Mothers of East Los Angeles - Santa Isabel, also known as Madres del Este de Los Angeles, organized on May 24, 1984 with the sole purpose of fighting the construction of a proposed State Prison in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. After defeating the state, and having a Bill passed, declaring that no state prisons could be built in Los Angeles County, MELA-SI continued to fight all injustices throughout their community. In the 1987 Lanser Project, MELA-SI played an integral role in stopping a municipal waste incinerator. In 1987 an oil pipeline was a great struggle for MELA-SI. They joined a city-wide coalition in order to fight the building of an oil pipeline that would have gone three feet under a Junior High School in East Los Angeles. This project was sponsored by powerful and wealthy companies, yet, the community stood together to stand up for its safety. In 1988, MELA-SI threatened to sue the City of Vernon, and California Thermal Treatment Systems (a Garden Grove based Corporation) when the threat of another toxic incinerator emerged. MELA-SI once again, would not tolerate the exploitation and abuse of the community. It would also not allow the use of the people in the community to be used as guinea pigs, and once again, they claimed victory. In 1989, the Chem-Clear Plant Project brought MELA-SI, and Huntington High School students together to stop a toxic plant that would treat 60,000 gallons of cyanide, and other hazardous chemicals, across the street from one of the largest high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. MELA-SI has fought many other battles, including the Casmalia Dump Site in Northern California, the toxic incinerator in Kettleman City, California, and malathion spraying.
Without the unity of the community, all of these victories could never have been accomplished. MELA-SI continues to promote this unity through their various programs and special events. The Water Conservation Program is a new and innovative program that is sponsored by the Department of Water and Power, Metropolitan Water District, and Central Water Basin. MELA-SI gives free Ultra Low Flush Toilets to DWP and CB customers in order to save money and water. The toilets only use 1.6 gallons of water per flush, saving up to 5,000 gallons of water per year. The old, water guzzling toilets are brought back to MELA-SI for recycling, and the money generated from the recycled toilets are then used to fund other programs. These other programs include, the Lead Poison Awareness Program. MELA-SI employs local High School students to go door to door and educate the community of the dangers of lead poison in the home. Community members are then referred to local county health clinics in order to get their children tested. The Scholarship Program gives continuing students scholarships ranging from $300.00 to $1,000.00, so that they may persue a higher education. In the last two years MELA-SI has given over $37,000.00 to 75 students. The Graffiti Abatement Program is internationally known for the pride and effort that hired local students take in keeping the community clean. MELA-SI is also proud to have an active role in the development of self-esteem and education in youth. The Mono Lake Committee in California and MELA-SI sponsors yearly visits to Mono Lake so that local youth may be exposed to areas outside of the city, and into areas of natural wildlife. MELA-SI is also a member of the Mentor Task Force in the Building a Healthier Community Program at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles.
All of these combined efforts and triumphs are what keeps our community united, strong, and proud.