Professor Marc Dunkelman is one of many academics who have recently written about our country's difficulty in building the critical infrastructure that we need to compete economically. The United States, Dunkelman notes in his new book, Why Nothing Works – Who Killed Progress and How to Bring It Back, used to pride itself on our world-scale infrastructure projects. "Think about the Golden Gate Bridge, Hoover Dam, the Tennessee Valley Authority," Dunkelman says. "They were all critical projects that resulted in public benefit, and they were completed in a very efficient way." Not so today. Dunkelman, who is a Fellow at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs at Brown University, recently sat down with Jon Switalski of Rebuild SoCal Partnership to talk about the reforms that are needed to enable California and the country to build the roads, bridges, water, and transportation systems that are crucial for a thriving economy.

This video follows Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Rebuild SoCal Partnership Executive Director, Jon Switalski as they met in the Palisades to discuss how Horvath responded to the devastating wildfires in her district. Supervisor Horvath has taken a hands-on approach to recovery, removing barriers to reconstruction and ensuring no community is left behind. In this On the Ground in LA episode, Horvath reflects on the months-long rebuilding process and why, as she says, “coming together at scale is critical.” From streamlining permits to fostering partnerships with labor, contractors, and residents, she shares how community action turns loss into momentum and restores hope for the future.

This video follows the work and takes a close-up look at Anvil Builders, a Union Contractor whose workers are cleaning the sites of former homes in Altadena after the devastating wildfires in January. This episode of On the Ground in LA follows the Anvil team as they help families begin the long road to recovery, from removing hazardous materials to carefully sifting through the remnants of homes in search of keepsakes. We talk to Alan Guy, CEO of Anvil Builders, about how he prepares his crews for the work in Altadena, with special attention paid to the safety of his workers. We also talk to workers about the emotional impact of finding a cherished wedding ring or family pictures and returning them to their owners.

On the Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires is a branded podcast from LA Times Studios paid for and produced by Rebuild SoCal Partnership. How do you rebuild after historic wildfires charge through your community and uproot your life? This raw and powerful mini-series follows the people on the ground who stepped into the smoke to rebuild what was lost. From hazmat cleanup crews tackling toxic debris, union workers and contractors laying the foundation for safer communities, and local legislators coordinating the comeback, each episode offers an unfiltered look at the challenges, grit, and solidarity driving LA County's rebirth. Told through real footage and first-hand perspectives, On the Ground in LA: Rebuilding After the Fires, is not about the destruction — it’s about the people rebuilding hope, one job site at a time. Each short episode delivers a ground-level view of the people, projects, and partnerships driving LA’s recovery.

This episode follows Carpenter's Union member Sergio Lambert as he recounts the night his house burned in the Altadena fire and how he is committed to rebuilding that childhood home with his own hands and the skills he has learned as a member of Local 661. The video was shot at Sergio’s home in Altadena as Sergio, his young son, and his mother, Dollis, walked through the ashes and talked about what they had lost. Sergio points to the 1400 square foot ADU he built with his own hands and how he will rebuild another one as soon as he can. Other filming locations were the Carpenters Training Center in Sylmar where Sergio met with apprentices and an interview with Josh Raper, Regional Manager of the Western States Council of Carpenters. Raper recounts how Carpenters locals from around the country came to the aid of fire victims – both members and non-members. Sergio, who was previously incarcerated and was given a second chance by the Carpenters Union, ends the video by talking about his commitment to his parents to rebuild.

Operating Engineers Local 12 member Michael Reilly and his wife, Coleen Sterritt, lost their home during the Altadena fire. Sterritt, a well-known sculptor, lost years of artwork as well. We visit Michael and Coleen at their property that burned down and talk to them about what they lost and how they plan to rebuild. Like many of their neighbors, they were not told to evacuate the night of the fire. They made it out of their home not long before the fire swept through their neighborhood. As we follow the scrapping process, Michael talks about how he wants to preserve the hardscape around the home. He also talks about how the Operating Engineers Apprenticeship program started him out on a career that taught him about the beauty of what operators build. Michael and Coleen also established a relationship with John Renner, the Operator who was working at their site, and made a special request for his services. Local 12 Business Manager David Sikorski visits the site and talks about how the Operating Engineers are “in this for the long haul,” by helping their members who lost homes and the broader community. This is a video about art and the art of rebuilding.

This episode follows the story of Sandra Molina, a single mother of three children who turned her life around through the help of the Laborers Union. She rebuilt her life and is now helping to rebuild Altadena as a Hazmat worker. Sandra enrolled as a Laborers Apprentice and took the Laborers Hazmat training course before being dispatched to a job with Anvil Builders. She works from 6 AM to 6 PM, often 7 days a week. We met Sandra at her home at 4 AM, where she prepared for work and kissed her young children goodbye. We follow her to work and get a sense of her responsibilities leading a Hazmat crew as they move from property to property. We also capture the visit of Laborers District Council leader Jon Preciado to the Altadena site that Sandra and other Laborers are working at. Preciado points out that these workers are building careers as well as rebuilding a community. We follow Sandra back home after work and talk to her young daughter, Abigail who knows how hard her mother works to give her children a better life.