The theme this year is Community Participation. Though we have made progress in asserting our right to a clean environment, the South Bay of Los Angeles still has a long way to go before it’s good enough for the next generation to inherit. Awareness and mobilization will play a role in that vision for the future.

Through the generosity of volunteers and event sponsors, the event is totally free and open to the public. We are encouraging residents of all ages and backgrounds to attend. Your participation is important since Earth Day is organized by our community, for our community. The only way or us to create lasting change is through community participation. This event is funded in part by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation.

We hope you will consider attending. For any questions please contact:

John Harrison

Project Coordinator, People’s CORE

213-241-0995, jharrison@peoplescore.net

Over the course of 2011, great strides were made throughout the Golden State in protecting Californians where they are most vulnerable to secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) exposure – their homes. Numerous state, county, and city officials have recognized the need to address SHS in multi-unit housing.

At the state level, the California legislature passed SB 332 this past September, which clearly states a landlord’s authority to ban smoking on their residential properties. Although landlords have always had the authority to implement policies, including smoke-free policies, pertaining to the well-being of their tenants and their buildings, some landlords had been hesitant to do so because they were not able to find language explicitly declaring that authority. Effective January 1, 2012, the SB 332 authorizes “a landlord of a residential dwelling unit to prohibit the smoking of tobacco products on the property, in a dwelling unit, in another interior or exterior area, or on the premises on which the dwelling unit is located.”

Members of Healthy Lungs @ Home: Cerritos-Artesia meet with Senator Alan Lowenthal, whose district includes Cerritos and Artesia, and District Representative Irantzu Pujadas

At the county level, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics jointly hosted a mid-November press conference at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to inform the public about the hazards posed by secondhand smoke in apartments and condominiums. During the conference, Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, announced that “Even if you are a non-smoker, you and your family might still be exposed to toxic levels of tobacco smoke at all hours of the day inside your own home.”

At the city level, municipalities all over Los Angeles County including Pasadena, Baldwin Park, and Compton took the initiative in assuring the health of residents by supplementing or adding to their municipal codes to require smoke-free spaces within apartments and condominiums.

Raising Awareness in Cerritos and Artesia

Healthy Lungs @ Home: Cerritos-Artesia (HLH: Cerritos-Artesia) applauds the leadership demonstrated at all levels of government and congratulates those cities in Los Angeles County for prioritizing the health of their citizens through the local smoke-free multi-unit housing ordinances that have been enacted.

Over the past year, HLH: Cerritos-Artesia, a coalition of concerned residents and community members, has endeavored to raise awareness in Cerritos about the dangers of secondhand smoke in the home and the health benefits of smoke-free housing. According to a public opinion survey of 500 Cerritos residents conducted by HLH: Cerritos-Artesia, 95.2% of respondents believe that secondhand smoke is harmful to people’s health; 80.2% indicated that they would be in favor of a law prohibiting smoking in some units of residential buildings; and 87.7% would prefer to live in a non-smoking section of a building as is done in hotels.

This past summer, awareness efforts were expanded to the city of Artesia and the same public opinion survey is currently being conducted among Artesia residents. Although survey results are not yet available, Wendy Natividad, a Health Policy Liaison with HLH: Cerritos-Artesia, has met a number of residents who have expressed concern about secondhand smoke in the community. One apartment resident is a senior citizen whose asthma has been agitated by his neighbors’ frequent smoking. A local church parishioner, whose daughter presently studies public health, is a non-smoker who shared that she is “glad that there is an organization like [HLH:Cerritos-Artesia] to help people who are having problems with secondhand smoke.” Another apartment resident is concerned about how his neighbors’ heavy smoking is impacting their own children.

How Cerritos and Artesia Residents Can Get Involved

Despite the progress in 2011, there is still much work left to do in protecting apartment and condominium residents from secondhand smoke. For example, SB 332 does not specifically require all landlords to ban smoking; it only says they are allowed to do it. That is why HLH: Cerritos-Artesia continues to foster discussion about how secondhand smoke in the home can be addressed.

As a Cerritos or Artesia resident, you have a variety of ways to address secondhand smoke in the community:

• Are you or someone you know an apartment or condominium resident affected by secondhand smoke? Come share your story or invite others to share at the next HLH: Cerritos-Artesia meeting, meet others who are also experiencing issues with secondhand smoke, and learn what steps you can take to address it.
• Schedule an educational presentation for your church, school, or civic organization to learn more about how secondhand smoke particularly impacts residents of multi-unit housing.
• Artesia residents can contact HLH: Cerritos-Artesia if they wish to respond to the previously mentioned survey with their thoughts on smoking and tobacco use.
• Volunteer with HLH: Cerritos-Artesia to assist with outreach and increasing awareness at meetings and local events.

To learn more or to get involved, call 562-281-LUNG (5864) and ask for Wendy Natividad or email HLHcerritos@gmail.com.

You can also connect with HLH: Cerritos-Artesia online. Visit:

http://center4tobaccopolicy.org/HLHcerritos

http://facebook.com/HLHcerritos

http://twitter.com/HLHcerritos

http://HLHcerritos.tumblr.com/

People’s CORE is relaunching the Sagip-Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP) Emergency Relief Drive in response the recent tragedy brought by Typhoon Sendong in Northern Mindanao, Philippines, when it ravaged through poor communities, mainly in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

The death toll has reached 927, hundreds are missing, and 47,000 are cramped in evacuation centers. Many who were killed were women and children.

People’s CORE will be collecting monetary donations for relief work to be conducted in Cagayan de Oro. Our sister organization in Mindanao, Moro People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment,  a registered non-governmental organization (Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Number: CN201111296), has teamed up with a group of service providers in Cagayan de Oro to provide the most immediate necessities for survival including food and clothing for babies and children.

Monetary donations can be dropped off or mailed to People’s CORE’s Main Office at 1610 Beverly Blvd., Ste. #2, Los Angeles, CA 90026 by December 31, 2011. Please write “STP Relief Drive Campaign” on the check memo. Office hours are M-F 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. In-kind donations such as used clothing are not encouraged at this time due to the logistical requirements in the cost of shipment and distribution.

This is a nationally-coordinated relief campaign with other non-profit and community-based organizations including Damayan (NY), Ugnayan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (NY/NJ), KmB / Pro-People Youth (CA), Justice for Filipino American Veterans (CA).

For more information about the relief drive please call Christine Araquel at 213-241-0995 or visit our Sagip-Tulong sa Pilipinas campaign website.

Update:

With the tens of thousands of Typhoon Sendong victims affected, there are thousands who have left the evacuation centers on the path to rebuild their lives. Many will come back home to nothing, having to start from scratch. They face the challenge of their inability to avail of additional assistance from the public sector. Sagip-Tulong sa Pilipinas Emergency Relief campaign is focused on assisting families in Cagayan de Oro on their initial steps to rehabilitation by providing assistance for a household’s basic needs. The campaign has been extended until January 16, 2012. Please help sponsor a family in Barangay Consolacion in Cagayan de Oro. Twenty dollars can help one family secure fundamental necessities such as food, water, housewares, and clothing.

At JFAV Veterans Day Parade in Historic Filipinotown

Mang Peping passed away earlier this year on February 27, at the age of 89 years old. He was born in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, Philippines on February 14, 1922. Mang Peping was a survivor of the Bataan Death March, a stalwart leader in the movement of the Filipino American WWII veterans, a resolute organizer for justice in the community, and an internationalist that has served as an inspiration for several generations.

The work of Mang Peping in the community of Southern California has inspired so many because of his indefatigable commitment to serving those in need since his involvement as a volunteer for the East West Community Partnership and a leader (first as Vice Chair and later as Chair) of the Alyansa ng Komunidad (AK, or Community Alliance) since the early 1990s. In 1993, he was a main organizer for the First Southern California Veterans Conference, which for the first time in history brought together hundreds of Filipino American WWII veterans and community leaders to initiate the political struggle of the Filipino American WWII veterans who were denied recognition, justice, and equity after having fought courageously alongside US forces in the Second World War. Shortly thereafter, Mang Peping then became the Founding Chair of the December 7th Movement (D7M).

At an Alyansa ng Komunidad (AK) meeting at Golden Agers of Los Angeles (GALA)

In 1994, Mang Peping also served as Co-Chair of the Kaisahan Laban sa Inisyatiba 187 (Unity Against Proposition 187) to defend the rights of immigrant communities. From 1997 – 2011, Mang Peping also served as a member of the Board of Directors of People’s CORE to advance the socio-economic-political empowerment of the community. Throughout his community involvement, Mang Peping was also an internationalist who stood against US interventionist policies and imperialism. He was a People’s CORE representative at the First International Assembly of the International League of People’s Struggle in the Netherlands in 2001.

Planning Community Projects at People's CORE

Mang Peping always believed in the power of the people to make change, to fight against discrimination, and to stand for our rights. He has awakened many youth and community members and has inspired activism anchored in community work. We will always remember Mang Peping, his generous spirit, his tireless service to the community, and the fire in his heart to defend what is right.

“There’s nothing free. You have to fight for your rights.

And when you have that right, you have to fight to keep it.”

- Faustino “Mang Peping” Baclig