Ariana Gaytan lives on L.Ron Hubbard Way for One Week
Scientology serves two restraining orders
Battling against its critics isn’t new to Scientology as they have had to fight off many notable opponents from infamous group Anonymous back in the 2000s to present day Leah Remini devoting three seasons of exposing the internal workings of the religion she was once a part of, but when a protesters set up an encampment on L. Ron Hubbard Way, Scientology filed an order of protection against two individuals, leaving one young woman to hold down the fort.
Supportive Leah leads the encampment
Ariana “Leah” Gaytan first heard about the Scientology movement, or rather the movement against the cult, while scrolling on TikTok and stumbling upon police auditor, William Gude, or “Streets of LA” and when her fiance Daniel Gonzalez would drive to Hollywood to stream nightly activities, Gaytan would stay in the car.
Six months later Gaytan has been a strong voice in the movement. She streams regularly, conducts research, and distributes flyers, warning the public of the dangers within the Church. She noticed early on that Scientology targeted her own community, prying on an already vulnerable group of people.
“I must’ve got like maybe six hours of sleep in three days.”
After her fiance along with another protester, Scott Hotchstetter, were served with a TRO, Gaytan remained at the encampment to continue showing criticism and bring awareness to the cause. She details her experience running on very little sleep and making the decision to shut down the camp due to safety concerns.
“For our safety he [Scotty] pulled it because there were just three women at night and the dangerous of that - especially in LA.”
Daniel Gonzalez From Danny’s Impact Takes on a TRO in the Name of The First Amendment
Daniel Gonzalez and Leah Gaytan in Chicago, Illinois
From Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles jail
When Danny Gonzalez woke up on the morning of March 9, 2024, he did not think that in 10 hours time he would be arrested and have to spend three nights in jail. Reeling back from a week-long cross country road trip from Chicago, Illinois where he joined fellow protesters in the wake of a third Scientology organization opening, Gonzalez contemplated gas prices and much needed rest.
As he was unloading the car when he was alerted that a fellow protester was being harassed by LAPD, yet again and in solidarity, he and his partner, Leah Gaytan, were on the road again towards a much closer destination, Hollywood.
The series of events would be the foundation of a baseless TRO case that would end up costing thousands of dollars.
“Scooter Guy”
Upon every daybreak and late evening hours, buses and vans go in and out of garages and parking lots on L. Ron Hubbard Way taking members of the Sea Org, an order within the church of Scientology who must live communally, to their assigned station, making it a popular spot for protesters to convene.
On the afternoon of March 9th 2024, one elderly Scientologist on a scooter drove directly into Gonzalez and when Gonzalez steered the scooter away, “Scooter guy” as he would later be known by, called the police. Gonzalez was charged with attempted burglary and LAPD enhanced the charge to a hate crime, making Gonzalez ineligible for bail and forcing him to spend three nights in jail. The Los Angeles District Attorney ultimately dismissed all charges.
Two influential protesters are served TROs (temporary restraining order)
The evolution of Scientology critics may very well be something to be studied as protesters decided to build encampments next to Big Blue, the unofficial Western Headquarters of Scientology. Within the first three days on June 4th 2024, two well known streamers, Gonzalez being one, were served TROs and forced out of the encampment.
On June 27th 2024, Gonzalez went live to speak on everything that occurred in court including his distaste for his lawyer, a lawyer hired and paid for by a viewer going by the name of 86GOP, later being revealed as David Comer, a known friend to Aaron Smith Levin, a former Scientologist, co-founder of The Aftermath Foundation, and more recently, founder of The SPTV Foundation. Comer’s financial influence and proximity to the movement, caused many to question his personal stake, having invested tens of thousands of dollars via YouTube super chats and personal donations to the protesters, including the lawyer from Manshoory Law Group hired to represent Gonzalez.
Court room deals
Conspiracy theories and interpersonal conflict were laid to rest by Gonzalez in his live stream as he thanked Comer for his support and cited his dislike for the lawyer’s suggestion to take a deal presented by Scientology lawyer Kendrick Moxon where Gonzalez would have to keep his distance from Big Blue, indefinitely, essentially relinquishing his right to protest on L. Ron Hubbard Way.
In a matter of seven days, Gonzalez garnered support from the public and raised the $10,000 needed to hire a lawyer with the right background and who’d gone through this exact scenario and not only came out a victor, but won an anti-SLAPP suit for well known activist and first amendment auditor, William Gude.
The case is ongoing and will certainly set precedent for Scientology protests in using restraining orders to impede on the First Amendment.
TuYo Theatre in San Diego, CA Highlights Latine Voices with “Pasale Pasale”
”Pasale Pasale”
On a warm Sunday afternoon in National City, a small city of San Diego, CA, a local theater group performed the final act of "Pasale Pasale," a play crafted by Mario Vega and Eliza Vedar. The story tells about the lives of Mexican street vendors struggling with rising vendor fees, resonating with universal themes of hardship, resilience, and the choice between enduring exploitation or uniting to confront authority, risking livelihoods and deportation.
“Pasale Pasale” encourages audience interaction, selling items from the boutique and $1 raspados, all with printed money given during check in. The performance featured frequent transitions between standing and sitting, prompting a cheeky line from one character: 'It's like church in here, lots of standing and sitting,' drawing a playful comparison to Catholic church customs.
“There were so many themes, deportation hit close to home.”
“I loved seeing representation.
Colonized cousins
The challenges faced by the people in "Pasale Pasale" reflect the larger-scale discrimination and systemic challenges experienced by San Diego's Mexican and Indigenous communities and highlighted the colonized cousins found in Filipino culture. All three groups endure deep rooted inequities having been planted long ago through colonization.
The challenges faced by the people mirror the larger scale of discrimination and systemic challenges felt by the Mexican and Indigenous people of San Diego. The play ties past monumental events when people united together and fought for their rights and persevered.
TuYo Theatre
It was the lack of Latine representation in the arts that motivated the start TuYo Theatre and after plenty of conversations, the CoFounders pledged to create and produce plays that tell stories from and by Latine. The company continues to keep its promise and elevate the stories of the community showcasing sixteen productions. This includes a San Diego and Tijuana Playwright exchange where TuYo Theatre in partnership with Universidad Autonoma de Baja California and the Lark Play Development Center translated playwrights with the goal to create a deeper understanding between both communities.
Rodney J. Jackson-Brown and the Empowerment of Owning His Story
Photo provided by Rodney J. Jackson-Brown
Not many people can claim they’ve stood before Terry Crews while he did the peck dance to get them to break character, but Rodney J. Jackson-Brown, a twenty-four-year-old actor, has those bragging rights. Jackson-Brown starred alongside the Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor in an independent film, Bully, written by Jackson-Brown.
Jackson-Brown was born and raised in Lancaster, CA, a city falling within Los Angeles’ jurisdiction, even with the 77-mile difference. Filled with trials and tribulations, his road to acting and screenwriting was not easy, having faced familiar challenges.
Separation and foster care system
Facing eviction from their home, a young Jackson-Brown, along with his two siblings and mother, experienced a traumatic separation as police in full gear broke through the door the night before the vacate date. He shares the memory of his ten-year-old self witnessing his mother’s arrest, “They were in full gear, and they arrested her in front of me. I wanted to do something, but I was afraid of getting shot.” Jackson-Brown was ten years old.
The road to writing and acting
It may have been easy for Jackson-Brown to fall victim to the child welfare system’s systemic bias and discrimination - being termed as “slavery by another came in a report titled, Entangled Roots: Role of Race in Policies that Separate Families - he reunited with his family a year later.
With the support from Ryan Gibson, a writer with 25 years under his belt, and Martin Russell Johnson, a screenwriter and director fighting for diverse representation in the industry, during class focusing on healing from trauma through the art of writing, Jackson-Brown learned the basics of scriptwriting and his short film was greenlit for production. He found his chosen family along his journey, developing friendships and mentors, including director David Mahmoudieh.
“I’m happy I met people. David has been really supportive, and I know his family. He’s been like a father figure to me.”
Inspiration for Bully
Jackson-Brown experienced bullying firsthand growing up and wanted to tell his story, knowing others may relate to its central themes of loneliness and courage.
Jackson-Brown dug into their own lived experience, recalling a childhood of torment by other kids and witnessing his father’s aggression, creating a story with central themes of loneliness, courage, and perseverance that others could relate to.
With his newfound writing skill, Jackson–Brown eagerly put pen to paper or fingers to a smartphone and wrote the script to Bully on his phone.
“I didn’t have a computer or anything, so I had to use my phone,” he laughed.
Resilience in adversity
Resiliency is a word that is often used to describe when people make it through adversities. It is paired with stories told of people making it out of dire situations. Still, when it comes to the fight against inequities in systems that function as a way to harm a group or groups of people, the word resiliency is conflated with rags to riches as a form of redemption arcs. In reality,
Stories of rags to riches, mainly when depicting people of color, distract audiences from recognizing the systemic inequalities underlying their adversities while providing a satisfying ending.
Rodney J Jackson-Brown’s story has not yet concluded, but so far, he’s found empowerment in telling it his own way.
Photo provided by Rodney J. Jackson-Brown
The Effects of Youth Housing Scarcities in Los Angeles
Diane Guzman first experienced foster care when she was removed from her home at the age of seven. She remained in extended foster care, an option for youth to continue their time until they turn 21, until 22 after the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) delayed many youth’s exit dates during COVID-19. A couple years ago, Guzman was selected and approved for a time limited housing choice voucher designed specifically for youth and families impacted by the foster care system
“It was through DCFS and maybe another organization like Wellnest. By that time my whole transition was pretty bad. I remember someone reached out to me and said “I’m your new case manager.” and then there was nothing else.”
When her voucher expired, Guzman self advocated for a reinstatement of the voucher.
“I didn’t even know it was extended until I got another email saying it expired again.”
Family Reunification Program
Guzman referenced a program passed in 1990 when Congress acknowledged the lack of adequate housing for families and youth alike affected by out-of-home care and authorized the Family Unification Program (FUP). The program comprised a thirty-six-month subsidy voucher from a housing authority and ongoing case management services to support housing stability for eligible families and youth. Although the program is meant to support families and youth through stabilization, accessing services has been challenging. Many youth require supportive services to prepare to live on their own for the first time, like connecting to school, gaining employment, financial literacy, seeking available housing, etc.
Foster care and pipeline
The transition period between exiting foster care and entering adulthood has a small window before a youth is propelled into an unfamiliar world of independence and unknown responsibilities. A strong support network is more often replaced by a revolving door of social workers and case managers, more often than not overburdened by high caseloads and burnout.
In Los Angeles, a report titled Scaling Housing to End the Foster Care to Homelessness Pipeline indicated about 20% and 40% of the approximately 1,140 youth that exit foster care experience housing insecurity.
Despite stark numbers and evidence, the fight for resources remains an uphill battle. On February 14, 2023, Assemblywoman Pilar Shiaver introduced AB 963 - The End the Foster Care to Homelessness Pipeline Act, and although the votes were all in favor of the bill to pass, it was suspended in May of the same year and officially failed in January 2024.
Los Angeles youth resources
In an interview with Ely Sepulveda Garcia, an eight-year expert with experience in youth system coordination and development, he details one of the important approaches to delivering youth resources,
“It’s recognizing that folks are different and not everyone fits in the same kind of box. There really needs to be a tailored conversation and way to approach things. Folks are different and have different needs.”
Sepulveda Garcia worked on the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project for Los Angeles, a relatively new grant from HUD meant to support and build an effective youth system, specifically inviting the community and youth with lived experience to create a system that works for them.
“Demonstration is an important part of that...Once LA received the award, the next major step was for LA, as a community, to decide how they wanted to use it. What project types they wanted to utilize. Another big component of it was what special activities we want to go after.” Sepulveda Garcia explains that with government funding like HUD, there are specifications and limitations to the funding.
As for Guzman, she is well on her way to fulfilling her goal of becoming a lawyer and advocating for the rights of children and youth in foster care. She is scheduled to take the LSAT in September.
Photo provided by Diane Guzman
Old Town Pasadena Experiences Protests Against Scientology
The City of Pasadena is experiencing what it means to have an Ideal Org of Scientology. As more atrocities come to light, protesters live stream their criticism of criminal activities. Will the city of Pasadena protect the First Amendment? Or will the police department follow down the steps of LAPD corruption?
The Scientology protests have come to Old Town Pasadena
Over the weekend, Sergeant C. Allen, from the Pasadena Police Department, informed a protester going by the name of MDMEDIA18 on YouTube, that they were committing vandalism against the city by using chalk on the sidewalk. After walking in and out of the Church of Scientology building, officers took pictures of the chalk and the posters, letting MD know they would be writing a report and the city attorney may pursue charges.
This isn’t the first time vandalism by chalk saw its day in court. In 2013, a jury in San Diego found a protester “not-guilty” for writing messages in chalk on the sidewalk. Another case in San Diego, UCSD attempted to bring felony vandalism charges against students for using chalk on the property for protesting against union issues.
Will the Pasadena Police Department be another pawn like LAPD’s Hollywood Division?
Sergeant Allen also let MD know the Church of Scientology in Pasadena would be pursuing a restraining order. The Pasadena Police Department may not be familiar with ANTI SLAPP laws that protect citizens against meritless lawsuits that threaten freedom of speech, but critics of Scientology are aware and well versed in their First Amendment Rights.
Protests against Scientology have been fully fledged in the city of Los Angeles, with LAPD Hollywood Division involved in much of the backlash for their close relationship with Scientology. False 911 calls have forced firefighters to rush to scenes only to find out the calls were bogus. LAPD officers, deemed Scientology cops for their ties with the organization, arrive on scene making false arrests or responding to multiple SWATTING calls.
Is the City of Pasadena ready to protect protesters against Scientology? Or will they be another pawn on the wrong side of history?
Pasadena MAYOR VICTOR M. GORDO
Pasadena City Attorney, Michele Beal Bagneris
Pasadena Police Department Command Staff - Eugene Harris
Pasadena Police Department Command Staff - Art Chute
The City Attorney, The Office of the Mayor, and the Pasadena Police Department have not yet responded to questions.
The 5 Most Heinous Things I’ve Learned About Scientology
You may have heard about Scientology before because of that one South Park (Season 9 episode 12), "Trapped the Closet," or, depending on your generation, the 2000s Tom Cruise including the interview where he jumped on the couch and almost kicked Opera in the face.
In talking to my best friend last night, I realized not many people know what Scientology really is or even that there's a movement trying to stop it.
"I honestly thought they were about science," she responded after I dropped the alien bombshell.
What is Scientology?
Scientology's core beliefs have never been straightforward; even in the many interviews with the founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and his successor, David Miscavige, we never quite knew what it was. When I walked into an organization, I was told Scientology was about making your life better by using technology, but everyone must first take a personality test containing 200 questions. Spoiler alert: you’re depressed, and Scientology can help you, if you pay.
LRH was a mediocre science fiction writer so it should come to no surprise that Scientology's origin story is about an alien overlord in the outskirts of the Milky Way who tried to annihilate half of the species by freezing them, then flying them to Earth, and dumping them into a volcano. Now the disembodied alien spirits are floating around attaching themselves to us and the only way to clear them is Scientology, for a low price of $100,000.
Any belief, regardless of how wild they may be to others, is protected under the First Amendment right to religious freedom, and Scientology has often claimed any criticism is due to religious persecution.
Below are the 5 most heinous things I've learned about Scientology in my time covering the movement against it:
Auditing, spiritual awakening, or cash mill?
Scientology is muddled with hierarchies and levels on getting to enlightenment, or, as they put it, “going clear.” The road involves heavy coursework of LRH books and interview-like audits utilizing an “E-meter” (invented by another science fiction Writer) to measure emotional responses from the person holding it.
Super-7 Quantum E-Meter. Source: YouTube @PlaywithJunkThese audits have been compared to light hypnosis due to the repetition of questions attempting to induce or illicit a memory and record the reaction, often leaving the person in a euphoric trance lasting a couple of days and known as the beginning steps to indoctrination. The introductory courses will start mildly low, from $35 to $100, but can turn into $6,000 sessions. An article from the Tampa Bay Times written in 2016 reported,
“ Church workers push parishioners to exhaust every financial resource to purchase Scientology services and make donations. Got a credit card? Max it out. Have a mortgage? Take out a second one. The 401(k)? Drain it. The savings account, the inheritance — the church wants it all.”
Although many have criticized the use of E-meters as pseudoscience, never having been tested in clinical trials, the Church of Scientology has declared they are used only for spiritual purposes. The methods aren’t the cause for alarm, but it’s the questions asked meant to elicit responses.
Questions about, “things nobody would calmly talk about in mixed company,” like embarrassing experiences, criminal acts, sexuality, and pedophilia, repeated for hours at a time, while the person being audited is told to stay completely still, holding the ends of the E-meter. They are unable to end the session until the standard is met - all while being watched and recorded.
No such thing as children
On March 3rd, 2024, former Scientologists showed up and marched on L Ron Hubbard Way in Hollywood, CA, holding a 75-foot scroll with 150 names of second and third-generation children who escaped the institution. Many recounting stories of forced child labor and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
“There are no protections in Scientology for children.”
Laura Anderson, a second generation survivor of Scientology, recalled growing up at a Scientology base with other children, subjected to long working hours and physical abuse. She tried running away several times, but the secluded area made it nearly impossible to get far. When she mustered the courage to disclose to her mom, the higher org members demanded silence. Relocation of children was common and meant one of two things - attempted suicide or sexual abuse. They were often not seen again.
Speaking of L Ron Hubbard Way, I learned children built the red brick road as part of the many missions completed by children. Marriam Francis recounts being sent to Los Angeles at the ripe age of 8 and placed brick by brick on what would later be the street housing three major Scientology organizations.
In a recent live interview with Aaron Smith Levin and Serge Del Mar, both recounted their childhood audit training. Smith Levin referenced a Scientology belief that everyone on earth is an immortal spiritual being over 60 trillion years old basically trapped inside a human. He says, “ They actually believe there is no such thing as a child - there’s only a child body, but inside that child’s body is a spiritual being that’s 60 some trillion years old.” This belief renders children unprotected inside Scientology.
Children are subjected to audit training, later auditing other children and adults, with the use of sexually explicit language practically being required. If a child does not understand the question or the word, it must be explained to them until they can say it or demonstrate it correctly, and as Smith Levin described, the more degrading, the better.
The Abuse of R-1 Visas
Scientology has relied heavily on bringing people from other countries under the guise of religious visas. Many people are coached on what to say during the immigration interview to ensure they pass the screening. They have their passports and documents taken and are forced to work labor-intensive jobs for inhumane hours unrelated to any real ministry work.
Scientologists are more often than not encouraged to join the Sea Organization, a religious order meant for the most dedicated. Those who join, sign a billion-year contract, reflecting a symbolic commitment to clearing the planet, work seven days a week, 14-hour days, and are paid roughly $70 per week. Some remember signing the billion-year contract with a crayon.
Attacks on any and all critics of Scientology are fair game
Have you heard of a religion stalking or threatening its critics or members choosing to leave the religion? Most famously, Leah Remini spoke about her experience with fair game when she left Scientology and spoke against its practices.
“ENEMY: SP Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
Former members have told their stories of being constantly monitored with little interaction with the outside world, and their identification cards, including passports, are taken from them. During a 60-minute Australia special titled “Scientology’s devious tricks to hold its members hostage for life,” one member recalls escaping by hiding in the back of someone's trunk.
It is hard to bring these crimes to the proper authorities as high-ranking members do their best to keep victims from coming forward. Such allegations came to light during the Danny Masterson trial in which the three Jane Does were said to have been threatened to keep quiet and intimidated throughout the years. After Masterson was convicted on two counts of forcible rape, a civil case was filed against Scientology's leader, David Miscavige, and Danny Masterson, and plaintiffs are asking for RICO charges to be included.
Former members have gone to court against Scientology for their experiences in the organization, only to have the judge rule it is an internal matter within the religion and must be settled by the established policies the victims signed when they were a member. They were forced back to the place where they suffered years of abuse.
Los Angeles Police Department’s close relationship with Scientology
This is one that came out of left field and is a tad bit in the conspiracy theory realm, but after my second article, more evidence of police relationships emerged. The livestream protests against Scientology have been a means to document police activity. I always knew of unfavorable police interactions, but witnessing corruption in real time was unexpected and vastly infuriating.
Police officers have detained protesters over fake 911 calls, arrested protesters over bogus charges, and failed to arrest those who assaulted the protesters. The most notable day within the protest timeline was on Friday when live streamer DOA was SWATted for the second time, another protester was arrested for attempted theft and added hate crime (charges were rejected the following Monday), and another protester was assaulted. Even though the attack was caught on multiple live streams, officers refused to arrest the assailant.
La Poubelle’s Public Hearing Notice
The infamous French restaurant La Poubelle is petitioning for a permit to serve liquor out on the patio past 12AM, as per the current permission from the city.
The Associate Zoning Administrator overseeing the request is Jordan Turner from the Office of Zoning Administration. Contact information is 213-978-1318.
To report violations, please click here.
Below is a sample you can use:
Hello,
I want to report an incident I witnessed on March 27, 2024 at 9:25 pm.
According to the CASE NO. ZA-2023-728- CUP for this address. The following conditions were violated:
16. Complaint Log. A telephone number and email shall be provided for complaints or concerns from the community regarding operations. The phone number and email address shall be posted at the following locations:
Entry, visible to pedestrians
Customer service desk, front desk or near the hostess station
25. Smoking tobacco or any non-tobacco substance, including electronic smoking devices, is prohibited in or within 10 feet of the outdoor eating areas per Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 41.50 B 2 C. This prohibition applies to all outdoor areas of the establishment if the outdoor area is used in conjunction with food service and/ or the consumption, dispensing or sale of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages.
To submit public correspondence, email: apccentral@lacity.org
Download La Poubelle’s December 2023 Permit
Scientology Grand Re-opening in Austin, Texas
Reopening Efforts
Meeting spot a block away from the main stage
On Saturday, February 24, 2024, public sidewalks on Guadalupe St were blocked off for the grand reopening of the Scientology Center in Austin, Texas. The scene was similar to the many street closures on L Ron Hubbard Way and Burbank Blvd. in Los Angeles for Scientology events, complete with guards, police officers, and protestors.
Worldwide Protests
Protests against Scientology have increased around the world, like United Against Scientology stationed in London, the Squirrel Squad in Los Angeles, and individuals auditing Scientology, like Pearl Snappy.
Protestor stands in front of the blockade
An interesting aspect of modern protesting has been the ability to capture live footage and stream it across social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, amplifying the demonstrations and allowing an audience to watch from anywhere. The live streams are interactive between the audience and the creator, producing a sense of camaraderie with the movement.
Pearlsnappy in Austin
The city of Austin met its notable crusader, Pearlsnappy, as she voiced her opposition to Scientology and its practices. The internet was graced with Pearlsnappy’s live streams, including her booming voice, which she attributes to her years as a theater kid. She led the protesting efforts in Austin when the organization began requesting road closures for the reopening.
David Miscavige seen at the grand reopening
Rumor had it that Scientology leader David Miscavige would attend, as is customary for all grand openings. Still, with the recent evasion of court summons, many questioned if he would appear, not having been seen since L Ron Hubbard’s birthday last year in Florida. Attendees and protestors witnessed the elusive leader take his stand behind the seemingly small-scale podium and attempt to deliver his speech. He often had to battle the Pearlsnappy’s theatre voice as she went toe to toe with the loudspeaker.
Squirrel Squad Makes it to Texas
Leah, Danny, & Pearlsnappy
The grand reopening also brought Los Angeles protestors, commonly known as The Squirrel Leah and Danny, who drove the 1,416 miles to show support and stand in solidarity with folks in Austin. Danny was one of three protesters arrested two weeks ago on felony charges during a protest outside La Poubelle, a French restaurant where convicted rapist Danny Masterson drugged his victims. The Los Angeles District Attorney rejected all three cases on February 27th, 2024.
Austin PD and Los Angeles PD
The experience in Austin, Texas, showed a seemingly non-confrontational interaction with the local police department, further illuminating the staunch relationship between Scientology and LAPD.
L Ron Hubbard Way in Hollywood, CA
One speculative reason for this is that Hollywood is home to Scientology’s unofficial western headquarters housing known as Church of Scientology Western United States, an entirely different charitable organization (but still part of the hierarchy of the Church of Scientology) sitting on L Ron Hubbard Way in Hollywood, CA, housing the “Church of Scientology of Los Angeles, the “American Saint Hill Organization, and the “Advanced Organization Los Angeles. Many people conclude that Scientology donates to the LAPD and its foundation. The IRS tax-exempt organization search tool currently does not hold any information about this organization other than the name and deductibility code listing it as a public charity.
Scientology and its Guadalupe Block Neighbors
The new center sits across the street from The University of Texas at Austin and shares the block of Guadalupe Street with neighbors like Medici Roasting, a two-story cafe with a library feel, University Baptist Church, and University Presbyterian Church. Baristas from Medici were knowledgeable about the organization’s association with human trafficking but were interested in keeping the peace and described the visits from Scientologists as friendly. The positive experience did not extend to other neighbors, however. During the road closure application to the city, The Church of Scientology Austin had to request permission from their neighbors and come to an agreement about closures directly affecting others. According to a source, Scientology leaders broke every agreement and did not attempt to rectify the situation. When asked if they’d work with Scientology for future events, the representative answered, “Absolutely not.”
The Call to Action for Local Elected Officials
Outside the Church of Scientology in Austin, Texas
Pearlsnappy touched on a familiar call to action - challenging the Church of Scientology’s tax-exempt status. Scientology may not hold a strong influence in cities outside of Los Angeles, and the road to remove its tax-exempt status starts in local government, she says. This election year may be ideally situated for such a challenge with the mass attention Scientology has garnered because of the Danny Masterson case and the protests being live-streamed across the world. People are eager to plug into the movement, which can translate well to voter pressure.
Protesting L. Ron Hubbard Way
Hollywood, CA. Scientology Information Center
The doors remain closed at the Scientology’s Information Center on Hollywood Blvd, following months of people live streaming their objection to the controversial religious status of The Church of Scientology.
The disdain for the organization does not come unwarranted. There are multiple outcries from ex scientologists, investigative reports uncovering previously buried secrets, and multiple documentaries informing the public of the truth behind Scientology.
Taohyun and His Stance Against Human Trafficking
Tao and Hollywood Aja protesting at The Blue Building
Many controversies have been linked to the tax exempt agency, but activities of human trafficking have garnered the attention of a young activist going by Taohyun on social media app, TikTok.
A Google search of, “Scientology and human trafficking” will bring up 274,000 results in 0.30 seconds, most notably the case brought up against David Miscavage where federal Florida judge cited First Amendment protection of Scientology’s practices, allowing a human trafficking lawsuit to be reviewed internally.
As people like Tao continue to display their disapproval for Scientology, the tenuous relationship with LAPD has affected the safety of those practicing their right to peacefully assemble, a right also protected under the First Amendment.
Livestreamer Condfient Chriss is Attacked
Even during the onset of storms across the Southern California region, live streamer, Confident Chriss made it out to the Blue Building, sitting on l Ron Hubbard Way. He said his goodbyes to fellow protestors and was eager to get out of the pouring rain. Chris took cover in a nearby building, joking with his followers about his drenched shoes and soon began making his way to his car. In the video stream, a man could be heard asking for money when suddenly Chris was attacked, leaving people on the other end of the screen witnessing in real time as his face quickly moves out of frame and the phone falls to ground, with only a black screen and the ambient sound of the rain.
Within seconds, his followers alerted nearby protestors, and Tao, Danny, Leah, rushed to find him, viewers aiding in finding him by describing buildings visible before the attack.
LAPD’s Response Time
Photo taken from TikTok Danny.sos shows the computerized aid dispatch from LAPD, just seven minutes prior to when Confident Chris was attacked.
Tao describes the police support as lackluster, lacking both urgency and empathy, but he alludes to something just as concerning - a picture of the responding officer’s CAD, computer-aided dispatch. CADs are meant to provide responding officers important details like the time of the call, location, and summary of the incident being reported.
The CAD for the responding officer the night Chis was attacked, included his YouTube account, ConfidentChriss and summarized the person reporting (PR) feared for the safety of Scientologists as Chris was acting erratic for increased viewership.
Was Scientology behind the attack?
The situation in Hollywood has always been muddled with suspected police relationships with scientology, but has now become even more murky as former Scientologist, Aaron Smith Levin, suggests Scientology is orchestrating attacks as part of their Fair Game policy.
Although there is no direct evidence supporting Aaron’s claim, many ex-scientology have spoken about Fair Game and is listed in founder, L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings.
“The homes, property, places and abodes of persons who have been active in attempting to: suppress Scientology or Scientologists are all beyond any protection of Scientology Ethics, unless absolved by later Ethics or an amnesty ... [T]his Policy Letter extends to suppressive non-Scientology wives and husbands and parents, or other family members or hostile groups or even close friends.”
The Plight Against the Organization Continues
Live streamer, EZ, reacts to Scientology copyright music playing on the loud speakers on L. Ron Hubbard Way.
Activists continue their plight against the organization using tactics like perceived police intimidation, physical assaults, and even having their content reported for copyright infringement if their videos catch the scientology music booming from the building’s speakers. But with an immense amount of international attention and public interest, what is Scientology’s next counter move?
A CPRA request is currently pending. For more updates, please subscribe and follow. TikTok @thewritestef
Logan Heights Reels Back From Devesating Floods
The start of the new year brought heavy rains, thunderstorms, and even a tornado warning to San Diego, CA. With three storms spread over three weeks, flood channels overflowed, causing major flooding to the city. The latest storm brought the city.
Logan Heights, a neighborhood in central San Diego, experienced severe flooding due to some of the canals in the city not having been cleared from the previous storm. Debris piled and blocked passageways for water to flow, increasing the flood levels in the neighborhood, forcing families to evacuate, and inevitably causing severe damage to the homes and property.
Logan Heights, San Diego
The City of San Diego faced criticism for failing to prepare and aid more vulnerable communities like Logan Heights. The latest storm brought 2.1 inches of rain, which does not account for the massive floods in neighborhoods like Logan Heights. Back in September 2023, NBC 7 San Diego conducted a report and interviewed stormwater director Rob Snyder, where he detailed the dangerously vulnerable situation with thousands of miles of expired storm pipes, having already caused 20 sinkholes the previous year as a direct result of those same pipes bursting underground.
On February 7, 2024, residents gathered at Chicano Park to call out the city for its negligence and failure to protect the community. They marched through Barrio Logan, holding signs saying, “No one came to help us.” and demanded accountability from the city.
During the City Council’s 2025 Budget Priority meeting on February 13th, flood victims demanded a plan. They voiced their devastation, detailing the loss of their homes left without alternative housing and missing work and income. Logan Heights is all too familiar with experiencing displacement at the hands of the city.
Gaslamp Quarter and Rise in Homelessness
On January 25 2024, at the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, California, 49er fans celebrated a 34 to 31 win against the Lions. The revelers’ excitement could be heard down the entire block of Fifth Street, but their red and white jerseys shared space with others; those experiencing homelessness.
Two days before on January 25th, San Diego County participated in the annual, and federally mandated, point in time count. Last year’s PITC saw 25.9% increase of people experiencing homelessness, with the central region seeing an increase of 31.7%. This isn’t a huge surprise since the majority of homeless resources and services exist in East Lake, San Diego. When day centers provide access to food, safety, and resources, and some shelters are on a first come first serve status, it is no wonder why people experiencing homelessness gravitate towards the area.
This year’s Homeless Count may have a shift in numbers because of an ordinance passed during the Summer of 2023 banning visible encampments if there are available shelter beds. The stipulation, however, is the ban is only enforced in certain areas, leaving more marginalized parts of San Diego open to increased encampment activity.
The idea that many people experiencing homelessness in California gravitated from other parts of the country was debunked in a statewide study by the University of California San Francisco. The findings showed 90% of those who entered homelessness were last housed in California.
Katie, for example, moved to the area in the 1970s with her husband when he was stationed in San Diego. She worked most of her life as a caretaker to older adults and after her divorce, resided in her own apartment until there was new ownership of the building. Katie was asked to vacate her home and with only her social security income, was unable to find a new home. She currently sleeps on Fifth Street with only a sleeping bag in San Diego’s Gaslamp District.
Back on October 14, 2019, San Diego’s Housing Commission passed The Community Action Plan on Homelessness for the City of San Diego, an impressive 10 year strategic plan with the overarching goal to create, “a client-centered homeless assistance system that aims to prevent homelessness, and that quickly creates a path to safe and affordable housing and services for people who experience homelessness in our community.”
The Leadership Council meets quarterly to discuss the Community Action Plan, with November 14, 2023 being their last, specifically reviewing the updated need and financial modeling and the implementation of San Diego Housing Commission and City of San Diego Homeless Services Programs Dashboard. The dashboard holds real time data of all programs in San Diego, lifting up accountability and transparency - part of the guiding principles of the Community Action Plan.
The BIPOC community disproportionately represents people experiencing homelessness, and although the demographic numbers were mentioned, the 10 year comprehensive plan failed to mention any factors, initiatives or strategies surrounding equity. Similarly, those on the front lines providing direct services are people of color themselves, eligible for services themselves meeting the income threshold.
The dissonance between the San Diego Housing Commission and the City of San Diego can be felt in the active criminalization of homelessness. Page 57 of the community plan describes the various practices by police departments and city ordinances that continue to hinder people moving into permanent housing. Both people experiencing homelessness and front line workers spend countless hours attempting to resolve infractions like trolley tickets or tickets for illegal lodging. Currently, there are no key strategies listed in the 2019-2029 action to support a solution, although the following are listed as part of the Leadership Council for the City of San Diego Community Action Plan:
San Diego City Mayor, Todd Gloria
City of San Diego Director, Homelessness Strategies and Solutions, Hafsa Kaka
County of San Diego, Chairwoman Nora Vargas
City of San Diego Deputy Director, Homelessness Strategies and Solutions, James Carter
County of San Diego Policy Advisor for Chairwoman Nora Vargas, Amy Castaneda
The next meeting with the Leadership Council should be scheduled in March, but no announcement has been made with an exact date and time.
As for Katie, she spoke briefly of her time being involuntarily hospitalized and sounded as if she suffered from delusions, referencing mechanical lights following and attempting to influence her body. She also indicated she was connected to a social worker but has not been in communication with them. Katie is well familiar with different areas around Downtown to avoid police interactions and street sweeping.
Los Angeles Live Streamers Disrupt Scientology Recruitment Efforts
Scientology in Hollywood, CA
In Hollywood, CA, Scientology has held a strong real estate presence, using its nonprofit 501 (c)(3) tax status to act as a religion. Yet, some say it very well operates as a business. The Church of Scientology has also faced multiple allegations of functioning as a cult, with former Scientologists recounting their experiences and using platforms to share their stories of the horrors they faced.
Los Angeles Church of Scientology in Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
Founded in the 1950s by science fiction writer, L Ron Hubbard, Scientologists’ core beliefs rest on accessing eight dynamics that lead to unlocking the inner thetan, similar to the Judeo-Christian soul, an extraterrestrial reincarnation in the body of man.
Three critical Scientology organizations sit on L Ron Hubbard Way, right across from Kaiser Permanente Hollywood: The Church of Scientology, The American Saint Hill Organization, ASHO, and Advanced Organization Los Angeles AOLA.
Church of Scientology Information Center in Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
Recruitment Hotspots
The star-studded Hollywood Walk of Fame, a world-famous destination garnishing local and international tourism, shares its space with iconic sites like The Hollywood Museum, World of Illusions Los Angeles, and El Capitan Theatre. Sitting on the corner of Hollywood Blvd and McCadden Pl, the Information Center of Scientology Los Angeles, is a perfect location for foot traffic.
Church of Scientology Information Center in Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
Scientology recruiters, known as Field Staff Members (FSMs), are trained to recruit people for services and will receive a 10-15% commission on every service or product they sell. FSMs filled the streets of Hollywood, using their intensive training to draw people in under the guise of mystery and promises of a better life experience.
Church of Scientology Information Center in Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
TikTok Live Streamers
While live streaming delivery robots, TikTok content creator, known as @StreetsofLA (TikTok account has been banned as of 1/23/24), or “Streets,” caught wind of the activity outside the Scientology Information Center and turned his attention to capturing the recruitment process and warning every person he could. His videos exposed the notoriety of Scientology to an entirely new generation across the world, and soon, more creators began to protest outside all the Scientology buildings in Los Angeles, all through live streams via TikTok and YouTube.
TikTok @HollywoodAja
@HollywoodAja describes she watched Streets’ Lives in December 2023 and saw Spanish-speaking FSMs targeting her community of Spanish-only speakers. She knew there was a missing piece she could fill to support the movement. She describes the massive diminished recruiting efforts in just the last few weeks.
Protestors on L Ron Hubbard Way, January 20th, 2024
The live streams from protestors and creators garner thousands of viewers on any night. On the night of January 15, 2024, thousands witnessed a popular journalist, @Chris without a hellcat, detained by police while walking on and filming around the Scientology buildings; Scientologists had called in a bomb threat and identified Chris to the LAPD. Seven police cars arrived on the scene, and Chris was handcuffed and placed in the back of a car.
Within minutes, the people watching his livestream pinged other protestors of the situation, and a crowd demanded Chris’s release.
After two hours, Chris was released with an interesting piece of information. While he was detained, Scientologists handed police officers files labeled with all the names of the protestors.
LAPD & Scientology
The question lingering on everyone’s mind was the connection between the LAPD and The Church of Scientology, and what was in those files handed over to law enforcement?
Aaron Smith Levin, known for speaking out against The Church and a former scientologist himself, was visiting Hollywood, CA on January 19th, and live streaming his walk around Hollywood Blvd along with others. He recognized a familiar face - and dog, from a prior attack on protestors earlier in the month.
LAPD officers arrived on scene and were shown video evidence of the assault from three different angeles and multiple witnesses corroborate Aaron’s statement. After two more hours, the assaulter (later identified in an LAPD statement as Patrick Perry) gave his own version of events, accusing Aaron of stalking. Officer Timothy Talman asks Aaron if he would still like to press charges. When the response is a yes, Officer Talman tells Aaron he will also be arrested for felony stalking.
With over 10,000 viewers on his livestream, people were devoted to reviewing multiple angles and conversations and doing their research. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the event:
This is not the first time the LAPD and Scientology relationship has been under scrutiny, with the trial of That 70s Show star Danny Masterson alleging possible ties between the two entities.
“Blue Building, you’re next.”
Many protestors and live streamers alike know they are making a difference in the way Scientology recruits and overall stronghold in Los Angeles. The next area of interest is the blue building on L Hubbard Way.
Church of Scientology, Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
Every night, thousands tune into live streams, many deviating from normal television, watching protests to see what will be uncovered. How will Scientology respond?
Celebrity Center, Hollywood, CA. Credit Stef Arec
If you are interested in pursuing this story further, I have made a Request for Public Records to the Los Angeles Police Department for a second part of the story. Follow along on TikTok @thewritestef!
The Unconstitutional Experience of The Activist Group Termed, ‘The Justice 8’
Storyboard art by Fernando Servin Instagram @9.wind
Trigger warning for external links specified. Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities share the same oppression, albeit in variance. Stereotypes and discrimination exist across cultures. We are stronger together. We shall not be divided.
The Protest of a Deputy body-slamming a High School Girl
On Friday, September 22, 2023, a fight broke out at Victor Valley High School during a football game. When officers arrived at the scene, video footage (trigger warning!) captured a deputy body-slamming a 16-year-old female to the ground, later suffering spinal injuries, and had to be transported to a trauma hospital.
San Bernardino Police Department issued a press release identifying the deputy as the victim in the incident and said he” pulled the female away, causing her to land on the ground.”
Community outrage for police brutality against the teen girl was on display that same weekend as protestors stood outside Victorville's sheriff's station. Four protesters were arrested and charged with PC244, a felony using acid or other corrosive agent on a person.
The series of events on this day are currently part of an active investigation against those termed The Justice 8: David Chavez, Edwin Pena, Stephanie Amesquita, Fernando Lopez, Vanessa Carrasco, Gullit Acevedo, Wendy Lujan, and Alex Enamorado.
December 14th Raids and Arrests
Beginning in the early morning of December 14, each of their homes across Southern California was raided until all were in custody with 4-5 different felony counts.
On December 14th, San Bernardino Sheriff Shannon D. Dicus and District Attorney Jason Anderson hosted a press conference confirming the arrest of 8 activists through a cross-county investigation between the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, Pomona P.D., Fontana P.D., Upland P.D., titled, Operation Accountability. Dicus highlighted the events occurring on September 24 without addressing whether there was an investigation into the deputy's brutality or the lack of charges against the driver attempting to drive through protesters. The sheriff instead focused on accusing the Justice 8 of pretending discernment towards a fake vulnerable community for views and clickbait and profiting off of edited videos.
“This group manipulates videos and photos on social media in an attempt to make it look like they are protectors of underrepresented people. However they use racism to threaten and intimidate their victims causing them to get on their knees to beg for forgiveness while still assaulting them.”
In addition to the Victorville incident, two other incidents are part of the investigation.
Pomona, CA Incident at El Super
On September 3, 2023, an Allied Security guard was seen harassing street vendors inside a strip mall parking lot. The interaction quickly escalated, and the guard was caught on video hitting a woman vendor and her son. When the police were called, the vendors opted against filing a report because the officers indicated they would also be cited if they had to speak to the guard.
A protest ensued, with Enamorado present and confronting the guard. People reported seeing the security guard attempt to run down people with his car, and both protesters and the guard used pepper spray. The guard is listed as John Doe #1 in the current case against the Justice 8.
Pomona, CA Incident Forced Apology
Earlier the same day, at a protest outside of the Pomona Police Department, a man threw a glass bottle filled with urine at the crowd. He was quickly identified and followed to his home, where onlookers recorded him pleading on his knees for forgiveness. The man is listed as John Doe #2.
Felony Charges
San Bernardino County Judge Shannon Faherty outright withheld bail for all eight defendants four days after their December 18, 2023 arrest. The eight activists stood before the court with a new total of 16 felony charges. Judge Faherty pushed back bail hearings to December 26th, 2023, forcing the group to remain in jail without bail through Christmas.
Christian Contreras, representing Wendy Lujan, told the crowd outside the courthouse on the 18th, “When I got there, the judge had already started the hearing without me there, which is a constitutional violation.”
“Not even people accused of murder have no bail holds.”
Below were the charges:
PC 182(A)(1)-F: Conspiracy to Commit a Crime
PC 422(A)-F: Criminal Threats which will Result in Death or Great Bodily Injury
PC 236-F: False Imprisonment
PC 207(A)-F: Kidnapping
PC 245(a)(4)-F: Assault by Means of Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury
PC 422(A)-F: Criminal Threats which will Result in Death or Great Bodily Injury
PC 22810(G)(1)-F: Unlawful Use Of Tear Gas
PC 245(a)(4)-F: Assault by Means of Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury
PC 22810(G)(1)-F: Unlawful Use Of Tear Gas
PC 594(B)(1)-F: Vandalism ($400 or More)
PC 236-F: False Imprisonment
PC 22810(G)(1)-F: Unlawful Use Of Tear Gas
PC 245(a)(4)-F: Assault by Means of Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury
PC 236-F: False Imprisonment
PC 22810(A)-M: Possession Of Tear Gas By a Convicted Felon
PC 29800(A)(1)-F: Felon/Addict/Etc. Possess a Firearm
Preliminary hearings ended Wednesday, January 10, 2024, with only one person receiving bail. Below is a video of a Pomona officer working to protect its citizens.
“In San Bernardino County, myself and local police chiefs to include the Pomona Police Chief and the deputies in officers that work for our departments will always continue to uphold the law and protect its citizens from this type of unlawful behavior.”
A Lens Through the Years of Barrio Logan
Barrio Logan has been called home to many people. Mexican immigrants chose to settle in this area after the Mexican Revolution and many endured through the historical impact of San Diego’s zoning laws and development initiatives.
Developments including the establishment of a naval dock and fleet repair base in the 1920s, the construction of the 1-5 freeway, and the building of the Coronado Bridge served to meet outside interests and have had lasting socioeconomic consequences on the community.
Chicano Park serves as a preservation of cultural identity and demonstrates the resistance and resilience of the Bario Logan community. Logan Avenue is home to small businesses, art galleries, and special eateries.
Today, business owners, patrons, artists, and residents have witnessed new members of the community as San Diego ordinances and directives continue to displace people. Barrio Logan has become the home to those experiencing homelessness and is also a place where street-based sex workers engage in consensual sexual activity with their clients.
An exploration of the deep intersectional injustices that directly affect disenfranchised communities, shows the compounded challenges of those experiencing homelessness. In efforts to support its community, the city council passed a new controversial ordinance banning encampments in public spaces when shelter is available, but will only be enforced in some parks as police officers cannot monitor all the parks in the city.
With East Lake being the epicenter for homeless services, the implications of this new ordinance will cause people experiencing homelessness to seek shelter in other parts of the city, in areas where enforcement is not required.
The industrialized section of Barrio Logan near Main Street and Delbergia Street along with the active naval community has created a perfect area for street-based sex workers and Johns to engage in consensual sexual acts.
Earlier in the year, The Main Street Hotel was the center of a month-long investigation of human trafficking and prostitution and has been shut down since February. Yet, the activity has not seen any significant change.
As Barrio Logan continues to be impacted by the city’s decisions, it becomes crucial for community leaders, city officials, and residents to collaborate on comprehensive solutions that prioritize the safety and well-being of all community members. This may involve addressing systemic issues, advocating for affordable housing, improving access to social services, and fostering a sense of community empowerment.
Verifying Information in Today’s Digital Platform with Megan Hobza
News Overload
When an influx of information is available twenty-four hours a day, and news outlets report information contradictory to what is seen in lived experience media, how can it filter the truth? Digital media consumption is different across generations, and ultimately, people rely on platforms like TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and Google searches for news. Contradictory information between news outlets like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc., and social media platform TikTok, showing live footage from independent journalists and community members, promotes distrust of conventional journalism.
A Candid Conversation with Megan Hobza
I sat down with a colleague turned friend, Megan Hobza, who has over 20 years in strategic partnerships, consulting for emerging nonprofits in education, harm reduction, healthcare, environment, and the arts.
We explore our vetting of the truth and trustworthy sources in topics currently in our purview.
Below is a breakdown of our 20-minute conversation:
0-37 seconds - Introduction to questioning mainstream media in terms of October 7th and 20/20 special
3:58 - Independent autism community on TikTok providing up-to-date information on personal experiences more current than the DSM-V
6:03 - Information is subjective
6:38 - Effective truth search
7:15 - White women research on prostitution referencing Leidholdt’s Prostitution, Trafficking and Traumatic Stress written in 2003, not the 1980s as said in the podcast
8:56 - Redflag when government websites prove difficult to read to the general public
9:17 - Maxine Doogan, a self proclaimed Political Consultant, Headwhore, BDSMer, referenced in previous articles
9:35 - Sex work iterations break down to street work, digital work, escorts, exotic dancers, workers in the adult entertainment industry, etc.
10:05 <insert salt bae meme>
10:22 - VICE definition
11:24 - Are government sources reliable?
11:56 - Are police departments using methodologies that do not retraumatize victims?
13:21 - Reference to sex trafficking victims being charged with prostitution
13:40 - Intersectionality between over-policing of sex work and homelessness, poverty, family separation, and loss of income.
17:11 - What is considered news?
Looking into a History of Community Displacement in Barrio Logan, San Diego
Barrio Logan, San Diego.
Barrio Logan evolved into a Chicano Art District, a haven for Chicano culture rooted in social equity and preservation of the mixture of indigenous, Mexican, and American culture. The art produced by the neighborhood is nothing short of beautiful. Like many other neighborhoods deprived of equity and representation, the people fought for their sense of self. Barrio Logan has become known as an Art District and is home to Mexican-American Business owners up and down Logan Avenue.
Yet a recent not-so-attractive headline of Barrio Logan is its haven for those experiencing homelessness and the home of various sting operations for sex trafficking and prostitution.
Felix. Chicano Park, San Diego, CA.
Chicano Park, a legacy incarnate of community empowerment overcoming predisposed city development, has seen its share of displacement. In 1970, community members were privy to the effects of the Coronado Bridge's building: a teardown of the neighborhood. Together, the community stood and advocated for Chicano Park, a monumental effort of politicalness and self-preservation.
Chicano Park, CA.
Throughout the past decade, San Diego City has seen a strategic displacement of those experiencing homelessness with the continued city development of the downtown area. Barrio Logan, like other smaller communities, has experienced the influx of the metropolitan’s growth and welcomes many of those experiencing displacements.
Cuauhtemoc, The Aztec Ruler. Chicano Park. Barrio Logan.
Kimberly Hunt, an ABC 10 News San Diego Correspondent, provides insight into the experiences of residents by indicating prostitution is so out in the open that it is sex for sale in the city.
She goes on to detail that business owners also said prostitution has nearly tripled in the area since Jan. 2023, when Senate Bill 357 took effect.
Senate Bill 357 removes Section 653.22, a notable bad loitering law, relying on a police officers’ knowledge of intent. In practice, law enforcement used that discriminately, targeting Black, brown, and Trans women. A further analysis by a UCLA student sheds light on demographics, showing a bias and disservice to the community.
Reporting on intersectional issues requires intersectional observation; often engulfed by various challenges compounded with decades of systematic oppression having left out the voices of the most vulnerable.
Barrio Logan is a tribute to a community banding together to counter decades-long oppression by uplifting indigenous roots and lifting those displaced by San Diego’s metropolitan growth. A familiar quote resonates,
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
America’s true communities keep this quote alive.
Navigating the Divide Between Sex Trafficking and Sex Work
Whore. Hooker. Call Girl. Prostitute.
There are many words used to describe people working in the sex for work, a business encompassing back page escorts, the infamous red-light districts, the adult entertainment industry, and cybersex like camgirls and OnlyFans. These terms elevate negative social stigma and even the word prostitute is being rejected as offensive, mainly used only in legal settings.
The term “sex work” was coined by Carol Leigh, a San Francisco-based activist and advocate, to destigmatize those working in the erotic service industry and encompass adults who receive money or goods in exchange for consensual sexual services or erotic performances.
To gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in this profession requires a deliberate commitment from an outsider to dismantle preconceived notions, often founded on Puritan beliefs, about those involved in sex work. The implementation of specific legislation affects the fundamental treatment of sex workers. The issue is not weighed in goodness or badness, righteous or immoral; it is about a community of people deserving of safety, consideration, and fair treatment, regardless if their work is taboo.
In a conversation with Megan Hobza, a contributor to the ESPLER report and long-time non-profit consultant for strategic partnerships and funding, described the contrast between her past experiences:
“I had a huge learning curve from going from this…My supervisor at the hospital was a radical, certainly, in his own way, but he was still part of the medical mainstream. And to shift from working with that side of things to working with Maxine’s lived experience organization, you know, they were really kind to take the time and talk me through all the intricacies of why decriminalization is important and why legalization is not the thing sex workers want.”
The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Sex Work
A report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Walk Free Foundation, and the Organization for Migration (IOM) showed that approximately 27.6 million people were in forced labor in 2021.
In 2003, Dorchen A Leidholt, an activist and leader in the movement against violence against women, working as an advocate since 1975, published a 17 page article in the Journal of Trauma Practice asserting prostitution as an institution of gender-based domination. She goes on to say the distinguishment of sex trafficking and prostitution is a strategy to continue the exploitation of women while governments profit and ultimately circumvents any efforts to stop human trafficking.
A form of human trafficking involves coercion into sexual acts or performance and because there’s an intersection of sex trafficking and sex work, the two are often merged. There is a fundamental distinction between the two: consent.
Back in 2018 Maxine Doogan, founder of lived experience agency, ESPLERP, Inc., went on air with Dr.Drew, and offered insight to a protest against the attempted comedian, Amy Schumer on International Whore’s Day. When asked about human trafficking at the “heart of these bills” and cracking down on child trafficking, Maxine responded that the solution lies within decriminalizing prostitution so that people can safely come forward when witnessing something wrong. She raises the issue that current laws are misunderstood and the enforcement of laws hinders witnesses from reporting in fear of being arrested.
Maxine’s point is supported by report published November 15, 2021 by the International Human Rights Clinic titled “Over-Policing Sex Trafficking: How U.S. Law Enforcement Should Reform Operations”.
The report included first-hand accounts and quotes from advocates, survivors, and law enforcement. A local officer was quoted as saying, “Regardless of their intent, anti-sex trafficking operations, like anti-sex work efforts, result in the arrest of many sex workers and buyers.” Adding to Maxine’s point in 2018, the report outlined three important reasons current law enforcement fails to protect victims:
Operations identify few or no traffickers and retraumatize victims in their tactics
Operations rarely lead to the prosecution of traffickers
Operations do not prevent trafficking as they do not prevent return to the trafficker
The law is not helping to end sex trafficking, and the implementation by law enforcement officers revictimized survivors.
Exploring the Financial Link of Sex Work and Human Trafficking
The war on human trafficking can very well be the war against American civil liberty violations.
Through ESPLERP’s work to fulfill its mission statement to empower the erotic community and advance sexual privacy rights, the personal accounts of the community underlined the frightening notion of mass violation of civil liberties. According to a study by ESPLERP, the funds meant to address human trafficking are often used to arrest and prosecute sex workers and do not necessarily help victims or bring their abusers to justice. It is seemingly farfetched to jump from one point to another, but the leap may not be as wide when defining the difference between sex trafficking and consenting adults.
The operative word here is consent.
How do law enforcement officers tell the difference between victims and willing participants? Furthermore, are trafficked victims being arrested and charged with prostitution based on the tactics of officers? Implementation of up-to-date strategies, including trauma-informed care and harm reduction, and partnering with community-based organizations serving vulnerable populations can very well be supported by transparency from public agencies like probation and district attorneys. The number of arrests and prosecutions, methods of profiling and discovery of evidence, and training material can clarify the murkiness of these questions.
“We know that local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in California are increasingly turning to technology to target sex workers and our clients, from surveillance equipment to online undercover operations. What tools police use to surveil us on a day-to-day or case-by-case basis is a closely guarded secret. The victims of these overzealous prostitution investigations often never learn how digital tools were used against them.”
ESPLER Project Inc., attempted to gather the data necessary to answer these questions by making CPRA requests, and the responses, or lack thereof, highlighted a worrisome correlation between human trafficking initiatives and violation of privacy rights. In the comprehensive report, ESPLER spotlights grim tactics used by County sheriffs, District Attorneys, and Probation & Police departments to promote prostitution and loitering tickets and arrests, all in the guise of fighting human traffickers. In 1968, California Public Records Act was signed, stating “that governmental records shall be disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there is a specific c reason not to do so. Most reasons for withholding disclosure of a record are outlined in specific exemptions contained in the CPRA.”
Law enforcement may be well equipped to catch the human traffickers, but they do so with prejudice by arresting and convicting sex workers.
For those fighting for rights within the community, the parallel between the abuse of funding and the further criminalization of sex work is all but apparent. The ESPLER report, requested public records for 58 district attorneys, 37 probation departments, 58 sheriff’s departments, and 52 police departments in California from January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2022. Not one entity provided all the requested records.ESPLER’s report is based on the responses to public records requests sent to 58 district attorneys, 37 probation departments, 58 sheriff’s departments, and 52 police departments in California from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022.https://ca4privacy.org/
ESPLER’s report is based on the responses to public records requests from 55 district attorneys, 6 probation departments, 25 sheriff’s departments, and 41 police departments in California.