Little India in Artesia--Why Not? : A community founded by immigrant groups could surely embrace one more

When members of the Asian Indian community approached California officials last year about placing a “Little India” sign on a freeway in Artesia, city officials objected to the idea. A community newsletter noted that Caltrans requires elected city officials to approve such signs. “In fact, this has never been placed before the City Council--nor will it be,” it stated.

The tone was harsh; the attitude narrow-minded. It appears to rule out the possibility that the council will ever consider the idea. Why?

After all, many Americans with immigrant roots have fond memories of accompanying a grandparent or parent on shopping expeditions to stores offering unique foods and other items from faraway ancestral lands. Immigrant family members found comfort there and their American-born offspring absorbed a little culture. This same immigrant cycle continues today. A strip on Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia has evolved into a commercial center for Asian Indian businesses, shops and restaurants. Indian emigres venture in from as far as San Diego and Phoenix for a day of shopping to stock up on spices and seeds, or pick up a video or tape available in different languages and dialects of the subcontinent.

The shops make up the largest concentration of Indian-oriented businesses west of Chicago. About 160,000 Asian Indians live in California--60,000 in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Artesia is home to many second- and third-generation descendants of Portuguese and Dutch immigrants. Many of the city’s businesses are owned by people with roots in Latin America, Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. The city’s diversity is enriching. Of course the adjustments of diversity can be trying.

But Artesia’s unique offering of Indian businesses could attract tourists much like Chinatown, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo and Koreatown in Los Angeles or Little Saigon in Westminster. These have freeway designations. Other areas with heavily ethnic populations do not have specific ethnic designations, such as the largely Jewish Pico-Fairfax area.

The decision as to whether to approve a “Little India” sign for the freeway is up to the Artesia City Council. But the city should be proud to play a role in helping to bring Indian culture stateside so that curry and tandoori chicken will be just familiar as pasta, dim sum and bagels.