Posted inHealth

“Hunger Cliff” as CalFresh extended benefits end for thousands of Latinos

Due to a planned reduction in food benefits available from Los Angeles County to those most in need, many low-income Latinos and families will face what is being called a hunger cliff. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government temporarily increased its CalFresh food assistance program benefits. But these extra benefits ended on March 26, three years after the pandemic started.

The CalFresh program is designed for patients who struggle to pay grocery bills for food.

Posted inJustice

Peace and Healing Centers help most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles

This February, nine Peace & Healing Centers are expected to open and begin offering services to working-class residents living across the various communities in Los Angeles. The centers, launched by the Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights), are part of the city’s first participatory budgeting pilot program called Los Angeles Reforms for Equity and Public Acknowledgement of Institutional Racism (LA REPAIR).

Posted inEquity

CALÓ Q&A: Dr. Fernando Guerra, founder of Center for the Study of LA

Growing up in Highland Park, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, Dr. Fernando Guerra was no stranger to understanding politics and issues that arise in the city. After high school, Dr. Guerra attended the University of Southern California, where he received his bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science. He furthered his education by earning his master’s degree and doctorate of philosophy in Political Science at the University of Michigan. Dr. Guerra is the founding director of LMU’s Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles (StudyLA), which opened in 1996 in reaction to 1992 LA/Rodney King uprisings. Riots. The undergraduate center focuses on public opinion research on LA. StudyLA has been researching groups in LA, such as Latinos, to further understand the issues they face in the city and to help effect social change.

Posted inHealth

VERONIQUE DIAZ, Latina healthcare worker shares pandemic experience

Diaz is a mother of three children; two boys and a girl. She started as a volunteer at Clinica Romero when one of her children was in high school. “Someone from Clinica Romero gave us a workshop one day and I raised my hand and participated,” Diaz said. Around that time, a promotora from Clinica Romero mentioned to Diaz that she would be a good candidate as a community health worker. “I told the promotora I was too shy for that and that I couldn’t do that, but she convinced me and here I am, six years later.

Posted inEnvironment

AUDREY ALONSO, fights for enviro justice, makes crucial info accessible

Alonso, 25, of Fresno, CA, was raised by her parents and grandparents. Both of her grandparents were agricultural workers and taught her how to take care of the plants they harvested. They also showed her little tricks to save money and be environmentally friendly, like line-drying their laundry. By the age of five, Alonso recalls being in love with the earth and the environment.

Posted inHealth

Latino Equality Alliance provides mental health, Covid-19, HIV help

Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) is a Latinx LGBTQ+ nonprofit located in Boyle Heights. The organization was founded in Los Angeles around 2009 as a direct response to the passing of Proposition 8, an initiative that defined marriage as legitimate solely between a man and a woman. CALÓ NEWS interviewed Eloy Armendariz, the alliance’s development assistant to discuss issues involving the Latinx generation and healthcare.

Posted inHealthcare

EDITORIAL: Protect state’s health by covering everyone regardless of immigration status

California is ahead of the nation in its plans to insure undocumented immigrants. Many of these workers also work in essential services, such as food, farm and factory labor, and risked their lives during the pandemic to support the California economy. Let’s protect our state’s health by covering everyone regardless of immigration status.