Commendation for a ‘True, Vivid Album’

I want to thank you for the thoughtful photo essays on the Pico-Union area by Rosemary Kaul. You should devote even more pages per week to such photographic work, for it brings the city together by helping residents of diverse areas understand the people of other areas. And pictures that show warm and positive efforts at creating habitable neighborhoods are worth more than dozens of articles on drugs and crime.

Please try to find something positive to show photographically about the neighborhoods of South Central, so as to build their pride and respect for themselves. All we ever read about predominantly African-American neighborhoods are shootings at liquor stores, quarrels with Koreans, drug abuse and police brutality.

I’m aware that all this is real and exists and needs to be told, but for the well-being of young black kids growing up in poor neighborhoods, there needs to be another story told also--the story of mothers and families and neighbors that care about doing something good and positive.

JAN KOVALESKI, Los Angeles