April 13, 2016: Today, three Los Angeles communities can breathe a sigh of relief. Clean Up Green Up received a unanimous 12-0 vote in support of this community based ordinance that will transform Boyle Heights, Pacoima, and Wilmington. Read More..

Creating “Green Zones” in these three Los Angeles communities identified as “toxic hot-spots” will allow business with harsh emission to “Clean Up” by providing resources and programs through agencies and the city. Clean Up Green Up is transforming overburdened polluted communities into effervescent communities with healthy and innovative green practices.

Our fight for Environmental Justice included countless meetings, numerous planning sessions, and relentless community organizing. All these efforts led to a new position in the City of Los Angeles with the Ombudsman office. This position will take a closer look at the cumulative impacts of industries rather than a case by case stance; and connecting these business with green and innovative technologies and programs to better benefit the businesses and residents. The persistence and motivation of communities to power forward in the face of mounting opposition from some of the states’ largest polluters is a true testament to community power.

With our allies and coalitions partners we were able to turn a vision into a reality for impacted communities in Los Angeles.

Clean Up Green Up is an innovative ordinance and is the first step our city will take in focusing resources into the communities living with high asthma, cancer, and bronchitis rates due to pollution. CUGU is a model to shape the City of Los Angeles in years to come by becoming a cleaner, greener city through the work of collective and collaborative action.

Today is a day to celebrate  the communities of Boyle Heights, Pacoima, and Wilmington in their fight for justice. These communities  lead an Environmental and Health ordinance through the City of Los Angeles to reduce existing pollution, to prevent new sources of pollution and to revitalize our communities. Today, people-power won. Que Viva CUGU!