L.A. and the American Dream

by Mike Hall, Apr 26, 2006

For the past 30 years, Los Angeles has been a city in transition, from a dreamy Hollywood fantasy oasis to a community with the nation’s largest divide between the rich and poor. “The New Los Angeles”—premiering on PBS stations nationwide April 27—explores the dramatic and turbulent changes in the City of Angels.

Much of the change and the eventual empowerment of the city’s minority, working poor and immigrant community was boosted by the growing influence of the city’s labor movement.

The film includes interviews with many prominent community leaders, including the late Miguel Contreras—the leader of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor who was a major force behind the resurgence of L.A.’s labor movement—and Maria Elena Durazo, the federation’s interim executive secretary-treasurer.

Along the way, it examines how race, labor and immigration have shaped and reshaped the city’s political life and landscape, according to the show’s website.

“The New Los Angeles” explores the shifting political ground that is shaping the nation’s future and proving that the American dream remains a powerful motivator. This is a story about forging coalitions, nurturing inclusion, seeding innovation, salvaging identity and building community—a story that resonates to every corner of contemporary America.

The film is part three of a four-part series of ”California and the American Dream” and a trailer is posted on the series site. Check your local listings for time and channel.

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