Last week, people across the world marched through city streets in hopes of prompting world leaders to act on the climate crisis. Over 7.6 million people participated in this strike from cities in over 185 countries, according to the Global Climate Strike website. These protestors demanded immediate action in the climate crisis from their respective elected officials. This event was inspired by the words and actions of Swedish 16-year-old, Greta Thunberg, who has made significant influences in the current climate crisis conversation — some say she's the spark that lit the Climate Strike fire. "We have gathered today because we have chosen which path we want to take, and now we are waiting for the others to follow our example," Thunberg said at an earlier climate protest in ...
Dallas families needs 20,000 affordable housing apartment or single-family units. That kind of housing shortfall, which can make it hard for Latino and other low-income families to afford health care and other health-promoting assets, requires action from city leaders in a variety of ways. Enter the Dallas Land Bank Program. The program, halted two years ago, is back to provide "lots to builders in underdeveloped parts of town to boost the amount of housing for low to middle-income families," according to Reform Austin. "This is really a great way for the city to take unproductive land, put it back into production, and create affordable housing with this program all at one time," David Drury, manager of the Dallas Land Bank Program, told cbsdfw.com.
How the Dallas Land Bank ...
Access to affordable housing, coupled with residential segregation continues to be problematic for communities across the U.S. While this impacts many communities across the U.S., Latino, and African American communities are especially struck. Recent data goes to show that Latino neighborhoods face more significant risks of experiencing gentrification than other minority groups, according to the Harvard Gazette. The good news is, new solutions are emerging through policy and plans aimed at promoting equity in housing for all. One way current political leaders are trying to do this is through "Opportunity Zone" incentives. The problem? This kind of program can lead to the gentrification of racially segregated communities who face displacement when their home is ...
For over 100 days in 1996, Melanie Cambron experienced migraines so severe she couldn’t leave her home. Other maladies surfaced during this time — all of which had no reasonable explanation. It wasn’t until she discovered she was one of the many people experiencing Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT), that everything changed. “My symptoms kept escalating,” Cambron said. “There was a lot of cognitive dysfunction, also known as brain fog—an inability to think and form rational thoughts—lots of depression, lots of anxiety, wild mood swings, and just general malaise. “Doing one little activity, that would seem normal, would wipe me out for two days. I would be bedridden for a couple of days for just running one little, quick errand.” Since this ...
Is the water coming from your tap safe? Research shows that millions of Americans face harmful exposure every day — from chemicals in public water. Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food and Water Watch, and Michelle O’Leary, member of the New York Water Project, join Salud Talks to discuss toxic substances in municipal water supplies. Check out this discussion on the #SaludTalks Podcast, Episode Four, "Drinking Problems"! WHAT: A #SaludTalks discussion on how we understand health and information
GUESTS: Patty Lovera, assistant director of Food and Water Watch, and Michelle O’Leary, member of the New York Water Project
WHERE: Available wherever fine podcasts are downloaded, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Tune In, and others.
WHEN: The ...
In recent years, housing affordability in the U.S has emerged as a key issue that increasingly affects low-income households and millions of middle-class renters. People across age demographics' ideals concerning housing are shifting — hoping to find an urban experience. This movement is in contrast with the suburban American dream of the past. However, rental rates are rising and wages are stagnating, which is causing neighborhoods to struggle and putting pressure on the housing development industry. In the coming years, much of the increase in both population and in households will be among precisely those groups that today are being left behind in homeownership growth. Our older and historic neighborhoods now have a new mission to provide homes for the young, for new ...
Children are meant to learn and thrive while at school — not face harmful lead exposure through the water supply. Unfortunately, schools in at least 22 U.S. states failed to protect students from water contamination, including lead. This kind of exposure can cause a host of health complications to arise, including nervous system damage and learning disabilities, especially in young children. This is a huge problem, according to Joan Leary Matthews, a senior attorney and director of Urban Water at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “It’s everywhere,” Matthews said in an interview with Salud America! “Here’s why. There’s no such thing as lead-free plumbing. Federal law has limited the amount of lead that can be in new fixtures.”
Why is Lead Possibly in ...
Although violent crimes on the Los Angeles County (48.6% Latino) Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) are rare, riders complain the high number homeless individuals makes them feel unsafe. In a 2016 survey, 29% of former riders told Metro they stopped taking transit because they felt unsafe, according to the Los Angeles Times. The next year, Metro increased spending on law enforcement and security by 37%. However, police presence alone is not enough to address perceptions of safety. “We cannot and should not arrest our way out of the problem,” said Jennifer Loew, Metro’s director of special projects. That’s why Metro paired law enforcement officers with social workers as part of their homeless outreach program.
Transit Agencies and Homelessness
Transit systems ...
The beverages that children drink during early childhood can affect their health in the future. Latino children that have regularly consumed sugary drinks are twice as likely to develop obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime, according to a new scientific review from Healthy Eating Research (HER). The review specifically studied the negative impact of sugary drinks on children’s health. “Early childhood is an important time to start shaping nutrition habits and promoting healthy beverage consumption,” said Megan Lott, deputy director of HER. HER also convened a panel of experts that recommended against flavored milks, sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages, toddler formulas, and plant-based/non-dairy milks for all children younger than 5. “By providing ...
