By Brian Myers and Tita Aime Cardona
Proyecto de Casas Saludables, the healthy homes project, celebrated the conclusion of their annual Leadership Academy with a graduation ceremony for the participants last month.
The project was started in City Heights as a response to the neighborhood’s growing population of Latino children affected by asthma. Many of the families are low-income and live in decaying apartments and houses where conditions such as mold can trigger asthma symptoms [Español].
To confront the asthma problem, Virginia Angeles, executive director of Casas Saludables, made it her mission to help her neighbors understand housing laws and tenant rights. Many are immigrants who have limited access to information about housing laws or are afraid to step forward and get authorities involved.
“Families need to feel empowered about their homes, have more tools in order to take their problems toward a real change,” Angeles said.
Recognizing the community’s diverse problems beyond substandard housing conditions, the project wanted to reach out to the broader community and educate residents on various popular burdens the community faces.
The Leadership Academy was offered as a series of workshops to help residents understand their rights, not only as tenants, but also as immigrants, employees and students.
“When they know their rights, they are going to work towards building something for a better future,” Angeles said.
Eva Luna, a graduate of the Leadership Academy, said she feels empowered to not only help herself, but begin helping others.
“I learned that this is my home,” Luna said. “And if I cherish it as my home, I should continue to give back to my community.”
Additional video footage from MACSD Teen Producers Project,”Tenants Rights – Una Vivienda Digna.”
Disclosure: Proyecto de Casas Saludables receives funding from The California Endowment, which also supports Speak City Heights.