The Issue:
For years we have worked to resolve the Exide issue, from closure to cleanup, and while we are encouraged by the Governor’s plan to allocate $176.6 million to go towards the cleanup effort, our members have concerns that a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption, pushed by the Governor and Assemblymember Santiago, will present more problems than solutions. CEQA ensures that environmental and health impacts of projects, in this case testing and cleaning up lead contamination at thousands of homes, are studied and impacts are properly mitigated (adequately dealt with so we are not forced to shoulder the burden, in this case further lead poisoning and other impacts). With informal processes outside of CEQA, responsible parties, in this case the state, can make promises through “parallel processes” (conversations with interested parties, in this case the community) and fall through without any accountability. This has already been the case as we have recommended how to better protect our communities with the residential lead cleanup that has already happened, and for months have been largely ignored despite the fact that it has been discussed and documented in an Advisory Group hosted by state and regional agencies.

Our community leaders have been involved in this fight since we were speculating the extent of contamination from Exide, to the point where many of them have now found that they are Priority 1 or Priority 2 properties (levels of lead in soil that classifies their property as toxic waste or near toxic waste), mostly families with children and infants in the household. It is these leaders who have provided vision and energy throughout the fight to shut down Exide and clean up contamination. It is also these leaders who have taken the position that CEQA exemption is unacceptable because of the danger irresponsible cleanup efforts pose.

The Response:
To come to our position opposing CEQA exemption, we held dialogues with our youth and adult core members and came to consensus. We discussed the benefit CEQA exemption would provide, quicker start of cleanup, but our members deemed this short sighted and irresponsible. CEQA is designed to protect our communities. It requires that impacts are understood and addressed. It requires a public process and provides for accountability. In their assessment, our youth and adult community leaders found the following: 1) The whole reason we are in this mess is because DTSC acted irresponsibly, and did not understand the full impacts of the Exide facility on our communities. 2) There has been much work put in to turning the state agency (DTSC, Department of Toxic Substances Control) around, but if we allow for this CEQA exemption to move forward, it will be in the vein of the old DTSC. 3) Not understanding the full impacts of this cleanup is dangerous and would be seen by our community leaders as a disservice, and a step backward for the state. 4) While we understand the benefits of expediting this process, the amount of time that we would gain is not worth the danger and fear we would face. 5) It is time for the state to set its principles and do right by our communities.

On March 15, we sent a letter (link below) to the Governor expressing the concerns of our members and opposition to CEQA exemption. We also sent the letter to Assemblymembers Anthony Rendon, Cristina Garcia, Jimmy Gomez, and Miguel Santiago, California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Director Matt Rodriguez, DTSC Director Barbara Lee, Senators Kevin de León and Ricardo Lara, and Supervisor Hilda Solis. The Governor’s Office reached out later that day and admitted it was a mistake to not consult with the impacted communities in this process. We scheduled a meeting with the Governor’s Office to discuss how to appropriately move forward for the following week.

On March 22, representatives from East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Communities for a Better Environment, California Communities Against Toxics and Resurrection Church met with representatives from the Governor’s Office, DTSC, Senator de León’s Office, Assemblymember Santiago’s Office and the technical advisor for the Exide Advisory Group (contracted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and DTSC). The state came in with an agenda, but we immediately asserted that it was inappropriate for the Governor or the legislature to hold up Senator de León’s $176.6 million appropriation bill because there is disagreement about Assemblymember Santiago’s CEQA exemption bill. After an hour long conversation, the Governor’s Office agreed that the Governor would do what we wanted because he wants what we want. This was significant and was a primary goal of our meeting because we did not want the funds to be tied up in political games (more on that in the “Political Baggage” section of this piece). Conversations on environmental review should not hold up the appropriation.

The next half hour was spent reiterating that CEQA exemption is unacceptable and is off the table. The Governor’s Office agreed that this was a clear demand and our conversations moving forward would be focused on figuring out how to do option 2 (expedite CEQA) or option 3 (full CEQA).

The last 15 minutes were spent by DTSC introducing documents they brought to the meeting that we hadn’t seen in advance and discussing next steps. Towards the end of this last section of the meeting, the technical advisor was asked for his opinion on the matter and he shared that he was interested in seeing what the CEQA exemption process would look like. Despite the fact that we had spent an hour and a half getting the Governor’s Office to agree to not hold up the appropriation and take CEQA exemption off the table, and the fact that the technical advisor serves as an advisor and does not represent our communities, somehow the Governor’s Office, and perhaps DTSC and the Office of Assemblymember Santiago, left the meeting thinking that CEQA exemption was back on the table. I left the meeting agreeing to learn about what an expedited CEQA would look like, and the Governor’s Office was going to speak to the Governor and get back to me to confirm he would not veto the $176.6 million appropriation.

We spent the following two days communicating with the Governor’s Office, DTSC and the offices of several members of the legislature, consistently reexplaining our positions that the appropriation should not be held up and that CEQA exemption is unacceptable. In our last conversation we learned that we would not find out what an expedited CEQA is, because it was effectively a CEQA exemption as well, meaning two of the three options on the table were CEQA exemptions. This was very misleading and should have been off the table when we met. This was clearly the source of all of the confusion and has begun to feel like causing this confusion has been strategic for the state in an attempt to discredit community positions.

We stil have not heard directly from the Governor on this, though several elected officials (Supervisor Solis and Assemblymember Cristina Garcia) have spoken to the media supporting CEQA exemption, but have not spoken to us on the matter.

The Title:
When “Caring for Kids” Becomes Convenient: Assuming Ignorance After Inaction
There are claims that the CEQA exemption is being pushed because the communities have cried for action, despite the fact we were ignored for decades and are now being ignored when we oppose a CEQA exemption. There are those who are claiming they are pushing for CEQA exemption because they are all of a sudden “caring for kids” in our communities, not understanding that we need the protections of CEQA because the state has/continues to act irresponsibly. After inaction from those who will step up now to speak for our communities, their deficit perspective on our communities leads them to believe we are ignorant and our actions are “mindless” (literally what someone said). Our work speaks for itself, but for those that don’t know, please let me give you a small peek into how East Yard gets down.

We work to build community experts, well informed and well equipped self-advocates to engage in public processes to ensure self-determination when it comes to decisions that will impact our communities. This includes understanding and engaging in the CEQA process, a process that time and time again has served to protect our communities.

Regarding Exide specifically, we have informed the outreach efforts, knocking door to door to find that residents were initially being discouraged from requesting soil sampling over a year ago, and continually offering support to government agencies and jurisdictions on how to conduct proper outreach in our communities. We have informed the extent of the contamination, consistently pushing for wider sampling, introducing a California Air Resources Board air model to show wind patterns are also prevalent in the Northeast and Southwest direction, not just North and South, and uncovering a soil sampling study that showed high levels of lead in the City of Commerce a year before the state admitted Commerce residents are impacted. We are working to inform the Exide site cleanup effort, working with our expert allies to expose the risks to health and propose solutions, which has included visiting the Exide site with an environmental disaster cleanup team with expertise beyond what the state has to offer. Most recently, we had to participate in educating decision makers on how CEQA works, which was deeply troubling given positions have been taken in favor of CEQA exemption.

Because of all of this, it is incomprehensibly offensive when there are claims that we “don’t understand CEQA,” are “confused about options” and our “mindless” efforts will “get more children sick.” I would charge that we, the many of us that have been involved in this struggle for years, decades, generations, know exactly what we are talking about.

The Political Baggage:
It appears as if political baggage is playing a primary role in this process. Ego, beefs, and attempts to gain and/or exert political power are typical games politicians play in office. This should never be acceptable, but is especially problematic in this case. From what it looks like, the Governor, though publicly stating the Governor’s Office is working with us, is invested in a CEQA exemption and holds the most power in this process, the power of veto. His track record has shown he hasn’t been friendly when it comes to CEQA and in our conversations with his office, his reasons for the CEQA exemption don’t hold water in the face of the experiences, perspectives, needs and positions of our members. Let us not forget that until very recently, the Governor has been completely silent and complacent on this Exide issue. So the governor is passing the buck to Assemblymember Santiago, the author of the CEQA exemption bill, and Assemblymember Garcia, a co-sponsor of the bill. Assemblymember Santiago’s Office communicated that he felt he was being left out when Pro Tem de Leon moved forward with crafting the $176.6 million appropriation bill, and that removing the CEQA exemption would make Assemblymember Santiago’s bill empty and effectively useless. These are terrible grounds for supporting CEQA exemption. Given the influence Speaker Rendon has in the region and the state, and with Assemblymember Santiago being the new Assembly Majority Whip, one might begin to believe he is also supporting CEQA exemption, though we haven’t heard much from him or his office.

On the other side, on the Senate/Assembly divide, and also potentially the CEQA exemption issue, is Pro Tem de León, whose $176.6 million appropriation bill is being threatened by the success or failure of Assemblymember Santiago’s CEQA exemption bill. We have seen Governor Brown veto the long hard work of the Pro Tem in the past, specifically on issues related to Exide and DTSC accountability. I’m interested in learning more about the Governor’s history with the Pro Tem, and as those involved in the fight against the prison in Boyle Heights in the 80s have reminded us, we definitely can’t forget that Governor Brown was pro prison.

Having this understanding, you can begin to get a sense for the pettiness that may be involved in this process. We will really get an understanding on where everyone involved is at as the appropriation does or does not move forward.

We will be watching and we will be transparent about what we are seeing.

-mark! (EYCEJ Member and Executive Director)

Click link below to read EYCEJ letter to Governor Brown sent March 15, 2015

EYCEJ Exide CEQA Exemption Opposition Letter

At the beginning of this month, many activists in the greater L.A. region watched in horror as we saw the removal of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Executive Officer, Dr. Barry Wallerstein. You should be horrified too.

AQMD is the regional body tasked with protecting public health by regulating pollution from stationary sources in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside.

What we witnessed was a coup by the new Republican majority board members, backed by fossil fuel industry. That their first order of business was to not only dismiss the agency’s director, but also uphold a vote to support a plan that allows businesses to pollute rather than reduce their toxic emissions is incredibly dangerous. Health shouldn’t be a matter of partisan politics, but unfortunately we’ve come to expect this wherever money is involved.

However, let’s not be fooled; some Democrats on the AQMD Board are pro-polluter too. We don’t have to look too far back to see Councilmember Joe Buscaino rejecting the AQMD staff plan (RECLAIM) to reduce air pollution in favor of a weak plan proposed by oil refineries, power plants, and other industries, allowing them to continue to pollute the air we breathe (http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-aqmd-reclaim-20151210-story.html). And if we go back three years ago, we saw Joe Buscaino prematurely supporting the Southern California International Gateway rail yard project (SCIG), which not only threatens the health of the region, but has the largest negative impacts on West Long Beach. Instead of recusing himself for coming out in favor of the project before the environmental and health impacts were known, Buscaino supported the project by voting in favor of it when it went to the Los Angeles City Council. AQMD, along with a slew of other parties, joined us in suing the City of Los Angeles, with Buscaino’s bias being one of the grounds for the lawsuit (the project being the very definition of environmental racism is one of the other grounds for the lawsuit). How can we trust AQMD Board members, Republican or Democrat, who support environmental racism? Will this new Republican majority provide cover for Buscaino to move a pro-polluter agenda while publicly presenting himself otherwise, knowing how the votes will play out? Will AQMD pull out of the SCIG lawsuit, representing another act of war on our health?

With the assassination of Berta Caceres, an indigenous Lenca Honduran woman and activist against environmental injustices against her people, we are sadly reminded that there is a global sickness we must rid ourselves of – putting profits above people. This is a system that murdered Berta in her home for asserting her rights and the rights of her people to live peacefully on their native land; a system that can only thrive on exploitation; a system that is fueled by violence against human bodies.

What else should we expect when we’ve become so accustomed and desensitized to violence? And does the poisoning of our bodies not constitute an act of violence? Much like the travesty of injustice in Flint, Michigan where politicians were complicit in the system that poisoned poor Black people, most of whom were children, our local politicians who sat idly by as Exide Technologies rained invisible bullets of lead into the bodies of thousands of people.

A slow and painful death from cancer is no less violent than the blood drawn from a bullet fired from a gun. Unless we stand up to this violence, our communities will continue to see sick and dying bodies.

We are constantly reminded that many elected officials do not act in the best interest of their constituents – regardless of their party affiliation. From the hateful rhetoric of Trump, to the decisions of the AQMD board, we are witnessing an era where virulent politics are brazenly displayed. We must fight back.

This is your call to action. Join the movement. Start a movement. Build the movement!

Written By: Taylor Thomas

First off we would like to make it clear that we are not discouraging anyone from participating in tomorrow’s activities. A component of the event includes door knocking to get residents in Boyle Heights to sign property access agreements to have their soil and paint tested for lead. The more people sign up, the further we advance our long struggle for justice on this issue.

What we have issue with is how long it took Mayor Garcetti to acknowledge the Exide issue (especially when compared to his response at Porter Ranch), the fact that we had to push for this to happen, and have had to continually push to see any action out of his office (which is now only beginning to look anything like his response in Porter Ranch), and the response has been problematic. On top of this, one particular staff member from his office has been rude, condescending, and low key threatening (no need to mention names since the name comes out of everyone’s mouth as soon as we mention there has been conflict with the Mayor’s office). We are not here for that.

We, along with other community allies, have had to push this Exide issue every step of the way, moving the CA Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), moving the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD, more on corporate polluter politicians at AQMD in a forthcoming statement), moving the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), moving the Governor (more on that in a forthcoming statement about a terrible proposal for a CEQA exemption for Exide residential cleanup) and even the Mayor of LA. We continue to have to push.

The Mayor’s Office is disconnected from what is happening in our communities. One example is when the Mayor’s Office invited our staff and members to get trained to do door knocking ahead of this Saturday’s event. They were not aware that the DTSC staff prepared to train them, were prepared by our staff and members. In fact, the DTSC staff members’ first experience walking door to door on this issue was at one of our monthly outreach blitzes a week before the Mayor’s Office was offering the training. They were not aware that before DTSC ever approached us to start conversations on how they could do more successful outreach, we had already knocked on over 1,000 doors and had gotten hundreds of access agreements signed by residents of Boyle Heights, Unincorporated East LA and the City of Commerce. Our communities have had to take on this work for years because those in power have failed us.

We have pushed back because we don’t need press conferences. The time for statements from politicians was when Exide was still open, or before the Governor announced a plan to fund partial residential cleanup. Other elected officials have stepped up with action to help make these things happen, and we don’t need to list them because our communities know who has stepped up and who has fallen flat. We know who has done real work and who has shown up for party. At this point we don’t need a response from the LA Mayor in the form of a one-day event. As we explained weeks ago to his office, now is the time for a response and commitment from the City of LA. We need the City to commit funds, similar to what the County has done, for a sustained effort to reach residents and test residential properties to move us closer to justice. We are not here for anything less.

We are not here to pose with the Mayor in front of cameras at a press conference, or stand next to him as cameras capture him knocking on a door. Plenty of people will rush to his side for that. We are not interested in glorified reelection campaign activities. We are not here for that.

What we are here for is to continue to fight for what our communities deserve. We are here to meet with the Mayor, and his staff who have been positively responsive, when we can seriously discuss what our needs are as Exide impacted communities.

At the end of the day, you won’t see EYCEJ out with the Mayor on Saturday because we stay out here in these streets building up a movement.

-mark! Lopez (EYCEJ Member and Executive Director)

*If you are interested in joining us in outreaching to the Boyle Heights, East LA and Commerce communities to sign residents up to have their soil and homes tested for lead, you can join us:

Saturday, March 19, 2-6pm in East LA & Boyle Heights

https://www.facebook.com/events/1557752434535221/

Sunday, March 20, 2-6pm in the City of Commerce

https://www.facebook.com/events/1134711393229893/

Our Dia de Los Muertos celebration this year came in a form of a small dinner. I took the morning to put up this altar before everyone arrived to add personal photographs and items.

I have put together altares in the past, but this year it felt different.

This year I had my stepdad named Guilberto Rodriguez and a very close amiga named Marina Uranga Pando pass away, so naturally I felt more responsibility in putting together an altar with intentions and memories ingrained into it.

I have been taught that every part of the altar has a meaning. It is meant to honor those energies in our life that keep us in balance, like the elements, directions, family edlers, mujeres, hombres, and children.

As I was putting the altar together, it forced me to think about what it means to remember our ancestors? What does it mean to have ancestors visit you? To have them with you?
In thinking about Marina and Guilberto, I am pushed to piece together memories, feelings, thoughts, in essence meaning of a life on its own and as part of a community. It pushes me to acknowledge that everyone’s life has meaning and a purpose. That sometimes that meaning extends longer than what we will ever be able to live.

Placing objects in the altar is about taking an object, acknowledging it’s importance, and allowing that importance to connect and call out to those who have passed. Putting together an altar is a ceremony of giving importance and meaning. This placing of objects makes me think of how all of our communities are often given the opposite. Our communities in many ways are deemed meaningless and unimportant. It is that exact view of our communities that allows for us to be the center of soo much toxic waste.

In a domestic violence workshop we held in our community room, we were taught that violence isn’t always an action. Violence can also be the lack of action. Violence is also neglect. It is this neglect that allows for our life expectancy to be shortened. It is this neglect that allows for our communities to be surrounded by so much violence.
As I place objects and acknowledge it’s meaning, I can’t help but feel a level of anger. As I place meaning for our dead, I think about how many lives has this neglect shortened? How many years not spent with family and friends is this neglect responsible for?

At times I feel like Marina speaks to me. She doesn’t speak to me in voice, but through the meaning that her actions took within my life. The stories that where shared with me. Through the underlying anger that she carried in her actions driving the need to fight against the violence that our communities face. The anger that pushes us establish that we exist, we are alive, that we have meaning.

This is how I speak with my ancestors. Their life is full of decisions that carry meaning well beyond a single life. I didn’t know all of them, but I know of them, and their actions. Those actions have meaning and importance in my life.

So I set up this altar to honor those ancestors- children, elders, mujeres, hombres.
To honor them by re-membering them. By piecing and sowing together objects, memories, intentions, with meaning and importance.

I have come to understand remembering as a putting and keeping together.
It is to re-member those who I have or haven’t known of. To re-member my actions to theirs.

Los re-cuerdo. (To agree with again)
I re-member you. (To piece together again)

@eycej
‪#‎LaLuchaSigue‬ ‪#‎LaGenteViveVive‬

In Honor of:
– Guilberto Rodriguez
– Felicitas Ramos
– Unnamed nephew
– Queer uncle (name unknown)
– Marina Uranga Pando
– Those still haven’t met

by Xugo Lujan

#ReclaimingTheLARiver was a film and photography exhibit presented by EYCEJ youth focused on reclaiming the dignity and respect of the LA river for the South LA river communities.The exhibit took place under the 105 fwy on the LA River Bike Path. To make this amazing event happen, Youth members participated in summer long workshops dealing with the LA River story, bike toxic tour, photography, film, and poetry workshops. Through these workshop, EYCEJ Youth began the process of forming stories highlighting the role that the LA River has taken in communities of color living along it. The photography and films highlight the many faces and stories that form part of the LA River in an effort to bring attention to the needs of our communities to see improvements and facilitate the use of the LA River as a source of transportation, exercise, creative space, green space, and shelter connecting communities along the 710 fwy. Additionally, films will be used as a public comment tool to push forward in supporting LA River and Bike Improvements of our communities through Community Alternative 7 (CA 7) for the 710 Fwy project. For more info on Community Alternative 7 click here CA 7. We want to thank all of the 70+ participants who attend the event. Together we reclaimed part of the LA River Bike Path with life, joy and art. For more pictures visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EYCEJ Videos produced by our youth members:

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl-h5SHgD_o 

Reclaiming the LA River by Jorge & Amando

To continue to support our work, donate to our efforts: https://eycej.nationbuilder.com/donate

Check out media coverage of our event below!

KCET: http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/lariver/confluence/la-river/south-east-la-reclaims-their-part-of-the-los-angeles-river.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=kcet

Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition: http://lacbc.nationbuilder.com/los_angeles_river_connections_move_forward

Special thanks to for making this event possible: Comida No Bombas Los Angeles, Cruzita’s Deli and Cafe, Calo Youth Build Boyle Heights, #‎BarriosDeLosRios‬, Giovanni Solis, Pam Avila, Ana Garcia, Cuauhtemotzin Hache

Photograph Credit: Beatriz Jaramillo    

We would like to thank all of the EYCEJ members, staff, allies, family and friends that made our 1st LA River Bike Toxic Tour possible and to the 100+ cyclist that joined us despite reaching 100+ degree temperature!

The ride started at the East LA Civic Center, with supporters joining along the way in Bell Gardens, Maywood, Bell, Lynwood, Paramount and Long Beach! We toured the LA River, Sleepy Lagoon, 710 Freeway (formerly known as the Los Angeles River Freeway), rail yards, and discussed its historical significance to communities of color.As a group we also visited locations highlighting the improvements that have been made and what the community could look like if we continue to push with community voice and participation.

We then closed with a BBQ and music by LA Hip Hop band Inner City Dwellers, cumbia band Buyepongo and Carlos Se rocking at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach. Overall, a beautiful day being able to witness hundreds of riders reclaim the streets. To view more pictures visit our Facebook page: LA River Bike Toxic Tour 2015 (album)

Thank you all for your support throughout the years — we do this because we believe everyone deserves the right to live in a safe and healthy environment. Help us continue our programming like the LA River Bike Toxic Tour by making a donation today!

Please take one moment to make an online donation to support EYCEJ.

We ride together, we fight together, we build community together, we win together! #FightingForLife

——–

Also, join us for our upcoming event:

#ReclaimingtheLARiver BIKE-IN Photo and Film Exhibit 

September 26, 2015 6:00-9:00PM @ Maywood River Front, Walker Ave, Maywood, CA 90270

EYCEJ youth will be presenting photography and film exhibit focused on reclaiming the dignity and respect of the LA river for the South LA river communities. For more information visit our FaceBook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1386580138307385/

As we reach the end of the summer, we are excited to highlight how your support has allowed East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice to work towards a safe and healthy environment for communities!

We began the year strong with a recent hard-fought victory that EYCEJ was able to achieve with community support:

Shut Down Exide Technologies’ Operations in Vernon Over the last 25 years, Exide Technologies, a battery recycler and chronic polluter located in the City of Vernon has been cited for numerous health violations and has recently been SHUT DOWN. After years of our members, staff and allies engaging with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to implement regulation to clean up Exide, as of February 2015, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) announced the shutdown of Exide Technologies. We want to express sincere gratitude for the generations of community builders who have put decades of work towards getting to this moment. We continue to fight towards keeping DTSC accountable for thorough and just cleanup of our homes and neighborhoods to ensure justice for the 100,000 residents in the impact zone.

Your financial contributions will help bolster this work on multiple levels. Can you take a moment now to donate to EYCEJ?

Along with our hard-fought victory, EYCEJ is proud to present the Marina Pando Social Justice Research Collaborative and our LA River Bike Toxic Tour!

Marina Pando Social Justice Research Collaborative: 1st Annual Grassroots Research Symposium: The Marina Pando Social Justice Research Collaborative (SJRC) is a hub for first generation undergraduate students of color to have a supportive environment in which to conduct social justice oriented research. Through intensive summer training, the next generation of scholars becomes equipped to bridge the data our movement needs with the grassroots voices academia tends to leave out. All participants gain the skill set to ask and answer research questions with the potential to help us win our next victory. Marina Pando was a long time community leader who passed away in June of this year. We have named this program in her honor to celebrate her leadership and contributions to our  movement.

*Students will be presenting their research August 7th at 6:00PM  at our EYCEJ Community Room, we invite you to join us. Help us reach our goal of $7,500 to cover expenses of the program including stipends for our students. Help directly support our program by donating today!

LA River Bike Toxic Tour: History and Construction of Environmental Racism: Join us as we ride down the LA river visiting communities heavily impacted by environmental racism. We will tour locations like Sleepy Lagoon, LA river, 710 Fwy, rail yards, and discuss the historical significance to communities of color. We will also tour parks and locations highlighting what improvements of our communities could potentially look like if we continue to push with community voice and participation. We will close with a BBQ and special surprise performance from one of LA’s premier cumbia bands at Cesar Chavez Park in Long Beach where we will highlight steps being taken to address issues facing our communities. When: August 15th, 2015, Meeting Location: East LA Civic Center at 10:00AM.

Your support has made all this work possible, but we still need your help in order to continue our work to build well informed and well equipped self-advocates in East Los Angeles, South East Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Our organization is at a critical point when it comes to financial resources and every dollar you donate keeps our movement breathing. There is a lot we want to accomplish this year, and we’re aiming to raise $20,000 this summer. This is a huge goal- but it’s possible if every person who receives this letter donates just $25.00.And if you give more, our impact increases.  

Here are a few examples:

• Your $25 donations helps us buy food to grow and sustain our Youth In Action programing.
• Your $100 donation helps us facilitate this years Ambiente de Mujer Workshop
• Your $500 donation can help cover the cost of building two new home gardens for La Cosecha Colectiva
• Your $1,000 donation can help fund our next Bike Toxic Tour

Thank you for your support throughout the years — we do this because we believe everyone deserves the right to live in a safe and healthy environment. Help us continue making a difference.

Make a donation today.

Together we can continue Fighting for Life!

Please take one moment to make an online donation to support EYCEJ.

2.18.1933-6.6.2015

By Hugo Lujan, EYCEJ Community Organizer

*Translated in English below.

“Marina, alguna ves a estado enamorada?”

“Si pero los hombres son muy mendigos.”

“A ver, porque?” le pregunte.

“Una ves, me enamore con un hombre que era muy celoso. Pero el, si quería andar de aquí para haya con Viejas del vecindario y el muy sin vergüenza pitándome el carro cada ves que pasa por la calle para que yo viera. Y luego cuando llegaba a la casa, me preguntaba, ‘Que no oíste cuando te pite el carro?’ Yo le contestaba, ‘Si te escuche. Pero el pito no es mi rienda.’ En una de esas me quiso dar una cachetada, pero no me la dio, pues porque yo tenia muy bien cabeceo. Esa ves el se salió, y me cerro todas las puertas y ventanas para que no me fuera. Al momento que ya no se veía su carro, agarre una lámpara, y la avente hacia la ventana,. Y por ahí mismito me salí. Me fui directo a la casa de mi papa donde me pregunto, ‘que pazo?’ ‘Pues me quiso dar una cachetada.’ ‘Y te la dio?’ ‘No, Pero no me voy a esperar a que me la de.’ Cuando le pedí que me divorciara, el me dijo “No. Que porque en esta familia, nadie se divorcia.” En ese momento lo mire directo a los ojos y le dije. ‘Me divorcias tu, o me divorcia otro. Pero si no me divorcias tu, te juro que no me vuelves a ver en tu vida.‘ Mi mama lo mira y le dice- ‘Hazle caso a La Leona, que bien sabes que lo que te promete, te lo cumple.’

“Y la divorcio?”

“Pues Si.”

“jajaja So le dicen La Leona?”

“Si”

“Y porque la Leona?” Le pregunte.

“Porque nadie me podía decir que puedo y que no puedo hacer.”

Conocí a La Leona, conocida en ese momento, como Doña Marina, hace 3 años en un 4 de julio en Rosewood Park, donde nos pusimos una mesa para inscribirse miembros de la comunidad para un taller de Oratoria Publica. Mi primera impresión de Marina era su pequeño cuerpo y el amigable sentido del humor. Después de 30 minutos de conversación, Doña Marina se inscribió en el lista para el taller, y me pidió que le llame para recordarle y recogerla de su casa el día del taller. Dos semanas más tarde, la recogí y la llevé a nuestro centro comunitario para la primera parte del taller.

A lo largo de un par de semanas, el primer viaje a la oficina se convirtió en paseos semanales. Después de un par de meses, recogerla todos los días a las 10am se convirtió en rutina. Todos los días se inició con, “Buenos Días Marina! Como amaneció hoy?” Ella respondería con “Acostada, y en ayunas. Que tenemos que hacer hoy?” De 8 -10 horas más tarde en el viaje de regreso a su casa, ella cerraba el día con “Que hacemos Mañana? Y una que hora me levantas?” Esto se convirtió en nuestro ritual diario.

Marina y yo pasamos muchos días juntos. Minuciosas sus muchas historias, ella compartía muchos sobre sus trabajos industriales donde era una de las pocas mujeres en citio lleno de hombres en los 60’s. Ella nunca dudó en llamarle la atención a los hombres que acosaban a ella o a sus amigas en el trabajo. Mientras trabajaba en la Compañía de Neumáticos Firestone por la Firestone Blvd, compartió que en su segundo día de trabajo, ella se acercó a su jefe y le exigió que se desarrolle una políca para disciplinar a hombres que molestaban a empleadas. Mientras trabajaba en un centro de fusión de metal, ella trato de organizar a los trabajadores para que entre la Unión. Fue aquí donde se enteró de reuniones públicas donde ella también exigía el uso de equipos de seguridad para todos los trabajadores en el lugar.

Durante el tiempo que pasó en nuestra oficina, comenzamos a organizar nuestras reuniones mensuales para adultos. En cuestión de meses, ella se nombro a sí misma como la secretaria del centro, llevaba la cuenta de los calendarios mensuales, recordó a los miembros de la comunidad sobre las reuniones, preparados para las visitas a Bell Gardens High School, y se encargó de plántulas de la La Cosecha Colectiva. Con el tiempo, usando una placa de metal con su nombre, declaró un escritorio en la oficina de la organización como el escritorio de “Marina U. Pando.”, a la vez entregándome una lista de los materiales que va a necesitar para llevar a cabo sus responsabilidades.

En su segundo año, fue invitada a hablar en UCLA, donde tuve la oportunidad de verla florecer en una oradora pública increíble y encarnan la líder que siempre pensó que nunca estaría preparada para llegar a ser. Con sorprendente carisma, chistes e historias personales, se refirió a su experiencia de trabajo en las industrias tóxicas y la importancia en la protección de las comunidades y los trabajadores contra los humos tóxicos dentro de las instalaciones. Cerró con invitar a los estudiantes y profesores a visitar a su comunidad y aprender acerca de las formas que pueden apoyar su trabajo. En un momento más tarde, ella también fue invitada a hablar en un panel de líderes mujeres con Inner City Struggle donde según ella, estaríamos “celosos en la cantidad de gente que la amaba.”

Al convertirse cómoda hablando en público, no había nada que la detuviera. En una reunión pública, después de que trabajadores de un desolladero en Vernon terminaron afirmando que han estado trabajando allí durante años y nunca han olido el hedor que salía de la planta, Marina se levantó lentamente, se acercó al micrófono y dijo-

“Antes trabajaba en una compañía donde derretían metales. Para que el olor de los metales no me molestara, lo que hacia era fumar cigarros. Después de trabajar ahí por muchos anos, se me fue el olor y sabor. Hoy le doy muchas gracias a dios por cuitarme el olfato para no tener que oler los olores que salen de esa compañía. Y a los trabajadores, si ya no lo huelen, mejor váyanse al doctor para que no terminen como yo.”

Debido a su excepcional liderazgo y dedicación al movimiento de justicia ambiental, se le concedió a Marina el ‘Premio Margarita Holguín’ de EYCEJ en 2014.

Cerca de sus últimos meses, Marina nos acompaño a la reunión NEJAC (Consejo Asesor Nacional de Justicia Ambiental) con el Moving Forward Network para exigir que la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos haga un estudio más detallado sobre la contaminación de las emisiones de diesel y empuje para la tecnología de cero emisiones en nuestras comunidades. En su última semana con nosotros, ella había comenzado pidiendo aprender a usar una computadora para poder enviar y recibir correos electrónicos. No había límites a su impulso para seguir creciendo y aprendiendo.

El Sábado, 06 de junio 2015, después de una operación difícil, Marina Uranga Pando comenzó su camino en la vida siguiente, dejando con nosotros un legado inolvidable y las historias de su vida como un testimonio de lo verdaderamente poderoso que podemos ser. En recuerdo de ella, he llegado a considerarme muy bendecido de haber conocido a Marina. Tengo la suerte de haber sido testigo de la cantidad de fuerza, la sabiduría, el coraje y la dignidad que una persona puede llevar; además presenciarlo en acción.

Para muchos era Doña Marina.

Para mí era un luchadora por los derechos de la mujer y los derechos de los trabajadores.

Una luchadora por la vida de su comunidad.

Una artista con sus muchas bromas.

Narradora increíble.

La Mil Usos.

Para mí, ella era La Leona.

En una conversación dos semanas antes de su muerte le pregunté “Marina, si se nos vaya, ay algo que le gustaría dejar saber a su familia o a sus amistades?” “Pues Si. A mi hija Idalia, muchas gracias por todo lo que me cuidaste y todo lo que haces por mi. Que no se que hice para merecerme a una hija como tu. Se que te va doler que me valla, pero quiero que sepas que te quiero mucho. A mis nietos, que cuiden a su mama, y que también los quiero mucho. Y todas mis amistades, que no vivan la vida como pendejos. Vívanla siempre a lo que puedan.”

“Marina, have you ever been in love?”

“Yes, but men are stupid.”

“Let’s see, why?” I asked her.

“Once, I fell in love with a man who was very jealous. I was not allowed to do anything. But according to him it was ok for him to be driving around the neighborhoods with other women in his car. That shameless man would honk at me each time he would drive by just so that I would see him with the other women. And then when he got home, he would ask me, ‘Didn’t you hear me honking at you?’ I would answer, ‘I did hear you. But the honk is not my rein.’ In one of those fights, he tried to slap me but was not able to because I had very quick reflexes. That day, he left the house and closed all the doors and windows so that I would not leave. I waited until I could no longer see his car, grabbed a lamp, and threw it out the window; then I jumped out. I went straight to my father’s house where my father asked me, ‘What happened?’ ‘Well, he wanted to slap me.’ ‘And did he slap you?’ ‘No, but I will not wait around until it happens.’ When I asked him to divorce me, he said ‘No. Because there are no divorces in this family.’ When he said that, I looked in his eyes and told him. ‘You will help me with the divorce, or I will find someone else to do it. But if you don’t help me, I swear you will not see me again for the rest of your life.’ My mother looks at him and said, ‘Do as La Leona asks you, because you know the promises she makes, she keeps.’”

“Did he divorce you?” I asked.

“Well Yes.”

” Why do they call you La Leona?” I asked.

“Because no one can tell me what I can and can not do.”

I met La Leona, known to me at that moment as Doña Marina, 3 years ago at a 4^th of July event in Rosewood Park where we set a table to sign up community members for a Public Speaking 101 workshop. My first impression of Marina was her small build body and loud sense of humor. After 30 minutes of talking, she then signed up for the workshop, and asked me to remind her and pick her up from her house. Two weeks later, I picked her up and brought her to the community room for the first portion of the workshop.

Throughout a couple of weeks, the first ride to the office slowly became weekly rides. In about a couple of months, picking her up every day at 10am became routine. Every day began with, “Good Morning Marina, how did you wake up?” She would respond with, “Laying down and fasting. What do we have to do today?” Sometimes 8 -10 hours later on the ride back to her house, she closed the day with “What are we doing tomorrow? And, what time will you be picking me up?” This became our daily ritual.

Marina and I spent many days together. Through her many stories, she shared many of working in industries, being one of few women in an industry full of men. She never hesitated to snap back at men harassing her or her friends at work. While working at the Firestone Tire Company down Firestone Blvd, she shared that on her 2^nd day of work, she walked up to her boss and demanded that a policy be developed to discipline men who would catcall female employees. While working at a metal melting facility, she talked about organizing workers to bring in the Union. It was here where she first learned about public meetings where she also pushed for the use of safety equipment for all workers on site.

During the time she spent in our office, we began with organizing our monthly adult meetings,

Within months, she labeled herself the secretary, kept track of monthly calendars, reminded community members about meetings, prepared for outreach at Bell Gardens High School, and took care of La Cosecha Colectiva seedlings. Eventually, using a Silver desk nameplate reading “Marina U. Pando”, she declared a desk in the organizing office as her own, all while handing me a list of the materials that she will need to accomplish her duties.

In her second year, she was invited to speak at UCLA, where I was able to see her flourish into an amazing public speaker and embody the leader she always thought she would never be ready to become. With striking charisma, jokes, and personal stories, she touched on her background working in toxic industries and the importance in protecting communities and workers from the toxic fumes within the facilities. She closed with inviting students and professors to visit her community and learn about ways that can support her work. At a later time, she was also invited to speak at a women leaders panel with Inner City Struggle where according to her, we would be “jealous at how much people loved her.”

In becoming comfortable speaking in public, there was no stopping her. At a public meeting, after workers from a rendering plant in Vernon finished stating that they have been working there for years and have never smelled the stench, Marina slowly got up, walked to the mic and stated:

“I used to work at a company where they melted metals. I used to smoke cigarettes so that the odors wouldn’t bother me. After working there for many years, I lost my sense of smell and taste. Today I thank God very much for taking my sense of smell so I don’t have to smell the odors that come from that company. And to the workers, if you don’t smell the odors, better go to the doctor so you don’t end up like me.”

Because of her outstanding leadership and dedication to the environmental justice movement, Marina was additionally awarded the EYCEJ ‘Margarita Holguin Award’ in 2014.

Close to her last months, Marina accompanied us to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) meeting in San Diego with the Moving Forward Network to demand that the US Environmental Protection Agency do a closer study on contamination from diesel exhaust and push for Zero Emission technology in our communities. In her last week with us, she had begun asking to learn how to use a computer, type, and send emails. There were no limits to her drive to continue growing and learning.

On Saturday, June 6^th, 2015, after a tough operation, Marina Uranga Pando began her journey in the after life, leaving with us an unforgettable legacy and stories of her life as a testament of how powerful we can truly be. In remembering her, I have come to consider myself very luck to have met Marina. I am blessed to have witnessed how much strength, wisdom, courage, and dignity one person can carry; furthermore witness it in action.

To many she was Doña Marina.

To me she was a fighter for women’s and worker’s rights.

A fighter for the life of her community.

An artist with her many jokes.

Amazing storyteller.

She was La Mil Usos.

To me she was La Leona.

She left me with this last conversation, two weeks prior to her passing:

I asked her: “Marina, if you pass away, is there something you would like to tell your friends or family?”

“Well Yes. To my daughter Idalia, I don’t know what I did to deserve a daughter like you. Thank you very much for taking care of me and everything you have done for me. I know that it is going to hurt you once I leave, but I want you to know that I love you. My grandchildren, take care for your mother, and I love you. And to all my friends, do not live life like idiots. Live it always to its fullest potential.”

Research Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and the Founder and Director of the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College. Bob Gottlieb’s work has inspired and helped develop several groundbreaking programs, research studies and events in the environmental, transportation, ports, and food systems areas. A long time environmental and social justice activist, Bob Gottlieb has been engaged in researching and participating in social movements for more than 50 years.

My first foray into monitoring diesel exhaust was in 1972 – there I am (in the left photo) at the back of a garbage truck, at the request of the sanitation workers union in Washington, D.C., during the time when I worked on occupational health issues with the Health Research Group, one of Ralph Nader’s organizations. The workers’ concern was carbon monoxide. Fast forward 30 years – and there I am with Angelo Logan of EYCEJ monitoring diesel exhaust (this time for harmful ultrafine particles) from big rig trucks in Commerce.

Does that mean we’ve made no progress? No… now both garbage trucks and big rigs have smokestacks above the cabs, not in areas where workers directly breathe the exhaust. And many of the harmful constituents in diesel exhaust have been reduced over the years through stricter government regulations.

But those of us still working to ensure that diesel exhaust does not continue to suffocate low-income communities of color, and that big rig diesel trucks and locomotives are not the dominant feature of the community landscape … know that we still have a long way to go to protect these communities from harm.

I’m so pleased to be one of East Yard Communities’ honorees next week at its Fighting for Life Celebration. For the past 10 years, the environmental health outreach program I direct, which is based at USC, has partnered with EYCEJ and other environmental justice groups and asthma coalitions, along with academic allies from Occidental College. We call our group “THE Impact Project” – for Trade, Health and Environment impacts. It is a community-academic partnership focused on reducing the impacts of international trade on health and community life.  Partners in THE Impact Project have been instrumental in forming a nationwide organization of groups called The Moving Forward Network (link to http://www.movingforwardnetwork.com/2013/10/about-moving-forward-network.html) which aims to transform the way ports and other goods movement facilities operate, in order to protect communities and health. You’ll be hearing the word ZERO mentioned a lot in the near future from the Moving Forward Network: zero emissions … zero pollution … zero health effects.

EYCEJ has gone from a small group of activists in 2002 to become a leader in the EJ movement in Southern California, the state and nationally in 2015. I have been lucky to be able to work with the great community organizers and advocates at EYCEJ during this period, bringing them news of the latest research findings on diesel and other air pollutants, while they inform our team of scientists at USC and UCLA about community concerns. Together, we have informed policymakers about the latest science and EJ groups have advocated for reducing pollution … building to a momentum for successful policy change.

*For more information on our 2nd Annual Fighting for Life Celebration coming up on June 6, click here.