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Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action

April 30, 2021
PESA HELPS VACCINATE THE VULNERABLE
No computer or Internet access? No problem! We’re stepping up to help those in need
While it is true the development of a COVID-19 vaccine came at record speed, the existence of the medication and access to it by those in underserved and marginalized communities are two entirely separate things.  

Like many Americans, PESA Executive Director Seymour Amster was concerned by the lack of access to vaccinations by large numbers of people in the greater Los Angeles area. Chalk it up to a host of factors, including language and cultural barriers, misinformation about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and, most importantly, lack of access to the Internet and computers necessary to make appointments. 

Amster decided to act, harnessing the power of PESA and its staff of social workers, student interns and volunteers to create pop-up vaccination clinics and provide appointment sign-up assistance and general vaccine information to the local community.

The first of the pop-up clinics on April 30 is the result of a joint effort with several partners, including SEIU 121RN Nurses Alliance whose members will administer doses; Senator María Elena Durazo (Rep. 24th District) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (AD-51, Los Angeles) whose staffs are providing outreach about the event, and community-based organization El Centro del Pueblo, which is providing the clinic’s physical location.

"This event and our future events are being hosted in the areas where there has been limited access to vaccines and a high number of individuals having COVID-19," says Amster. "Nurses have been on the front line of this pandemic and they have seen the tragedy it has caused. They want to prevent further suffering, and as such they have enthusiastically volunteered their time to provide vaccinations to the community. By partnering them with vaccine providers and sites that can host vaccine clinics and provide staff, we can defeat this pandemic and restore our community to the state it was in prior to this epidemic."

The first vaccination clinic will be open from 10-3 at the offices of El Centro del Pueblo, 1157 Lemoyne Street in Los Angeles. Second doses will be administered at the same location on May 22.

The event is open to people 16 and older, and is available on a walk-up basis, no appointment required. 
 
Those wanting more information about the vaccine or needing help making an appointment for other vaccine sites can contact PESA for assistance at (800) 894-7201 or support@pesa-edu.org.
If you’d like more information or to support PESA’s many social and educational initiatives, please contact us.