Project #2 1

Project #2

Jolyn Jimenez

Pasadena City College

Health and Social Justice

Professor Grace Apiafi

April 25, 2021

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Where there is struggle, there is room for progress. Throughout our world there is no

such thing as “no struggle”, at first we may not notice it, but the more attention that is given, the

more apparent the problems within our community become. In fact, when I first moved to West

Covina, it seemed like a normal, non-problematic location to live. However, after being here for

a few years, I noticed there were many more issues than I had originally anticipated. Since my

sister has been attending school in this area, I noticed that poor health is a common issue, not

only amongst children and teens, but amongst adults as well. Despite the fact that the issue has

been addressed, little to no advancements have been made. However, this could also be due to

the financial issues throughout the area. In fact, another concern that has been made apparent is

the declaration of West Covina entering a state of fiscal emergency. With the introduction of

COVID-19 it has become common for people to suffer a lack of money, nevertheless, such

complications have led the city into even more impediments. However, in addition to both of

these issues, the very first issue that was made evident to me was the amount of homeless people.

Homelessness has been a problem everywhere for years; however, the amount of people

continues to fluctuate with the addition of new scenarios. There is always going to be issues

around the world, issues that we cannot solve completely, however, we can spark a change in a

positive direction.

Health is what keeps us running, not taking care of it or putting an effort into making it

better will only send the community into greater turmoil. According to studies done by the LA

county of public health (2015), West Covina reports that 28% of adults are obese in contrast to

the 6% of those in the best community and the 24% of those in LA county, in addition, 10% of

West Covina adults are also diagnosed with diabetes while the best community presents 4% and

LA county presents 10% (City and Community Health Profiles 2018). Essentially, when
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compared to other surrounding locations, West Covina contains some of the highest percentages

of diabetes and of obesity. This is important because although studies have demonstrated such

results, there has not been much done to promote any advancements. In fact, according to the US

Department of Agriculture, Food Access Research Atlas (2015), only 45% of the population of

West Covina lives in proximity to a supermarket or grocery store (City and Community Health

Profiles 2018). This means that less than half of the people within the community have easy

access to fresh and healthy produce to stock up on and to have on hand. I personally find this

interesting because I have at least six fast food restaurants less than five minutes away from my

home. If it is possible for the city to make these types of businesses local, it should also be

possible for grocery stores to be made local as well. In fact, this is part of my plan to make a

positive change within my community; I want to help make resources more accessible to those

who are being deprived. To do so, I understand that I will not be able to make dramatic changes

with the city right away but even the smallest contributions can make progress. For instance,

initially, I would like to start a garden and encourage my neighbors to do so as well, then we can

donate the produce to schools for healthy lunches and even restaurants to help reduce the use of

processed foods. Since gyms are expensive and scarce in my neighborhood as well, I can also

start a non-profit exercise group at a local park. By doing so, it has the potential to encourage

others to work out and maintain a healthy lifestyle without having to stress about the costs.

Staying healthy should not be as complicated as it is; there are other alternative and free

solutions to maintain good health, we just have to put in the effort to gain them. Nevertheless, it

seems that money somehow always partakes in every problem.

People say money is the root of all evil, in cases such as this next issue, it seems to be

true. A reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune highlights that in regards to West Covina,
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“The city is in a difficult financial situation, declaring a fiscal emergency in late May, citing the

coronavirus’ impact on the economy. But this isn’t the first time the city has been in a precarious

financial situation.” (Singgih 2020). In other words, in May of 2020, West Covina announced

that they did not have enough funds to supply and pay for certain commitments. This is

significant because due to the pandemic, we are already short on resources and help, however, if

the city is declaring fiscal emergency then that means we will start to cut back on even more

necessities. The San Gabriel Valley article also highlights that “Two years ago, it took until

August — a month into the new fiscal year and past the state-set June 30 deadline — for the City

Council to pass a balanced 2018-19 budget. To get there, the city had to lay off 21 maintenance

workers.Now, the city is considering whether or not it should keep its local fire department or

contract with the Los Angeles County Fire Department” (Singgih 2020). Due to such strain in West

Covina’s financial records, debates have been arranged on whether or not to lay off certain essential

workers. This is noteworthy because letting go of necessary sources such as fire fighters leaves the

city defenseless in the face of an emergency, which will most likely worsen the situation by leading

us into deeper financial issues. However, I believe that we can solve this crisis through mutual effort

and contributions; to do so we must start small and build up. In fact, the first step of implementing

such a plan would be to gather donations and conduct fundraisers that will be directed toward

funding the local fire department. These are emergency resources, therefore, it is crucial that we

continue to have them on-hand for any crisis that may arise. After such funding is secured, I would

then like to contact and plan a meeting city hall. By doing so, we can plan a budget that is not only

suitable for the city but for the individuals as well and we can also eliminate unnecessary finances

that allow us to work towards a positive outcome and a steady income. In fact, we can even produce

a solution well enough to help decrease the homeless population.

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Every night we go to bed with full stomachs and a roof over our heads, meanwhile, there

are people out there who have not eaten in days and sleep on concrete. As someone who uses

public transportation, it was easy for me to notice the homeless who are situated in the city of

West Covina, but as time passed, the numbers changed. A reporter notes that “The number of

homeless individuals have decreased slightly in West Covina...The numbers in total, however,

may not be accurate because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” (Singgih 2020). Despite previous

records stating that the population of homeless people in West Covina seems to be deteriorating,

the introduction of the pandemic only causes more complications. Homelessness has been an

ongoing problem for years, however, the intensity of the issue only seems to magnify in the

presence of a virus in more ways than one. The San Gabriel Tribune article also mentions that

“the percentage increase in the homeless population changed from 14.2% to 16% between 2019

and 2020” (Singgih 2020). During the time of the first COVID-19 outbreak, the percentage of

homeless people increased. The virus caused many businesses to shut down, which led to the

loss of many jobs and incomes that helped people keep a roof over their head, once those jobs

were taken away, so was their home. This is severe because the more people out on the streets

not only increases the possibility of outbreaks, but also leaves those people defenseless with no

resources to stay healthy and keep others healthy as well. Helping the homeless in any way

possible is a step in a positive direction, and if anything, the world's current situation only makes

it that much more beneficial. I have two plans in order to help my community move forward; one

short term solution and one long term, both of which have the overall goal of getting those off of

the street. My first step towards progress would be to gain the support of the city itself. I would

implement such a plan by scheduling a meeting to discuss the opening of more homeless

shelters. By opening more shelters, the homeless are eligible, and therefore more likely, to find a
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shelter in order to maintain good hygiene and therefore good health. This gives society a boost

because it not only reduces the spread of bacteria but also puts a roof over the homeless’s heads

and food in their mouths. In regards to my second plan of motion; I plan to help the homeless

rebuild a better life for themselves. The process is tedious, but I would first start off by supplying

them with the essential resources and assistance to seek medical help if necessary. Once that step

is secure, stable, and successful; they should then be strong enough to maintain an unwavering

mindset and have the motivation to strive for restoration. This will then lead to further

advancement by allowing me to help them prepare and apply for suitable jobs by coaching them

through the application and interview processes. Once that is done, these people could then begin

to set up and save for an investment in a home of their own, and by then, they would even be

granted the possibility of climbing back up to the point of transitioning to a higher paying

occupation. Change cannot happen overnight, therefore we must plan for success and be willing

to invest our own time in order to make it happen.

Our world is filled with problems, but it is important to note that even the smallest steps

can make the biggest advancements. In fact, one way we can spark a positive change is by

tackling the issues in our own neighborhoods. I have lived in the city of West Covina for a few

years now, and while I had initially thought it was a perfect town, the more I paid attention, the

more I realized how many issues actually lie within my own community. I first noticed that

despite the fact that the topic of poor health was commonly taught in school, the city itself was

filled with many fast food joints. In order to move forward, I believe that we should make a

change in health and fitness by starting local gardens and exercise groups that gain people’s

attention and sparks motivation without the worry of expensive costs. Money always plays a

factor in decisions whether we want it to or not. In regards to my community, it was made

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apparent that in addition to the common issues, the city itself suffered the state of fiscal

emergency that sparked debates on whether or not emergency resources were worth the funds.

Considering such assets are essential in order to maintain a functioning and nonchaotic city, I

propose that in order to solve the issue, it would be wise to donate and fundraise money directed

towards supplying them. In addition, we can also move forward through meetings with city hall

on how to produce a stable income. Speaking of such topics, it is important to recognize the

individuals that are deprived of such a luxury; homelessness has been apparent, but this past year

has only made it grow due to the pandemic causing a loss of jobs. However, there are multiple

ways to solve this situation in regards to putting a shelter over their heads, both short and long

lasting. Solution one would be to open up more shelters; with the increase of people out of

homes it is only logical to keep up with places for them to go to. However, another resolution

would be to assist them in getting them back to a life of stability; no one wants to be homeless

forever, we all stumble and fall, therefore, it is important for us to help one another get back on

their feet. Issues continue to grow and arise because we are too caught up in ourselves to pay any

attention to them. This experience in advocating for change has personally helped me establish a

better connection with my neighborhood. Previously, I had been so blindsided by my own

desires that I neglected to see what was falling apart right in front of me and once I paid more

attention, I began picturing how great my hometown area could actually become by fixing it up.

Nevertheless, this assignment has also made me feel more motivated in regards to detecting and

solving issues, both major and minor. Despite the fact that I know I cannot solve everything, I at

least know now that I can somehow initiate a change for the better. I want my community to be

amazing and I know that overall, everywhere has the potential to be great and thrive, but not on
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its own, we all need to pitch in our own contributions for success. If we want our community to

be fixed, we need to be willing to put in the work.

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References

City and Community Health Profiles West Covina [PDF]. (2018, June). West Covina: Los

Angeles County Department of Public Health. City and Community Health Profiles.

Singgih, P. (2020, July 31). Number of homeless individuals dips slightly in West Covina.

Retrieved April 25, 2021, from https://www.sgvtribune.com/2020/07/30/number-of-

homeless-individuals-dips-slightly-in-west-covina/

Singgih, P. (2020, June 18). West Covina continues to grapple with money problems. Retrieved

April 25, 2021, from

https://www.sgvtribune.com/2020/06/17/west-covina-continues-to-grapple-with-money-

problems/