Welcome to LAist LAist's mission is to explain L.A. We believe that you deserve great local news — and that we need your help to find those stories. We listen to what you’re curious about, what keeps you up at night, and who you want held accountable. We also believe: Democracy and civic participation are good things. Journalism should equip people with the information they need to advocate for themselves. Systemic racism exists and everyone on our staff has an obligation to combat it. Diversity, equity and inclusion, in our staffing, daily operations and content we produce is critical to our success.