Clinica Romero

Clinica Romero 2
Originally uploaded by CD-13.

Nearly three decades after his assassination, Msr. Oscar Romero's legacy persists in his home country of El Salvador and in hearts across the world. A champion of social justice and civil disobedience in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., Msr. Romero brought international attention to the human rights abuses that he witnessed everyday while working with the poor of El Salvador. Three years after his death, the Los Angeles Salvadoran community in the Pico-Union area came together to celebrate Msr. Romero's legacy by opening Clinica Romero, dedicated to providing a safety net for the medically uninsured from throughout Los Angeles. Over the years, Clinica Romero has provided affordable health care for thousands of residents in the area, and on the 27th anniversary of Msr. Romero's death, we gathered with the community to mark another auspicious occasion. Over the past year, my office has worked with Councilmember Reyes and Mayor Villaraigosa to identify $1.5 million for Clinica Romero, the amount needed to allow the clinic to buy their building and establish a permanent home on Lake Street, just north of Beverly. This permanence will allow Clinica Romero to fulfill the missions of equality and justice for all set forth by its namesake, and continue to serve the uninsured populations of Los Angeles.