By Brent Beltran
On Friday, July 15 from 11:30am to 1pm the San Diego Chargers will be bringing their pro-East Village stadium campaign to Barrio Logan for the Family Health Center’s Spirit of the Barrio luncheon.
B.A.STA!, Barrios Against STAdiums!, will be outside the event holding a silent protest with signs and banners opposing the Chargers efforts to build a stadium one block from Barrio Logan. A press conference will also take place.
Barrio Logan is undergoing a transition due to land speculators buying properties and raising rents/leases off the backs of the hard working residents and artists who have created a vibrant Barrio Arts District. Longtime small businesses and residents are being pushed out.
A stadium and entertainment district one block from our doorstep will only accelerate the gentrification of this working class community. More homeless people and the various issues that follow will be forced into our already struggling barrios.
The notorious Barrio Logan parking problem will only get worse with fans and convention goers parking in our community. More cars equal more exhaust in one of California’s most polluted zip codes. Barrio Logan already has to deal with a myriad of issues that no other community would tolerate. We do not want more!
This silent, peaceful protest (they all won’t be silent, this one is out of respect for the history and work of Family Health Center) will be the beginning of a grassroots, barrio-based campaign against any plan that creates the possibility of a stadium in the East Village, be it from the Chargers or other Citizens.
B.A.STA!: Barrios Against STAdiums! is a grassroots community group comprised of Barrio Logan and other barrio residents and allies formed to oppose the siting of a stadium in San Diego’s East Village.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Fight the Good Fight!