Fang Chen, a resident of San Marino, reflects on the demographic transformations of her community from a predominantly white area in the 1980s to one now nearly 70% Asian. While she has encouraged family and friends to invest in real estate there, recent economic uncertainties, particularly from President Trump's tariffs, have made her reconsider. As Los Angeles thrives on its globalization, the anxiety surrounding the local economy affects its diverse population who frequently visit foreign countries, emphasizing the city's interconnected identity.
"I'm not sure I can make that case anymore," she said last week, relaxing under a tree in the manicured green expanse of Lacey Park, where she had retreated, she said, to try to decompress from all the unsettling economic news.
The L.A. metro area has more foreign-born residents than any city but New York, many of whom go back and forth to their ancestral countries with some regularity.
Like few other places in the U.S., the economy and culture of Los Angeles and its sprawling suburbs have been forged by globalization.
"A place you can travel around the world by going from neighborhood to neighborhood," said former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
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