June 15, 2006 -- Volume II, Issue VII

Calendar of Events

Sun., June 17, 2006
Starts at 10 a.m.
City Terrace Park Pool
Grand Reopening
1126 N. Hazard St.
Los Angeles, CA 90063

Sun., June 18, 2006
Father’s Day

Tues., June 20, 2006
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisor Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., June 20, 2006
Starts at 5 p.m.
More Advocates for Safe
Homes (MASH) -- City Terrace
Community Meeting
East L.A. County Hall
4801 E. 3^rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90022

Thurs., June 22, 2006
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
MTA Board of Directors
Meeting
1 Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Thurs., June 22, 2006
Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Monterey Park Civic Leaders
Meeting
Monterey Park City Hall
320 W. Newmark Ave.
Monterey Park, CA 91754

Fri., June 23, 2006
5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
* Tickets at (213) 850-2050 *
Opening Night at the Bowl
Carlos Santana, André Watts
& Blue Man Group
Hollywood Bowl
2301 N. Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90078

Sat., June 24, 2006
5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
* Tickets at (213) 972-3139 *
An Evening to Remember with
Culture Clash
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
California Ballroom
404 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Mon., June 26, 2006
Starts at 9 a.m.
L.A. County Budget
Deliberation Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mon., June 26, 2006
Starts at 2 p.m.
Alameda Corridor East (ACE)
Board of Directors Meeting
Irwindale Council Chambers
5050 Irwindale Ave.
Irwindale, CA 91706

Mon., June 26, 2006
Starts at 2:30 p.m.
Rivers & Mountains
Conservancy Board of
Directors Meeting
Progress Park Plaza
Auditorium
15500 Downey Ave.
Paramount, CA 90723

Tues., June 27, 2006
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
Public Hearing
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., June 27, 2006
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
South Whittier Neighborhood
Watch Meeting
Telechron School
11200 Telechron Ave.
Whittier, CA 90605

ELYSIAN VALLEY WELCOMES MARSH STREET PARK

Since adopting the Los Angeles River Master Plan ten years ago, we've created numerous parks and pockets of green space throughout metropolitan Los Angeles. Recently, we celebrated our latest addition: Marsh Street Park. Located in the Elysian Valley neighborhood, Marsh Street Park is a majestic entry point to one of the most pristine sections of the Los Angeles River. Artists from ArtShare designed the whimsical playground equipment and

youth from the L.A. Conservation Corps helped plant native flora throughout the property. One of Marsh Street Park’s unique features is its storm water drainage component. Typically, after a rainstorm, water flows from city streets into storm drains -- and that dirty water gets deposited straight into the L.A. River (and, ultimately, the Pacific Ocean). We removed the section of the storm drain that ran below the Marsh Street Park property and constructed the park to include a natural land depression. As a result, storm water collects in the depression, slowly seeps into the earth, and is filtered naturally before it enters the L.A. River. This set-up also replenishes the natural underground aquifer system by allowing the water to soak deep into the ground between sand, rocks, and clay. In arid Los Angeles, this is especially important. The total cost of Marsh Street Park was approximately $985,000. L.A. County contributed $288,000 in park bond (Proposition A) monies; the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy contributed the remaining amount via funds they received from the State of California. Soon, Marsh Street Park will be formally connected to the L.A. River Bikeway and plans are underway to construct an adjacent skate park. Look for details about other L.A. River (and San Gabriel River) projects in future newsletters.

HUNTINGTON PARK LIBRARY REFURBISHED

As anyone living in the First District knows, public libraries often function as de facto after-school programs for local youth. So it was with great pleasure that I joined library advocates, elected officials, and local residents to officially reopen the Huntington Park Library. It features a new circulation desk, renovated office space for library employees, and restrooms that are accessible to people with disabilities as well as new carpet, paint, windows, lighting, and signage. The Huntington Park Library also includes a vibrant children's area -- with striking murals adorning the entrance and window areas -- and a section for teens. In addition, it houses one of the few Native American Resource Centers in Southern California. L.A. County contributed $3 million total to finance these upgrades and refurbishments; the City of Huntington Park contributed $50,000. Huntington Park Mayor Juan Noguez, Councilwoman Elba Guerrero, Councilwoman Ofelia Hernandez, and former Councilman Ric Loya deserve a special commendation for their dedication to this project.

LAC+USC STERILIZATION CONTROVERSY REMEMBERED

It's difficult for some people to believe but just over 30 years ago it was common practice for physicians at the LAC+USC Medical Center to sterilize Spanish-speaking women without their consent. Without the courageous work of attorneys and staff from the L.A. Center for Law and Justice, this ghastly practice would have continued indefinitely. The fight against these sterilization abuses played a major role in my personal political awakening -- as it did for lots of other Chicanas throughout Los Angeles, especially the

members of Comisión Femeníl Mexicana Nacional, a Chicana feminist organization. Many of the women from Comisión Femeníl -- as well as the LAC+USC resident physician who first exposed the abuses -- are still fighting the good fight to this day. Evelyn Martinez, who was a student at the time, was instrumental in obtaining testimony from sterilization victims and testifying before various legislative agencies to demand change. She now serves as Executive Director of First 5 LA. Olivia Rodriguez, another Comisión Femeníl member, also worked hard on this issue. She currently heads the Chicana Service Action Center in East L.A. Dr. Bernard Rosenfeld -- the LAC+USC resident physician who sacrificed a great deal personally after deciding to go public with this scandal -- now practices medicine in Texas. Antonia Hernández worked as a lawyer at the L.A. Center for Law and Justice when she learned from Dr. Rosenfeld about sterilization abuses taking place at “Big County” hospital. She currently leads the California Community Foundation and served for years as the head of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Ultimately, Comisión Femeníl filed a class-action lawsuit against L.A. County to stop the sterilizations from continuing. (At the time, I was president of the organization.) While we didn't win the court case, we did win "informed consent.” This basically means that a patient must sign a sterilization consent form in a language she understands -- and not while in the throes of labor -- before the procedure can take place. Not long ago, the L.A. Center for Law and Justice (now run by Nancy Ramirez) honored the aforementioned individuals for their work on this issue. Though most sterilization victims have since passed away and, thus, could not join us, we accepted our commendations in their memory. The ordeals they suffered through are an irretrievable part of our community's history. They will never be forgotten.