What Communities Are Made Of

On September 4th, Los Angeles will celebrate 227 years of existence. With more than 200 languages spoken, Los Angeles has a rich cultural history of  diversity and pluralism.  The Pico-Fairfax area is an example of this rich cultural diversity. At first glance, the Pico-Fairfax area may appear to be a small tight-knit Jewish community, but after a thorough exploration, it appears that this community has much more to offer than meets the eye. This community is full of culture and history, to which many residents take much pride. By simply walking down Pico Blvd, you see billboards and ads in multiple languages reflecting upon not only its residents, but of the cultural pluralism and unity as a community. This community offers many different services to its residents. From adult day care, spiritual services, community building workshops (B.O.N.D) and many different markets and bakeries that offer items that are common staple of many of these communities. This community is a conglomerate of the many cultural traditions of the different ethnic groups that reside in this community. Each group has left its stamp in the community which is reflected in the stores you see throughout the area. 

Often times we often look to categorize and label things, and base assumptions, whether good or bad about a particular community and its residents. I know for myself, i used to drive through this community almost everyday and never took the time to truly explore the eclectic shops and services that this community has to offer.  I assumed that this community was a close-knit and exclusive jewish community, and felt a sense of disconnect because i did not identify culturally with that community. But after exploring this community, many of my initial presumptions were proven wrong. This community offers much more than it may appear to, and is a definite example of the urban diverse pluralism that defines Los Angeles as a whole. So as we celebrate Los Angeles' history as a city, we should see this community as a reflection of not one particular culture of a specific ethnic group, but as Los Angeles culture to which residents from all walks of life can identify and appreciate.