The City of Carson: “A Diamond in the Rough”
My name is Shane Guzman. I’m a college student in my fourth year at California State, Northridge, but I am originally from the South Bay area. The city I’m choosing is Carson.
This community is important to me because even though I live in Harbor City and was born in Torrance, I essentially spent my entire life in Carson. My family, friends, and I attended schools in Carson for all three levels (elementary, middle, and high school) of mandatory education. I’ve made tons of memories in this city — both good and bad — that have shaped me to become the man I am today.
What interests me about Carson is how this city embodies both ends of the spectrum. What I mean by that is how the city is home to establishments such as California State, Dominguez Hills and the Stubhub Center, where two professional sports teams played at for years. Yet aside from those two attractions, the city is known as home to several middle-to-low income families.
The COVID pandemic has affected the city just like any other city in LA County. There was no outdoor dining for a good portion of the pandemic. Many stores, restaurants, and other establishments were forced to close due to the government deeming them as “nonessential”. One question I have is with Biden being elected as the new US president, in what ways will smaller communities, like Carson, progress or regress during the pandemic?
I personally don’t watch TV (unless the Lakers are playing). So I get my news from either YouTube or Twitter. And since I believe that community gets their news from TV and radio news broadcasts, and/or social media.
The community can be better represented by showcasing how important family is to them. My grandma was the epitome of this because no matter where she went, whether it be McDonald’s or the mall, people always knew who she was. She treated friends and even strangers as family. Whether they were lifelong or newly met friends, they would call her either sister or auntie. And that’s how many more people in Carson are treated, no matter what the age, ethnicity, or gender.
