Lindsey Horvath, L.A. County Supervisor
People are still unable to move back into their homes five months after the Palisades Fire.
There is still no cause of fire, and no promise if people rebuild in Pacific Palisades or Altadena that this devastation won’t happen again. Insurance is not paying for people to rebuild or paying for all the possessions.
But today, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath released two important communications: one about bicycle safety and the release below, which gave this editor time to try and remember her Spanish verbs, before she went to Google translate.
Below is Hovath’s reléase “Junio es el mes de concientizacion sobre la silicosis in el condado de Los Angeles.” Los Angeles County is creating the Office of Occupational Health and Safety, investing $500,000 in community outreach with organizations like Pacoima Beautiful and IDEPSCA.
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PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA
DATE: June 3, 2025
CONTACT: Constance Farrell, Communications Director
cfarrell@bos.lacounty.gov I 213-509-2187
JUNIO ES EL MES DE CONCIENTIZACIÓN SOBRE LA SILICOSIS EN EL CONDADO DE LOS ÁNGELES
LOS ANGELES, CA – Hoy, la Junta de Supervisoras del Condado de Los Ángeles aprobó una moción presentada por la Supervisora Lindsey P. Horvath y coescrita por la Supervisora Hilda L. Solis para proclamar junio de 2025 como el Mes de Concientización sobre Silicosis en el Condado de Los Ángeles. La moción instruye al Departamento de Salud Pública a continuar con los esfuerzos de educación, prevención y apoyo comunitario, y solicita a la Oficina de Asuntos Legislativos del Condado que abogue por protecciones más estrictas y mayor financiamiento a nivel estatal y federal. Esta acción pone atención urgente sobre una crisis de salud pública que ha afectado gravemente a trabajadores de la industria de fabricación de piedra, en especial a inmigrantes latinos en el Valle de San Fernando.
“Silicosis está truncando las vidas y los sueños de personas trabajadoras—padres, hijos, vecinos—aquí mismo en nuestras comunidades. Es una enfermedad prevenible, pero solo si actuamos,” dijo la Supervisora Lindsey P. Horvath. “Este mes no es solo para crear conciencia—es un llamado a la acción. Toda persona que trabaja con piedra o superficies de cuarzo manufacturado merece tener información que le salve la vida, protección y apoyo. Si has trabajado con piedra, hazte la prueba. Si conoces a alguien que lo ha hecho, dile que se haga un examen. La detección temprana salva vidas. El Condado está tomando una postura firme: no permitiremos que silicosis siga siendo un asesino silencioso. Estamos iluminando esta crisis y no dejaremos que quienes la sufren queden en la sombra.”
“La silicosis es una enfermedad pulmonar prevenible que afecta de manera desproporcionada a trabajadores latinos, inmigrantes y de bajos ingresos—especialmente aquí en el Condado de Los Ángeles,” dijo Hilda L. Solis, Presidenta Pro Témpore de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Los Ángeles y Supervisora del Primer Distrito. “Por eso la moción de hoy es tan importante. Debemos tomar todas las medidas posibles para aumentar la concientización y asegurar que nuestras comunidades no solo estén informadas sobre los riesgos para la salud asociados con su trabajo, sino también respaldadas mediante regulaciones más estrictas. Si trabajamos juntos en todos los niveles de gobierno, podemos marcar una diferencia significativa en la vida de nuestros residentes.”
En mayo de 2025, el Departamento de Salud Pública de California confirmo 322 casos de silicosis en todo el estado—más de 180 en el Condado de Los Ángeles. La mayoría de los pacientes son hombres inmigrantes latinos de entre 30 y 40 años que han pasado años cortando piedra artificial, con algunos casos detectados incluso en personas de poco más de 20 años. Sin cura aparte de un trasplante de pulmón, y con una supervivencia limitada después de la cirugía, la enfermedad ya ha provocado 31 trasplantes y 15 muertes en California.
El Condado de Los Ángeles ha respondido creando la Oficina de Salud y Seguridad Laboral, invirtiendo $500,000 en actividades de divulgación comunitaria junto a organizaciones como Pacoima Beautiful e IDEPSCA, actualizando permisos para señalar riesgos relacionados con la sílice y realizando talleres multilingües en vecindarios gravemente afectados. Los departamentos del Condado siguen expandiendo la educación, el acercamiento a empleadores y el apoyo en salud mental.
La moción instruye al Departamento de Salud Pública a mantener estos esfuerzos junto con aliados del condado, ciudades, el estado y la comunidad, y pide al equipo de Asuntos Legislativos que respalde protecciones más estrictas y financiamiento a nivel estatal y federal, incluyendo el Proyecto de Ley del Senado 20 (la Ley STOP) presentado por la Senadora Caroline Menjivar.
June is Silicosis Awareness Month in Los Angeles County
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis to proclaim June 2025 as Silicosis Awareness Month in Los Angeles County. The motion directs the Department of Public Health to continue education, prevention, and community support efforts, and requests the County Office of Legislative Affairs to advocate for stronger protections and increased funding at the state and federal levels. This action brings urgent attention to a public health crisis that has severely impacted stone fabrication workers, particularly Latino immigrants in the San Fernando Valley.
“Silicosis is cutting short the lives and dreams of hardworking people—parents, children, neighbors—right here in our communities. It is a preventable disease, but only if we act,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath . “This month isn’t just about raising awareness—it’s a call to action. Every person who works with stone or manufactured quartz surfaces deserves lifesaving information, protection, and support. If you’ve worked with stone, get tested. If you know someone who has, tell them to get tested. Early detection saves lives. The County is taking a strong stand: we will not allow silicosis to continue to be a silent killer. We are shining a light on this crisis and will not let those who suffer from it be left in the shadows.”
“Silicosis is a preventable lung disease that disproportionately affects Latino, immigrant, and low-income workers—especially here in Los Angeles County,” said Hilda L. Solis, Chair Pro Tempore of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and First District Supervisor. “That’s why today’s motion is so important. We must take every step possible to increase awareness and ensure our communities are not only informed about the health risks associated with their work, but also supported through stricter regulations. If we work together at all levels of government, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our residents.”
In May 2025, the California Department of Public Health confirmed 322 cases of silicosis statewide—more than 180 in Los Angeles County. Most patients are Latino immigrant men in their 30s and 40s who have spent years cutting artificial stone, with some cases detected even in people in their early 20s. With no cure other than a lung transplant, and with limited survival after surgery, the disease has already resulted in 31 transplants and 15 deaths in California.
Los Angeles County has responded by creating the Office of Occupational Health and Safety, investing $500,000 in community outreach with organizations like Pacoima Beautiful and IDEPSCA, updating permits to address silica-related hazards, and conducting multilingual workshops in severely impacted neighborhoods. County departments continue to expand education, employer outreach, and mental health support.
The motion directs the Department of Public Health to sustain these efforts with county, city, state, and community partners and calls on the Legislative Affairs team to support stronger protections and funding at the state and federal levels, including Senate Bill 20 (the STOP Act) introduced by Senator Caroline Menjivar.
Many may remember that IDEPSCA, which received FireAid money, was mentioned in a May 30 CTN story.
IDEPSCA: (Institute of Popular Education of Southern California) very focused on Palisades impacted workers.
“To create a more humane and democratic society by responding to the needs and problems of disenfranchised people through leadership development and educational programs based on Popular Education methodology. Specifically, our goal is to organize and educate immigrants concerned with solving problems in their own communities.” https://www.idepsca.org/
Revenue (2023) $2,314,113 (100% comes from donors) Expenses $1,418,664. Executive compensation $106,343 and other salaries and wages $849,645.
We moved back into our home in mid February. We were able to do so because 1 – our home made it. 2- insurance dropped off us SEVEN days before so we didn’t haven’t to wait and negotiate for insurance to do remediation. So your opening sentence “ People are still unable to move back into their homes five months after the Palisades Fire.” is false- there is a growing number of residents who are back.
Supervisor Horvath is directing money to non profit for immigrants to educate themselves about the danger of stone work. You can’t make this up