Growing up in Highland Park, Sundays began with mass at St. Ignatious de Loyola Catholic Church, followed by a traditional Guatemalan plate of food with pan frances from El Chapin on York Blvd. Walking the main streets of York and Figueroa felt like home-every corner held a place of my roots, the smell of pan dulce from Elsa’s Bakery.
I even spent many afternoons at Bobby’s Auto Parts because my dad, a mechanic, always had something to fix. Some days, we would walk for hours at the indoor swap meet on Figueroa, with the cumbias playing in the background, the laughter, and vendors that made Highland Park feel like el corazon of our community (the heart of our community).
Unfortunately, as many Highland Park natives can probably relate, our community began to shift rapidly, and now, as I walk down York Blvd, I don’t even recognize it. The feeling of home quickly began to fade, along with the faces of my childhood friends and local business owners. Businesses began to close or struggle to stay open. Gentrification isn’t just about new coffee shops and rising home prices, it’s about who gets to stay, who is forced to leave, and who gets left behind in the shadows. In Highland Park, longtime Latino families are being displaced at an alarming rate. By supporting local time-honored businesses and strengthening community ties, we can fight for a thriving Highland Park without losing our identidad.
Who Gets Left Behind?
The rapid influx of wealthier newcomers and outsiders has driven up property values, causing rent hikes and displacing working-class Latino families and businesses that have lived in the area for generations. While new businesses open on York and Figueroa, many long-standing mom-and-pop shops are kicked out or struggle to keep their doors open…