Sawtelle: A Multi-Racial Paradise
Ralph Primo, Jr., 67, opens his donut shop daily to hungry customers who crave continuously his neighborhood famous selections that add to this historic community. Primo, like many westside based Japanese Americans, grew up in Sawtelle and has seen the community change right in front of his eyes in terms of rising housing prices and gentrification. However, he does see an influx of customers daily who range in many different races and ethnicities ranging from white people, Hispanics, and Asians. This is the way it is now and has always been within this multi-cultural community for the last 70 years. In a country that has been experiencing a racial divide like none other and has since slavery, Sawtelle continues to exist in harmony.
According to the Los Angeles Times and Primo, back in the 1950s, Sawtelle contained three different groups of ethnicity including Mexicans, Japanese, and White people from Oklahoma. These residents meshed with one another, especially at Nora Sterry elementary school. Peanut Butter sandwiches were traded for various Japanese food items. There was also a commonality of Japanese people eating at the Mexican and vice versa, and a direct blend of all eating at the white-run hot dog stand, Ketchie’s.
Approach
Having major news sources such as the Los Angeles Times helps me even more so reflect on this storied community. Hearing these stories from people like Ralph Primo, Jr. and Randy Sakamoto has given me an idea that I’d like to discuss how inwardly there was such a happy blending of cultures and ethnicities, and there continues to be, even with all that’s going on in the world. Although the article above is 30 years old, it provides amazing information about the neighborhood from the 1920s all the way to the 1980s. The “current” data is not something I would consider using but the historical aspect is something I definitely would. Information in this article matches up with information told to me through an interview with Ralph Primo, especially with the blending of Mexicans, Japanese, and Whites. I definitely want to follow up with them. Sakamoto talked more about how the city around them was outwardly racist towards the neighborhood. In the 1920s, zoning was a huge issue with housing two blocks away from Sawtelle being double the price as in Sawtelle. He also elaborated about how his grandfather was taken from his home and sent to a Japanese Internment Camp. Keep in mind, he grew up in the neighborhood and was a Japanese American.
I also enjoyed this article in Japan Times about Sawtelle, telling a full history of it but more about the Japanese specifically. It talks about how Sawtelle started as an ethnic enclave due to other areas such as UCLA or Brentwood were white territories and not being accepting of Japanese people.
Community Demographics
Currently, there continues to be an influx of these races. This is shown by the data provided by Census Reporter. Spanish is a majority language at 71% spoken amongst children ages 5–17 which reflects the fact that Mexicans have been present in the neighborhood with past generations teaching their kids Spanish in the Sawtelle-based households. Following Spanish, the other majorities are English and Asian-based languages.
The questions I asked to obtain information were:
How do you think the dark history of World War II and Japanese internment camps during the FDR era have affected the community of Sawtelle to this day?
How did the diversity of Sawtelle seem to remain the same with you as a witness directly?
How did the difference of race and ethnicity come into play?
How did past attitudes and the rise of gentrification change the community daily for the last 70 years?
What’s your opinion on how Sawtelle has commemorated Manzanar and the internment camps? Is there a remembrance at all?
Format
I will tell a story of Sawtelle that many don’t know. I want to highlight each area of diversity on a google map, but also use it to pinpoint areas of integration past and present, like at Ketchie’s or Nora Sterry Elementary School. I would also reflect on newer places that show multi-culture. I would show restaurants such as Tofu-Ya, which is a Korean place thriving in a Japanese community, or Trejo’s Tacos, which is Mexican. Clicking on the pinpoints will provide information and an anecdote from people who I’ve interviewed about their seemingly pleasant experiences. I would like to find experiences that didn’t sit well, as there always would be. There could also be a picture of their face too. I’d like to make it really interactive and fun to learn about the history of this neighborhood.