As you may be aware, the Eastside, specifically Boyle Heights, is currently experiencing a major environmental catastrophe. The Lineage Logistics warehouse fire that began on Wednesday, June 17th in Boyle Heights, just down the street from InnerCity Struggle’s Youth and Community Center, continues to burn. Plumes of smoke with harmful particles are being pushed across the region and beyond. The City of Los Angeles and State of California have declared this a state of emergency.
The air is not safe to breathe. A smoke advisory has been issued throughout a large portion of Los Angeles County. However, for the immediate surrounding community, the situation is more dire. I myself am a resident of unincorporated East Los Angeles land am directly feeling the impacts of the Lineage fire. Members of my family have shared that their eyes and throats have become irritated. The Los Angeles Fire Department expects smoke to last for another three days and for the fire to last until the end of the week. Prolonged exposure to smoke places the greatest burden on elders, children, people with respiratory conditions and compromised immune systems, outdoors workers, low-income immigrant families and our unhoused neighbors.
State of the Eastside Event Cancelled
In light of this crisis, we have made the important decision to cancel our upcoming event, the State of the Eastside, so that our organization could focus on providing rapid relief in the Boyle Heights and unincorporated East Los Angeles communities. We appreciate your support and understanding on this decision.
Registration Refund
If you have purchased a pass and would like a refund, please email our Development Coordinator, Jonathan Perez, at [email protected].
How you can help
Please consider allowing your registration fee to remain as a contribution supporting our ongoing work in response to this crisis. If you would like to do so, no further action is needed. Your support allows us to remain nimble and responsive in moments like these, helping us meet emerging community needs and directing resources to where they are needed most.
In the coming days, we will share additional information about ways to get involved, support relief efforts and stay connected. While June 25th may look different than originally planned, we hope you will continue to hold the date and join us in support of our rapid relief efforts.
In Struggle and Solidarity,
Henry Perez
Executive Director