Photo by Aaron Salcido.
Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro is a professor in political science and gender and sexuality studies at the University of Southern California. Before sitting on the panel for the Zócalo program “What Do We Want From the Next L.A. Mayor?” in May 2022, she joined us in our green room to talk about crocheting, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and her year of hiking Griffith Park
What’s the last book you read that you loved?
The last book that I read that I loved was by Colson Whitehead. It’s called The Intuitionist. And it’s about elevator inspectors, of all things. It was just wonderful.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be the first Black woman Supreme Court justice in the United States. And I’m very glad slash sorry that it wasn’t me. But I’m so happy for Ketanji Brown Jackson.
What is your hidden talent?
I know song lyrics. There was an old show called Name That Tune, now there’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics! I should totally go on that show, even though I have never auditioned, because I know the most random song lyrics on the planet.
Do you have a favorite lyric?
My favorite song lyric is from a song by Barry Manilow that he never sings in concert, ever—and I know because I’ve been seven times; I’m a huge fan. The song is called “Sunrise.” And he says, “I’m watching the sunrise / I’m glad to be living.” And it’s just like one of those songs you’ve listened to when you’re feeling kind of down, and it just makes you feel like things are going to be OK.
What’s your favorite way to de-stress?
I do a couple of things. One is I do crochet. I make blankets. And just crochet to kind of unwind while I’m watching TV or sports or something. And then the second thing that I do is I am a hot yoga person. I will go to a hot yoga class and just leave it all on the mat.
What’s one aspect of Los Angeles that you love?
You can pretty much get up again and go anywhere in L.A., and have a great hike. One of my best friends and I, we spent a whole year one year, every Wednesday, I think we only missed like three Wednesdays in an entire year of hiking in Griffith Park. A: It made us best friends. But also, it was just so nice to get out of whatever we were doing, get out of our heads, and just go walk and hike. So that’s probably my favorite thing about L.A. I know a lot of things can be crazy and bad, but the one thing that doesn’t change is just thank God we have this beauty, you know?