The  Community Engagement Core of the MADRES Environmental Health Disparities Center is pleased to share a video about our work to build environmental health literacy around toxins and health impacts found in commonly used household cleaning products with Latina mothers. The popular education workshops, done in partnership with public health interns from CalStateLA, introduce concepts of environmental health and justice rooted in participants lived experience while providing alternative methods for participants to create their own “Do It Yourself” green cleaning products.

From the video, here is a glimpse of what our staff, interns, and workshop participants have said about this work:

“I think USC Environmental Health Centers has also taught us the importance of research in our community because it’s important to be able to bring back this information, to be able to translate it to inform not only our community but also officials, and policy and people that are in charge so that we can start to make changes on a different level.” Cristina Hernandez, former intern

“I feel that the internship could be a model that many universities and many organizations could take on because they are giving students the opportunity to actually apply what they are learning in school.” Marisela Rosales, former intern

“Working here and being an intern has been very positive, I’ve learned so much. I’ve gotten to develop a lot of skills regarding community and leadership.” Diana Morales, former intern

“By participating in this workshop I learned that what I was using to clean my home was toxic. I also learned how to make an organic cleaning product that you can make at home. One hundred percent, that I am going to make changes so that my family is healthy.” -workshop participant (quote translated into English from Spanish)

“What’s really exciting about this work, is that a lot of the residents are eager to share their stories and their lived experiences.” Zully Juarez, Community Engagement Project Coordinator

We produced this video in partnership with Sandy Navarro and Angelica Romero of L.A. Grit Media. Please follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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