Where Things Can Happen: California and Writing

1 5 0 W A L 3 4 ( 2 ) S U M M E R 1 9 9 9 n ow “glo c a l,” t h a t is, t h e r e ar e m an y, m an y d isp ar at e cu lt u r e s, fr o m all o v e r t h e p la n e t ( “glo - ”), a n d t h e y ar e se t d o w n in t a c t , lo c ally ( “- cal” ). Black , C h ic a n o / L a t in A m e r ic a n , H m o n g, V ie t , K o r e a n , R u ssia n d iasp o r as. T h e r e is lit t le cr o ss- fe r t ilizat io n as y et. Sim u lt a n e o u s, alt e r n at e r e alit ie s t h at in t e r p e n e t r at e o n ly d u r in g an d aft e r d isaster . H u m an it y m ay b e w o n fr o m p a in a n d lo ss. N o t h in g n ew h e r e . O ld Lo s A n g e le s o f t h e 1 9 2 0 - 4 0 b o o m grew fr o m 2 A n g lo d ia sp o r as/h e gir a s fr o m t h e M id w e st : (1 ) t h e O k ie s h u n g a r igh t, n o r t h t o Bak e r sfie ld (se e t h e Jo a d s, G r a p e s o f W r a t h ); (2 ) t h o se fr o m Io w a w it h a lit t le c a sh o r a p e n sio n — o n e r u n g u p — st ay e d in su n n y L A (se e H o m e r Sim p so n , D a y o f th e L o c u s t ) . M o r e o f t h e sam e p at t e r n , a t gr e at e r t e m p o , w ith c o m p le x v ar iat io n . Lo s A n g e le s is o u r im m e d iat e p r e se n t an d y o u r fu tu re— t h e C a p i­ t al o f t h e C alifo r n ias, w ith all t h e h o p e an d gr an d eu r o f Brazilia. W at ch t h e se liter ar y n am e s for a w o r k n e ar you : C a r o ly n Se e , C y n t h ia K a d o h a t a , W an d a C o le m a n , Je r v y T e r v alo n , Y x t a M a e M u rray, Lu c h a C o r p i, Su sa n St r a ig h t , St e v e E r ick so n , H e c t o r T ob ar , W alt e r M osley , K e m N u n n , D an n y Sa n t ia g o , K a t e Br av e r m an , R ic a r d o C o r t e z C r u z, D . J. W...