Introduction

It was the basic necessities in life like water, housing rights, environmental justice, and restorative justice that changed my view on East Palo Alto (EPA) and the people around me. Through hearing stories, I have learned about the gentrification, diversity and community in EPA.

Living in Palo Alto, I realize that I come from a privileged background, but through this lens I hope to learn more and spread awareness of these issues to my friends in Palo Alto.

My interest in Chicanx/Latinx areas began during the pandemic. I noticed the inequalities that arose when my classmates from East Palo Alto were disadvantaged compared to the majority of students who had better access to the internet, tutors, and meals during the day.

Right now, I am volunteering at Nuestra Casa and Youth United for Community Action to immerse myself in the struggles that EPA is going through. Here, I have done food distribution, outreach for the eviction moratorium (AB-832 COVID-19), attended the Bay Area Tenant Conference, and heard stories about the many struggles that EPA youth are enduring. I have also done some general research on the Chicanx civil rights movement in California, including land grants, farm labor movement, educational reform and political activism. There are a plethora of untold stories in EPA that have yet to be told. Through my blog posts, I plan to create a platform to spread awareness through the diverse stories of EPA.