A stroll through the shopping center reminds you that Latin American culture can be monumental, beautiful and heroic. García, 64, told me that he and his brother have operated their stand at Plaza Mexico for a dozen years. Somehow, his Plaza Mexico stand survived the pandemic. In some ways, Plaza Mexico is a Latino version of that story, told by those who were long excluded from what the state has to offer. Here, I’ve seen how a new, American way of being “Latino” is being assembled from contact with many different cultures.

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Persons: Alvaro García, “, ”, García, I’ve, Alec Stewart Organizations: Plaza Mexico, Easy, ” Boosters, Southern Locations: Central, Spanish, United States, Oaxaca, Mexico, California, Lynwood, Southern California, Plaza Mexico, Korean, Seoul