KIM COOPER & RICHARD SCHAVE
Native Angeleno historians and preservationists Kim Cooper and Richard Schave are the proprietors of Esotouric, a tour company offering excursions into the cultural, architectural and literary histories of Southern California. While researching and sharing stories of the characters that shaped Los Angeles, the married couple has been called to advocate for the preservation of cultural and architectural landmarks that are threatened by thoughtless development and civic neglect. Among the causes they have championed are returning Angels Flight Railway to operation, landmarking the Los Angeles Times, preserving East L.A.’s giant tamale building, restoring Pershing Square, protecting historically significant trees and landscapes, saving the 76 Ball gas station signs, and restoring Sheila Klein’s urban candelabra sculpture Vermonica. They use their true crime storytelling skills to advocate for the return of Downtown Los Angeles’ empty SRO hotel buildings to their proper use as affordable housing for Angelenos, as seen in top rated Netflix documentary “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” (2021).
BRODY HALE
Brody Hale is the President of the St. Stephen Protomartyr Project, an organization committed to ensuring that alternatives to permanent closure are found for historic Catholic churches and sacred spaces. He earned a BA in political science and history in 2007 from Tufts University. After college, he worked as a middle school teacher in New Orleans LA as part of Teach for America to help close the achievement gap faced by many of our nation’s children. His interest in education then led him to South Korea where he taught at Yeungnam University’s Foreign Language Institute as a Fulbright ETA. Upon returning to the United States, he undertook legal studies at Boston College Law School, earning a Juris Doctorate. Following this, he completed graduate studies at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in New York, earning an MPA. He is currently a sole practitioner with the Law Office of Brody Hale, a general practice firm based in Massachusetts. Brody is presently licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. Additionally, he serves on the boards of several nonprofits associated with historic preservation.
THE VENERABLE REV. DYLAN LITTLEFIELD
Fr. Dylan serves as the Episcopal Vicar to Bishop Thomas of the Apostolic Sacramental Church, headquartered in ABQ, with parishes in AZ., NM., CA. & NY. He oversees administrative and spiritual matters on the Bishop’s behalf, with the exception of liturgical and sacramental duties. In his professional life, Dylan works as a paralegal to assist families who have dealings with Child Protective Services and custody battles. Outside of work, Dylan dedicates his time to training border collies for livestock herding. In his ministry, Fr. Dylan focuses on outreach to individuals who are struggling with addiction and homelessness, and seeking recovery. He is also the founder and pastor of the Chapel of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Pasadena, and Chaplin at the Hotel Cecil on Los Angeles' Skid Row.