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jojireadsbooks's review
4.0
i really appreciate that the authors employed a mixed methods approach. i feel like a lot of the work around communities of color (and south central in particular) rely on too much theorizing about statistics, so the extensive interview work that was included as a part of this book provided a much needed real-life intervention into this narrative. 'south central dreams' highlights the complexity of every day lived interactions between black & latino community members in a shared & ever changing geographical space. i appreciate that the authors don't shy away from the more negative aspects of these relationships, but that they also don't play these up to fit into dominant narratives of black/brown conflict. even when they highlight moments of shared commonality between these two groups, they don't project it into an easy and natural solidarity. that complicated view is carried into the future as the authors consider south central's uneasy future as development and gentrification loom in the horizon (especially with the olympics and the completion of the light rail lines). the book's timely account serves as a snapshot of a south central in flux. the graphs & teaching guide on the website were also super helpful in converting a lot of this information for my high schoolers & making it accessible.
lillieguo's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
its hard to know what to expect when you begin this book—i found myself wondering if this was akin to a peer-reviewed sociology article in the form of a book, a love letter to south la, a description of black-brown relations and organizing in a very unique setting…and it ended up being all of these things!
i read this book alongside my book club, which exists within an organization that works with young people from south central through longterm mentorship. many of our members are from different parts of california or even the country or world, and up until a few years ago, we were overwhemingly white (and some may say that is still the case). extensive knowledge about simply the historical aspects of south la, like the watts or the rodney king riots, or the demographic changes, or even the fact that south la is historically black, was unknown to a lot of our counselors (myself included), much less the deeper sociological aspects or even the spirit, love, and challenges that south la is so familiar with.
this book is fantastic in that it reveals that south la cannot be simply explained. it is neither the conflict ridden, bursting-to-riot warground that many still picture it to be, nor is it a case study on peaceful, utopic multiculturalism that others aspire to. i am grateful to this book for the information that it’s given to me. learning about south central is a process that stretches as far as you can see, wherever you’re at. along w the authors, its allowed me to feel love and a second-hand pride for the neighborhood, all its history, and where it’ll look to next.
i read this book alongside my book club, which exists within an organization that works with young people from south central through longterm mentorship. many of our members are from different parts of california or even the country or world, and up until a few years ago, we were overwhemingly white (and some may say that is still the case). extensive knowledge about simply the historical aspects of south la, like the watts or the rodney king riots, or the demographic changes, or even the fact that south la is historically black, was unknown to a lot of our counselors (myself included), much less the deeper sociological aspects or even the spirit, love, and challenges that south la is so familiar with.
this book is fantastic in that it reveals that south la cannot be simply explained. it is neither the conflict ridden, bursting-to-riot warground that many still picture it to be, nor is it a case study on peaceful, utopic multiculturalism that others aspire to. i am grateful to this book for the information that it’s given to me. learning about south central is a process that stretches as far as you can see, wherever you’re at. along w the authors, its allowed me to feel love and a second-hand pride for the neighborhood, all its history, and where it’ll look to next.