No Enclave

02/04/2024

An exploration of Los Angeles's large yet overlooked Indian community.

INTRODUCTION Despite its historic and cultural importance, there seems to be surprisingly little out there about Metro Los Angeles’s sizable Indian community. Los Angeles is, after all, known for i…

07/09/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nol0knU_f_E&t=2s

In our latest installment of L.A. Untangled we caught up with to discuss his floor to ceiling map of Los Angeles, neighborhood boundaries and...

20/12/2022

No 11. in the countdown of 2022's most-read; a post about Ukranian Angelenos that was first published on 24 February, the date of a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War.🇺🇦

UKRAINE Ukraine (Україна) is the second-largest country in Europe, after Russia. It has a population of 41.2 million, making it the eighth-most populous country in Europe. The nation’s capita…

19/12/2022

No. 12 in the countdown of 2022's most-read -- A look at Los Angeles's huge Iranian community -- the largest in the world outside of Iran.

P.S. Make the Tehrangeles segment of Westwood Boulevard car-free so that it can really shine.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/03/31/no-enclave-iranian-los-angeles/

14/12/2022

I'm publishing this, even though its not entirely finished -- because I have to go root for Morocco. Read immediately only if you want a glimpse of how the merguez is made.

INTRODUCTION Morocco is playing France today in the World Cup semi-finals. It’s a huge game for several reasons because Morocco are — and have been — massive underdogs. But that d…

14/12/2022

I'm publishing this, even though its not entirely finished -- because I have to go root for Morocco. Read immediately only if you want a glimpse of how the merguez is made.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/12/14/no-enclave-moroccan-los-angeles/

14/12/2022

Farcebunk was being its usual janky self yesterday and I couldn't post my latest "No Enclave," about Los Angeles's sizable Croat community. Had I been able too, they probably would've defeated Argentina in the semi-finals, right?

INTRODUCTION Today, on 13 December (St. Lucy’s Day), Argentina and Croatia will face off in the World Cup semi-finals. It’s safe to say, most Angelenos who care at all about association…

10/12/2022

No. 22 in the 2022 Countown -- a "No Enclave" about Oaxacan Angelenos, published after the racist audio of our then-City Council president Nury Martinez was leaked in which she referred to them as "feo" -- an opinion not shared by me.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/10/13/no-enclave-oaxacan-los-angeles/

08/12/2022

No. 23 in the 2022 Countdown -- an edition of No Enclave about Los Angeles's small Kazakh community, published during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

This week’s post is about Kazakh Los Angeles. Since it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the primary focus is on ethnically Kazakh Angelenos. However, as Kazakhstan is a multi-ethnic …

30/11/2022

No. 31 in the 2022 Countdown -- a post about the Tongva -- a people who are routinely, if wrongly, described as Los Angeles's "first people" and one who have lived here "since time immemorial." The truth is both more complicated and more interesting.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/10/23/no-enclave-tongva-los-angeles/

24/11/2022

No. 36 in the 2020 Countdown: language schools of Los Angeles. Which of Los Angeles's most widely spoken languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Armenian, Thai, Farsi, Arabic, Japanese, Cantonese, Khmer, Russian) do you speak?

Los Angeles is a multilingual metropolis. There are roughly 19 million people in Metro Los Angeles and, according to the late, renowned linguist, Vyacheslav Ivanov, there are at least 224 languages…

24/10/2022

This week's post is about the Tongva in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles's "first people," who've been here since "time immemorial" and all that -- only it turns out that the truth is a bit more complicated, and I hope, more interesting.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/10/23/no-enclave-tongva-los-angeles/

14/10/2022

This weeks post is about Oaxacan Los Angeles, and is dedicated to Los Angeles City Council's own Zod Trio, who will hopefully have more time to learn about the city they supposedly represent. Oaxacans are a huge part of what makes Los Angeles the place!

INTRODUCTION There are no reliable figures of how many Oaxacans live in Los Angeles but, suffice to say, it is almost certainly a larger community than in any other US city and one of, and perhaps …

14/05/2022

This week's post a about Kazakh Angelenos (and other Kazakhstani Angelenos) for .

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/05/13/no-enclave-kazakh-los-angeles/

This week’s post is about Kazakh Los Angeles. Since it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the primary focus is on ethnically Kazakh Angelenos. However, as Kazakhstan is a multi-ethnic …

07/05/2022

This week's piece: A "No Enclave" about Guamanian Los Angeles for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/05/07/no-enclave-guamanian-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and in honor of that observance, this week’s post is about Guamanians in Los Angeles. BRIEF HISTORY OF GUAM Pendersleigh & Sons& #…

01/04/2022

This weeks post, a about Iranian Los Angeles... because Nowruz was last week. Metro Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community in the world (outside of Iran).



https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/03/31/no-enclave-iranian-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION Nowruz took place last week on a blustery Sunday. Nowruz is the New Year of Zoroastrians and in Iran as well as much of Central and West Asia. It’s often, in fact, referred to as…

10/03/2022

One of my Patreon subscribers suggested a map of Language Schools in Los Angeles. I thought it was a good (if challenging) idea. I'm surely missing a ton as they don't tend to widely promote their services outside of the communities they serve. Help!

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/03/10/no-enclave-language-schools/

25/02/2022

There are roughly 34,000 Ukrainian Angelenos, making Metro Los Angeles home to the fourth largest population of Ukrainian Americans. Here's a about them. 🇺🇦

https://ericbrightwell.com/2022/02/24/no-enclave-ukrainian-los-angeles/

21/12/2021

No. 4 on 2021's Countdown, a look at Belizean Los Angeles. Not only are there are more Belizeans in Los Angeles than anywhere outside of Belize -- there are more Belizeans in Los Angeles than in any city IN Belize!

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/02/28/no-enclave-exploring-belizean-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION Earlier this week, a reader suggested that I devote a No Enclave to Belizean Los Angeles. I had come across some Belizean businesses here and there when traversing the Westside of Sout…

20/12/2021

No. 5 on the 2021 Countdown is a "No Enclave" about Irish Los Angeles. I've often heard people remark about how -- unlike the Midwest and Northeast -- there aren't a lot of Irish in Los Angeles. Not true!

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/03/17/no-enclave-irish-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION I have Ireland on the brain today. Oh right, it’s Saint Patrick’s Day. I wondered whether or not I, like so many observant Christians, should temporarily set aside my absti…

20/12/2021

The 2021 countdown continues with this No. 6, a "No Enclave" about Arab Los Angeles.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/04/26/no-enclave-arab-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION For years, there here have been efforts to designate April a month observing Arab American heritage although they have so far not born fruit. In 2017, Democratic congresswoman Debbie D…

18/12/2021

The 2021 countdown continues with the 7th most-read post -- a "No Enclave" about Los Angeles and San Diego's, Somali community, the latter of which may just be the second-largest Somali community in the US (after the much larger Twin Cities community).

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/02/17/no-enclave-exploring-somali-los-angeles-26-june/

SOMALI AMERICANS Although the first Somalis in the US arrived as sailors on British vessels in the 19th century, the vast majority of Somali Americans arrived as refugees from the Somali Civil War,…

12/12/2021

The 2021 countdown continues with this year's 14th most-read post, a "No Enclave" about Australian Angelenos. Outside of Australia, only London is home to more Aussies... but Los Angeles probably has way more Australian trees (eg eucalyptus, ficus, &c)

Today was Australia Day from 1915 til 1935 (when it was moved to 26 January) and Los Angeles is home to far more Australians than any other American city. According to the Australian Consulate-Gene…

04/12/2021

The 2021 countdown continues with the 22nd-most read post. Los Angeles's first people, the Chumash, have lived in the region at least 13,000 years ago -- that's longer than Iceland, New Zealand, Madagascar, or Ireland have been inhabited by humans.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/10/11/no-enclave-chumash-los-angeles/

INTRODUCTION Before the Spanish invasion of the region, what’s now California enjoyed the highest human population density north of what is today Mexico. Today, Los Angeles is home to more people o…

03/12/2021

The 2021 countdown continues with a post about Puerto Ricans in Los Angeles -- which, given its relatively low profile, is surprisingly the fifth-largest Latino population in the city. This was my 24th most-read post this year.

Many — perhaps most — Angelenos know that Los Angeles is home to the largest populations of Mexicans, Salvadorans, and Guatemalans outside of their of their respective homelands. I know…

11/10/2021

Happy Here's a thing that I wrote about Los Angeles's indigenous people, the Chumash -- whose ancestors lived in the region at least 13,000 years ago... and for 75% of its human history, were the only people in what's now Los Angeles.

INTRODUCTION Before the Spanish invasion of the region, what’s now California enjoyed the highest human population density north of what is today Mexico. Today, Los Angeles is home to more people o…

17/09/2021

Happy first day of . Here's the latest , about the Honduran Angeleno community.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2021/09/16/no-enclave-exploring-honduran-los-angeles/

Hondurans are the eighth largest group of Latin Americans living in the US in the US and, after Salvadorans and Guatemalans, the third largest population of Central Americans in the US. However, wh…

30/07/2021

Happy . Did you know that, outside of Australia, only London is home to more Australians than Los Angeles? Here's a post (links and map to be added later).

Today is Australia Day and Los Angeles is home to far more Australians than any other American city. According to the Australian Consulate-General, there are about 44,000 Australians living in Metr…

01/05/2021

Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Did you know that Southern California is home to the largest Chamorro community of any region outside of Guam & the Northern Marianas Islands? Please give me any additions for the map.🇬🇺🇲🇵

www.ericbrightwell.com Many Chamorros came to California in the 1960s to pick fruit but ultimately concentrated around San Diego and Los Angeles. Today San Diego has a few Chamorro restaurants such as Chamorro Grill, Tio Chino, and Island Soul Bistro (in Lemon Grove). In Los Angeles — even Carson ...

26/04/2021

April is . Did you know that Metro Los Angeles is home to more Arab Americans than any other metropolitan area?

INTRODUCTION For years, there here have been efforts to designate April a month observing Arab American heritage although they have so far not born fruit. In 2017, Democratic congresswoman Debbie D…