Little Arabia might have recently received recognition with new freeway signs that direct communities to this rich cultural hub in Anaheim. However, the recognition has been in the works for over a decade. While they mark a milestone in the city, Little Arabia has long been the center of the Arab-American community in Orange County among locals.
“We saw how this area grew and developed over the years,” community organizer and founder of Latino Muslim Unity Rida Hamida told L.A TACO.
Hamida is one of the many Anaheim residents who have fought for the recognition of Little Arabia and the community. She also saw this strip long before it became what it is today.
“This was all empty,” Hamida said, as we drove down Brookhust Street.
Driving down this street reminds her of her childhood. One of her earliest memories was being driven down this street from Anaheim to Orange Crescent School, now considered one of the largest Islamic schools in Orange County.
On those car rides, she often heard the driver, Ahmad Alam, one of the area's first Arab developers, allude to how the empty lots she glimpsed outside her window would one day become "Little Arabia."