There are some Islamic institutions in the area. They might be able to answer some of your questions. In fact there is a mosque only 500 steps away from UTLA. It is located on Vermont.
During your lunch break, if you walk towards Vermont and make a left, walk for 1 minute. You will see it on your right. A mosque building is hard to miss. They might be a little cautious in admitting you because of the recent incidents. It is worth a try.
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