We deserve gardens, not refineries
When I think about what I love about my city, the first thing that comes to mind is my grandparents’ garden. Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were playing with the seeds and plants in my grandparents’ backyard in Carson, where I am currently a high school student and APEN LA member.
Carson is a small city where everyone knows each other. Growing up in a Filipino-immigrant household, I’m grateful to have grown up in a diverse place where I feel welcomed, where we’ve always felt like we fit in.
Unfortunately, Carson isn’t perfect. There are oil drilling and refineries five to ten minutes away from my house. When we first moved here, my family had never thought much about the environment. At the time, all that mattered was finding a place affordable enough to keep my family safe and warm.
A few years later, my mother began to experience issues with her breathing and lungs. At first, we didn’t pay much attention to her condition. However, it was hard not to notice when so many of our neighbors and family friends have gotten sick in similar ways.
That’s where APEN comes in. Becoming an APEN member has helped me connect the dots between my experiences and those of my neighbors – a crucial step toward getting organized and fighting for our health and wellbeing.
APEN Los Angeles member Jessica Aquino (left) at the 2024 APEN Academy LA graduation.
When I started a gardening club at school with my friends, APEN organizers Janielle and Seng reached out to us in hopes of educating and getting the youth more involved. They came to our meetings and shared important information about the environment here in Carson. Over time, I became more concerned about the future of our health – and interested in getting involved with APEN.
This year, I attended APEN Academy, a training program for new members. I learned so much about the hidden issues in Carson, where there are a lot of industries that pollute our air, making us sick and lowering our quality of life.
I want to see people healthy. There are so many refineries around critical areas in our city like schools and hospitals, leaving many of us with health problems such as cancer, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. We didn’t choose to live in these conditions, and we deserve better.
Families like mine deserve to grow up in communities full of gardens, not refineries and toxic smoke. By joining together, we can fight for that future.
When you donate to APEN, you are supporting the leadership of working-class Asian immigrant and refugee communities like mine. Thank you.
Jessica Aquino is an APEN Los Angeles member from Carson, where she is currently in high school.
