Durante la era del COVID-19, los latinos estuvieron sobrerrepresentados entre los trabajadores esenciales. De la misma manera, hoy encabezan la confrontación contra el cambio climático y la degradación ambiental. Ya sea que trabajen en el campo, luchen contra incendios forestales, vivan cerca de productos químicos tóxicos o alquilen viviendas de mala calidad contaminadas con pintura […]

Author Archives: Gabriel Lerner
Gabriel Lerner was born in Buenos Aires. He is the founder and co-editor of Hispanic L.A. (hispanicla.com), a bilingual site of opinions, politics and arts that reflects the Latino presence in the United States from Los Angeles. He is the current Editor Emeritus, and former Editor-in-Chief (2014-2021) of La Opinion, the largest Spanish language daily newspaper in the US. He is a journalist, columnist, publisher, consultant, poet, novelist and short story writer. He was the editorial director of Huffington Post Voces and Latino Voices (2011-2014 and the Editor-in-chief of the weekly Tiempo in Tel Aviv. He is the father of four boys (43, 36, 32, 26) and lives with Celia Grail and Princess Leia and Almendra in Van Nuys. He has published four books in Spanish, including short stories, poetry and a novel.
COMMENTARY: The forgotten victims of COVID-19
The first regulations were aimed to help renters by enacting a moratorium on evictions for those who could not pay rent because of circumstances related to COVID, like the closure of their workplaces and sometimes their children’s schools, as well as additional medical expenses.
Federal assistance for those making less than $50,000 a year and Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit payments stabilized finances for many households and prevented foreclosures, mortgage delinquencies and renters’ evictions. However, those benefits were denied to undocumented immigrant families.
COMENTARIO: ¿Quién llenará el vacío que dejó Nury Martínez en el Ayuntamiento de Los Ángeles?
Una mujer recorre las calles de mi barrio, Lake Balboa, en el Valle de San Fernando. Lleva en la mano un montón de folletos coloridos y brillantes. Camina con mesura y calma, pasando de una casa a la otra y dejando un folleto en cada hogar. Es material electoral. Mi esposa sale al patio; se […]
COMMENTARY: Climate change can’t be ignored
Climate change was not on the minds of the people of Central America 25 years ago. But they already suffered from this as well as from environmental damage. Most water sources were contaminated because of mining or petrochemicals. The rural population–35% of the total– lacks access to clean water. Many rivers dried up due to deforestation and land overuse.
And with each hurricane, earthquake, or war, the numbers of immigrants to the United States increased. More than 25% of them settled in California, especially in Los Angeles County.
COMMENTARY: Who will fill the void left by Nury Martínez on the LA City Council?
There are seven candidates and a write-in running for the 6th District, including four Latinos. Few voters usually participate in the midterm elections. And the more candidates who split the vote, the better. That means that in order to win, they need a fraction of what they normally should get.