Recent Streetsblog LA posts about health

Reclaiming Public Space for Marginalized Communities: Bikes Don’t Fix Everything, But They Can Help

By Sahra Sulaiman | Aug 19, 2014 | No Comments

The recent tragic events in Ferguson, Missouri, and here at home in South L.A. have served to underscore just how hostile the public space can be to people of color, particularly those of lesser means. For those that live that reality day in and day out in Los Angeles, that is not news. I’ve documented […]

A Pocket Park Begins to Take Shape in South L.A.

By Sahra Sulaiman | Aug 15, 2014 | No Comments

My, my, what have we here? I pulled up at Avalon and Gage to survey the change happening at what I had always considered a terribly depressing island with great potential. In case you’re not sure what that category of traffic island looks like, here’s the “before” shot: The intersection is one that marks the […]

South L.A. Park Has Great Potential, but Lacks Sidewalks That Would Make it Accessible to All

By Sahra Sulaiman | May 30, 2014 | 2 Comments

When people talk about park access, they usually are referring to whether or not people have a park near their homes. In the case of the Jackie Tatum Harvard Recreation Center, you have a great park with some great new facilities in South L.A. — a traditionally park-poor area — but it isn’t that easy […]

Location, Location, Location: Contested Public Space Means Moving Watts School Could Deny Some Education

By Sahra Sulaiman | May 14, 2014 | 3 Comments

“They say they care about our safety, but they’re putting us in harm’s way!” It is a refrain I’ve heard several times over the last month from students of INSPIRE Research Academy, a state-subsidized continuation school based at YO! Watts that offers 17-24-year-olds a free education and a rare second chance to get their high […]

Got the Munchies?: South L.A. Market Conversion Project Takes Unique Approach to Health

By Sahra Sulaiman | Apr 11, 2014 | No Comments

I first met Nelson Garcia almost two years ago at an L.A. Food Policy Council (LAFPC) training event for small business owners looking to transform their stores into healthier community resources. He did not remember this when I mentioned it to him at the grand re-opening of his newly renamed Alba Snacks & Services store […]

St. John’s New Health and Wellness Campus Promises Good Things for South L.A.

By Sahra Sulaiman | Mar 25, 2014 | No Comments

“Is that yours?” a surprised 9-year old had asked me as I had unlocked my bike from a post at the Martin Luther King Jr. Rec Center in South L.A. last weekend. “Yes,” I had said. “Girls ride bikes, too.” He gave me a high five and flashed me a toothy grin. Much to my […]

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