Over the coming days, L.A. Weekly will unveil our profiles of Angelenos who made their mark on the city and its residents this year. Be sure to check back daily for new content.

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Los Angeles is defined by those who call it home, and L.A. Weekly’s People 2019 issue focuses on the best our city has to offer. Some of these Angelenos are natives with deep roots, born and bred here, while others are transplants who were drawn to the City of Angels; all of them, however, contribute to L.A.’s richness and diversity through their unique passions and professions.

Tattoo artist Danny “KP” Kirkpatrick turned a life-altering encounter with police into a personal creative renaissance that culminated in his opening of the  first black-owned tattoo business and art collective in Compton.

After years of tirelessly representing his constituents, Congressman Adam Schiff is front and center on the national stage, as he plays a critical role in impeachment proceedings of the president and defending democracy.

David Thomas has dedicated his sobriety and the past 20 years of his life to feeding the homeless and affirming their dignity at the Los Angeles Mission — all because of a fateful bus ride he’ll never forget.

Reza Aslan is a multi-hyphenated figure — progressive scholar of world religions, author, podcaster, burgeoning media mogul — who said “Fuck the gatekeepers” and is blazing his own path in the entertainment business and de-exotifying Muslims in film and television.

Kat Corbett rides shotgun with commuters as host of KROQ’s Locals Only show, helping give local musicians their first big break.

To paraphrase performance artist Ibuki Kuramochi — who is featured on one of this issue’s covers — L.A. is a city of contrasts. In this issue, our editors and writers highlight that.

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