Mission statement
The Los Angeles Times editorial page strives to reflect the most compelling debates, concerns and interests of the people of California, particularly the diverse communities of Southern California.
We have a commitment to demand government and corporate accountability to the people we serve, to preserve the natural ecology of California, and to champion policies that will address racial and environmental injustices and the economic inequality that has become a statewide emergency. Fighting the growing crisis of climate change and protecting this land for future generations are among our guiding principles.
We believe our mission is to inform Los Angeles Times readers and viewers so that they can make choices that will benefit our cities, communities and neighborhoods. A strong public school system, a local economy that allows families to flourish, and local governments and law enforcement agencies that serve all the people are central to our vision for a better, more livable California. We’re uncompromising in our defense of constitutional and human rights and freedoms, and in our commitment to the rule of law.
Our editorials are written by a group of writers who meet three times a week to discuss and debate issues. We strive to take into account different perspectives, particularly if they don’t align with our own, to inform our views. Our hope is to lay out arguments and analyses that can help our readers navigate complex questions or, at the very least, give them a well-considered way to think about the issues of the day.
We greatly value dialogue with our readers and community and civic leaders. Our door is open and we hope you’ll reach out to us about your views.
Members of The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board
Terry Tang is editorial page editor, overseeing the editorial board and the Op-Ed and Sunday Review sections. She joined The Times in July 2019 as a deputy Op-Ed editor after two years at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she served as director of publications and editorial.
Mariel Garza is the deputy editor of the editorial page. Previously, she was an editorial writer focusing on state government and politics, plastic trash, public health and other topics. Before joining The Times’ editorial board in March 2015, she was deputy editorial page editor of the Sacramento Bee and is a former editor of the editorial pages of the L.A. Daily News and Los Angeles News Group. She’s a graduate of San Francisco State University.
Kerry Cavanaugh is an assistant editor and editorial writer covering Los Angeles and Southern California, with a focus on housing, transportation and environmental issues. Prior to joining the board, she was a producer on KCRW’s “To the Point” and “Which Way, L.A.” Before that, she spent a decade at the L.A. Daily News, where she covered L.A. and California politics and wrote a column on local government issues. She’s a graduate of New York University and Columbia Journalism School.
Tony Barboza is an editorial writer focusing on climate change and environmental justice. Before joining the editorial board in November 2021, he worked for 15 years as a Times reporter, covering air quality, climate change, environmental health and other topics. Barboza was born and raised in Colorado and is a graduate of Pomona College.
Robert Greene is an editorial writer covering water, drought, criminal justice reform, policing, mental health and Los Angeles County government. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing in 2021 for work “that clearly and holistically examined the Los Angeles criminal justice system.” Greene previously was a staff writer for the L.A. Weekly and a reporter and associate editor for the Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Prior to becoming a journalist, he was an attorney in Los Angeles. He is a resident of Highland Park and a graduate of USC and Georgetown University Law Center.
Carla Hall is an editorial board member who writes about homelessness, reproductive rights, popular culture, animal welfare, and human rights in Asia and Africa, among other topics. Before joining the board, she was a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Times’ California section. She previously worked for the Washington Post’s Style section, where she juggled writing with acting roles in small theaters and even a couple of TV shows. She has a bachelor’s degree in the history of science from Harvard University.
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