Dynamics of the City

Los Angeles

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Little Armenia

Zoe Deyermond

Little Armenia is an enclave located in Los Angeles, right next to Hollywood, named after the prominent Armenian community that settled in the area after the Armenian genocide that began in 1915. This small area of Los Angeles has grown throughout the decades to reflect Armenian culture and to preserve the history of those that live there, ultimately making Little Armenia the place with the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia itself (Mirzoyan). One of the most prominent attributes to Armenian culture is the emphasis on hospitality and etiquette for guests of a space. This could potentially be accredited to the culture’s faith in Christianity, and the belief that guests are sent as a gift from God (Bock). Aside from these cultural and moral beliefs for Armenian people and their communities, there also remains the fact that the city of Los Angeles holds a prominent and widespread population of people experiencing homelessness and a lack of hospitality. My goal in traveling to Little Armenia, with these ideas in mind, was to examine how people interact with the space as well as to see the types of people that are included in these spaces. Alongside this, I also interacted with several business owners in order to get a better understanding of how residents of the community might interact with non-residents or unhoused individuals.

The primary concern with the power dynamics of accommodating such a large population of unhoused and mentally ill individuals in a city such as Los Angeles would be the ever present systems and constructions of oppressive practices. Such practices can be observed through the use of exclusive architecture, monetary coercion, or blatantly destructive actions like “clean-ups” around the city. Practices like this that dismantle and further diminish the livelihood of unohoused individuals is not only cruel and inhumane, but largely counterproductive as it wastes resources on exclusionary measures instead of offering any real assistance. This being said, the responsibility to do better in terms of providing support for unhoused individuals should not solely fall onto the backs of local business owners and residents, but it is a good place to start in order to get attention from bigger organizations that only seem to exacerbate the issue. Focusing on Little Armenia as a foundational understanding of how the homeless population could be better accommodated in Los Angeles, I chose to travel to three different businesses, as well as the local church and the murals located around Winona Blvd.

My first impression of Little Armenia as a space was how clean and well kept the outdoor environment was. The sidewalks were relatively clean in comparison to the space around campus, and trash was seemingly nonexistent. This was impressive to me because the sidewalk space itself seems to be a fraction of the size that it is in Hollywood, but nonetheless seemed to be well taken care of. The first business that I walked to was a local coffee shop called Obet & Del’s, which serves a wide variety of coffees and teas, and also provided a welcoming atmosphere with open doors and open concept seating. The barista was very friendly and talkative, and I asked him to make me his favorite coffee. I was given a Filipino iced coffee, which was delicious, and I sat down in one of the available seats to observe the space. During my time here, there were about 20 other customers that entered and left, with about 5 of them utilizing the open seating. The demographic of these customers were mostly young adults. A good portion of them appeared to be college students, but the vast majority appeared to be local residents and regulars to the shop. The employees were all very friendly with each of the customers and even brought their drinks to their tables, if they chose to sit down. Another thing that I noticed about this business was how they would greet each of the customers upon entrance, as well as say goodbye and thank you when people left. I thought this was really refreshing and not something you would experience in a chain coffee shop.

After I left, I decided to go visit the local church, which is called St Garabed Armenian Church, and is located on Alexandria Ave. On my way there, the tidiness of the space was consistent, and I was unable to find but one tent on the sidewalk. Instead, unhoused individuals seemed to navigate and utilize the space just the same as everyone else and were even welcomed into many of the spaces, such as thrift stores or places with bathrooms. I feel this contrasts much of my experience thus far in Los Angeles where the homeless individuals are frequently excluded from these common areas. The benches were even more inclusive, as many of them were free of bars or handles and were being utilized by unhoused individuals. Upon arriving at the church, the front doors were unfortunately locked, however, I did spend a good amount of time outside of the church to take in the architecture and observe the overall surroundings. Much like the rest of Little Armenia, this space was very clean and well maintained. One aspect of the church that I observed was the implementation of outdoor, public water fountains for drinking. They were located at the front entrance of the church and were fully functional, providing access to clean water for people that might not otherwise have it. Once again, a very drastic difference to other areas around Los Angeles that make the best attempt at deterring unhoused people.

Next, I traveled back the way I came from and decided to eat at a local Armenian restaurant called Carousel’s. I went here alone, but this did not impact the positive experience that I had. I was seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant where I was best able to take in the surroundings. The space was very cozy and relaxing, both with the arrangement of the tables, the music, and the friendliness of the staff. There were about 15 other people dining at the restaurant at this time, with one large group of about eight guests, and two smaller groups at other tables. Although I was alone, I did not feel judged by any of the people here, which I really appreciate. I decided to order an eggplant dish, which was called the Mousakka plate, and it came with an Armenian style salad, an arrangement of cheeses and vegetables, pita bread, and a choice of one side. I decided to order the rice as my side, and the waitress was mindful to ask me about my diet preferences. I told her that I was a vegetarian, and she notified me that the rice contained chicken broth and brought me a plate of fries instead. My food arrived quickly and I was frequently checked on by multiple staff members about the quality of my food. There were outdoor seating options available, as well as a restroom open to the public, although nobody used it during this time. I packed up the remainder of my food to go, as the portions were quite large, and started to head back towards campus.

On my way back, I came across the murals located around Winona Blvd, which depict references to the Armenian genocide in 1915. One of the most prominent murals was the one called We Are Still Here, which was painted in 2015 and appears to showcase an older Armenian woman bound by chains at the wrist, releasing the tortured spirits from the past. Her mouth is covered with red cloth that reads “1915” across her lips. I spent a good amount of time here as well, taking in the artwork and appreciating the effort that is put into maintaining these large scale murals. The eyes of the woman in the painting visibly carry a lot of pain and suffering and I thought this was a really poetic way to honor and commemorate Armenian history and the residents of this space. Finally, my last stop in Little Armenia was a chandelier shop located on Hollywood Blvd, which was called George’s Lighting Plus. At first, I entered the shop because I was attracted to the beautiful chandeliers and lamps, but I stayed much longer than I anticipated to speak with the man working inside. He went into great detail about the lamp and chandelier services that they offer, as well as brought me around the store to show me some of his favorite pieces, and other works in progress. I was really touched by his enthusiasm over his lamps as well as his eagerness to welcome me into the store. I walked around a bit, thanked him for his customer service, and left with some really lovely pictures. Overall, my experience in Little Armenia was very positive and I witnessed more than one instance of accommodation for non residents and unhoused people. I think that other areas around the city should look to Little Armenia as an example of being able to keep a space clean without totally excluding those in need.

Bibliography

    Bock, Gregory L. “The Philosophy of Forgiveness.” vernonpress.com, 2019. https://vernonpress.com/index.php/file/6661/d4f20d145841a3af4df4e73b6ef881de/1537944706.pdf.

    Mirzoyan, Inna. “The Armenian Ethnic Enclave of L.A.” Armenian Los Angeles | Department of Sociology | Michigan State University, June 2, 2022. https://sociology.msu.edu/news/inna-essay.html.

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Architecture and Greenery in Los Angeles Koreatown

Adrienne Strand

Photo by Strand (2022). Koreatown, Los Angeles.

Located between Downtown and Central LA, Koreatown is the home to people of all ages and backgrounds. It is a popular spot for students who are looking for more affordable housing situations, but more importantly hosts a community of Korean and Korean Americans that have helped build, shape and maintain the area.

During my visit to Koreatown, I explored what the architecture could tell me about the area and its inhabitants. I also looked for public spaces to find what was accessible to people living in and visiting. My experience in Koreatown was very pleasant, and I was surprised to see how many Korean influences had been added to the area architecturally. Coming from Sweden, you do not see many prominent influences from other cultures in architecture, especially not Eastern ones. In my experience, I have rather witnessed decoration and interior influences from other cultures whereas buildings and public spaces in Stockholm generally stick to the Swedish and Scandinavian styles. It made me think about how much architecture contributes to people feeling like they belong in certain spaces, and how especially for communities where people have immigrated from across the world it can be important to have visual influences in order to feel a better sense of belonging. Especially in Los Angeles where there is a history of tension and violence against the Korean community both prior to and after the happenings in 1992. Koreatown has also had very little political power and dealt with issues of redistricting against their benefit, so having buildings that showcase the belonging of space there is important in several aspects. 94% of the people living in the area are people of color and it is the densest neighborhood in Los Angeles, yet there have been many issues with the residents getting any say in what happens in the area (Kim). This way the people are making a more permanent claim on the neighborhood. When the people in power are trying to push out the Korean community and make investments for their own benefit, it would be a lot of work remodeling every building in the area with Korean influences. The sense of belonging and cultural significance also helps to create stronger community bonds which are important both for the group and the individual. On a personal level, it is important that people feel they have a place to call home and where they fit as it contributes to people’s well-being immensely. On a group scale, it is important for communities to have strong bonds, especially as minorities in order to build political leverage. In other words, in order for exclusion and racial capitalism to succeed people need to continue being separated. Displacement and separation are key components in keeping people silenced and making sure that decisions are not made in their favor. So these spaces are important both for social and political reasons.

Photos by Strand (2022). Koreatown, Los Angeles.

The result of wealthy and politically influential individuals and corporations can be seen in Koreatown. My day in the area began in the Koreatown Galleria and ended at the Wilshire/Normandie metro station. The closer we got to the Wilshire Center area, the less Korean influences and more new buildings were housing the streets. The buildings are much more modern, minimalistic, and less colorful, and generally do not look very inviting despite being somewhat nicely designed. Where I started it really felt like I was in Koreatown, and along with the visual influences, restaurants, and language displayed it truly felt like I was stepping into another culture, whereas the further out we got it felt increasingly more American and like the LA I have seen more of. A big part of the Korean influences includes the giwa roofing that is present on many buildings. This is not at all something that is part of American culture but looks absolutely stunning on the buildings in Koreatown. Based on visuals alone I think one could draw the conclusion that there are spaces here that are for and not for certain groups. The areas with more Korean influences send the message that this is a place where Koreans are welcome and appreciated, whereas the buildings further out are very stale and impersonal. Those send the message that anyone who pays is welcome but other than that, people should keep their distance. Despite being in Koreatown, there is nothing about the buildings that make it seem like they are trying to attract or will even accept Korean tenants.

Another aspect I noticed on my visit to the neighborhood was how greenery was implemented. Although Koreatown is one of the areas with the least green spaces in Los Angeles (Hyoung Kim), I noted what types of trees were seen around. In other areas I have visited I have mostly seen palm trees and more tropical-looking plants, whereas many of the trees here felt more similar to what one might actually find in Korea. After doing some research I also found that pine trees have a lot of value in Korean culture (Gorman), and looking back at the photos I took I can see some pine trees along the streets as well as similar vegetation. There were also many trees that reminded me of Bonzai trees, and in general more leafy trees fills the neighborhood. To me this seems like a very deliberate choice of the community – although there is of course a variety of plants and trees in Los Angeles, it is the association that matters in this instance. Palm trees are not associated with Korea but they are with California, therefore having trees more similar to the ones found in Korea will assist in creating a place that looks and feels Korean despite being so far away. Furthermore, green spaces help gain that community which gets political leverage. This was reiterated in an interview where The Korean American Federation of Los Angeles President Laura Jeon argued that “We need to try to avoid making Koreatown into a neighborhood that only attracts wealthy single people… We need more parks and schools to retain the identity of Koreatown, which should be represented by families from diverse backgrounds” (Gorman).

Photos by Strand (2022). Koreatown, Los Angeles.

My favorite spot as I navigated the neighborhood was the Dawoonljung gathering spot next to the Koreatown Senior Community Center. As described on the sign outside the space, it is the first traditional Korean monument built in LA. It was created in traditional Korean ways following the style of the secret garden in Changdeok Palace in South Korea. The space is very beautiful and harmonious, a beautifully crafted spot, and while visiting we met two elderly Koreans who took care of the space and were happy to see us there. It is also conveniently placed next to the Community Center which provides a zen outdoor space that is available for relaxing and gathering with other members of the community which is great, especially for elderly individuals who might not have left Los Angeles for a long time. Despite one's ability to travel and move, there is still space where people can feel that they are in Korea and connect to their roots and community which I find to be a very beautiful thing.

Photo by Strand (2022). Koreatown, Los Angeles.

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Ross. 2022. The Village on First Street. Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

The accumulation of short clips in this TikTok video were created to represent how Little Tokyo’s First Street community attempts placekeeping. According to workers, public spaces and landmarks like the Fugetsu-Do Bakery & Sweets Shop, Daikokuya Original Noodle & Rice-Bowl, and Japanese Plaza Village Monument have kept their place in Little Tokyo for over 30 years. People from all over the country, including myself, come to visit and experience First Street striving to become more in-touch with and learn about the deeply rooted Asian-immigrant and American culture that lives in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Gentrification of Leimert Park and the Displacement of its Cultural Community

Alexandre Kasparian

“A people without land in their name is a people without power --and, therefore, a people FOREVER economically, culturally and politically poor.” 

-Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc.

There’s Little Armenia, Koreatown, Thai town… So where in LA is Africatown?

Starting with its origins, Leimert Park of South LA was first developed in 1928 by Walter H. Leimert with the intent to commune middle and upper-income families. The Leimert Plaza Park it is known as today was formed after Leimert’s donation of the plaza itself, and the homeowner association that first occupied its surrounding bedroom community was mainly white. Throughout the neighborhood are “Leimert Park Living” infographics which describe how Leimert Park “enforced racial covenants that largely kept people of color from living in the area,” which were eventually dismantled in 1948 by the Supreme Court. During the Watts Rebellion of 1965—a reaction to excessive use of violence by a police officer towards an African American motorist stopped for operating under the influence—white flight ensued and Leimert Park became one of the largest black middle-class neighborhoods in the country. Today, Leimert Park is a cultural haven for African Americans where music performances, art displays, and vendors gather to form a lively and vibrant atmosphere at the center of its neighborhood. Food trucks and restaurants co-exist to feature ethnic cuisines that mainly serve soul, ethiopian, and jamaican food. During my stay, I had a tasty Jamaican sea moss smoothie prepared by one of the vendors in the plaza. I also enjoyed a delectable Oxtail dish from Jamaican cuisine Ackee Bamboo.

Unfortunately, the Afro-centric community and culture is at risk as Leimert Park is rapidly gentrifying. Due to the LA Metro K line expanding into Crenshaw, opportunistic investors and corporate developers are hopping on to raise commercial structures and high-density housing around the area. Posters and campaigns by the black community are visible within Leimert Park Plaza as they mobilize to take initiative against disruptive gentrification such as a “7-story market rate residential unit complex” which would be unaffordable by the community. Not only are black businesses at risk, but residents of the community are actively being priced out—rather “pushed” out according to community members I interviewed in the town square. “They came here, took everything from the firepit we have out here to keep the community warm, taking personal property, everything, the tents. They post a notice saying they will take it a day after they took everything.” The interviewee, who chose to remain anonymous, described how her auntie has been going to court since 2018 while fighting with the DRE to hold onto her property which only had her listed on the deed. “…they’re doing a lot and they know that people don’t have money for layers, and they’re not educated about this type of stuff. So they’re more than just pricing us out. They’re doing crooked stuff to push us out.”

The black community is attempting to mobilize and resist gentrification by boycotting the city’s invasive developments in several ways. Right beside the stop in Leimert Park I spotted posters that read “STOP GENTRIFICATION! PROTECT CRENSHAW,” linking “crenshawsubway.org” which is an online website published by the Crenshaw Subway Coalition. Upon my visit I discovered they formed to highlight issues and empower the stakeholders impacted by the Crenshaw-LAX rail line. Murals empowering black art also decorate walls surrounding the space.

One of the main issues with LA is a general refusal of recognition towards the significant contributions of various ethnic groups found within its city. Its policy makers lack equal representation of its population which is very much diversified with minorities. Every weekend, a community initiative named “We Are Africa Town” gathers in the town square and demonstrates a movement to title Leimert Park as Africa Town. I’ve visited Leimert Park twice attempting to attend and interview them. A community member informed me about their presence the first time, but unfortunately they canceled on my second visit due to rain the day before. I did, however find their Instagram which linked to their online petition at Change.org which describes how “Officially changing this district's name from Leimert Park to Africa Town (which we've been fighting for since the late 90's) is essential in directly reflecting & representing this predominantly black district and it's black residents and constituents that have resided in it and or owned/operated businesses there for generations.” While the accessibility to public transportation in the area has been increased, the city’s investment unsurprisingly failed to account for any protections towards local residents to stabilize rent or avoid speculation-fueled investments. Damien Goodman, founder of the Crenshaw Subway Coalition mentioned earlier, describes how the Crenshaw/LAX line already created a “hyper-commodified housing market where investment is poised to displace many in the very community that fought for it” (LA times). The least the city can do now is allow the affected community to rightfully name their land of culture and accept them into the city’s multibillion dollar tourism industry.

To address the physical aspects of the neighborhood documented in my proposal, I found that the perimeter of Leimert Park itself is outlined by tall palisade fences and is gated off from sunset to sunrise. A comforting water fountain runs in the middle of the park. The area is engulfed by wide streets that connect to the freeways of LA. I also noticed many of the houses within Leimert Park had window security bars at ground level. As I walked outwards to the new Crenshaw mall that drove up surrounding home prices, I noticed that those bars abruptly faded and fancy landscaping gradually became a more prominent feature instead. My short walk revealed a wealth gap in a manner I haven’t quite experienced so suddenly before. This was a clear visual example of how corporate development (in this case the Crenshaw commercial mall) drives up home prices and displaces the poor.

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Outing in Little Tokyo

Katelin Berube

I had the opportunity to go and walk around Little Tokyo with my small Canon camera and with no clue where I was going to end up. I wanted to go and be an observer of this community and see how people and companies use the public spaces there. We’ve learned a lot about Little Tokyo in class by reading different articles and sources, but most importantly from the guest speaker we had earlier this semester. She told us a lot about the space and how businesses coming in can hurt the community. I was really intrigued by community space coming into this class, and her discussion about Little Tokyo trying to create community spaces truly stuck with me. Spaces for people with alike identities can strengthen their sense of  community, as well as act as a claiming of space. When a community can look around and say that is a space where they feel comfortable and welcomed, it is a concrete way of making them more permanent within the bigger society. If a community uses their public spaces to honor their culture or be accessible to residents, the space becomes a place of safety for the residents, and a place of education and learning for outsiders. 

Something we tackled in class was the idea of gentrification and outside business coming into a community and forcing other community places and residents out. We looked at places such as Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo as examples of businesses coming in and forcing residents out and not serving the community they were invading. For Little Tokyo, there is an emphasis on community spaces throughout that part of the city. When I visited, I focused on the space where the Japanese American National Museum was located, as well as the Japanese Village Plaza. This was a more commercial part of Little Tokyo, but I found patterns emerging even in this small place. 

I went on a Monday morning, aiming to avoid the influence of tourism that could be seen in the afternoons and especially on the weekends. I was fortunate for a warm morning where people were seen enjoying the public seating and community aspects of this very small part of Little Tokyo. Walking around with no distinct plan of where to end up led me to study a small space called the Japanese Village Plaza. I thought one of the most interesting parts was the two cafes that occupied this space and who was sitting at each location, and who had the most customers. One of the first things I noticed was the idea of open and closed seating. There were many benches and chairs that were open to the community, but some seating was roped off and unavailable. The seating that was unavailable was for restaurants that didn’t reflect the community where they occupied space, but the tables and benches that were open were more in front of the restaurants and stores that did reflect the community residents. I focused mostly on two restaurants that were open that morning and were very busy. 

Although in Little Tokyo, there were two cafes open that morning. One was Cafe Dulce, and the other was Yamazaki Bread and Cake Bakery. This kind of lined up with what we talked about in class. It was interesting to see the patterns of who went into each cafe and if they sat down to eat or not. At Cafe Dulce, it was mostly a place where people ordered and kept walking after picking up their food, where most customers of Yamazaki would sit outside of the cafe and eat, as well as talk with the other people sitting outside. Watching who went into each cafe suggests which one belongs to the community, and who that business is for. Watching residents of Little Tokyo go into Yamazaki and talk with other residents while sitting outside attests to how much that business and customers reflect the culture of who lives there. Cafe Dulce, although having good food, did not reflect the people of the community, and was a grab and go food spot for tourists or people on their way to work. 

I learned a lot about Little Tokyo while walking around and I kept looking at how they chose to use the space within their community. A lot of their space was also used to commemorate their culture and claim the space as their own. There were many signs and plaques around the Japanese Village Plaza that educated tourists about the space they are walking into, which is not something that every community does. It isn’t for the residents to read and look at, but for the people coming in, like me, who might not know who was in the space or the history of it. I thought it was important to look around and think about why these signs are up and why they’re important to see. There were magazines and newspapers available, as well as murals that covered the walls of the space. It made the space welcoming to someone coming into the space, but it can serve to remind the residents of the history and their community. 

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We had a saying in our community, don't unpack your suitcase, we thought any day things would change and we would go back. But it's been 32 years and we are still here.

Homa Shahar

From Santarlasci’s interview (2022).

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The Thai Town and Thai CDC Legacy

Hanna Schoettelkotte

The official designation of Los Angeles’s Thai Town in 1999 came with applause from all around as the first and only official Thai Town in the United States was created. The country of Thailand and its people celebrated the recognition of its culture and people in the U.S., and those in L.A. were happy to see a form of representation for the growing Thai population. In retrospect, the path to this official designation was rocky to say the least as Chanchanit Martorell spearheaded the efforts and faced a number of challenges. Let’s take a look at the history of the Thai community in Los Angeles and how it got to this point with Thai Town.

Not too long ago, the Thai community was quite small in Los Angeles and the United States in general. From her experience, Martorell paints the Thai community as “few and far between” during her upbringing in a working class Thai family in the 70s and 80s.

“When Thais were few and far between, businesses were few and far between, and we kind of just stuck together in clusters in mostly like central part of LA,” Martorell said. “That was the experience and it was mostly working class, working poor Thais, and then some entrepreneurs and business owners at the time, but pretty dispersed, pretty scattered.”

Martorell describes the immigration history of Thai people to be split up in three stages. The first stage took place in the fifties and through the mid-sixties affluent and well-educated Thai people came to the United States for more schooling and then applied that to development mainly back in Thailand. In 1965, the United States passed the Immigrant and Nationality Act, which spurred further Thai immigration due to an increased quota for Asian countries, Latin American countries, and more. This legislation led to more Thai people coming to America as students and subsequently starting new businesses in cities like Los Angeles. Finally, the third and current wave started in the eighties with immigration of impoverished Thai people from rural parts of Thailand. These immigrants fell into exploitative working conditions as they came to the U.S. with little education and lower-level skills, which people, oftentimes Thai themselves, took advantage of.

These exploitative practices came to light more in the nineties, which was the beginning of Martorell’s activism. Her work exposed the poor working conditions and advocated for human rights of Thai people in Los Angeles. Around this same time, the 1992 civil unrest occurred devastating large swaths of East Los Angeles. The Thai community was not exempt in this destruction as they lived in the East Hollywood area as well as Koreatown and Melrose.

“It had adverse impacts on the Thai community, displacing them from their homes, their jobs, and their businesses,” Martorell explained. “And so when the dollars were coming down the pipeline from corporations and the federal government and other local county governments to rebuild LA in the aftermath of the civil unrest, the Thai community was excluded.”

This exclusion of the Thai community for aid motivated Martorell to advocate for the Thai people in Los Angeles and help them get the funding and resources they desperately needed during this time. Martorell would form the Thai Community Development Center, or Thai CDC, in 1994 with the support of others in the community and East L.A. area. These major events also triggered her campaign for the official designation of Thai Town as a neighborhood in Los Angeles.

“For most people, we're still invisible, and we're still marginalized. And we still need our voice heard. And so we have no political clout, you know, or voice to speak up… I felt that the civil unrest was really a manifestation of the growing social and economic disparities that we have been experiencing in Los Angeles and the polarization between the haves and have nots,” Martorell said.

Martorell’s wording of the “haves and have nots” is in reference to of course the wealth disparities between mainly white people and POC/immigrant communities and how the civil unrest was the culmination of this inequity. However, she’s also referencing internal strife within the Thai community and the economic disparities there. Martorell revealed that there was animosity towards the Thai CDC when it was created as wealthy Thai people disapproved of the Thai CDC’s mission to assist working class Thai people in upward economic mobility. Much of this disapproval was due to their belief that the Thai CDC was interfering in the deeply rooted social hierarchy embedded in Thai culture, as well as the belief that karma had led to their current economic position in society. Some of these affluent Thai people were human traffickers and exploiting Thai labor, and the Thai government did not like that the Thai CDC was exposing these cases because it would make the government look bad for not having stricter regulations. Thus, wealthy Thais and the Thai government turned against the Thai CDC and even actively attacked their work.

“I never let it get to me personally, because, you know, I understood sort of the bigger picture in terms of like these are folks who really have been socialized in thinking a certain way and having a certain mindset,” Martorell said. “We're so mission driven, that we have no time to lose or waste with those criticisms and pushback… We just have to really stay focused because there are people that need us.”

Their tune would soon change when the campaign for Thai Town grew more visible and popular in the late nineties. The designation of Thai Town in East Hollywood became a source of national pride for all Thai people and even the Thai government as they saw what that kind of representation could do for the Thai community. Thais across the community testified in City Hall for the designation and willingly worked with the Thai CDC to learn how they could further the campaign.

“We became then a legitimate force to be reckoned with. And now no one’s like there to criticize us because now we give everyone what they want. It's like, they got Thai Town, and they love it and they celebrate it,” said Martorell.

Now, much of the affluent Thai people and the Thai government supports the Thai CDC not only for their efforts surrounding Thai Town’s designation but also their development of the neighborhood. The Thai CDC is primarily a poverty alleviation organization but they also recognize the importance of building up the community through different events and spaces. They help fund small businesses trying to get on their feet. They still expose exploitation of the working class in the Thai community. They do it all.

Martorell and the Thai CDC have plans to develop more of Thai Town along Hollywood Blvd, and there’s still much to do. The neighborhood has seen a great amount of development over time with there being many restaurants, small stores, and motels located in the area. However, the closer one gets to Normandie Ave you see many stores barred or looking abandoned and unwelcoming. Covid-19 was particularly devastating for businesses and I’m sure Thai Town was also hit with the effects of the pandemic. It was quiet walking around, as most people remained inside restaurants and stores instead of wandering outside. The aspects of Thai culture that do exist currently in the space feel very much a part of the community rather than spectacles to draw in outsiders. The future of Thai Town appears hopeful as Martorell and the Thai CDC continue with their efforts to uplift the community and neighborhood.

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2022. Kasparian. Leimert Park, Los Angeles.

Looking back, I wish I had been more confident about using my camera to record people. When I went, I found myself uncomfortable enough being a stranger to ask them for time out of their day to explain their involvement within the community, political issues, let alone to record them doing so. It just felt like holding up a camera would put me in an awkward, less intimate level with them. I did however ask a person who chose to remain anonymous to allow me to audibly record our discussion where she discussed a story of her relative being pushed out of her housing, as well as other negative experiences they’ve received from the city. 

Otherwise, I tried capturing the vibe surrounding Leimert Park by showcasing videos that included real-time drum music, showing fire pits, and the vendors/food trucks that were present at the site. I also briefly documented the difference in neighborhood home aesthetics which I elaborated on further in my written report.

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2022. Strand. Koreatown, Los Angeles.

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2022. Schoettelkotte. Interview with Chanchanit “Chancee” Martorell. 

This video is primarily made up of an interview I conducted with Chanchanit (Chancee) Martorell on 12/10/2022. The subject of this video details placemaking in Thai Town in ways that will be authentic to the community but also draw in people outside of the Thai community. These efforts are from the perspective of Martorell and the Thai CDC which has been deeply involved in the community and neighborhood even before the official designation of Thai Town. Martorell discusses different examples of placemaking in Thai Town and the purpose of these projects. The video goes more in depth with the big project the Thai CDC has been working towards for a long time now, which is the Thai Town Marketplace. Martorell provides an inside look into what the developmental process of the project looked like and what factors they took into consideration when planning out this project. It shows how conscientious Martorell and the Thai CDC were when they decided to create the Thai Town Marketplace and make sure that it still supported their mission of alleviating poverty in the Thai community.

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From the top, left to right.

1) 2022. Strand. Koreatown, Los Angeles. Image of Olympic Boulevard from the roof of Koreatown Galleria. On the right, we see Korean stores and services while further down the street we can see the highrises of the Downtown area and how the palm trees are almost closing off the area. A majority of the signs in this photo are all in Korean without an English translation so it is evident that this caters to the Korean American community.

2-3) 2022. Strand. Koreatown, Los Angeles. Image of Guelaguetza Restaurant on Olympic Boulevard. Here we see two cultures coming together--although the cuisine offered is Mexican and so are the paintings on the building, we can clearly see the Korean-influenced architecture, especially with the giwa roof.

4-5) 2022. Strand. Koreatown, Los Angeles. Aeryeonjeon Pavillion at Dawooljung gathering place. In the back of the photo we can see parts of Koreatown Senior Community Center. The building was made without nails, screws or concrete per a traditional way of building in South Korea. The structure and attention to detail in the painting is absolutely stunning!

6-7) 2022. Strand. Koreatown, Los Angeles. (on the left) Huge pine tree at Seoul International Park on Irolo Street close to the Senior Community Center. (on the right) Another pine tree that almost looks like a Bonzai tree in front of someone’s home on Irolo Street. As the tree is still young it seems that it was purposely planted by the residence. 

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Cho. 2022. Hanchic. Koreatown, Los Angeles.

Within these short clips and in total one minute video, we see all aspects of Hanchic exhibiting the exterior, interior, menu, food, customer service, and a little background on the restaurant and the owner as well. The tiktok was created as a way to recommend to other future customers and show what the experience is like. The video was shot at 2500 W 8th St. Unit 103 Los Angeles, CA 90057.

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Santarlasci. 2022. Terangeles, Los Angeles.

Using music from an exiled Iranian pop star Googosh, specifically a pretty song named “Man Amadeam”, I decided to edit together a little music video of highlights I took from my visit to Persian Square. In this video I tried to get both the exteriors and interior experiences I had, taking in everything from marketplaces to Ruben’s amazing little shop.

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Mead. 2022. Adams Normandie, Los Angeles.

Joseph introduced us to Adams Normandie around the area with an empty lot, across from a new apartment development, around religious churches, after just getting ceviche from the local Honduran restaurant. The video shows a skateboarder, a hair salon worker, a beer pong table in front of a house, students at school, a man street performing with an electric guitar, a Guatemalan store playing music, and Joseph in front of a Christian church bringing us across the LA county line to show us the residential houses in the area. As a long-time resident of the community Joseph has seen the changes in the past years, and for the most part he said the change doesn’t bring all bad. Unused spaces can be utilized for better good and bring business into the area. But he also explains how the overpopulation in the area made it so many houses with a yard in the front would actually build another home to rent out and pay for the back house’s mortgages. Adams Normandie is ranked number 10 in the most densely populated neighborhoods of Los Angeles. As families grow bigger, Joseph explains, there isn’t much room for people to go. Other issues we discussed is how some workers actually sleep in their cars because they don’t have homes. I noticed this right as I parked in the neighborhood and saw a man sleeping in his car, and I began to notice similar scenarios around the area. The neighborhood had an eclectic population of people from younger adults to children coming home from school to other residents walking their dogs.

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Wallingford. 2022. Thai Town, Los Angeles.

In my video I go through my experience in Thai Town and most of the sites that I visited and explain some of the content in my writing for context of why I’m visiting the area. I go from Jitlada to the places in Thailand Plaza to the Wat Thai Temple and explain my journey.

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Making a Temporary Home Permanent: Tehrangeles

Sean Santarlasci

Fleeing Home

Sitting in between Westwood and Wilkins street is one of LA’s biggest neighborhoods, formally recognized by the city as Persian Square. The first wave of immigrants arrived in LA as students in the 1960s to then prospere in the early 1970s, but undoubtedly the biggest wave came as people fled from the 1979 revolution which overthrew the Shah and ushered in an Islamic Republic. When they initially came during the revolution, the Iranian people never meant for LA to be their permanent home. However, as an Iranian broadcaster and writer Homa Shahar recalled, “We had a saying in our community, don't unpack your suitcase, we thought any day things would change and we would go back. But it's been 32 years and we are still here." With this in mind, it is no wonder that Southern California as a whole has the largest concentration of Iranians outside of Iran, hosting just under a million people. With such a large population of Iranian Americans, Persian Square has also been nicknamed Tehrangeles, named after the capitol of Iran, Tehran. In many of the older articles I have found, it’s been calculated that the per capita income of Iranian-Americans is 50 percent higher than the national average, along with the fact that just under 40 percent of Iranian Americans have a college degree. While it has been observed that Iranian Americans have generally had success in LA, like many minorities out here, they have faced difficulties.

Fears

With both the fear of the Iranian Regime and their new home, a dark cloud had formed over Tehrangeles. Even for those who have lived in the Persian Square for the better part of a decade, there was the sense of the watchful eye of a distant regime of their home country. No one seems shy to criticize the Iranian regime, but most usually insist that they are kept anonymous whenever they do so. This is because rumors of danger were brought forth by the fact that for more than a decade after the revolution, hit squads sent by the regime to silence opposition roamed Europe. Solidifying this fear, one of theses assassinations even took place on American soil. However, Iranian Americans also had to deal with the prejudices of their fellow Americans. Iran-US relations sharply deteriorated in 1979, when 52 American diplomats were taken hostage in Tehran. Along with this, even the Council on Foreign Relations released a report back in 2015 citing Tehrangeles as a place the CIA sees as a potential source of intelligence. Iranian Americans in the US have struggled to shake off the terrorist-fanatic image ever since.

Preserving and Celebrating Authenticity

Despite dealing with oppositional forces, Iranian Americans have still celebrated and shared their culture with the city of LA. As the streets of Persian Square are lined with many different Iranian style restaurants, marketplaces, and shops that give a little slice of their rich culture. Reading much of the signage, Farsi outnumbers the amount of English ones, as the language is alive and well among both the older and younger residents. While much of the food served focuses on traditional cuisine and have strong similarities, others such as “Cafe Glace” specialize in more modern fusion favorites like Persian pizza or hybrid sandwiches. While it may sound like gentrification to newcomers, Persian Pizza is something that is consumed in Iran, as the owner Edwin Baghaeimehr created the restaurant due to how he couldn’t find anything in Los Angeles that reminded him of the popular street food. Besides food, the Iranian Bookstores such as “Ketabsara Persian Bookstore” contain many famous Iranian books written in Farsi, and the marketplaces have tons of food you’d find in Iran such as Halva.

My Observations

From visiting this past Saturday, I had both enjoyed the experience, but felt kind of annoyed. While the authentic Iranian owned businesses lived up to the hype, I hated that while many of the closed or closing businesses were these ones, which from talking to a few business owners, came from the rising rental prices. And seeing a large, dispensary chain called Sweet Leaf thriving well was slightly disheartening for me to say the least. While it can be said that this business could bring more customers to the other shops, the fact that many owners are struggling to support themselves while Sweet Leaf thrives left a bad taste in my mouth. After shopping for some beautiful earrings at this really cool shop called “Ruben's Rug Gallery”, I was moved by how much the owner emphasized how much he hoped I’d return again to support his business, due to being unable to afford to keep his shop afloat. However, one thing that made me feel good was the plethora of posters and events supporting the anti-Islamic Regime protests occurring in Iran, outlining the community’s continued support and hope for a better Iran.