PLACE[ING] SOCIAL SPACES: EXPLORING FEELINGS OF PLACE DEPENDENCE AND PLACE IDENTITY AMONG THE LATINX COMMUNITY IN A GENTRIFYING LA CUATRO

Extant literature on urban renewal and placemaking largely focuses on displacement and/or place of residence; however, much is left unanswered in terms of people’s place identity and dependence in culturally rich social spaces. Thus, this work examines the narratives of Latinx individuals who create meaning through placemaking processes in the gentrified area of La Cuatro, a five-block business strip and Latinx enclave located in the heart of Santa Ana, California. Findings draw from in-depth interviews with twenty Latinx participants who have continually visited La Cuatro for at least the last ten years. Using place identity and place dependence as signifiers, research data show that gentrification displaces and expunges aspects of Latinx culture in La Cuatro, leading to an interruption and elimination of participant’s established place-based connections. The results further highlight how components of personal identity intertwine with placemaking practices and serve as both drivers of inclusion and exclusion in La Cuatro and other spaces. Taken together, this work deepens our current understanding of place-based connections by highlighting the role of ethnicity and culture in place making, and also emphasizes how social spaces serve as facilitators for creating strong community bonds among Latinx participants.