Los Angeles Times has rolled out its "L.A. Influential" project, focusing on individuals who are shaping the city.  

The Times is now releasing the first part of the project, starting with people who have had a creative impact, and will publish a print section in July.  

The series is divided into six weekly categories: "The Creators," artists, thinkers and inventors; "The Connectors," who bring people together to get things done; "The Money," those with impressive financial stakes in the city; "The Civic Center," people who lead communities, building from the bottom up; and "The Disruptors," gatecrashers who work outside the establishment. 

“There are the obvious choices, and there are surprises,” writes Times columnist Gustavo Arellano. “Quiet influence. Loud. People who you don’t think deserve to be on, and people you couldn’t imagine Los Angeles without.” 

The coverage includes profiles, essays, photography and video. 

“Our goal with this project is to utilize our wealth of reporting about all parts of this city to start a conversation and capture the full spectrum of the people who shape L.A., from the corridors of celebrity to the grassroots spaces where real change happens,” says Joel Rubin, a deputy editor at the Times.