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Laila Freeman
Writer
Writing Fellow
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Profile
Join date: Aug 6, 2025
About
Laila Freeman is an award-winning journalist from Southern California. She has a variety of bylines featured in Long Beach Local News, Fullerton Observer, Signal Tribune, and more. In June 2025, Freeman received an award from the OC Press Club in the ‘Best Arts/Culture Story, Sponsored Content’ category. A highlight from her career thus far is interviewing NBA Laker Champion Pau Gasol about his children’s health foundation. Freeman is always striving to positively inform and impact others via her writing and reporting.
Overview
Beat
Culture & Events
Personal Website
https://laila-freeman-writes.b12sites.com/index
Contact
lailafreemanwrites@gmail.com
Posts (4)
May 4, 2026 ∙ 8 min
Art Therapist Sara DeSmet Displays Resilience at Cypress College’s Gallery and in Her Own Practice
Irvine therapist uses art to convey resilience – and helps others do the same. Detail from Sara DeSmet's watercolor, "The New Surveyor." Image courtesy of Sara DeSmet Irvine resident Sara DeSmet blends the arts with her therapeutic practice. “Since I was really young, I've always loved to draw – make art,” DeSmet said. “So, it's just always been a part of my life and I feel like it's a need to get something out – that externalizing – getting that creativity out. And so when I went to college...
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Jan 2, 2026 ∙ 10 min
Saying Goodbye to Chain Reaction: Fans & Musicians Reminisce on the Impact of a Vital OC Music Venue
Chain Reaction enthusiasts share memories of the punk and rock club and question what this means for future generations. David Baqi, left, performing with Being as an Ocean at Chain Reaction. Photo courtesy of David Baqi Beloved music venue Chain Reaction, arguably the liveliest element of Anaheim’s sleepy West Lincoln Avenue, announced its closing on Dec. 9 after almost 30 years. It was able to hold on for another five years after almost shutting down in 2020 . Big artists from Orange County...
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Nov 14, 2025 ∙ 9 min
Gold Leaf on Trash: How an Artist Returns Humanity to the Unhoused
Jason Leith uses his gift of painting portraits to share the forgotten stories of homeless people in Southern California. Jason Leith's portrait of Sid made from a box for food containers, opening like a triptych. Photo courtesy of Jason Leith, Sacred Streets Showcasing the holiness in the overlooked, Jason Leith, 35, connects with Southern California’s homeless population by painting their portraits. Jason Leith. Photo courtesy of Jason Leith, Sacred Streets His love for people, his...
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Aug 29, 2025 ∙ 7 min
Downtown Fullerton Has a Little Something for Everyone
Downtown Fullerton is the great place to explore in Orange County if you want free public parking and walkable fun. North Orange County...
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