Los Angeles has suffered the extreme consequences of politicians putting profit over people and it is only one of the first cities targeted by the Trump administration. During my trip to visit friends in Los Angeles, I was struck by all the visible hardships affecting my friends, their families, and communities. Undocumented people are scared to go outside, street vendors kicked out, houseless folks treated with a lack of humanity, and entire neighborhoods wiped away because of the Palisades and Eaton fires. And yet, I saw so many luxury studio offices, self-driving cars, and fancy boutiques.
I have always envisioned Los Angeles as two major cities in one. One city caters to the wealthy and the other city is a battleground where working class people struggle to survive. Los Angeles serves as a stark reminder of the massive wealth gap in the country and the neverending rising cost of living. It is not uncommon for people to work two to three jobs to make ends meet but the Trump administration has heightened the struggle to survive. With the rising threats of deportations, many undocumented families have avoided going outside causing them to lose out on vital income.
Gentrification throughout the city has only intensified as more trendy, high-cost businesses replace longtime mom and pop shops. Highland Park is only one of the latest areas where gentrification has taken over but other areas like Echo Park, Silverlake, and Downtown LA serve as a testament to what happens when entire communities are replaced.
While walking through MacArthur Park, a predominantly Central American neighborhood, I couldn’t help but feel unsettled as I walked through the streets. Previously, street vendors sold toys, food, clothes, and household items on the sidewalks but due to recent city policies they have been prohibited from selling. Fences now block the sidewalks where street vendors once played a vital role in the neighborhood making the streets feel more unsafe. The city of LA might have thought they were “cleaning up” the streets by prohibiting street vending but all it has done is made the area feel more dangerous and carceral. To make matters worse, a few weeks before my visit, immigration officers staged a dramatic military presence where armed federal agents took over the street. Targeting immigrant neighborhoods has sent a rippling fear through immigrant families, not just in MacArthur Park but throughout the city and across the nation.
Amidst the threats of immigration raids is the looming threat of climate change and its impact on our everyday lives. Although major outlets have moved on from covering the Eaton fire, residents of Altadena and Pasadena are still struggling to rebuild what is left of their neighborhoods. Driving through Altadena, all you could see were barren streets where homes used to stand.
Altadena was a historically Black, middle-class area filled with homes that people worked hard to attain. It was one of the few areas in the U.S. where Black people had achieved a middle-class lifestyle despite economic hardships and government repression. Now, as a result of the fires, generations were forced to evacuate. Many people lost their homes in the fire and can not afford to rebuild due to insurance companies cancelling their policies. The lucky ones whose homes didn’t burn down, were still unable to return for weeks as debris blocked roads and toxins in the area made it unsafe to even breathe. Even if families can afford to rebuild, they are still forced to live elsewhere and pay for the cost of rebuilding plus the cost of renting another home. As if this wasn’t enough hardship, residents have to fight off greedy developers swooping in to buy as many properties as possible. As a result, Pasadena and Altadena feel like ghost towns.
Despite all the uncertainty and paranoia in Los Angeles, residents continue to gather and have fun. On Olvera street, you can still see families and elders gather around the plaza listening to live mariachi and watching indigenous ceremonial dances. At La Plaza de Cultura y Arte, a new exhibition titled “A Great Day in East LA: Celebrando the Eastside Sound” highlights the international success to come from East Los Angeles’ musical influences. Nearby, people hold daily protests outside the LA Metropolitan Detention Center demanding an end to the kidnappings of undocumented neighbors. I observed all of these beautiful gatherings in the same area where just months before, the Trump administration illegally sent the National Guard in an effort to stifle protests against immigration raids.
It’s hard to not feel disheartened but it was inspiring to see and hear how angelenos continue to rebuild, protest, and insist on experiencing joy during such difficult times. Like so many of us, I am still processing the reality of the political climate and our descension into an authoritarian state. Yet, Los Angeles residents remind us to continue resisting through everyday actions. Resistance doesn’t always have to be a major march but it can be daily vigils, bringing groceries to a neighbor, showcasing cultural pride, and continuing to express joy. Things will get more difficult before they get better but I am hopeful for a future where humanity and love prevails.
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