Immigrants in Los Angeles Essay

There is hardly a single place where the word ‘immigrant’ is associated with anything positive or at least neutral; becoming a modern equivalent of a curse, immigration remains a double-sided sword, for some of its aspects are just as painful for the country of immigration as they are for the immigrants themselves. However, despite the numerous obstacles standing in the way of immigrants on their crusade of settling in a new country and getting used to its laws and traditions, there is still a way for both immigrants and the residents of the country of immigration to find a common language and reconcile.

One of the most famous examples of a more or less successful implementation of the above-mentioned idea, Los Angeles is packed with the diasporas representing national minorities. Even though the path to mutual understanding and the development of the diasporas in question has not always been smooth and easy, Los Angeles minorities have managed both to grow economically, politically and culturally and at the same time not to lose touch with their national traditions and customs.

The first national minority to talk about are the Chinese, who seem to have become an integral part of Los Angeles culture, with Chinatown in the middle of the city and all sorts of the elements of Chinese culture, starting from Chinese restaurants up to the Chinese lanterns on holidays everywhere in the city. However, the establishment of the Chinese community in Los Angeles has not been a bed of roses for the most part.

In the course of the history of the Chinese diaspora development, the immigrants have seen the rise and fall of Chinatown, especially over the years of Great Depression, which leads to the question whether the existence of the immigrants’ community is possible within a state which is not prone enough to various crises.

While the USA offers sufficient help for the communities of racial and ethnic minorities, it is still obvious that in the case of a crisis, the latter are much more vulnerable to the changes than the residents. On the one hand, the residents seem to have much more to lose in case of a financial, economical, or any other crisis than immigrants, who have quite little resources, to begin with.

On the other hand, though, the fact of being in a different county with no one to be supported by in the case of an emergency is a rather disturbing idea. The latter is especially upsetting in case the immigrants have not formed trustworthy relationships with the locals: “Every American who had a Chinese acquaintance thought he had a deal cooked up. Every Chinese who had an American friend thought likewise” (Cheng and Munson 40).

However, the Chinese are not the only Asian nation which has influenced Los Angeles. With a population of 200,000 people, the Los Angeles Korean diaspora has had its impact on the city as well. Reconsidering the issues which the Koreans have had over these years of living in the American environment, one must mention that, among their other significant achievements, the Koreans have managed to attract a lot of attention of the residents to their diaspora.

While the special attention paid to the newcomers was flattering and did help to assimilate faster, it did have its downsides. For instance, the assimilation process went more rapidly than it was supposed to, which could have threatened the national identity of the immigrants. Another peculiar fact worth paying attention to is the fact that the Koreans have integrated into the American commercial activities successfully, despite completely different cultural backgrounds and national features; according to Min, these activities were even “aggressive” (Min 1). Perhaps, the language of marketing and economics can be considered the lingua franca of the XX and XXI century, for it allowed to bridge two completely different cultures.

Also, the issues within the Chinatown community are worth mentioning.

Another racial minority which is quite numerous in Los Angeles, the Jewish Diaspora have faced certain issues when settling in the city. However, unlike the rest of the ethnicities which have formed their own diasporas in Los Angeles, the Jewish nation has had a long history of leading a “nomad” life, for Jews are known for having their diasporas not only in Los Angeles, but also in New York, as well as in other cities of the United States and all over the world.

The idea that in the times when nomad life has become something out of the ordinary and people are used to fighting for their place in the sun, one can easily change locations and undergo the process of acculturation in such an easy manner is truly striking. In addition, it is quite impressive that the Jewish community in Los Angeles managed not only to represent the Jewish nation but also to participate in the development of the city; according to the official records, in 1850, “John P. Jones, one of eight Jews elected to the city council between 1850 and 1875, was chosen president of the council on 1870” (A Jewish Presence in Los Angeles para.4).

The Salvadoran Americans also have quite a peculiar history of adjusting to the American environment and introducing their culture to their new “neighbors.” The issues which the former encountered in the USA give a lot of food for thoughts; however, the reaction of the USA government towards the Salvadorans’ immigration is even more curious. While offering the latter a roof over their head, the US government did its best to put a stop to the devastating war in El Salvador – the reason which made the Salvadorans emigrate in the first place – by offering “support for the Salvadorian government” (Mumford).

The given tactics of the USA government raises the question concerning the reaction towards immigrants. On the one hand, it is the responsibility of the state to offer help to the legal immigrants. On the other hand, the influx of immigrants affects the employment rates among the native residents. Hence, an attempt to help immigrants return to their homeland and succeed, there can be a solution.

The Los Angeles of the present days is a busy city with just as many representatives of national minorities as the famous Melting Pot of the USA, New York City, and with just the same amount of cultural versatility in it. In modern Los Angeles, there is a bazillion of cultural elements belonging to different nations, and a great number of trends which the presence of immigrants and their diasporas has shaped a lot.

Despite the fears that immigrants can change the city out of all recognition and shape it to the proportions of a megalopolis mess, the modern Los Angeles not only accurately represents each of the cultural minorities but also manages to keep its original flair and uniqueness, which is, no doubts, worth appreciation. Moreover, it seems that the numerous diasporas have spurred the city development, keeping its original features intact. Developing rapidly and successfully, the numerous diasporas of Los Angeles are what make it unique and truly unforgettable

Works Cited

A Jewish Presence in Los Angeles n. d. Web.

Cheng, Suellen and Munson Kwok n. d., The Golden Years of Los Angeles Chinatown: The Beginning. Web.

Min, Pyong Gap 1990, Korean Immigrants in Los Angeles. Web.

Mumford, Jeremy. Salvadoran Americans n. d. Web.