South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A.

South Central Dreams is a book that explores the transformation of South Los Angeles from a historically Black neighborhood to a predominantly Latino one, providing a fresh, inside look at the relationships between these two racial and ethnic groups in California. It draws on almost two hundred interviews and statistical data to explore the experiences of first- and second-generation Latino residents, their long-time Black neighbors, and local civic leaders seeking to build coalitions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 13 July 2021
Publisher: New York University Press

Over the past half-century, South Los Angeles has experienced a remarkable demographic transformation. In South Central Dreams, esteemed scholars Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo and Manuel Pastor delve into the transformation of South Central from a historically Black neighborhood to a predominantly Latino community, offering a fresh and insightful perspective on the intricate and ever-evolving relationships between these two racial and ethnic groups in California.

Drawing on nearly two hundred in-depth interviews and comprehensive statistical data, Hondagneu-Sotelo and Pastor examine the experiences of first- and second-generation Latino residents, their long-time Black neighbors, and local civic leaders who are tirelessly working to forge alliances. Recognizing the initial tensions between Black and Brown communities, they shed light on how Latino immigrants have seamlessly settled into a new country and a new neighborhood, employing diverse strategies to coexist, collaborate, and, most recently, exhibit unwavering Black-Brown solidarity amidst the ongoing challenges faced by both racial and ethnic communities.

Hondagneu-Sotelo and Pastor showcase how Latino and Black residents have honed and adapted innovative approaches to forging a sense of belonging within a historically Black context, ultimately paving the way for a new and distinct route to place-based identity and political representation. South Central Dreams sheds light on how racial and ethnic demographic shifts, coupled with the quest for identity and connection, are shaping the landscape of South Central and beyond.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479804023