Frank Shyong at the Los Angeles Times has an interesting article on attempts by the Salvadoran community in Los Angeles to create the
El Salvador Community Corridor. In August, local officials declared a section of Vermont Avenue as the community corridor. But that was jusst the start. The challenge now is to figure out what it means to have first designated Salvadoran neighborhood in the city.
Businessman Oscar Dominguez, who led the effort for
recognition, says the corridor is an important step for the community — a chance
to promote Salvadoran culture and lure investment to a poor neighborhood. But
even Dominguez will admit that the proud, impoverished community has a ways to
go.
And the challenges
But the El Salvador Community Corridor still needs to
develop its identity. For now, it is a concrete and asphalt expanse of jutting
telephone poles, check-cashing businesses, auto repair shops with the occasional
pupuseria — 10 blocks that could be from any
immigrant neighborhood.
Some leaders worry that efforts to turn the corridor into a
"Little El Salvador" could be diluted by competing plans. For example, sometime
this month the City Council is expected to weigh a proposal to designate parts
of the surrounding Pico-Union neighborhood as the Central American Historical
District.
Longtime activist Isabel Cardenas said the Salvadoran
community has a habit of splitting its efforts.
"There are people out there who are just trying to outdo
each other," said Cardenas, who is known locally as the godmother of El Salvador
for her activism over the years.
The area could probably sustain the two Archbishop Oscar Romero points of interest (Patron saint of the Americas) but it really doesn't make sense to hold three separate
Day of the Salvadoran American celebrations hosted by three different groups. However, if the area can really sustain three great. If not, it shouldn't be that difficult to consolidate the activities or work on some collaboration in the future.
