Immigrants and the Revitalization of Los Angeles: Development and ...

of the park, which was divided into two small soccer fields for hosting kids' soccer games. The fields were too small for adults, and I remember thinking that was pretty clever because, in the past, adults would play soccer there and drink alcohol. The kids' soccer fields created a family atmosphere, with kids also playing informal games in other parts of the park. The kids were not alone; parents, picnicking nearby, watched cautiously over them while they played. Older men were also there, relaxing, watching the lake, reading newspapers, or just sitting on the park's benches. A number of vendors were taking pictures of mostly young couples walking around the lake. I watched those vendors for a while and noticed that, for $5, you could get an instant photograph of yourself at the lake's edge. You could also get a photo standing next to the flag of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, or the U.S. Some people preferred photos with both the El Salvadoran and American flags. Yet, to me, the most striking feature that day was the people; they had an aura about them that seemed to say, “Hey—this is our space and we are enjoying our recreation here.” That was not the MacArthur Park I remembered from growing up in the neighborhood.

That same day, I spoke to a merchant named Mike who owned a small store that sold cell phones (mostly prepaid), CDs in Spanish, and little toys. He had lived in the area for twenty years and had had his shop for fifteen years. He was east Indian and had a Mexican worker who had also worked for him for many years. He thought the subway really helped his business and had helped clean up the neighborhood. He definitely felt that things were much safer than they had been five years earlier and was really happy with that. Things were cleaner, and his business had picked up in the previous few years. Although he thought that more should be built around the station, he said it was already much better than what had been there in the past, mentioning an earlier dilapidated movie theatre and some swap meet areas. The gangs had gone away, and the homeless in the park had also vanished, although they had moved to the east near downtown and into the alleys. He also mentioned that there was a large police presence throughout the day, which he appreciated and hoped would continue. Mike also commented positively that he did