I’m an old dreamer myself, raised in Southern California communities that outsiders like to disparage for their crime problems and supposed ugliness. Like Madrigal, I was taught to believe that success meant leaving those places and never looking back.
— Hector Tobar, via the LA Times: “Refined words near the crude oil towers”
A good solid read. It’s mostly about Wilmington, but rings true if you grew up in Carson and Long Beach too. The sentiment above especially hits me. It was my mindset for most of my young adult life, but now I know it’s just a matter of time before something within me calls me home. By then I hope I’ll be prepared to give back to the communities that made me who I am.
Jaena Rae 