LEWIS: LA's Iranian community has been estimated at about 750,000 people. So
many live here in Westwood near UCLA that the place has been nicknamed
"Tehrangeles." (NBC 17june09, text below)
There is something wrong with that stat:
http://losangeles.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm
in 2000 there were 415,195 blacks in LA, now there are nearly twice as many Iranians?
in 20000 there were 369,254 Asians, and now there are twice as many Iranians (not Persians or Arabs or some some catch-all group).
But: the Persian – American web page quoting statistics states
http://www.namakmag.com/demographics.html
4,167,000 living outside of Iran (including US)
1,650,000 living in the United States (all ages)
Highest concentration in California (estimate of 700,000-825,000 is approx. 50% of U.S. Total) California population primarily located in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles and Orange County Second highest concentration in Washington DC area (est. 100,000)
Other States with large Iranian concentrations include: New York, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Washington Average number of individuals per Iranian Household is 2.83
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NBC News Transcripts
June 17, 2009 Wednesday
SHOW: NBC Nightly News 6:30 PM EST NBC
Iranian expatriates in Los Angeles worried about Iranian election
ANCHORS: BRIAN WILLIAMS
REPORTERS: GEORGE LEWIS
BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor:
The whole world is watching the extraordinary events in Iran, perhaps nowhere more so in this country than parts of Los Angeles. That's become home to hundreds of thousands of Iranian ex-pats in recent years. They're watching, and as NBC's George Lewis reports tonight, they're worried about what they see.
GEORGE LEWIS reporting:
The Iran television network headquartered in Los Angeles has become must-see TV for Iranians, with four channels of information about the situation back home. The shows are broadcast around the world via satellite and command a big audience in Iran in spite of government efforts to jam the signal. In one studio the sportscaster is airing video of street demonstrations instead of soccer matches. While in another the host of a phone-in show is taking calls from a squad of citizen journalists in Tehran.
Mr. SINA JAFARI (Iranian TV Producer): People tell them about the situation, tell them that what's going on, give them brief news, and they are very upset and they want to be heard.
LEWIS: LA's Iranian community has been estimated at about 750,000 people. So many live here in Westwood near UCLA that the place has been nicknamed "Tehrangeles." Last night in this neighborhood Iranians staged a show of solidarity with the anti-government protesters back home. As in Iran, these demonstrations are organized via the Internet using Facebook and Twitter.
Mr. MANI TURKZADEH (Protestor): There's been a lot of a brutality from the regime in Iran towards the peaceful demonstrator, and I'm doing my part as a human, as a Persian, to--with these dear friends. We're all here together.
LEWIS: It's the brutality that scares this Persian grocer, who gave her name only as Humira. She says she's been trying to phone her family in Iran without success for three days. Sharona Sagian and her brother say they have similar fears.
Ms. SHARONA SAGIAN: We have family members there, and we are worried for their safety.
Unidentified Woman: Freedom for Iran!
LEWIS: LA's Iranians say they'll keep protesting as they worry about the safety of their loved ones in these turbulent times. George Lewis, NBC News,
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END
