Imperfect Paradise
Imperfect Paradise
Imperfect Paradise is an award-winning weekly narrative podcast showcasing California stories with universal significance, hosted by Antonia Cereijido. Each deeply reported story is driven by characters who illuminate aspects of American identity and underscore California's reputation as a home for dreamers and schemers, its heartbreaking inequality, its varied and diverse communities, its unique …Social links:
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Imperfect Paradise: Women speak a quarter of words in the 2026 Oscars Best Picture nominated films. What that tells us about the movies Hollywood values
The Academy has historically favored men when it comes to giving out its Oscars statuettes. Women are once again not only underrepresented among this year’s Best Picture nominees, but also fared worse than last year. Emily Tarinelli analyzed how much female characters speak across the 10 nominated…
21:26
We did the math: Men speak way more than women in the 10 films up for the top Oscar
The Academy has historically favored men when it comes to giving out its Oscars statuettes. Women are once again not only underrepresented among this year’s Best Picture nominees, but also fared worse than last year. Emily Tarinelli analyzed how much female characters speak across the 10 nominated…
21:26
Imperfect Paradise: Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Main Street of America had its problems too
As Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary, we look back at its enduring impact as an iconic road that stretched from Illinois to California — and some of its darker past. It wasn’t just a mode of transportation for family road trips. The historic route was also a primary path for Black Amer…
24:47
Route 66 has a 100-year legacy of American road trips and expansion, but the Mother Road had its problems too
As Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary, we look back at its enduring impact as an iconic road that stretched from Illinois to California — and some of its darker past. It wasn’t just a mode of transportation for family road trips. The historic route was also a primary path for Black Amer…
25:11
Imperfect Paradise: California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?
California has spent billions of dollars on a free universal preschool program available to all eligible 4-year-olds in the state. However, there are no official plans in place from the state to evaluate the success of the program, also known as transitional kindergarten, or TK. LAist Early Childho…
24:35
California is not tracking whether its multi-billion dollar public preschool program is working. So how do we know if it’s helping or hurting students?
California has spent billions of dollars on a free universal preschool program available to all eligible 4-year-olds in the state. However, there are no official plans in place from the state to evaluate the success of the program, also known as transitional kindergarten, or TK. LAist Early Childho…
24:35
Imperfect Paradise: Money, politics and power: Casey Wasserman remains head of LA28 Olympics despite connections to Jeffrey Epstein. What does this mean for Olympics planning?
LA 2028 Olympics head Casey Wasserman is facing growing pressure to resign from his post after recently released Epstein files revealed emails Wasserman exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell. The board behind LA28 — the private planning committee in charge of organizing the 2028 Games— has voted to keep…
21:49
Money, politics and power: Casey Wasserman remains head of LA28 Olympics despite connections to Jeffrey Epstein. What does this mean for Olympics planning?
LA 2028 Olympics head Casey Wasserman is facing growing pressure to resign from his post after recently released Epstein files revealed emails Wasserman exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell. The board behind LA28 — the private planning committee in charge of organizing the 2028 Games— has voted to keep…
21:49
Imperfect Paradise: Inside an Orange County immigration court. What it reveals about the Trump Administration’s changing policies
As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues, we explore what’s happening on the legal side of immigration enforcement. A group of court observers at Santa Ana Immigration Court is trying to help immigrants and asylum-seekers who appear there get a fair shot under the law. LAist O…
29:31
Inside an Orange County immigration court. What it reveals about the Trump Administration’s changing policies
As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown continues, we explore what’s happening on the legal side of immigration enforcement. One group of court observers at the Santa Ana Immigration Court is trying to help immigrants and asylum-seekers who appear there get a fair shot under the law. …
29:31