EDITORIAL OPINION by David Trujillo LOS ANGELES—This is about more than just the daily statistics, anxious review of we each, as fathers, and family member, conduct of the . It is about living and dying. Most people are following the overall coronavirus daily statistics. But it is only recently that concerns have been raised about the effects of COVID-19 on racial groups. Latinos, African Americans and other people of color are dying in high numbers from COVID-19. Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti has stated that L.A. County has the highest rate of Latino deaths in the nation. Overall in California, among the skyrocketing number of diagnosed cases leading to a fatality—Latinos continue to comprise about 30%. This number is growing daily. We should all be concerned. The reason for this concern was highlighted by Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of L.A. County Public Health, who indicated at a recent press conference that “...data on race or ethnicity of people who have died are in

By Shirlee Smit h B oyle Heights - African Americans Were There , our organization, seeks to develop a historical perspective documenting the early arrivals and the continuous influx of our elders into this vibrant and multicultural community. Through stories, pictures and more, we work to present the facts surrounding our existence. We work to restore our history. And equally as important, we work to educate the public. Please contact us (626) 296-2777 with stories or other information regarding African Americans in Boyle Heights.  The stories of Black families in Boyle Heights have a common thread—moving from Boyle Heights but coming back to the “home place,” race relations, and the unique ability to never be too far away from their local relatives. African Americans N Boyle Heights - We Were There stories focus on where they worked, where they came from, their hopes and dreams. All African Americans who lived in Boyle Heights didn’t necessarily grow