Where am I in all of this?

        I was born in Los Angeles General Hospital a little over 22 years ago and I've lived here and grown here my entire life. Even with all that time in a relatively small area, I still have yet to see every part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. For over 25 years my parents had their business on Vermont Avenue in the heart of the city (that's debatable), well according to my experience that was the heart of Los Angeles, I guess it all depends on where you identify with and what memories you associate within a certain place. For me, this is the Los Angeles I knew, it's where I spent the best years of my childhood and it will always have a place in the heart of this Angeleno. However, I had a unique experience, I spent my hours after school at my family's place of business, but I went to school and lived in Hacienda Heights in the San Gabriel Valley. I grew up concurrently in the city and in the suburbs of the Valley... well MY valley. I didn't even know the San Fernando Valley existed until I was 8. I interacted with children from many different backgrounds in both locations and I came out on the other side as neither of them. I was a product of suburbia, but with the disposition of the kids that grew up knowing nothing but the city. It gave me a unique view, I learned things from kids of every class... but what do kids know? Most children can't grasp where they rest within the social classification, unless their parents are constantly telling them that they are better than most or not to let any spoiled brat walk all over them. We learn our place pretty early by the advice we receive from our elders.
        To me, understanding social difference comes from a mindset and an objective reality.The problem is, people are rarely ever completely objective. The viewpoints on how social difference molds our urban fabric depend on which side the implications are being viewed from. It's much easier to live a privileged life and say social difference has little affect on the quality of life of those making up the urban fabric of Los Angeles, but it's important to remember that opinions are biased on both sides and must be taken with a grain of salt. In my investigation and exploration of these theories and concepts of social difference within the context of Los Angeles, I hope to further my understanding of who is being affected, how it functions and why it happens. As an Angeleno, it is clear to see the disparities that exist as you drive between municipalities, but for most of my life these have just been scenes passing through my car window as if I was watching a film and not actual peoples lives. I hope to walk away with a better understanding of inequality and through that understanding, hopefully a better ability to help mitigate the processes that perpetuate unequal opportunities in my city. I understand that inequality is a constant within the a social fabric built around a capitalist economy, but that doesn't mean that perverse levels of social injustice should be widely accepted. Progress can always be made.