Yadira Fregoso loves the beauty of where she lives. For thirty years her home has been Antioch, a town in Contra Costa County that lies between the Mt. Diablo foothills and the San Joaquin River.
She works in the kitchen at Park Middle School and is a member of Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Throughout the years she has enjoyed walks to the waterfront and taking her four children to local beaches and parks.
These days, however, she hardly goes out. “This used to be a very safe place,” she said. “We would go to the river to see the sunset or sunrise. Sometimes we would have picnics there. I don’t feel safe anymore. I rush out for a walk and come back. I don’t go to the store at night.”
Growing economic insecurity in recent years has led to a sense of desperation on the streets. Yadira sees more and more garbage in her neighborhood. A deepening housing crisis has left many without homes and basic services.
“They don’t have another choice,” explained Yadira. “Safety and housing—they go together. There are a lot of people living by the river and a lot of them are not okay.”
“Praying is good but I want to do more.”
Yadira found an alternative to just withdrawing and lamenting her changing home. In 2018 Emma Paulino of Faith in Action East Bay visited Yadira’s church and introduced a community organizing model of research and building engagement to include city officials.
While Yadira leads her church’s children’s programs, she had always wanted to be more involved in her community. Her faith values compel her to help others whenever possible. “I always wanted to do something,” Yadira said. “Praying is good but I want to do more.”
Soon Yadira was able to connect with many other people committed to not watching things get worse. “I think we’ve started something big. We need to keep doing what we are doing: all the organizers and leaders teaching the people how to get involved and how to get things done.”
Earlier this year Yadira became a board member of Faith in Action East Bay. She is excited to support the ongoing work.
Ultimately she remains most motivated by her children. “I want my kids to continue enjoying this beautiful place. It’s still beautiful but not safe. I want a safer community for everybody—more housing, healthcare, jobs. My hope is to have better communities for our kids.”