escrito sobre mcarthur park

8/9/2019 Escrito Sobre McArthur Park

1/29

1

MACARTHUR PARK CLASS PROJECT

By

Keaton Andreas, Marcos Canales, Dianna Espinoza, Gary Francis, Lou-Trice Gamle,

!icole "i##ins, Camy McGeat$, %uy Mizu&i, E' (c$e !yec$e, C$ristina )*ister,

+ir#iliana )ic&erin#, sis un.oo, and Mic$ael /oosley

A )aper )resented to

)ro*essor Mic$ael Mata

and t$e c$ool o* ntercultural tudies

F(LLE% T"E0L0GCAL EM!A%

n )artial Ful*illment o* t$e

%e2uirements *or t$e Class

0r#anizin# (ran Communities For Trans*ormation

prin# 3414


2/29

3

Table of Contents

(a) E5ecuti6e ummary o* t$e )ro7ect )#' 8

(b) An assessment o* t$e conte5t )#' 9

:i; An e5amination o* t$e community

(c) An analysis o* t$e reli#ious ecolo#y )#' 11

:i; (pdate census o* t$e reli#ious or#anizations )#' 11

:ii; Assess t$e current and potential role o* *ait$ or#anizations in community' )#' 13

:iii; %ecommend a process or strate#y *or community en#a#ement' )#' 1?

(d) Bilio#rap$y )#' 1@

(e) Appendi5

:i; C%ALA Map o* t$e /estla&e %eco6ery %ede6elopment )ro7ect )#' 34

:ii; Census o* reli#ious or#anizations )#' 31

:iii; )ercept Groups Custom )oly#on *or t$e /estla&e Area )#' 33

:i6; Fi#ure 1-1 )opulation Density Comparison o* MacArt$ur )ar& .it$ )#' 3>County and tate A6era#es :per s2' mi';

:6; Fi#ure 1-3 Et$nicity, Ancestry mmi#ration o* MacArt$ur )ar& )#' 3>

:6i; Fi#ure 1-8 ncome Comparison o* MacArt$ur )ar& .it$ City, tate )#' 3@ !ational A6era#es

:6ii; Fi#ure 1-9 Educational Le6els o* Adults in MacArt$ur )ar& )#' 3@


3/29


4/29

9

T$e present study .ill $i#$li#$t some o* t$e sociolo#ical and economic issues rele6ant to

t$e MacArt$ur )ar& community as .ell as pro6ide discourse into t$e $istory t$at $as rou#$t

McArt$ur )ar& to its current state' T$e study .ill t$en $i#$li#$t t$e pro#ress t$at is ein# made

y local a#encies and or#anizations and .ill conclude .it$ a discussion aout $o. t$e

community can en#a#e t$ese issues and *ormulate alternati6e solutions to o6ercome t$e 2uality

o* li*e issues *acin# MacArt$ur )ar& residents'

An assessment of the context

T$e presti#e o* Los An#eles County is &no.n .orld.ide *or its success*ul sports teams,

monumental uildin#s, aspirin# arc$itecture, proli*eration o* "olly.ood celerity, and po.er*ul

population o* di6erse cultures' "o.e6er, t$is .orld-reno.ned county o* nearly @'> million, t$e

second lar#est populated city in t$e tates1, $as anot$er side t$at is o*ten o6erloo&ed y outsiders

distracted y #litz and #lamour o* apparent success' /it$in t$is massi6e city t$e 3' s2uare mile

tract &no.n as MacArt$ur )ar& mar&s a place .$ere rou#$ly 11>,444 men, .omen and c$ildren

stru##le to sur6i6e eac$ day'

Po$ulation %ensit#&

Co!$a"ison of MacA"t'u" Pa" it' Count# and State Ae"a*es ($e" s+, !i,)

-i*u"e ./.

1 nationalsonline'or#


5/29

?

/$en comparin# t$e MacArt$ur )ar& community to t$e surroundin# Los An#eles County

andor t$e state o* Cali*ornia itsel*, se6eral disparities stand out' T$e *irst notale di**erence

et.een MacArt$ur )ar& and Los An#eles County is et$nic ma&eup' T$e #reater Los An#eles

County reports a Caucasian population t$at ma&es up ? percent o* its residents' T$e ne5t lar#est

#roup is "ispanics at 9 percent' n contrast, nearly >4 percent o* t$e population o* McArt$ur

)ar& is "ispanic *ollo.ed y its second lar#est population #roup, Asian, at 1= percent' To

*urt$er e5empli*y t$e community


6/29

=

An exa!ination of t'e co!!unit#6s cu""ent social and econo!ic status

Accordin# to Dr' ude Tiersma /atson, Associate )ro*essor o* (ran Mission and Fuller

T$eolo#ical eminary and Team Leader o* t$e Los An#eles nnerC"A!GEC%M team,

Economics is t$e i# HissueI, many ot$ers are related' E6ery day, *amilies stru##le to sur6i6e,

eat and pay t$e rent'J3 T$e primary income sources *or t$e community are laor-oriented 7os

*ocused mainly in industrial or day laor en6ironments' "o.e6er, t$ese lue-collar 7os are not

as readily a6ailale relati6e to neary .$ite-collar pro*essional 7os'8 Fe.er a6ailale 7os in

suc$ a densely populated area results in t$e potential *or many residents to e .it$out 7os'9 Dr'

Tiersma /atson reiterates, /it$out t$e opportunity *or steady income *amilies stru##le to put

*ood on t$e tale and to pay t$e rent to &eep a roo* o6er t$eir $ead, ne6er pro6idin# t$emsel6es

an opportunity to #et a$ead'J?

ociolo#ical issues also re*lect economic $ards$ips' MacArt$ur )ar& demonstrates a

$istory o* diminis$in# employment opportunities in con7unction .it$ an increased rate o*

6iolence and crime' 06er t$e past 84 years MacArt$ur )ar& $as su**ered *rom de6astatin#

6iolence due to an insur#ence o* #an# and dru# acti6ity t$rou#$out t$e community' As a result,

MacArt$ur )ar& $as ecome &no.n as a place .$ere 6iolence, po6erty and racial tensions $a6e

ta&en priority o6er education, racial dialo#ue and economic pro#ress'

Anot$er ma7or c$allen#e *acin# t$e MacArt$ur )ar& community is education' T$e

sc$ools in t$e MacArt$ur )ar&/estla&e are some o* t$e .ea&est per*ormin# sc$ools in t$e state'

3 nter6ie. .it$ Dr' ude Tiersma /atson, April, 3414' nter6ie.ed y E' (c$e !yec$e'

8 /estla&e demo#rap$ics .esite

9 Los An#eles City population density is aout >,3=?s2'mi' MacArt$ur )ar&


7/29

/$ile t$is does not mean t$at t$e students in t$e area are incompetent o6erall, it does mean t$at

t$ey are per*ormin# at a lo.er le6el t$an many o* t$eir *ello. Cali*ornian peers on state tests'

To *urt$er complicate t$e education situation, accordin# to t$e )recept rou#$ly =8-=?

percent o* adults $a6e less t$an a $i#$ sc$ool de#ree, almost 84 less t$an t$e a6era#e in t$e

#reater Los An#eles County and one o* t$e $i#$est a6era#es in t$e state'= Additionally, t$e

median a#e o* residents in t$e MacArt$ur )ar& area is 83, and t$e percenta#e o* people a#e > or

youn#er is 1? percent-in comparison t$ese *i#ures are $i#$er t$an t$e #reater Los An#eles area

medians' T$is a#e and education demo#rap$ic represents a possile education arrier ecause it

re6eals a youn#er and less *ormally educated population'

Educational Leels of Adults in MacA"t'u" Pa"

-i*u"e ./7

Anot$er possile *actor &eepin# &ids in t$e /estla&e area *rom recei6in# a $i#$ sc$ool

education is lan#ua#e' Accordin# to t$e 3444 census, ='= percent o* community residents .ere

not orn in t$e (nited tates, nearly >4 percent o* "ispanic acround' T$is can e percei6ed

= )ercept Group, nc' First +ie. 3414 MacArt$ur )ar&/estla&e report prepared *or an Fernando C$urc$ o* t$e

!azarene, p#' ='

id


8/29

>

as a arrier ecause &ids not only $a6e to try and compre$end mat$, science, and $istory at

sc$ool, ut at t$e same time t$ey are tryin# to learn t$e En#lis$ lan#ua#e in $ome en6ironments

.$ere En#lis$ is not t$e primary lan#ua#e' T$us, i* a c$ild is tryin# to learn En#lis$ only at

sc$ool, it can e $arder *or t$em to retain t$e lan#ua#e and simultaneously e5cel at studyin#

mat$, science, $istory, etc' in t$e En#lis$ lan#ua#e' T$ese education and lan#ua#e arriers are

only a *e. o* impediments contriutin# to t$e lo. per*ormin# test scores in t$e /estla&e area,

ut t$ey are important *actors t$at s$ould e ta&en into consideration *or teac$ers, sc$ools, and

education policy ma&ers'

An a$$"aisal of t'e co!!unit#6s assets

An attenti6e .al&in# tour t$rou#$ t$e MacArt$ur )ar& area yielded se6eral oser6ations

y students re#ardin# t$e assets o* t$e community' 0ser6ations included many people out and

aout, utilizin# pulic spaces suc$ as MacArt$ur )ar& itsel* and t$e local MacDonald


9/29

@

noted t$at yout$ are an asset o* t$e community :t$e median a#e o* residents in MacArt$ur )ar& is

only t$irty-t.o;'>

Anot$er asset o* t$e community is t$e per6asi6eness o* small usinesses, indicatin# a

stron# entrepreneurial spirit' A searc$ o* listin#s on #oo#le'com and yello.pa#es'com turned up

se6en sc$ools :apart *rom t$e local $i#$ sc$ool and elementary sc$ool;, ele6en $ospitals and

p$armacies, t.enty-one restaurants, *ourteen mar&ets and s$ops, and ten sacred spacesJ

:includin# ut not limited to c$urc$es;' T$is last *i#ure is clearly a 6ast underestimate, as .ill e

seen .it$ t$e in*ormation #at$ered *or t$e updated census o* reli#ious or#anizations' T$e ot$er

*i#ures are per$aps underestimated as .ell, as a 2uic& .al& t$rou#$ t$e nei#$or$ood ma&es

clear t$ere are numerous *ranc$ises and mom-and-pop retailers not listed y #oo#le'com or

yello.pa#es'com'

Furt$er de6elopment is ein# currently planned t$rou#$ a ma7or pro7ect y t$e city o* Los

An#eles' 0**icially laeled as a Transit 0riented De6elopment, t$e pro7ect .ill create @4 ne.

units o* a**ordale $ousin# and 1?,444 s2uare *eet o* retail space and par&in#'@

T$ere are numerous non-pro*it ser6ice pro6iders in t$e area' A *e. suc$ representati6e

or#anizations oser6ed y students include n2uilinos (nidos, specializin# in community

or#anizin#, education and ad6ocacy *or tenants< ri#$ts, t$eir mission ein# to .or& *or sa*e,

decent, and a**ordale $ousin# in Los An#elesJ14 Clinica Monseor 0scar A' %omero, pro6idin#

2uality $ealt$ care, $ealt$ education, and ad6ocacy *or t$e uninsured and underser6ed

8Demo#rap$ics in /estla&e'J Los An#elesTimes'com' %etrie6ed une 9, 3414 *rom

$ttppro7ects'latimes'commappin#-lanei#$or$oodsnei#$or$ood.estla&e

9 Mayor +illarai#osa to Brea& Ground'J LACity'or#' %etrie6ed une 9, 3414 *rom

$ttpmayor'lacity'or#)ress%oom)ress%eleasesLACT)N44@=9@

14 ...'in2uilinosunidos'or#


10/29

14

communities o* Greater Los An#eles11 nnerC"A!GE Los An#eles, a C$ristian missionary

a#ency, currently restructurin# and rene.in# t$eir 6ision Cat$olic C$arities, .$ic$ operates t.o

community centers, and t.o $omeless s$elter pro#rams, as .ell as o**erin# case mana#ement,

$ealt$ counselin# and re*errals, c$ild care, and a*ter sc$ool mentorin#'13

A *inal asset o* t$e community disco6ered y student researc$ .as t$at o* t$e ric$ $istoric

$erita#e to e *ound in t$e nei#$or$ood' T$is $istoric $erita#e includes landmar&s suc$ as

Lan#er


11/29

11

An analysis of the religious ecology

U$date census of t'e "eli*ious o"*ani8ations

An update o* t$e census o* reli#ious or#anizations in t$e area .as conducted y .al&in#

and dri6in# t$rou#$ t$e appro5imately one-$al* s2uare mile area immediately surroundin# t$e

par&' tudents used t$e same parameters estalis$ed y a pre6ious class last year, in order to

ma&e meanin#*ul comparisons in data' T$e parameters estalis$ed 0cean6ie. and 8rd treet as

t$e nort$ern order, >t$ treet as t$e sout$ern order, Coronado treet as t$e .estern order, and

/estla&e A6enue as t$e eastern order o* t$e area studied'

T$ere .as one entry *rom t$e census list made y t$e pre6ious class t$at .e .ere unale

to 6eri*y, and one c$urc$ t$at appeared to $a6e een closed do.n' T$e list made y t$e pre6ious

class *or t$is area $ad 83 entries' /e deleted 3 old entries and added 38 ne. entries, rin#in# our

total to ?8' )art o* t$e reason *or t$e lar#e numer o* c$urc$es added to t$e list is t$at a memer

o* our party .as ale to read c$urc$ si#ns t$at are in Korean only' T$is accounts *or > o* t$e ne.

entries' /e also included t$ree seminaries, and t.o ne. oo&stores' t is di**icult to say .$et$er

t$e remainin# increase in entries is due to ne. c$urc$es ein# estalis$ed or to an undercount in

t$e initial sur6ey' A comination o* t$ose *actors seems most li&ely'

T$e present class added to t$e data y laelin# t$e et$nicity o* t$e reli#ious centers' t

.as oser6ed t$at t$e ma7ority o* reli#ious or#anizations are eit$er Korean or Latino' 33

reli#ious or#anizations are Korean :34 c$urc$es, 1 mission oriented clinic, 1 seminary; and 3

reli#ious or#anizations are Latino :1= c$urc$es, @ oo&stores, 1 7o re$ailitation center, 1

seminary;' T$e students noted only 8 c$urc$es ad6ertisin# ser6ices o**ered in En#lis$ :t'

!ic$olas Cat$edral and 3 Korean c$urc$es;'


12/29


13/29

18

Concernin# t$e ne. de6elopments occurrin# in MacArt$ur )ar&, anot$er resident

reported unclear communication concernin# city pro7ects' "e .ent to t$e #roundrea&in#

ceremony *or ne. $ousin# units ein# uilt in MacArt$ur )ar& and said it .as 6ery poorly

attended' "e didnOt *eel as i* community memers possessed a sta&e in local de6elopments'

Concernin# t$e 0scar %omero statue t$at t$ey are plannin# to erect, one resident said cynically

t$at it is easier to erect a statue to someone t$an to rememer and li6e .$at $e stood *or'J

Alt$ou#$ t$e present .or& demonstrates a #eneralized 6oid et.een t$e c$urc$es in t$e

community and t$e community itsel*, t$e MacArt$ur )ar& area does in *act possess reli#iously

*ounded or#anizations t$at ta&e an acti6e role in t$e community and ser6e as community assets'

T$e $ope and 6ision o* t$ese reli#ious or#anizations is to relie6e some o* t$e tensions t$at e5ist

as a result o* t$e communal de#radation'

0ne suc$ acti6e ministry is t$e Eleazar C$ristian oo&store, opened y a Guatemalan

elie6er t$ree mont$s a#o' T$e presence o* ne. oo&stores li&e t$is one openin# t$is year

re6eals a potentially #ro.in# mar&et *or C$ristian literature and music'

Anot$er ministry is 0portunidad Ministerio Metodista "ispanoJ, a Met$odist ministry

reac$in# out to t$e lesian, #ay, ise5ual and trans#ender :LGBT; community t$rou#$ direct

relie* and s&ill-trainin# e**orts' T$e *ounder o* 0portunidad, a man named ulia, .as e5cited to

report $o. $e and t.o ot$er men started t$is ministry .$en rescuin# some LGBT people .$o

$ad drun& too muc$ and .ere desperate under t$e rid#e' Accordin# to ulia, many LGBT

people in t$e MacArt$ur )ar& area stru##le .it$ sel*-esteem issues, $a6e troule *indin# a stale

income source, and may de*ault to alco$olism as a re*u#e, .$ic$ can lead to 6iolence'

0portunidad desires to pro6ide a sa*e place *or t$ese stru##lin# persons so t$at t$ey can *reely

enter, .atc$ T+, en7oy some *ood, learn ne. s&ills suc$ as lan#ua#e-learnin# and stu**ed animal


14/29

19

ma&in#, and ultimately recei6e $elp *or o6ercomin# alco$olism and un$ealt$y e$a6ioral

patterns'

"o.e6er, not all reli#ious or#anizations are as intentionally community *ocused' tudents

6isited t$e )entecostal c$urc$ #lesia )entecostal (nida nternacional %ios de Alaanza :%i6ers

o* )raise (nited )entecostal C$urc$ nternational; t$at $olds ser6ices ri#$t ao6e 0portunidad'

(pon as&in# aout t$e c$urc$


15/29

1?

T$e results o* t$e *our inter6ie.s o* reli#ious or#anizations in t$e area con*irm pre6ious

concerns e5pressed y nnerC"A!GE


16/29

1=

suc$ partners$ip .ould ma&e it easier to *or t$em to, eit$er y t$emsel6es or t$rou#$ ot$er

or#anizations li&e /orld +ision and CL(E LA, or#anize a*tersc$ool, counselin#, tutorin#,

computer, and lan#ua#e pro#rams usin# t$eir resources collaorati6ely' T$e Korean c$urc$es<

En#lis$ ministries could potentially pro6ide a #reat source o* En#lis$ tutors *or an a*ter sc$ool

tutorin# pro#rams' T$ey may e6en e ale to open up t$eir con#re#ation spaces as a place *or

t$is to $appen'

n terms o* addressin# t$e prolem t$at yout$ *eel li&e t$ey do not $a6e recreational

opportunities, per$aps t' !ic$olas 0rt$odo5 c$urc$ .ould e .illin# to o**er reasonale

camper prices t$at local paris$ioners could e as&ed sponsor' 0r maye c$urc$es could .or& on

pro6idin# local c$ildren and yout$ .it$ side.al& unday sc$ools and +acation Bile sc$ools

durin# t$e .ee&, .$ile t$ey are $oldin# t$eir ni#$t ser6ices'

Creatin# recreational opportunities .ould *urt$er *acilitate local c$urc$es meanin#*ully

connectin# .it$ t$e community' T$ese opportunities do not $a6e to e e6an#elistically moti6ated

ut rat$er desi#ned to create interaction and *ello.s$ip' C$urc$es may e ale to apply and

utilize a6ailale *unds or #rants to $elp supplement t$e cost o* t$ese community e6ents'

Furt$ermore, c$urc$es can e intentional aout strate#izin# .it$ e5istin# para-c$urc$

ministries or institutions in t$e area' T$is mer#er .ould allo. t$e c$urc$ to use its resources to


17/29


18/29

1>

s$o.case ailities o* t$eir local peers t$rou#$ art, spo&en .ord, music, and #ra**iti contests'

Maye t$e creators .ould decide t$at local usinessmen, usiness.omen, etc' could e t$e

7ud#es' T$e or#anizin# adolescents could also decide to create a t$eme *or t$e contests oriented

around .$at contestants .ant t$eir community to e li&e' T$ey may resemle some o* t$e t$in#s

.e *ound suc$ as learnin# En#lis$, $a6in# a*ter sc$ool-tutorin# pro#rams, and places o*

recreation

T$e &id or#anizers may decide t$at durin# t$is loc& party t$ey .ant *ood, *ace paintin#,

#ames, etc' in .$ic$ case t$e local economy .ould e ale to $elp' T$e &ids could decide to

in6ite and incorporate local city o**icials, in .$ic$ case, Mama .ould e a #reat asset' T$e

c$ildren or#anizers could *i#ure out $o. to allo. t$is e6ent to lea6e a mar& and not e *or#otten,

7ust as t$rou#$ t$eir ta#s .ritten on .alls and side.al&s t$ey see& to e &no.n'

An e6ent suc$ as t$is one, .$ere t$e c$urc$ supports local &ids rin#in# to#et$er t$e

t$in#s t$ey appreciate and $ope c$an#e in t$eir community, is not$in# ut representati6e o* t$e

Gospel messa#e' uc$ an e6ent also seems *easile *or local &ids to plan ecause e6eryt$in#

ima#ined as part o* t$e potential plan are all accordin# to t$e assets .e *ound in t$eir community'

n conclusion C$urc$es .$o are called to li6e in community, $a6e a #reat opportunity to

seize t$e moment and connect .it$ t$eir most immediate communities' As t$e c$urc$ o* C$rist,

t$ey are called to li6e out t$e Gospel to#et$er, and t$ese are 7ust a *e. su##ested .ays to ma&e

t$at $appen'


19/29

1@

9iblio*"a$'#

Cali*ornia Department o* Education' $ttp...'cde'ca'#o6taacap :April 34, 3414;

Los Angeles Times. $ttp...'latimes'com'

$ttppro7ects'latimes'commappin#lanei#$or$oodsnei#$or$ood.estla&e :April 34,

3414;

!otes *rom personal inter6ie. .it$ oe Colletti, April 34, 3414' nter6ie.ed y +ir#iliana

)ic&erin#'

!otes *rom personal inter6ie. .it$ Dr' ude Tiersma /atson, April, 3414' nter6ie.ed y E'

(c$e !yec$e'

!otes *rom personal inter6ie. conducted y %uy Mizu&i'

!otes *rom personal inter6ie.s conducted y Marcos Canales'

)ercept Group, nc' First +ie. 3414 MacArt$ur )ar&/estla&e report prepared *or an Fernando

C$urc$ o* t$e !azarene, p#' =Census Bureau, Census 3444,

$ttp...'census'#o6main...cen3444'$tml'

Claritas ite %eport' $ttp...'claritas'comsitereportsDe*ault'7sp'

ADDT0!AL /EBTE

('' Census Bureau, Los An#eles City Quic&*acts *ron t$e ('' Census Bureau,

$ttp2uic&*acts'census'#o62*dstates4=4=99444'$tml

Los An#eles Almanac, $ttp...'laalmanac'comLAla44a'$tm

0ne /orld !ations 0nline, T$e Lar#est Cities in t$e ('',

$ttp...'nationsonline'or#one.orldmostNpopNcitiesNusa'$tm


20/29

34


21/29

31

:4ote& T'e colu!n titled ;4e0< "efe"ences ne c'u"c'es and=o" "eli*ious o"*ani8ations t'at e"e not noted b# t'e

$"eious M4>55 class of 3??@,


22/29

33


23/29

38


24/29

39


25/29

3?


26/29

3=


27/29

3

-i*u"e ./.& Po$ulation %ensit#& Co!$a"ison of MacA"t'u" Pa" it' Count# and State Ae"a*es ($e" s+,!i,)


28/29

3>

-i*u"e ./3& Et'nicit#0 Ancest"# 1 2!!i*"ation of MacA"t'u" Pa"

-i*u"e ./5& 2nco!e& Co!$a"ison of MacA"t'u" Pa" it' Cit#0 State 1 4ational Ae"a*es


29/29

3@

-i*u"e ./7& Educational Leels of Adults in MacA"t'u" Pa"

escrito sobre mcarthur park

Documents