Does a city having a large ethnic community make it well known in its "old country"?

[Capsicum]

For instance, Boston was long known among the Irish diaspora and also in Ireland itself (mentioned in Irish folk songs etc.), San Francisco among the Chinese, Japanese etc. and is well known in Asia.

Does having a large ethnic community make a city more well known in the old country/internationally above and beyond what mainstream pop culture covers about it?

Or is the scope relatively limited? (eg. someone in India may vaguely know that their cousin a generation or two ago moved to New Jersey but not particularly care about what NJ is like after their family moved away).

Also, does the effect fade when the immigrants lose ties with the home country or does having a large population of group X make that city still renowned/reputed overseas generations later among demographics of group X abroad?

[Buckeye Native 001]

Cincinnati has a neighborhood directly north of Downtown called "Over the Rhine." The city attracted a fuck ton of German immigrants in the late 1800s to early 1900s, but I'm not sure the city is as well known to modern day Germans compared to larger U.S. cities.

My great grandmother moved to the U.S. in 1928 and we were in constant contact with German relatives throughout much of my childhood but I'm guessing for most of that side of the family, anything would be a step up from Twistringen...

[bossabreezes]

A modern day example I know of is Newark NJ with Brazilians.

There are lots of Brazilians (and Portuguese) in Newark, specifically the ironbound neighborhood. The great majority, probably over 75% are from a specific region in the state of Minas Gerais near Governador Valadares.

Newark is well known, especially in Minas Gerais lovingly as ''The American Brazilian Favela'', as Newark is pretty run down and generally no better than the areas the immigrants came from.

It's an extremely insular neighborhood, and from what I've noticed people are very transient and usually stay 5 years or less before going back to Brazil. There are not too many long lasting Brazilians in the neighborhood. Most that come never learn English and never branch from outside of their immediate social circle.

[jd3189]

I’m guess Miami holds a significant position in the minds of Cubans and other Latin Americans, for better or worse.


New York was significant to Italians and Jews in the past.


I wonder about LA’s reputation in Mexico as a whole.

[Darkoshvilli]

Montreal is pretty big in the Maghreb. After Paris obviously.

[muppet]

London and Indians, there are about a zillion Bollywood films with London scenes/ settings. Same with Nigerians and Poles, the city's biggest minorities at the mo.

[sopas ej]

From what I've heard, a lot of people in Iran supposedly know of Los Angeles and "Tehrangeles."

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Capsicum

San Francisco among the Chinese, Japanese etc. and is well known in Asia.

I don't know about now but in the "Fin de Siecle" era of the 19th/20th century, San Francisco must have also been known in the Ligurian region of Italy because while masses of that country's south (Naples, Calabria, Sicily) were migrating to the New York/New Jersey area, Ligurians were coming to San Francisco, populating the North Beach neighborhood and recreating foods and lifestyles of that region, especially fishing. To this day, Italian food in SF tends more to the Northern Italian variety and especially seafood.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by jd3189

I’m guess Miami holds a significant position in the minds of Cubans and other Latin Americans, for better or worse.


New York was significant to Italians and Jews in the past.


I wonder about LA’s reputation in Mexico as a whole.

Miami is interesting. It seems like many South Americans consider it America's second city. Even a lot of Europeans seem to elevate Miami's status far above what most Americans would rate it.

[Chisouthside]

Chicago and Los Angeles are pretty well known in central Mexico given the large number of immigrants from that area in those cities. Mostly everyone has a relative or friend in either two cities, plus some areas in texas as well.



I know also in Puebla, given the large number of Poblanos in New York City, that theyre familiar with New York City and I've even found new york city style pizzerias in Puebla.

[maru2501]

For many years Chicago's Poles would come and go like the Northwest Side was a lost province

[Urbanguy]

Yes but not necessarily. In the case of Hawaii it would definitely be with the Japanese, Okinawans and Illocanos from the Philippines but not just by shear size but also because of the very long historical ties.

It's also true when it comes to historical connections with the Koreans, Chinese, American Samoans, Marshallese, Chuukese, Kosraeans, Pohnpeians, Tongans, Tahitians/Marquesans and other lesser known ethnic groups that got their start in Hawaii first before settling in the Mainland US.

[JManc]

Chicago, LA, London, etc are huge cities and will be well known despite ethnic ties.

[Acajack]

In Canada's capital region where I live (Ottawa-Gatineau) it is said that entire (Christian) villages and towns in central Lebanon have relocated here over the past 20-30 years, and people have re-established their previous community, social, etc. networks pretty much as they were in the old country.

[WonderlandPark3]

Been to Armenia and I am from LA and they all know both Glendale and L.A. or as they say, Little Armenia

LA is very well known among the Vietnamese, Philippino and Vietnamese, and when I say I am from LA, they all have some cousin or family or have been on a trip.

[jd3189]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Miami is interesting. It seems like many South Americans consider it America's second city. Even a lot of Europeans seem to elevate Miami's status far above what most Americans would rate it.

That's interesting. If only it actually lived up to that reputation.

[austlar1]

Originally Posted by WonderlandPark3

Been to Armenia and I am from LA and they all know both Glendale and L.A. or as they say, Little Armenia

LA is very well known among the Vietnamese, Philippino and Vietnamese, and when I say I am from LA, they all have some cousin or family or have been on a trip.

And every third Israeli seems to think of LA as a second home.

[SIGSEGV]

It's more interesting to consider smaller cities that are not as famous internationally. Is Minneapolis or Columbus well-known in Somalia? Are Lowell and Long Beach well-known in Cambodia?

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

It's more interesting to consider smaller cities that are not as famous internationally. Is Minneapolis or Columbus well-known in Somalia? Are Lowell and Long Beach well-known in Cambodia?

A lot of Bay Area folks have discovered with considerable chagrin that if they tell foreigners they are from Hayward or San Rafael or Mountain View or even San Jose or Oakland they may get blank looks so they have to claim to be from San Francisco. THAT get recognition.

[Yuri]

São Paulo with its huge Japanese, Italian and Lebanese communities. They are all very well-known in those countries.