’s fashion line.”

Last year for the first time, the couple attended an annual reunion of Chavez Ravine families who call themselves Los Desterrados (The Uprooted). There, Larry displayed poster boards of his uncles’ World War II service.

“If I could talk to Wendy [Carrillo], I’d tell her those stories,” he proclaimed. “To me, they were successes. That’s part of the story. As difficult as it was, they still prospered.”

He sent a letter to the state Senate opposing Carrillo’s bill, which is being considered by a Senate appropriations committee, describing it as “hypothetical” and bad policy.

“If people were truly ripped off, that’s one thing. But why would I, as a descendant, be entitled to anything?” he said.

“The bill says people were left destitute,” Katherine said. “Who?”

Vincent Montalvo is a co-founder of Buried Under the Blue, a nonprofit that has long pushed for an apology from the Dodgers and reparations from L.A. County and city while urging people not to use the term “Chavez Ravine” for the neighborhoods of Bishop, La Loma and Palo Verde that were bulldozed to make way for Dodger Stadium.

But they had nothing to do with Carrillo’s bill, which he said he “85% agrees with.” His group also wants three community centers to be built and named after Bishop, La Loma and Palo Verde. The land should be given back to the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians, Kizh Nation, and all the parties involved in the displacement should issue a public apology, according to Buried Under the Blue.

Montalvo, who grew up in Echo Park and whose grandparents owned a home in Palo Verde, said former residents have accused him “of wanting a handout.”

“These things hurt,” he said. “But the older generation couldn’t even talk about what happened for forever. But I’ve told them, ‘With respect, you guys do what you’re going to do, and we’re going to do what we’re going to do. And some of you are going to jump back on the wagon, and that’s OK.’ ”

Carrillo, whose district includes Dodger Stadium, told me, “I’ve learned that when advancing policy ideas, some will say it goes too far, while others may say it doesn’t go far enough. But ultimately, we move the needle toward justice, and we try to do as much good for as many people as possible.”

On the criticism that her bill casts Chavez Ravine families as perpetual victims, the Assembly member was more straightforward: “There are no victims, but there are survivors.”

Larry agrees with her and Montalvo on one thing: a monument. But he wants it to focus on the good of his elders, as much as the bad that happened to them.

“My family wasn’t dragged out of Chavez Ravine. Most families weren’t. Like my Uncle Joe would say, let it go like water off a duck’s back.”

He teared up.

“If there were reparations, well, bring them back,” he said, referring to his uncles. “Bring back their stories. I didn’t suffer. It should be about what they did. That is Chavez Ravine’s legacy.”

Sports

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford not concerned about Pro Bowl selections

Published

22 minutes ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford not concerned about Pro Bowl selections

Matthew Stafford was voted to the Pro Bowl this season, but the Rams veteran quarterback stopped concerning himself about the recognition more than a decade ago.

In 2011, the then third-year pro passed for more than 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Detroit Lions.

Stafford thought he had a chance to make the NFC roster, but Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Cam Newton got more votes.

“Wasn’t even close,” Stafford said, chuckling, on Wednesday. “So at that point, I kind of reserved myself to just go play, have fun and whatever happens, happens.

“But it is cool to be a part of it.”

Stafford, who also was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023, is a leading contender for perhaps the NFL’s most prestigious award — most valuable player.

Stafford, 37, has passed for a league-leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, while leading a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded No. 6 in the NFC going into Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Rams are averaging 30.5 points and 396.7 yards per game, both tops in the NFL. They rank second in passing (270.5 yards per game) and fifth in rushing (126.3 yards per game).

In last Thursday’s 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Stafford passed for 457 yards and three touchdowns. Yet he was outdueled by fellow Pro Bowl pick Sam Darnold, who led a touchdown drive in overtime and capped it with a game-winning two-point conversion pass.

Stafford is preparing to face a Falcons defense that ranks 14th overall, but eighth against the pass, giving up 195.1 yards per game.

Asked if he was surprised that Stafford has only been voted to the Pro Bowl three times, Rams coach Sean McVay said yes, adding that there were “a lot of layers to the Pro Bowl stuff.”

“You talk to the real football people. … I think he’s seen as a guy that’s one of the best ever to do it,” McVay said. “I think that’s been very well acknowledged this year but I think it’s probably overdue.”

Stafford has “elevated” everybody around him since the Rams traded for him in 2021, McVay said.

“The best part about Matthew is, he’s got this great humility,” McVay said, adding, “What he cares about are the respect of his teammates, his coaches and the people he’s playing against. And I think when you talk to those who know, hes got great respect and admiration for the way that he competes, the way he goes about it and what type of player he is.”

Etc.

Receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) and offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle) are making “good progress,” but McVay did not provide a definitive update on their status for the game against the Falcons. … The Rams opened the 21-day window for cornerback Roger McCreary (hip) to return from injured reserve. McVay said “most likely” that the Rams will open the 21-day window for safety Quentin Lake (elbow) next week to return from injured reserve. Lake is expected to be ready for the playoffs, or possibly for the final game against the Arizona Cardinals. … The Rams are off Thursday. They are expected to practice Friday at SoFi Stadium, and Saturday at their Woodland Hills facility.

Sports

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin laments ‘volatile rhetoric’ across sports after DK Metcalf fan altercation

Published

12 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Steelers’ Mike Tomlin laments ‘volatile rhetoric’ across sports after DK Metcalf fan altercation

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expressed his support for wide receiver DK Metcalf before the star player’s two-game suspension for throwing a punch at a fan was upheld.

Tomlin didn’t elaborate on his reaction to seeing the clip, which showed Metcalf near the barrier between the Steelers’ sideline and the stands. The CBS broadcast caught the interaction, which showed Metcalf pull on the fan’s shirt and take a swing.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on from the sideline during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025. (Mitch Stringer/Imagn Images)

The longtime head coach acknowledged Tuesday the increasingly “volatile rhetoric” in sports.

“Not only (in) our business, (but) college, youth sport parents,” he said. “I think it’s just a component of sport that’s developed and developed in a big way in recent years, and it’s unfortunate.”

It’s unclear what the fan, who was identified as Ryan Kennedy, said to Metcalf that sparked the altercation. Kennedy was accused of making a racist comment and saying a derogatory remark about the player’s mother. However, Kennedy vehemently denied the accusations in a statement through a law firm. The statement said no hateful language was used.

Another report said that when Metcalf was playing for the Seattle Seahawks, he reported the fan to team personnel when he was in Detroit previously.

SEVERAL NFL TEAMS HAVE PLAYOFF-CLINCHING SCENARIOS IN WEEK 17

Pittsburgh Steelers’ DK Metcalf wipes his face on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)

Tomlin didn’t speculate when asked if there were more teams could do to protect players in that situation.

“Me speaking on it and speaking on it in detail and particularly expressing my opinion regarding things doesn’t help the circumstance in any way,” he said.

The NFL upheld Metcalf’s suspension on Tuesday night.

The league said Metcalf violated league policy, which states players may not enter the stands or otherwise confront fans at any time on game day and … if a player makes unnecessary physical contact with a fan in any way that constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct or presents crowd-control issues and/or risk of injury, he will be held accountable.”

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He will miss the team’s final two games of the season and leave a boatload of money on the table.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Kings searching for answers after sixth loss in seven games: ‘It’s a difficult time’

Published

12 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Kings searching for answers after sixth loss in seven games: ‘It’s a difficult time’

January has traditionally been the harshest time of the year for the Kings, who haven’t had a winning record in that month the last three seasons. But winter grew dark and gloomy a little earlier than usual because December has hardly been a walk in the park.

With Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Kings head into the NHL’s three-day Christmas break having lost six of their last seven. And things aren’t getting easier any time soon: when the team returns to the ice Saturday, it will play host to the Ducks, who lead the Pacific Division in wins, before closing out 2025 Monday on the road against the Colorado Avalanche, who lead the NHL in wins.

“It’s not going the way we all want to,” forward Kevin Fiala said. “But you know, that’s going to happen for everybody. So it’s us who have to do something about it. Who can pull us out of it? Nobody else.

“I’m not worried. Like, I’m sure we’re gonna get out of this. But it’s not acceptable right now.”

And if it doesn’t change right now, the rest of the season will be as cold as a winter frost for the Kings.

It’s not just that the team is losing, but how it’s losing that is most concerning. The Kings (15-12-9) are 31st in the 32-team NHL in scoring, 30th on the power play and have scored more than two goals just twice in 11 games this month. That’s negated a defense that is second in the league in goals allowed.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to make sense of things,” coach Jim Hiller said when asked to explain a slide that has dropped the Kings into the middle of the division standings. “We just feel like we haven’t had a good run of games where we felt like, win or lose, we really like how we’re playing.

“That’s something that we’ll keep driving towards. We just haven’t had it yet.”

Last season, Hiller’s Kings tied franchise records for wins and points in the regular season and had the best home mark in team history. This season, they’re 4-8-4 at Crypto.com Arena, the second-worst home record in the Western Conference. And that has general manager Ken Holland answering questions about Hiller’s future behind the bench.

“I expect him to be here the rest of the season,” said Holland last week, not exactly a full-throated vote of confidence.

Yet for all their struggles, December has just been a continuation of the things that have plagued the Kings all season.

“We all have high expectations for ourselves,” Hiller said. “We just haven’t hit our stride yet. That’s the part that we’re chasing. That’s what we have to focus on. We have to hit that stride.

“It’s a difficult time right now, for sure.”

On Tuesday, Hiller tried to shake things up by mixing up his lines, most significantly pairing Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko with center Alex Turcotte. And while Fiala and Kuzmenko both responded with goals, they didn’t come until the Kraken had taken a 3-0 lead.

The first goal came from Jordan Eberle, who was left alone in front of the Kings’ net, giving him plenty of space to settle a pass from Matty Beniers before lifting the puck around goaltender Pheonix Copley and under the crossbar for his 13th goal of the season. It was the fourth power-play goal the Kings had allowed in the last two nights and the sixth in four games.

The Kraken doubled their lead on a quirky goal less than eight minutes later, with Copley misjudging a deflected shot from Seattle’s Frederick Gaudreau, allowing the puck to knuckle off his glove then trickle through his legs for the goal.

Ben Meyers extended Seattle’s lead to 3-0 with less than four minutes left in the second before the Kings finally got on the board with an unassisted goal from Fiala, his 13th of the season, 11 seconds later.

Kings coach Jim Hiller watches from the bench against the Kraken at Crypto.com Arena.

Now the Kings will have three days to think about that, although Fiala said he’d gotten over the game by the time he finished showering.

“If you win five in a row or lose five in a row or whatever, it’s forgotten. It’s in the past,” he said. “I think we take the good things with us and the bad things we hopefully analyze and get better at.”

For Hiller, the break couldn’t come at a better time. Or a worse time since the team’s current seven-game slump is its deepest since the winter of 2023-24. That one cost coach Todd McLellan his job.

“I hope the players are able to relax and refresh themselves,” Hiller said. “It’s been from September till now, with the schedule and how busy it is. And 85% of our games, we’ve been playing within one goal.

“It’s taxing physically and mentally. So I’m sure those guys need a break.”