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opposition and gained certain prominence in the movement. He was responsible for naming the mothers as "Mothers of East L.A." MELA's involvement in the opposition for the prison created a greater sense of community, exposed the potential dangers that the prison could present to the existing mixed residential-industrial community, and gained major publicity protesting against the prison construction. When the prison came up for a vote in the summer of 1991, it failed by four votes.
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and CTTS to undergo proper legal procedures. After a six-year battle, MELA sued the
Environmental Protection Agency for failure to provide Environmental Impact Report prior to agreeing to the continuance of the project. In 1991 the incinerator project was abandoned due to high opposition from health
151:
culture to defend their communities from injustices. They made important connections to the mother's role as selfless caregivers by using political activism as a tool to extend that care towards the community. They have also strived to be inclusive to non-mothers. Members from MELA often relate the
138:
In 2011, MELA began working on improving the air quality of 7 schools in Boyle
Heights. This project is being funded through the $ 1 million grant from Reformulated Gasoline Fund. MELA's goal is to create a better environment for children because Los Angeles has a reputation for having bad air
104:
quickly gathered support from the East LA community such as MELA and
Greenpeace. They were able to organize protest marches, keep the community aware using their bilingual ties, and attend important hearings to make their voices publicly heard. MELA actively participated in the fight against the
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because of the disproportionate number of inmates that originated from the SoCal area. Plans regarding the site location had been under debate for three years prior to the announcement of a new prison in the region of East Los
Angeles in March 1985. Many people were not aware until Assemblywoman
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because they are mothers who have coalesced around something of immediate importance to them, the safety of their families and children". They are known nationally for their victory over the proposed state prison in East L.A. which later led MELA to take on many issues that have affected their
78:
directed attention to the issue. Molina began to rally the support of organizations and coalitions which helped gain time for their movement to grow but was coming to a decisive point by
September 1986. Not long before that a parish priest Monsignor John Moretta had become part of the prison
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which was built in 1927. MELA argued that the construction of a CVS could have hazardous environmental effects and increase the alcohol selling/buying ratio. The East Los
Angeles Association (ELARA) stated that "it would mean critical revenue for any future city of East Los Angeles." The
126:. MELA, Senator Al Torres, California Association of School Health Educators and other important groups played a critical role in petitioning and protesting against the plant. They rose issues against the facility location, an emergency contingency plan, waste minimization,
100:, in the city of Vernon, within 7,500 feet (2,300 m) of homes, schools, churches, hospitals, and food processing facilities". The planning for this incinerator had been under the rug for two years before the news was announced. Assemblywoman
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conditions of their low income communities and their histories to be a strong factor in believing that they have the right to oppose state-proposed projects if they believe it is detrimental to the health of the community.
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MELA's focuses on conservation programs like health education campaigns, raising money for scholarships, informing the community about environmental injustice through mass demonstrations, community and legal hearings.
130:, methods of public outreach, and alternate transportation routes. In 1991, Chem Clear abandoned the project due to a recession. Nonetheless, MELA considered it a victory against yet another harmful project.
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are some of the founding mothers among the 400-member group. Two organizations exist today which originate from the same founding members, one organization being the
Mothers of East LA and the other being
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a business oriented private nonprofit organization that tries to make resources more accessible to the public and tries to be involved with city beautification projects
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incinerator for several reasons: harmful health effects from probable increased air, pollution, environmental discrimination from large companies and failure for the
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622:"Group Launches Petition Drive Against Hazardous Waste Plant : Construction: The opponents of the facility say a full environmental impact report is needed"
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environment and quality of life and has been unceasing in their dedication to protect their community from other projects they perceive as harmful.
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an organization that focuses on providing enrichment programs through athletics, education, culture, and community activities for kids
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A few weeks after the victory over the incinerator project, ChemClear, a treatment plant for hazardous waste, was proposed in the
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Mothers of East LA has worked alongside many other organizations that have fought for the quality of life in the community.
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tries to improve and enforce ideas on how to protect and make the community grow to become a safe and clean environment
27:
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819:
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Pardo, Mary (March 1990). "Mexican
American Women Grassroots Community Activists: "Mothers of East L.A."".
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These organizations assist MELA in creating public improvement projects geared towards greater community.
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non-profit organization that works to create and help low income housing projects around their community
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risks and a change of a new conditional agreement which included "preparing an EIR, and to incorporate '
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focusing in environmental issues through "education, scientific analysis, and public protest”
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451:"Gloria Molina Has Championed LA's Eastside. Looking Back At Some Of Her Landmark Efforts"
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35:
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Mexican
American Women Activists: Identity and Resistance in Two Los Angeles Communities
477:"After 40 years, Boyle Heights priest still irks politicians and fights for his flock"
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881:
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890:"Guide to the Juana Beatriz Gutiérrez Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA) Collection"
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The archives of
Mothers of East Los Angeles are held in the University Library at
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849:
93:
69:(CDC) was ordered by the California state legislators to build a prison in the
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850:"The Mothers of East Los Angeles: (Other)Mothering for Environmental Justice"
790:"Mothers of East Los Angeles Appeal Golden Gate Theatre Drugstore Project"
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354:"The Mothers of East L.A. Transform Themselves and Their Neighborhood"
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MELA transformed traditional networks, resources based on family, and
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works to try to end poverty in Los Angeles and all around California
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647:"'Mothers of East LA' Takes On Air Quality at Boyle Heights Schools"
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mothers to fight the proposed construction of a state prison in
414:"Passion of Aurora Castilla: The Militant Mothers of East L.A."
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In 1987 California Thermal Treatment Systems announced that an
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American Lung Association, American Lung Association (2011).
548:. Planning and Conservation League Foundation. Archived from
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In 2010 MELA has been involved fighting against the proposed
302:""No Prison in East L.A.!" A Birth of a Grassroots Movement"
765:"East LA's Golden Gate Theater Cleared for CVS Conversion"
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John F. Kennedy School of Government, Case Studies Program
535:
533:
531:
529:
813:
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376:
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892:. 1978–2004 – via Online Archive of California.
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allowed the conversion of the theater to CVS store.
542:"California Heroes Â" Toppling a Toxic Incinerator"
912:Hispanic and Latino American culture in California
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407:
405:
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114:’ (BACT), and update its health risk assessment".
96:was going "to be constructed in the heart of the
183:Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles
848:Thomas, Christopher Scott (October 20, 2018).
710:(Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies): 1–7.
8:
34:. Rosa Diseno, Lucy Ramos, Mary Lou Trevis,
917:Hispanic and Latino American organizations
449:Rojas, Leslie Berestein (March 16, 2023).
820:"What would East LA get out of cityhood?"
512:. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
45:Madres de Este Los Angeles, Santa Isabel.
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896:California State University, Northridge
577:. Environmental Protection Agency. 1991
261:
599:
588:
704:Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies
383:"East LA Prison Stakeholder Analysis"
47:Both groups are primarily focused on
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739:"Mothers Fight Pollution in East LA"
737:O'Neill, Stephanie (April 9, 1993).
67:California Department of Corrections
922:Organizations based in Los Angeles
352:Sahagun, Louis (August 13, 1989).
200:Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce
20:Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA)
14:
475:Campa, Andrew J. (May 28, 2023).
112:best available control technology
22:, started in 1986, as a group of
381:Miller, Lesley (June 24, 2006).
818:Salgado, C.J. (June 23, 2010).
572:"RCRA Permit Appeal Fact Sheet"
107:Environmental Protection Agency
927:History of women in California
854:Southern Communication Journal
763:Smith, Dakota (May 25, 2010).
620:Holguin, Rick (May 16, 1991).
16:American advocacy organization
1:
866:10.1080/1041794X.2018.1488986
412:Stuart, Betsy (Spring 1992).
327:"Mothers of East Los Angeles"
61:East Los Angeles State Prison
231:Work during the 21st century
124:Huntington Park, California
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331:U.S. National Park Service
681:The State of Air (Report)
243:in place of the historic
208:Hollenbeck Youth Center
674:"The State of Air 2011"
504:Pardo, Mary S. (1998).
300:Varley, Pamela (2000).
270:"MELA official website"
598:Cite journal requires
430:on September 27, 2013
102:Lucille Roybal-Allard
98:South Coast Air Basin
88:Incinerator in Vernon
83:Environmental Justice
49:environmental justice
932:Women in Los Angeles
552:on September 1, 2013
421:Northeast Papers Inc
333:. September 28, 2021
250:Board of supervisors
245:Golden Gate Theater
134:School air quality
128:fugitive emissions
71:Los Angeles County
626:Los Angeles Times
481:Los Angeles Times
358:Los Angeles Times
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192:AD Hoc Committee
143:Motherly activism
56:Political history
32:George Deukmejian
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28:East Los Angeles
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274:the original
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241:CVS Pharmacy
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30:by Governor
19:
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139:pollution.
94:incinerator
906:Categories
769:Curbed L.A
390:Memorandum
256:References
882:158445586
874:1041-794X
829:April 16,
800:April 12,
774:April 20,
687:April 19,
657:April 10,
631:April 17,
581:April 16,
556:April 10,
434:April 20,
363:April 10,
174:Watchdog
706:. 11.1.
486:June 14,
460:June 14,
337:June 14,
724:3346696
683:: 11–13
546:Summary
311:July 7,
880:
872:
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217:TELACU
169:About
156:Allies
38:, and
24:Latina
878:S2CID
720:JSTOR
677:(PDF)
575:(PDF)
455:LAist
428:(PDF)
417:(PDF)
386:(PDF)
870:ISSN
831:2012
802:2012
776:2012
750:2022
689:2012
659:2012
633:2012
604:help
583:2012
558:2012
514:ISBN
488:2023
462:2023
436:2012
365:2012
339:2023
313:2021
282:2013
65:The
862:doi
712:doi
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