Posted inJustice

Latinos increasingly victims of hate crimes in LA County, and become perpetrators

In places like LA County, hate crimes have been increasing instead of decreasing. ​​The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations released its annual LA County Hate Crime Report last month on December 7. The report shows hate crimes in LA County grew 23% from 641 in 2020 to 786 in 2021. This is the highest number recorded since 2002. The report revealed that Latinos are the second-largest group of hate crime victims.

Posted inHealth

KAT NOVOA, founded Babes of Wellness gym for body and mind

In addition to being a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach and certified Olympic weightlifting coach, Novoa is also a domestic violence advocate. Witnessing domestic violence, which, according to Esperanza United, affects about 1 in 3 Latinas (34.4%) in their lifetime, during her childhood, Novoa shared a blog post about her own experience in 2017. Soon after, she received an overwhelming amount of feedback from survivors and invitations from different shelters in Orange County, LA and Long Beach to speak and share her story. “I felt that we needed to, again, start having these conversations because, if we don’t have the conversation, nothing’s going to happen, and domestic violence is going to continue,” Novoa said

Posted inEquity

JOSE TRINIDAD CASTAÑEDA, first Latino on Buena Park Council

History has been made in Orange County this midterm election as Castañeda is the first Latino, Native American and LGBTQ person to be elected to the Buena Park City Council. Castañeda beat out his other opponents, winning 43.4% of the vote in a three-way race, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. He will fill one of the two open seats on the Buena Park City Council board representing District 2.

Posted inHealth

DR. SUSANA MARQUEZ, tackling Latina perinatal mental health

Dr. Susana Marquez is a specialized maternal mental health clinician. She educates mothers on what maternal mental health is and helps their family’s understand what these mothers are experiencing during their pregnancy. She educates on the importance of the mother’s mental and emotional well-being by connecting them with the proper resources in the community. Dr. Marquez is also a health advocate, speaker, and educator in the Latino community, with services in both English and Spanish.