Marlene Brand, St. Francis Medical Center, Lynwood, CA
By Marlene Brand
Hey everyone! I want to tell you about an amazing young man I just met named Angel Martinez. Angel is in the seventh grade and he recently skipped school to fight for the extension of community clinic funding for the residents of South Los Angeles.
Funding for community clinics throughout LA County is set to expire shortly and the Board of Supervisors will vote on the matter in the coming weeks. Angel was one of sixteen South LA residents who marched on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Office and urged them to extend funding for these clinics that are the only place many South LA residents can go to receive affordable healthcare.
Seventh grader Angel Martinez
Angel is no stranger to the much-needed services these funds provide at clinics such as St. John’s Well Child and Family Center. The South LA area in particular has a high rate of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and asthma. The people in this area have an estimated life expectancy of sixty-eight years old, which is ten years below the national average.
These issues are so important to Angel that he went to all his teachers ahead of time to get his homework assignments squared away. And of course, he had to get past his mother, who would only allow Angel to miss school for an action as important as this. It makes me feel proud to know that not every child in his generation has been sucked into the abyss of TV and video games—there are new leaders being born every day!
So on the morning of October 19, off Angel went with his mother and our South LA delegation to the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration to speak to the LA County Supervisors on behalf of our community, St. John’s patients, and himself. When Angel’s turn to speak came, he boldly told the legislators and their representatives that if any one of them fell ill as a child and had no place to get treatment, they may not be here today. He then exclaimed, “Nothing happens by magic! You are in office because the people put you here. Prior to getting elected, you were the little people. Don’t forget the little people now.” Judging from the expressions on the representatives’ faces, they heard and felt every single word.
Angel Martinez with the South LA residents who urged LA County Supervisors to protect community clinic funding for South LA.
Angel, who faithfully attends the South Los Angeles Right to Health Committee meetings at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center on the fourth Wednesday of every month, wants to go into politics when he grows up. He wants to be in a position where he can do the most to end the healthcare and economic disparities that the people of South Los Angeles face. We at the Right to Health Committee and SEIU-UHW are looking for great things from Angel Martinez. Governor Martinez? President Martinez? Wow, that has a nice ring to it!
Finally, I want to say to each one of you: We can all take a lesson from Angel. Don’t forget where you come from. Know your representatives and don’t be afraid to speak your mind to them. Stand up and fight for the rights and the health of the needy and the most vulnerable. Follow in Angel’s footsteps.
Good article, thank you. Could you tell me about the first paragraph in more detail?
Funding for community clinics like St. John’s Well Child & Family Center is set to expire at the end of this year. If the funds expire, approximately $11 million would be lost to clinics in South Los Angeles. These are facilities that serve our city’s most needy and vulerable families.