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

vendors, I could tell that they were different from the vendors I had known in the past. These vendors had a claim to their space, did not fear the cops in the neighborhood, and seemed less apprehensive and more self-assured. Something had changed in the neighborhood, and I had a hunch that the subway had something—perhaps a lot—to do with it.

Something unique and interesting had happened in MacArthur Park, and having grown up in the area helped me to see trends that otherwise might have remained invisible to me or to other trained researchers. The following is an excerpt from my field notes during and after one of the first excursions I took in the neighborhood, in August of 2004, as I returned to try to understand and tell its tale.

I conducted a reconnaissance in the community today. Using a strategy that Allan B. Jacobs taught me, I tried to blend into the community and just observe what was happening without taking photos, relying on small index cards to record my observations. It was a Friday, and there was definitely a lot more activity in the park than I remembered. I first walked down Alvarado Street, traveling south and passing the migrant niche economy businesses. Most of those businesses sold cheap, swap-meet-style clothing. A lot of restaurants selling pupusas or other ethnic foods mixed in with fast-food restaurants like McDonald's, Burger King, etc. There were also hair salons, travel agencies, cellular phone stores, and photo-developing stores mixed with record stores selling Spanish music. Plus, a couple of cash and checking places and other businesses that could send remittances back to Central America.

I must have been solicited ten times by young men asking if I wanted a MICA. I politely said “No, gracias,” and they seemed pretty cordial with me—not too aggressive. They were persistent, however, and seemed pretty open about selling an illegal product. The two cops nearby seemed not to care that these miqueros were asking me if I wanted a fake ID.

The vibrancy in the area was impressive. There were a lot of people on the streets, and Spanish music was blasting out of the small shops. The vitality was especially evident in the park, as families were there and small kids were playing soccer. There is a large field at the north end