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Every day our mothers sacrifice a little bit of themselves for us. This year we at EYCEJ want to celebrate our mothers that are in movement. Read some thoughts that these fierce leaders had to share:

 

Mary Duenas

1.       Ver mirado a mis hijos crecer. Y mirar lo que they have turned out to be, parents, my daughter parent and student, mas que nada, Buenos hijos. Y lo mejor es los nietos que han salido de ahí.
2.       Los logros que han salido. Cuando hemos ido a las juntas y yo junto con ustedes, parado, tabling, considering our decisión- un logro que ha salido y que tomado parte
3.    Cuando mi hija iba a tener a su niño, very concerning for her staying here with the freeway so close. Grandson 3, diagnosticaron con autismo, my thoughts, its pollution, where I live, even the water, had something to do with autism. What’s hard about it is theres nothing to do when you don’t know what these companies are doing, and living in a small city and they don’t tell us- especially our council, they should know what’s there, and should be involved in community and let us know you know, sometimes we can’t do anything about it- like I don’t have the money to move out, but give us a heads up-warning, cigarettes have warnings.
4.       To be more aware of what’s going on. Every little thing helps, even if its no throwing trash in drains. Un granito, ese granito de arena, si todo lo hicieramos, le diéramos mas vida a nuestro planeta.

 

Jackie Espinoza

1. What is the most rewarding part of being a mother?

The most rewarding part of being a mother is spending quality time with my kids and walk side by them during their life journey.

2. What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with east yard?

The most rewarding part of being an active community member with East Yard is being able to participate and make a difference in the issues that concern our environment and our health

 

3.What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns?

The most challenging and frustrating part of being a mother in a community with environmental concerns is knowing there are issues and not having other mothers get involved in the struggle but only until something unfortunate affects them

 

4. Call to Action: What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities?

To become more aware of the issues concerning mother earth and our communities by joining efforts and doing something about it not just complaining. Mobilize!

 

Lovely Floreza

What is the most rewarding part of being a mother?

The most rewarding part of being a mother is becoming a “MOTHER”, having children are blessings.  Being a mother or parent you are able to watch your children grow, learn, trust, self-worth, confidence, love and care for one or the other, family, friends and others unconditionally.  When your children learn the true meaning of “LIFE” and they understand, then you have made the goal of truly in how to be a parent.

 

What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with East Yard?

The most rewarding part of being an active community member with East Yard is that you feel “Welcome & Valued”.  East Yard Community is a very active environmental community. Each and everyone in East Yard welcomes you and others as a community of one. Each member in East Yard is considered as family or “Ohana of the Environment”. The feedback’s of each member are as important and valued for each concerns and challenges in the community.

 

What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns?

The most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns is the community and environment itself.  Not everyone knows and shares the same values of how to important our environment and communities are. Out of ten individuals, two out of ten sees themselves as making an effort to all concerns of the environment.  Educating, teaching and learning are our biggest challenge as mother with all of our environmental concerns.

 

What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities?

What people can do to help protect mother earth and our communities is help follow the “3 R’s”, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  Volunteering for cleanups in the community. Shop wisely such as buying less plastic and bring your own shopping bag. Plant a tree and plants (flowers & vegetables) to help provide more food and oxygen which will help save energy, clean the air and help combat climate change.

 

Flori Boj-Lopez

1. What is the most rewarding part of being a mother? It’s rewarding to see your kids grow. I love it when my kids learn new skills or information. It feels great when my kids can understand social issues even though they are 5 and 7. But they know what justice is and they are beginning to learn why we don’t have it and why we need to fight for it.
2. What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with east yard? I think the most rewarding part is that the accomplishments of East Yard have communal and long term impacts. East Yard always makes me feel like I can channel my anger into useful and effective action that actually makes my community and the world better for all of us.
3. What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns? I think that the time I spend fighting for clean air is also time that my kids don’t get to play at a park, or get to be home with us. It forces us to do more work to protect our health from polluters– and the agencies that won’t hold polluters accountable.
4. Call to Action: What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities? I want them to get involved. I want them to come out to meetings, to make space for frontline and Indigenous communities, I want them to invest their own time and energy to learn about the issues. I want them to do the work alongside us.

Lupe Valdovinos

1. The most rewarding part about being a mother is being able to foster the growth of such an amazing child. To see her free spirit blossom into the person that she will become is witnessing a pure kind heart that will live to share those same values she naturally possess. She is courageous and resilient, my Dahlia is my sunshine and I hope I don’t fail her. And her smile is all that matters.

 

2. Being an active community member with East Yard has been a journey that has elevated me to discover my passion. That passion is to care and fight for an equitable environment for all. Fighting smart and losing fear and just going for what is deserving of our communities is something East Yards has taught me. I have found a home with the community members that have the same values about our surroundings, our well being and our families. The most rewarding part is constantly learning to be a better person. East Yards is a village that helps maintain the well being of every individual they encounter who shares the same values, values such as to respect our lands, all people and to support each other. (kinda sounds like a gang but we non-profit lol)

 

3. The challenges I face as a mother fighting for environmental rights is having family support. As a Latina woman trying to convince family that what I’m doing matters and them not believing in you or the fight shakes up your insights, an internal emotional mental toll tries to bring you further down. They don’t believe your role, they understand the cause but do not believe that you can do anything to change the powers that be. This is the hardest part so a detachment overcomes our home, I try to ignore it as much as I can. But that is not resolving anything emotionally, yet I will continue to participate because, not only do I care for my immediate family’s well being from environmental hazards, but I will stand for all families/human beings/animals/ mother nature etc. and do my part however big or small my role is. But as they say “there are no small parts only small actors”.

 

4. My call to action to protect mother earth and our communities is for people to voice their concerns. To get involved and generate support with numbers. Their presence is important to change the status quo and I want to motivate my communities to partake in this movement. We need people in our communities to learn and know their rights. I want them to actively be involved. We need to rise up and demonstrate that enough is enough!

 

 

Brenda Citlalicue Rivera Baeza

 

 

What is the most rewarding part of being a mother? Hmmmm there are so many humbling experiences but hands down ALL the love! And that my children inherited my contagious laughter!!! What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with east yard? The fact that we are just that “active”! We get to see the impact of our work on different levels! What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns? Making sure we are asking the right questions and holding ourselves accountable for the choices we make for our semillitas. I’m always thinking about whether or not my decisions are in my semillas best interest. Call to Action: What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities? I frequently ask people to consider what legacy they will leave, especially the youth. What kind of ancestors will we be for the next generations? Be wise in what we use on the daily baby steps matter! It’s also important to stop think how we can remedy the harm we’ve done in our daily lives. Maria Becerra Being a mother has so many rewarding parts that I don’t have only a specific favorite, one that comes to mind right now is at night when they fall asleep I like to watch them sleep. They sleep like little angels and I forget how bad my day was. During this time I get all my energy for the next and next day.   East Yard is so much fun that you want to be involved, East Yard is a kid-friendly organization and I love how they are accepting of my creatures.   The most challenging part of being a mother in a community with environmental concerns is very alarming. It makes me angry that my babies are exposed to all the pollution just because I can’t’ afford to live in a cleaner community. People should be more involved and demand regulations for all these corporations that are getting our babies sick.

 

Maria Valenzuela

What is the most rewarding part of being a mother?

When you look back and see kids are going the right track and their healthy. When you see them push something that they want, because they’re accomplishment is my accomplishment.

 

What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with east yard?

Learning. The learning that I have accomplished through being in the meetings cuz i know a lot and knowing about my community is rewarding, and I also got to know people and the passion you have towards community.

 

What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns?

Time. time conflicts with a lot of things you want to do. Doing things and being a mother and also a working mother, the conflict of time.

 

Call to Action: What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities?

One thing I would like to see for people not just wasting providing things that they probably don’t even need, like recycling, I’ve always done it, but I’ve learned a lot. People should treasure what they have, there are many countries that don’t have water or food.

 

Rosalva Sotelo

What is the most rewarding part of being a mother? Ver a tus hijos felices, crecer, que están sanos, que no tienen vicios, que son buenos muchachos, y en todos lados te los ven bien-sobre todo felices y sanos.

 

What is the most rewarding part of being an active community member with east yard? Ver que a todos nos tratan igual, hay igualdad en todo, siempre eres bienvenido con una sonrisa.

 

What is the most challenging part about being a mother in communities with environmental concerns? Que te preocupas por que están expuestos a la contaminación, sobre  todo las preocupaciones y miedo de que ellos estén enfermos por tanta contaminacion. También el sentirte marginado, miedo a que a tus hijos los van a marginar u olvidar y nuestros hijos crean que siempre va a ser haci, y conformarse con eso.

 

Call to Action: What do you want people to do to protect mother earth and our communities?  Pues que nos unamos para luchar por el medio ambiente, sembrar árboles, juntarnos a recoger basura, limpiar nuestros ríos, nuestra comunidad.