A friend of mine sent me a great article about the influence of Los Angeles. The article includes the manuscript of the U.S.C. President Steven Sample’s address to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council called “Los Angeles: The Capital of the Pacific Rim.”
Dr. Sample says, “I believe L.A. is the capital of the Pacific Rim because of a unique and powerful convergence of three remarkable strengths:
- first, our strength and breadth in business and commerce, especially in pioneering businesses, and in our premiere business – the global communications revolution;
- second, extraordinary creativity, including exceptional levels of intellectual capital; and
- third, unprecedented ethnic diversity and the interpenetration of cultures.
L.A. brings these three strengths together to an extent that is unprecedented in history, and we embody them more fully than any other city on the Pacific Rim.”
Some other fascinating comments included:
Los Angeles County “is the world’s 18th largest economy,” the “nation’s busiest trade center,” and that “manufacturing capital of America.”
Los Angeles “has more practicing artists than any other city in the world.” L.A.’s creativity “includes the arts as well as science and technology.”
Barbara Kruger was quoted as saying: “If most American cities are about the consumption of culture, Los Angeles and New York are about the production of culture – not only national culture but global culture.”
“Los Angeles County today comprises 10.4 million people…. Within this massive population there are over 120 different cultures, 96 cradle languages, 600 different religious groups; 49 foreign-language publications, and hundreds of foreign-language radio and TV stations.”
“The consul general of Israel… called Los Angeles ‘something of a miracle.’ He wrote: ‘Coming from the Middle East, where ethnic divisions have paralyzed us, I am in awe of the positive cross-cultural interaction between the people of Los Angeles. At the end of the day, you see millions of people from every background imaginable living side by side, working together and forging a future under the bright California sun.'”
“The world is coming together in L.A. In our age of global interconnectedness, where we must seek understanding, foster communication and innovation, trade ideas and goods, break down barriers of nationality and ethnicity, and welcome the explorers and rainmakers that are crucial to our collective future, what better place to be than here, in the City of Angels, in the Capital of the Pacific Rim.”
I love L.A.! We have lots of shortcomings too, but I am grateful to be here!
What are the unique traits of your city? Does your business, church, or organization share some of the same traits? For demographics try www.city-data.com.