Asthma in the South Bronx

Recently, I learned that Harlem & the South Bronx have one of the highest rates of asthma in the nation. The illness particularly affects kids: in the U.S., asthma is the number one cause of school absences each year.

Why do so many kids in our area have asthma? Experts aren't sure, but many attribute it to pollution.

Here's an excerpt taken from an article written by Natalie Olivero in the Gotham Gazette:

Communities like East Harlem are burdened with polluting facilities, like a multi-storied diesel bus depot operated by the New York City Transit Authority, a sanitation truck depot, and a sewage treatment plant on Ward’s Island,” said Yolande Cadore, organizing director of the environmental justice group West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. ( WE ACT), in an email. “These communities bear the burden of high asthmas rates, lung and heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Why does pollution end up in the South Bronx? According to Yolande Cadore, it's because there's not enough people fighting to keep pollution of their neighborhood.

WE ACT takes a broader approach to alleviating asthma: They fight to keep pollution out of poor neighborhoods. Cadore says that city planners often build sewage treatment plants and bus depots in poor neighborhoods of color because they assume the community will not protest as much as a rich, white community might. Cadore said this is because historically minority communities have been less politically active, less likely to vote, and have had less money to sue.

One of our mottos at MH3 is to help students become community leaders. Perhaps this is what that motto means...To inform you of the issues affecting your community, and perhaps spur some into action. Folks, what can you do to make a difference?

Image take from S. Bronx Environmental Health and Policy Study