Hearing from readers about how you were surviving, or simply that you found the information in California Today useful was a source of human connection in a period of profound isolation that kept me going.
I also had smart, creative colleagues like Sona Patel, Julie Bloom, Marie Tae McDermott and so many others across The Times newsroom, who helped answer our most pressing questions and made sure the newsletter made it to your inbox each morning.
Of course, the pandemic, catastrophic fires and widespread demands for criminal justice reform didnt exactly bond Californians in common cause. Rather, they shined a light on our foundational divides and the stubbornness of our biggest problems.
We still have to contend with unsustainable housing costs, which are forcing out many of the same Californians who have for months risked their lives to do essential work. We are facing a future marked by extreme heat and smoke-filled skies. Oh, and we have that election coming up over whether to remove our governor from office.
But Im hopeful. What Ive seen unite Californians, for all of our foibles and contradictions, is that we never stop trying to bridge the gap between the California Dream and our messy, earthbound reality.
Besides, Im not going anywhere. Ill still be living in Los Angeles, learning and writing for The Times about the state that in spite of everything I love most.read more
A California Today Farewell
