It goes without saying that there are a lot of people striving to become actors in Hollywood. But for every bright young talent that arrives in Los Angeles aiming to work hard at honing his or her acting skills in the hopes of one day becoming an actor, there are few more aspiring actors of a different variety that showed up on the same day.

This second type really just wants to be able to tell folks back home that they’re here — and for as long as they manage to stay, they’ve made it. Gradually they become part of the landscape, and will continue to put in minimal effort for years, content to say the world missed out on their acting genius before they head home. That still leaves Los Angeles with a lot of people working really hard toward their dream, and they conjure a certain stereotype: the struggling actor, bussing tables and standing in line at auditions.

But generalizations about aspiring actors don’t accurately represent how Jason H. Christopher sees himself or the road he’s traveling. He’s carrying out a carefully calculated plan, and to some extent he’s at the mercy of others for their attention. But he isn’t helpless and struggling. He is creating and using the inertia that will help him in his pursuit to become a successful working actor. Jason grew up in Redlands, California, and he always enjoyed acting and showing off for a crowd. After a brief career in real estate, he took the money he made and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his passion for acting. Here he is the man with a plan, and so far that plan has brought him relative success — the actor has played in numerous national commercial campaigns and several web series. Day in and day out, he works relentlessly on every aspect of himself and his craft, including exercising his mind and his fitness level. Jason tells us what it takes to stay at the top of your game in Hollywood despite the pressure.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits.

Paul Mitchel grew up in Seattle Washington, in what he calls a fairy-tale neighborhood. By this he says, he means the kind of place where kids play in the open streets, the landscape is green, and everyone seems generally happy, being that they’re supported by a sense of family and community. As an adult, Paul started construction work and did well enough to support himself and his wife, enabling them to live a good life. There was then suddenly a very dark chapter that began for Paul, and disrupted the harmony that existed in his life up until that point. Due to his mental condition, Paul had trouble managing through the challenges of daily life, and things began to unravel. He soon found himself incapable of holding reliable work. Sometime later, he ended up on the streets.

Paul made his way to Southern California to live in a place where the climate is more merciful to someone living in the streets, and where he believed there may be hope to begin again. Here in LA, Paul’s dark chapter continued for years with a few ups and a lot of downs.

Fortunately, Paul found the support he needed and a safe place to stay with the Skid Row Housing Trust. Skid Row is an area of about 50 square blocks just east of downtown LA, and it has a longstanding history as a residential neighborhood occupied by those with the least.
Through the federal Shelter Plus Care program, Paul and other homeless persons with disabilities (and their families) are provided with safe housing and supportive services on a long-term basis.

This support and assistance has afforded Paul a chance to start a new chapter in his life. Paul, who was “on his way back” when he shared his heartfelt and inspirational story with I Am Los Angeles, recently got his drivers license back again and is enthusiastic about going back so he can start a new life.

To learn more about the Skid Row Housing Trust, go to their website.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by Pedro Marques.

Being that he was named after Neil Young, it’s fitting for music to be at the center of life for Neil Schield. The Origami Vinyl shop owner grew up in a family of music lovers and recalls that his parents have always had a particularly strong attachment their album collection.

Even before Origami Vinyl, Neil spent his fair share of time on the commercial side of the music industry — he worked in the industry during the landmark period when music’s transition to iTunes began and started to take hold. Facing a big decision following a brief career stall, Neil took a chance, and broke from his work in digital music. He decided to go back to where his love of music started when he was younger, which was with vinyl. Now, well frankly, he lives in the best of all possible worlds. He’s carved out his little space in the world of music at Origami Vinyl. Neil spends his days surrounded by the music that has meaning to him, and he makes a living by sharing it with others who have a similar appreciation.

Neil is a back to basics kind of guy, and he wanted to go back in time to be closer to the experience and the authenticity he cherished in one of recorded music’s first carriers. If you ask Neil, he’ll tell you how vinyl brings back the warmth in the room. How it gathers everybody to go and stand around the record player, experiencing the music in a more complete way. But instead of taking his word for it, you should probably just take those earbuds out and go experience some vinyl for yourself. It’s good for the soul!

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The IAMLA Music Group

Welcome to the Freedom Barbershop at the Veterans Affairs campus in West LA. To many Veterans, this little trailer shop something akin to an island oasis in the thrashing sea. It is a place where personal burdens, internal pressures and anxieties gathered from life experience willingly recede, for here is the forgiving company and calming presence of a fellow comrade. Sit in the chair and receive a shave, a haircut, or a few shared jokes. And for the ones who need it, gentle advice flows from a man who dedicates his time to serve to Veterans who proudly served us, but now walk all paths of life. Some of their spirits are still proud, others broken.

Dreamer, they call him, is himself a Veteran, and has an effortlessly strong and tranquil presence that seems to give him the ability to gently wash away his customers’ thoughts of the world’s troubles. Dreamer believes it’s important to give this back to the men and women who served their country. It may seem a little thing, to give a haircut for free or for whatever the customer can afford. From time to time, Dreamer might be paid with a few rumpled bills found in a jacket pocket or with the gift of a rubber band ball. But he has a good heart, and he offers his time and his service while he listens to his customers’ stories of past and present day.

At night, Dreamer goes out onto the streets, talking, living and surviving the darker hours of the day with fellow Veterans who live on the streets of West LA. Dreamer has amassed memories of many men their stories, which he shares so willingly, so compassionately, and empathetically you’d think they were his own. We highly recommend a visit to meet Dreamer, and the other brave men sharing a few relaxed moments in his little barbershop on any given day.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The IAMLA Music Group

It isn’t enough to dare to dream. If you want something you can keep dreaming about it, or you can dare to do what it takes to make your dream come true. This positive way of looking at things seems to work out very well for this European transplant in LA.

If you haven’t noticed, the street artist and avid skater called Chase is on a campaign to help you stay mindful of the power of positive thinking and living a life that feels true to your soul. The artist’s murals, paintings, and stencil art makes abundant use of bright 60s pop colors, humor and uplifting messages to bring positive energy to others, and his work graces more than 200 murals in LA and other cities. Chase has items for sale in stores and has collaborated with Puma, Adidas, Levis (just to name a few).

The principles Chase strives to motivate through his work are representative of the artist’s approach to his own life. Like a lot of kids from broken families, the young skater got into his share of trouble growing up in Antwerp (Belgium), and the artist developed his positive mindset as a kind of survival mechanism. Chase figured out early that doing what you love is the key to being happy, and he began dreaming of getting to Los Angeles to skate. His artwork has been a huge part of what has made his dream possible. Most often, the artist can be found in the streets working on murals, cars, complete stores or billboards. Chase believes that every object presents an opportunity to create something and spread the word about his positive message.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots

All it took was to witness one well-executed kickflip, and Theotis Beasley knew he wanted to skate. It was a lazy sunny day when a cousin asked if Theotis wanted to see something cool. His cousin proceeded to demonstrate one of the best-known tricks in skateboarding, and young Theotis was impressed. He wanted to skate all day and all night after that.

“Los Angeles is a great place to skate,” says Theotis. All of LA is a skate park, because you can find good spots everywhere and it’s not so hard to run into your skating cohorts. These days Theotis can usually be found skiing in and around LA the neighborhood where he grew up. Some note Inglewood to be a rough part of town with high crime rates, and Theotis himself will tell you it can be kind of “sketchy”. But for Theotis, this is home, and it’s fairly easy stay out of trouble if you know the rules.

The young skater is proud to be from the south side of LA, and he carries it with him in the most positive way possible. He doesn’t forget that he is representing Inglewood everywhere he goes. They call him the nicest kid in skateboarding, because he’s always smiling and friendly as can be. Inglewood will always be home to him, and his Inglewood is a place for good skate, good food, good friends and more good food.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots

At the age of 15, he first started taking pictures with a 35mm camera. He was amazed by the results when he put the film in the enlarger. Gregory Bojorquez quickly became compulsive about finding new subjects for his photography. At a young age, Greg started taking pictures of homeless people. “For some reason I started doing that… Why? Because I was afraid of them; they intimidated me, maybe that is why I did it.”

Gregory grew up running around all over the Eastside of Los Angeles. His perspective on growing up on the Eastside of the river is that “there is much more of a sense of community, the people know each other”. He admits that amongst the hard-working blue-collar crowd, it has sometimes been difficult for Gregory get others to understand his desire to turn photography into a career. But he didn’t resist his calling. When Greg wasn’t in the streets you could find him in the library looking a picture books. He enjoyed looking at the work of his role models: Annie Leibowitz, Bruce Davidson, Danny Lyon, Marie Ellen Mark and Diane Arbus. Inspired by their ability to turn photography into an art form and a career, Greg was determined.

Gregory started to develop his eye by doing lookbook shoots for young designers in Downtown LA, party pictures at concerts and other random jobs. Like many photographers, his camera is an extension of himself, and he is always taking pictures. And so it came to be that because of one photo he took at a late night party in East Los Angeles, he knew what his big project was going to be. Greg’s focus is a photo project focused on the lifestyles of the residents of East LA, and because he’s a native to the area, you get a front-row seat through his lens.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots

It was “the best of both worlds” for young Ernesto. A child of Mexican heritage, Ernesto grew up in El Centro, CA, which is a small town near the Mexico-US border. El Centro, with its proximity to Mexico and the immigrant culture, helped Ernesto develop an appreciation for the challenges faced by his fellow Mexicans. In El Centro, Ernesto felt safe and had the wealth of resources one has in America, but he also had access to his own rich cultural heritage by being so close to Mexico.

From this experience, Ernesto formed his image on the world, and today his energy is spent bringing his perspective to new audiences. Ernesto relocated from El Centro to LA to expand his activities as an politically-orientated art activist. Los Angeles and its many people from all over the world have taught Ernesto even more about his Mexico. People come to the LA looking for a better life and they infuse the area with their varying cultures, some of which are rarely seen in El Centro and just across the border in Mexicali. Ernesto easily conveys his beliefs to you, stating simply that he is “in solidarity with any movement that stands for self determination.”

Ernesto is now leaving Los Angeles for now, partially so that he can be closer to his cause. You might recognize his work from the pro-immigration marches and demonstrations in Arizona, which were organized in opposition to the strict immigration laws in that state. “Borders are the cause of a lot of issues on this continent,” says Ernesto.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots

Some people spend their whole lives chasing someone else’s idea of success. In fact, at times it can seem to be that Los Angeles–and especially Hollywood–have a monopoly on this notion. Sacha Dunable, while a Los Angeles native, doesn’t fit this description. For a living, Sacha simply does what he loves to do; all the while admitting that his chosen path might not be likely to make him famous.

But for Sacha, that was never the main goal anyway. Instead, he seems content just to be living his life on his own terms. Sacha is a musician, and he has found personal success doing something he thoroughly enjoys: building and playing music with guitars.

If not touring with his band Intronaut, Sacha can be found in his workshop building and fixing guitars. Sacha has found success doing what he loves without seeming to feel much pressure from the outside world to make things more complicated.

Los Angeles is a place full of people with an agenda, and some will stop at nothing to get what they want. But amongst the chaotic scramble of people trying to make a name for themselves, there are gems like Sacha who manage to live content by the simple notion that in some ways, it’s better to want what you have, and go from there.

Created by Joris Debeij. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots

Wherever they go, they try to make something that makes sense for the neighborhood, and the community. And they always make something positive, something the artists hope people can enjoy — regardless of whether life has greeted them with great fortune. Armed with a vision and their cans of spray paint, El Mac and Retna will transform a forgotten wall into a piece of art.

El Mac and Retna are street artists, born in LA. They use building walls as blank canvases for their imagery, and the duo has collaborated to create murals all over the world. El Mac and Renta have very different styles, and have been collaborating the last few years. They combine their artistic forces in a specific way: El Mac creates huge lifelike portraits and Retna, calligraphic brushwork and decoration. The result is striking imagery that is unique and recognizable as theirs. It’s not uncommon for street art fans and documentarians to gather to watch the progression of an El Mac and Retna work in progress.

El Mac and Retna art feels appropriate for the street because the artists themselves embrace the city streets, the different neighborhoods, and the blend of cultures and backgrounds of the people that fill them. Street art, including the work of El Mac and Retna, also reflects a new attitude about accessibility to art in our environments. “Why not see all the walls painted,” says Retna. “Let the Arts Roam!”

Created by Joris Debeij & Terence Loos. Full Credits. Music by The Pilots