What Are The Racial Politics Like in Los Angeles?
BY Liam Casey
Having spoken with my dear friend of many years who identifies as BIPOC, they acknowledge the city is heavily segregated; freeway infrastructure in LA, too, has historically acted as a physical buffer between neighbourhoods of colour. They remark that because there’s a lack of public transport compared to other cities – with cars serving as the primary mode of transport – you’ll find that it’s easy to maintain your own “pod” of existence when travelling through the city or its outskirts, which means that you may not experience as much human interaction at all. This lessens the chances of any sort of discriminatory interactions (police excluded, of course), which could give you the sense that racism doesn’t exist as much. But naturally, like any city, racism in LA absolutely exists, albeit in more subtle ways.
You’re likely to experience more blatant racism in neighbourhoods with higher white populations like Malibu, Calabasas, Orange County. They note that there’s a specific “Karen” type that can rove the beaches in search of finding something, or someone, to complain about. Travellers can ensure their safety by spending time in populations with higher diversity.
If you're planning to visit Los Angeles, have a look at our local guides to discover where to go.
