We were devastated by the tragic news of the senseless killing of Laura Ann Carleton on August 18, after a dispute with a man who had made disparaging remarks about the LGBTQ+ pride flag she displayed outside her store in Cedar Glen.
Carleton, a longtime Lake Arrowhead and Los Angeles resident, became a fixture in both the Cedar Glen and Studio City communities where she ran her mag.pi boutiques, which she founded in 2013 after an accomplished career in the fashion industry. Along with being an entrepreneur, she was an ally and organizer who gave back to her community. Notably, she and her husband, Bort, organized a free food and supplies store for San Bernardino Mountains residents affected by the massive snowfall last winter.
“My mom was a matriarch in every sense of the word. She was self-made and successful, yet she was selfless and kind. Between two stores, a third store/coffee shop (still in the works!), a co-op and her activism, she always found the time to take people under her wing and nurture them,” shares Ari Carleton, Laura’s daughter.
“She was an unshakable force in everything that she did. While she was taken from us too soon, it is no surprise that she went out a hero,” Ari continues. “The global impact of her murder has been the silver lining we didn’t know we needed. My family and I are committed to carrying out her legacy through all of her business ventures and continued advocacy for love and equality.”
Our thoughts are with Carleton’s husband and their blended family of nine children.
For a message from Harmony Toluca Lake pastor Mark Stephenson on Carleton’s death and other local attacks targeting the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters, read “Triumphing Over Hate With Love.”