For example, in East Los Angeles, some schools are located near factories that emit toxic byproducts into the air and ground, putting children and their developing lungs at risk. The freeways cut through mostly poor neighborhoods, thereby exposing poor people to greater concentrations of car and diesel exhaust. These neighborhoods also have more days that exceed federal clean air standards.

We see greater incidence of lung disease, especially asthma, in minorities. Since the lungs constantly interact with the environment, what's in that environment, whether it be toxic fumes or carbon dioxide, has a great impact on a person's health. It's because of these public health matters that ALAIAC is concerned with environmental justice issues. In the coming year, we will continue to work closely with groups like the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation and Madres of East Los Angeles to explore solutions to environmental justice issues. Working together, we can make all of Los Angeles a safer place to breathe.