Erika D. Smith is a journalist. Currently, she is columnist for the Los Angeles Times, where she writes about the diversity of people and places across California. She joined The Times in 2018 as an assistant editor and helped expand coverage of the state’s housing and homelessness crisis. Previously, Smith was a columnist covering housing, homelessness and social justice issues for the Sacramento Bee. She has also reporter for the Indianapolis Star and the Akron Beacon Journal. Smith received her B.Sc. in Journalism from Ohio University.