Is South L.A. Forging a New American Identity? at Zócalo Public Square by Zócalo Public Square

South Los Angeles, one of the West Coast’s last great working-class places, has been a destination point for two great migrations: African Americans arriving from the South and East, and, more recently, Latin Americans immigrating to Southern California. While media have long dwelled on examples of interracial and interethnic conflict there, the everyday reality of South L.A.’s ever-changing neighborhoods has revolved around Black-Brown co-existence, cooperation, and innovative multiracial organizing. How have South Central’s diverse residents managed to find solidarity in unsettling and polarizing times? What new and shared place-based identities have emerged from the area’s mix of histories and cultures? And what can the rest of L.A., and the U.S., learn from South L.A.?

USC sociologists Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo and Manuel Pastor, co-authors of South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A., and Corey Matthews, chief operating officer of Community Coalition, visit Zócalo to explore the lessons of South L.A.'s struggles and successes. This Zócalo/Esperanza Community Housing event was streamed live from Mercado La Paloma on July 27, 2021 and was moderated by Los Angeles Times assistant managing editor for culture and talent Angel Jennings.

Read more about our panelists here: https://zps.la/3cjL6OA

For a full report on the live discussion, check out the Takeaway:

Visit https://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/ to read our articles and learn about upcoming events.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepublicsquare
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepublicsquare/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zocalopublicsquare
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/z-calo-public-square