Danielle Brazell is the general manager of Los Angeles’ Department of Cultural Affairs. She oversees arts and cultural programming throughout the city. Before she participated in a discussion about the future of creativity in Los Angeles, she talked about pixie haircuts, her background in performance art, and her two cats, Abraham and Wiggles.
What did you like to draw when you were a kid?
Houses and punk rock ladies. I had a whole series of this amazing punk rock lady.
What’s the wildest haircut you’ve ever had?
I did a pixie, a blonde pixie. That was back in the early ’90s.
What was your favorite theatrical role that you’ve played?
As a performance artist, I would create characters based on experiences in my life. I would use them to talk about critical issues around race and culture. It was a way to create mythology around gender roles and identity.
What’s the one thing someone needs to see if he or she visits Los Angeles?
I’d take them to Griffith Park. It’s my place, my go-to. It’s a place to get bearings.
Would you rather fly or be invisible?
Fly. It’s fun to fly. You can open the aperture and actually see a little bit more.
Where and when did you learn to ride a bike?
I don’t remember the first time. But I ride bikes, and I love to ride bikes. It’s the closet thing to flying, in fact. I can’t wait until L.A. has more bike lanes.
What’s the first line of your obituary?
“Change agent.”
What’s your least favorite thing about the Internet?
Sometimes I just get overwhelmed by the amount that’s there, the volume. How do you weed through and prioritize?
Cats or dogs?
Cats. I own two: Abraham and Wiggles. But, really, I think they own me.
What are you like behind the wheel?
It has changed a lot. Now, It’s my invisible cloak. I’m kind of incognito.
If you couldn’t live in the U.S., what country would you live in?
The first that came to mind is Germany. Berlin, because it’s so rad.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
I would have to say David Bowie at the Roxy. I got in to see him in Tin Machine. I was sure he was going to say, “Hey Danielle, come backstage!”