In Conversation with Steve Lopez and Sandy Banks | January 12

Thursday, January 12, 2023 — 7:30 pm

Could you really live happily without Steve Lopez columns gracing the front pages of the Los Angeles Times? Could you honestly live a contented life knowing that the Mayor’s Office, or City Council, the DMV, or Parking and other public “services” might evade a public spanking from Steve’s pen? Could you imagine a better dragon slayer than Steve, as he makes bloated functionaries accountable? Could you ever imagine a more effective burr under a bureaucrat’s saddle than Steve? Of course not. Of course we couldn’t.

In his terrific new book, Independence Day, Steve explores the thorny and potentially cataclysmic issue (for us, his readers!) of retirement. It’s complicated. He’s a driven journalist, and a really funny one at that. So he interviewed experts of all stripes. Some people counted the days until retirement and some never looked back. Others haven’t had it so easy. Others never stopped working at all. In Steve’s typical rigorous deep dive into an issue, his insights are searching and provocative, often really funny, and always remind us that this is why someone like Steve simply should not, and must not, retire. We need him.

Sandy Banks has been a beloved columnist for the Los Angeles Times for more than 30 years. She distills big issues for us, seen through the lens of her own life. She has a unique gift of explaining public policy, corporate carelessness or greed, and the complexities of urban life, and how they impact her–and us–as individuals in Los Angeles.

NOTE: Masks will be required for this program.