Mutual Aid in Contempary Boyle Heights

Presenter: Jennifer Lopez

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 22-23

Semester: Spring

Faculty Mentor: Don Romesburg

Department: Women's and Gender Studies

Funding Source/Sponsor: McNair

President's Strategic Plan Goal: Diversity and Social Justice

Abstract:
Objective: This research examines the different forms of Mutual Aid/Care occurring in contemporary Boyle Heights. I plan on using a feminist epistemological lens and rhetorical methodology for Social Media analysis of public domains such as Instagram and Tiktok and examining the comments and connections that some non-profit & grassroots organization public accounts display when distributing types of Mutual Aid and community organizing. My anticipated results from this research would be to bring awareness to the different forms of participation in Mutual Aid activism and ways that social media can amplify the results of these Mutual Aid projects in Boyle Heights. This research is imperative because it highlights the necessity for community organizing and educating outside community members about issues within their community. Future directions for this research involve in-depth interviews with Boyle Heights community organizers to understand issues within the community better. In addition to the next steps towards a society-based leadership in local government, the alarming attention to the latest uproar about American politician Kevin de Leon, a Los Angeles City Council member representing District 14(Boyle Heights)