Is it possible to not be Hispanic or Latino and live in East L.A.? (Los Angeles: to live in, vs.)

[the one]

this really depends on the area. East LA is a unincorporated section of LA county. the larger east LA area, as defined in the media/popular culture, includes boyle heights, el sereno, lincoln heights, etc (and even parts of neighboring cities like montebello and commerce).
you do have safe neighborhoods. i know plenty of non hispanic and non STRAIGHT people that live in larger east LA. there are some nice areas, particularly around the wilson high area. and there are plenty of older charming homes that are being rehabbed. some areas still have serious gang issues, but being white wont make you a mark, being in the area at the right time will.
if you are thinking about moving to the area, do your research. check crime stats. see what really happens in the nabe and dont beleive the hype.
East LA is not all gloom and doom.

[thedwightguy]

I now sincerely regret not taking Spanish in school. and I'm in Calgary!
E.L.A.C. Class of '71!

[Carlite]

It seems like, for better or for worse, Boyle Heights is slowly turning into a (Latino and non-Latino) hipster zone. The Gold Line has to be accelerating that process.

Anybody has the legal right to live wherever they want, but I'd think a non-Latino would only want to live in a heavily Latino neighborhood if he/she felt comfortable in that kind of neighborhood. Maybe they grew up with a lot of Latinos. Maybe they want to live in a neighborhood where there's more activity and interaction on the street. Latino neighborhoods aren't the only place for that, but it does seem more common in them. Preferably the person moving in speaks at least a little Spanish, though they'd probably learn more quickly if they live there. If somebody was doing it solely for cheaper rent, I'd worry about how well they'd fit in.

[Mr. Opinionated]

Originally Posted by Charles

Yes, it is possible:

Races in East Los Angeles:

* Hispanic (96.8%)
* Other race (54.0%)
* Two or more races (4.2%)
* White Non-Hispanic (1.8%)
* American Indian (1.7%)

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/East-L...#ixzz0iGqIOYAj

Well I dont see Afro American mentioned specifically. I wonder if that has anything to do with how when I was driving school buses to and from Garfield and Wilson High Schools and El Sereno Middle back in 2000, the Teacher's aides at ESM would joke that I needed to be out of the area by nightfall. I took them seriously though, suspecting that the latino men were especially not fond of Brothas. However, living in nearby east Whittier for four years, I never encountered anything discouraging there.

And these are numbers, calculations by CD that prove that various ethnicities may exist in certain places. But they dont explain what kind of social interaction goes on there. I think this kind of thing is like what we say to white folks who are nervous about South Central and neighborhoods near USC: The natives are no more savage than you. Be friendly, say hello and use common sense and caution wherever you are, because crime and prejudice can happen anywhere, any time.

[BarcelonaFan]

Hispanic is not a race.

[moonsparkle]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

Hispanic is not a race.

It might as well be.

[trojangrlof12]

"Hispanic" is not a race! Why don't people understand this?!

[Mr. Opinionated]

Originally Posted by trojangrlof12

"Hispanic" is not a race! Why don't people understand this?!

Maybe because not enough of the right people care. Kinda like how how technically, black and Afro American are not actually races either. But we all get filed into whatever is the current politically correct term. Ain't that America?

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Opinionated

Maybe because not enough of the right people care. Kinda like how how technically, black and Afro American are not actually races either. But we all get filed into whatever is the current politically correct term. Ain't that America?

It's not the same. Hispanics really aren't a race but an ethnic culture.

They have people from all over the spectrum. I've met White as an average American Hispanics, black-Afro Latinos, Asian Latinos and many many mixed race mestizo Hispanics, plus full blooded native indigenous Amerindians.

People in the US just assume all Hispanics are brown mestizos because that's the majority in the US, so it's mistaken for another race, but in Latin America, white Hispanics are the second largest demographic numbering in the millions. It's just that they tend to be in the upper classes in their nations and tend to remain in Latin America.

[BarcelonaFan]

Originally Posted by trancedout

It might as well be.

It can't be. A Dominican Afro Latino is different from a mestizo from El Salvador and they're both totally different from a white Cuban or Argentinan.

How can people not tell the difference between all three? Andy Garcia is not the same race as George Lopez. The former is white, and the latter is clearly brown mixed native.