#lafree

[maxdibert]

Hi!

How have you been?❤️

Your posts on class and social standing having effects on kids who then join gangs or extreme groups really opened my eyes and for my bachelor's thesis I've decided to write about that. How social standing, class and mental, emotional support effect people and how they end up in groups with ideologies they don't even agree with through the lenses of Snape and his character. The title is yet to be shaped but I've already told my supervisor and she was so astonished and happy and I told her I saw posts by a lawyer that influenced me greatly!

I was thinking of using Maslow's pyramid of needs to expain how much a person recquired a safe place mentally and physically to grow. And then I'll add conflict theory and such and such to explain that most people do not get that financial stability to actually live their lives and talk about class and such.

Any recommendations on which researcher or theory I could look into to further my study?

Thank you in advance❤️

I hope you have a great day❤️

Hiiii <3

Your thesis topic is absolutely fascinating! It’s such an important issue, not just in terms of youth joining gangs but also in the context of cults, extremist religious groups, and even terrorist organizations. Many of these groups specifically target young people because they believe that fully developed adults are less malleable and, therefore, not as useful. This is a critical point that ties directly into theories of social vulnerability.

I've made a list i used for some of my late essays so i wish it helps to your research!

Bourgois, Philippe. In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio (1995) – A sociological study of how class, race, and economic exclusion push young men into drug dealing and street gangs.

Venkatesh, Sudhir. Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets (2008) – Firsthand research on gang life and how poverty influences recruitment.

Zimbardo, Philip. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil (2007) – Examines how systemic and social conditions lead to radicalization and crime.

Reich, Walter. Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind (1998) – Analyzes the social and psychological forces behind extremist recruitment.

Bourdieu, Pierre. Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste (1984) – Essential reading on how social class structures people's worldview and choices, including vulnerability to manipulation.

Becker, Howard. Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance (1963) – A foundational sociological work on deviance and how marginalized individuals are labeled as outsiders, increasing their risk of radicalization.

Horgan, John. The Psychology of Terrorism (2014) – Explores why people join terrorist organizations and how economic hardship plays a role.

LaFree, Gary. Losing Legitimacy: Street Crime and the Decline of Social Institutions in America (1998) – Examines how failing institutions push people toward crime.

Sageman, Marc. Understanding Terror Networks (2004) – A deep dive into how social networks, rather than ideology alone, drive recruitment into terrorist groups.

Wilkinson, Richard & Pickett, Kate. The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better (2009) – Demonstrates how inequality fuels crime and social breakdown.

Klein, Malcolm. The American Street Gang: Its Nature, Prevalence, and Control (1995) – A criminological analysis of gang formation and its links to socioeconomic status.

Silke, Andrew. Terrorism, Risk and the Global City (2003) – A criminology-focused exploration of how social and economic inequality in cities fosters extremism.

Moore, Joan & Vigil, James. A Sociological Perspective on Gangs (1989) – Investigates how gangs provide an alternative social structure for economically disadvantaged youth.

Castells, Manuel. The Power of Identity (2010) – Discusses how globalization and economic disenfranchisement push people into radical identity groups.

Hagedorn, John. A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture (2008) – Connects global economic conditions to the rise of gang violence.

Tilly, Charles. The Politics of Collective Violence (2003) – Examines how economic class influences involvement in violent movements.

Atran, Scott. Talking to the Enemy: Violent Extremism, Sacred Values, and What It Means to Be Human (2010) – Discusses the psychological and social factors driving young people to extremism.

Btw there are some documentaries maybe you would like to watch for the research about the topic:

The Cult Next Door (2017) – A look into a UK cult and its psychological manipulation tactics.

Holy Hell (2016) – Firsthand accounts of a religious cult’s social and financial control over its members.

The Family (2019) – Explores how secret religious-political networks recruit individuals into extremist ideologies.

The Vow (2020) – A documentary on the NXIVM cult, showcasing the role of power and vulnerability in recruitment.

Cartel Land (2015) – Examines the drug war and how poor communities become recruitment grounds for cartels.

The Last Narc (2020) – Investigates the relationship between law enforcement, drug cartels, and socioeconomic power.

City of Ghosts (2017) – Follows Syrian activists documenting the rise of ISIS and the group’s recruitment strategies.

[citybop-com]

Diving with sharks at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.  This is a really cool show to watch.  It’s FREE to visit.  Learn more at www.citybop.com

[instantkittenfox]

Common Equipment Used In Physical Therapy Centres

Physical therapy centres are often the patients’ top priority rather than a physician when they suffer from chronic pain or need to recover from an injury. A good physical therapy clinic incorporates the best and the right equipment that meets every need of the patients.

Patients near your area looking for a physical therapy clinic online might analyze your website and reviews to know whether your clinic provides the necessary equipment and care for its patients or not.

High-quality devices might cost high and that does not imply that you need to spend more to acquire equipment for your practice. It is important to perform a lot of research on how those equipment are constructed and what materials are used to build them. Look out for the equipment made of strong materials as they are the ones that have the ability to sustain regular use by patients of different ages, needs, differing body types and suffering from various body conditions.

Here are some of the important equipment required to carry out a physical therapy practice.

1) Treatment Tables

These are the most common equipment one can see in a physical therapy clinic. Physical therapists need to effectively manipulate the body and perform treatments like hands-on therapy, massage therapy and manual therapy techniques as the patient lies on the treatment table. 

It is important that the patient should feel relaxed and comfortable on the treatment table while the therapist asks them to perform therapeutic movements. A strong and comfortable table is preferred so that it suits the patients of heavyweight.

To perform massage therapy, a table with thick and comfortable padding is essential to allow the patients to feel relaxed and combat the deep pressure applied to their body during the massage.

2) Electrical Stimulator Device

This device is used for sciatica, neck injury, plantar fasciitis, frozen shoulder and other conditions. It is a battery-powered device that transfers electric current through electrodes that are placed on the area experiencing pain. These electrical impulses stimulate the nerve tissues to block the pain signal in the body and thereby reduces pain.

Common devices used in physical therapy practice include Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation(TENS), Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation(NMES) and Functional Electrical Stimulation(FES). Electrical stimulators designed with multiple waveforms are the best ones to perform physiotherapy treatments. These devices increase the circulation of blood.

3) Rehab Treadmill

Rehab treadmills used in physical therapy clinics differ from the fitness treadmill we use for general purposes. Physical therapists make use of rehab treadmills to evaluate the range of motion, gait and posture of their patients.

Many physical therapy clinics use the AlterG treadmill that benefits people who suffer from pain and injury allowing them to be trained in zero gravity. Though it is originally designed for astronauts, now it is only preferred for rehabilitation purposes. 

The antigravity treadmill acts as a bounce house for the lower body. It works on “unweighting technology” that removes pressure from the patient’s body and gives them the feel of running on air. This treadmill is mostly helpful for injured athletes, amputees, overweighed persons and patients recovering from stress fractures, ACL surgery, stroke, or joint replacement.

4) Resistance Bands

Resistance Bands or TheraBand loops are thick elastic bands that provide resistance to strengthen the muscles. They are inexpensive and portable. They are designed in various resistance levels that make the exercises more challenging.

TheraBand's are made of latex rubber to provide resistance but there are also non-latex bands available for people who may develop allergic reactions against latex. Resistance bands are used in combination with other therapeutic exercises.

5) Exercise Balls

Exercise balls are easy equipment that almost every patient purchase to use at their home. They are large vinyl balls used to increase balance and stability and to strengthen the body.

They are also known as physio balls or fit balls or swiss balls.

Mostly utilized by patients who suffer from low back pain, exercise balls assist them in finding the neutral spine position. They also help to increase mobility in the lower back and strength of the muscles.

6) Ultrasound Machines

Therapeutic ultrasound is commonly used by physical therapists for many years. These machines are mostly preferred for their non-thermal effects to produce high-frequency sound waves. The sound waves create vibration in the tissues of muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments. As a result of this vibration, heat and friction is increased and starts the healing process.

Ultrasound therapy is used for muscle strains, low back pain, frozen shoulder, tendonitis, bursitis and several other conditions. Ultrasound waves also assist in improving mobility and treating chronic pain.

7) Exercise Bikes

Exercise bikes or recumbent bikes are used for rehabilitation in physical therapy centers. They are mostly preferred to patients who are recovering from an injury. Using an exercise bike while the recovery process helps the patients in an efficient manner as it puts less strain on knees, back and hip. 

Recumbent bikes also help in strengthening the muscles. They are also used as a cardio workout device to increase heart rate and blood circulation.

Final Thoughts

The above-listed equipment are the most common devices used in a physical therapy center. It is necessary to include the right type of equipment with good quality as they form the backbone of your physical therapy practice. The perfect equipment assists patients in enhancing their performance and helps in injury rehabilitation.

[courtneyshoots]

Lafree

[masacremelilla]

Adhesiones colectivas

Federación Unión Africana España

València és Refugi

Asociación Intercultural Candombe

Jarit Associació Civil

Obrint Fronteres

Plataforma Intercultural de España

Sillas contra el hambre

Entreiguales Valencia

Comunidades Cristianas Populares Valencia

Equipo de Implementación del Decenio Afrodescendiente en España

L’ElianaVol

Colectivo Sin Fronteras Albacete

VIVIR POÉTICAMENTE

Red SOS Refugiados Europa

Asociacion Popular De Vendedores Ambulantes De Barcelona

Baladre. Coordinacion de luchas contra la exclusion social

Zambra Málaga

Asociación Cultural Brasileña Maloka

RegularizaciónYa

Asociación Afromurcia

Cnaee Murcia

La Floresta Contra Fronteras

Colectivo Pacifistas Ciudad Real

Coordinadora Obrera Sindical COS l'Horta

Zambra Málaga

Asociado Stolpersteine

Familiares victimas del franquismo fosa 128 de Paterna

Asociación de los Cameruneses en Valencia

Asociación Cultural LoQueSomos

Ongi etorri errefuxiatuak araba

LluísVicent&LaFree&Feelin'Band

Plataforma Bienvenid@s Refugiad@s de La Rioja

Iai@flautas Valencia

Asociacion Papeles y derechos para todas y todos

Mulheres brasileiros contra o fascismo

Asociación palestina Biladi

Karabana Mugak Zabalduz Nafarroa

ASC la Desbandá

ONGI ETORRI ERREFUXIATUAK

Móstoles sin Fronteras

Plataforma Pro Refugiadxs Alto Aragon

Coletivo pelos Direitos no Brasil - Madrid

Encuéntame en Las Ondas

Trawunche Madrid (Coordinación de apoyo al pueblo Mapuche)

Evolución Rural

Asamblea Antimilitarista de Madrid

SOS Refugiados Guindalera

Lliga dels Drets dels Pobles

Caravana Obrim Fronteres

La casa de mi tía

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Umoya Logroño

Solidary Wheels

COMITES DE SOLIDARIDAD CON AFRICA NEGRA -UMOYA

Centro de Documentación sobre Zapatismo -CEDOZ

L'Elianavol

CIEs NO Madrid

Avanazamos Ganando Igualdad

Asamblea Plaza de los Pueblos

Amigos de la no violencia

Obrim Fronteres Valencia

Misscomadres

Amigos de la Tierra

Esquerra Republicana del País Valencià-ERPV

FRATERNIDAD MISIONERA VERBUM DEI

Centro d Defensa y Estudio d los Derechos Humanos (CEDEHU)

CEDSALA (Centre de Documentació i Solidaritat amb Amèrica Llatina i Àfrica)

Espacio Común 15M

Derechos Humanos Madrid

Acción poética refugiados Valencia

CCOO de La Rioja

Mon sense guerres i sense violencia

Stop Mare Mortum Sants, Hostafrancs i la Bordeta. Barcelona

CEUNA-FAAM

BDS Madrid

Federación de Asociaciones Africanas de Murcia

SOV CGT Alcázar de San Juan

Bienvenidxs Refugiadxs Huesca

Colectivo Sirirí: Mujeres Migrantes Creando

Frente Antiimperialista INternacionalista

Red interlavapies

Asociación Social Combativa

Vangarda Obreira

Avis Mundi

Asociación Morvedre Acull Sagunt Camp de Morvedre

Comunidades Cristianas Populares de Andalucía

Burgos con bici

Errátikas contra el racismo

ASNUCI. Asociación nueva ciudadanía por la interculturalidad

Seminario de Mujeres Mujer Latinoamericana-Mujer Andaluza

Diapó con África

La Casa de Julién y Milagro (en formación)

Coordinadora en Defensa de la Sanidad Pública de la Asamblea de Barrios y Pueblos de Madrid

Granada Visible

Observatorio de Derechos Humanos Samba Martine

Sarrià Sant Gervasi Refugi

Red Granadina por el Refugio y la Acogida (Redgra)

PVSPS (Plataforma Valenciana de Solidaridad con el Pueblo Saharahui)

CNT Comarcal Sur Madrid

Proces Constituent

CGT Andalucía, Ceuta y Melilla

Comunidad La Esperanza Logroño

La Casa Azul de Valdepares (Navia, Asturias)

Plataforma Prorrefugiadxs Badajoz

Adhesiones individuales

Carmen Porta

Esperanza Nuñez Perez

Adama seide

M Lourdes Mondria Saez

Luisa Herrera

Harrison falla

Rosa Isabel Fernández Ceballos

Lola Juan Soler

Pascual Moreno Torregrosa

Maria Dantas (diputada Congreso)

Ángel González

Arantza Lucas Ortega

Tere Sáez

Pedro Serrano Barquero

Antonio Palacios Rojo

Isabel Pereda

Rosa Saez

M. Sagrario Pérez Mochales

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Alberto Azcarate

Eladio Martín

Julio González Baltasar

Carmen López

Ana Blanco Castro

José Carlos Martínez-Blay Medrano

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Pilar Soler Torroja

M Mar Pérez

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Amanda Maya Peñuelas Chuffart

Alfonso Mascuñana

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[nanmykel]

A Little Hate Never Hurt Anyone? Wrong...

A Little Hate Never Hurt Anyone? Wrong…

Photo Credit…Matthew Busch for The New York Times The New York Times reported 9 mass shootings in the U.S. this past week.  What’s Going on?  WHY? David Leonhardt wrote,  “The closest thing that I have heard to a persuasive answer comes from history. Criminologists and historians who have studied past crime waves — like Gary LaFree, Richard Rosenfeld and Randolph Roth — point out that they often…

[physicaltherapyforpainrelief]

A physical therapist can do an evaluation and suggest exercises that can improve your strength, flexibility, and overall health. In the meantime, read about the following are five activities that can lead to a more healthy and active lifestyle.

[citybop-com]

This is the stunning Getty Villa in Los Angeles. It’s a replica of a Roman Villa.  I love that it’s FREE to visit.   Check it out on www.citybop.com  

[instantkittenfox]

When you think of physical therapy, do you think of athletes who need help recovering from a sports-related injury? If so, you’re one of many who falsely believe physical therapy can only benefit those who are active on a field!

While physical therapy is used for both of these types of things, there are so many more conditions that physical therapy can treat. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should consider making an appointment with a physical therapist. Please be sure to call LaFree Physical Therapy to find out how physical therapy can help if you’re experiencing pain, and let one of our skilled therapists take care of you once and for all!

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buy 2019 Giant LaFree E+ 1 electric bicycle - Medium - Reg. $2400 ® https://ebay.to/37bNioy

[host24space]

Giant LaFree E+ 2 Review – $2k The Giant LaFree E+ 2 is an approachable and simple urban electric bike complete with fenders, a rear rack, and quality components.

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Medical Negligence Westwego LAFree Consultation - CALL (504) 608 4010

Watch video on YouTube here: Medical Negligence Westwego LAFree Consultation - CALL (504) 608 4010 https://ift.tt/2DV6vAU Medical Malpractice: Selecting a Good Lawyer Narrowing Down the FieldOne which you have a list of potential lawyers, you are going to want to pare down the list to a couple solid candidates. Here's what to think about:Look at biographical information, including whatever you can find online that relates to the lawyers and their law firms. Do they seem to concentrate on medical malpractice? Do they have any information on the firm site that's helpful to you? Maybe they've taken the time to write some plain-English articles or blog posts which help prospective customers know what to expect. If these substances give you a degree of comfort, that is probably a good sign.Check to see whether the attorney belongs to personal injury trial lawyers' associations, such as the American Association of Trial Lawyers ("ATLA") or your country's trial lawyers' association. But it does not take much to cover dues and combine, check out whether the attorney is an active member or retains leadership functions that indicate he or she has the esteem of additional medical malpractice lawyers.Assess for any online reviews of those lawyers you are considering (but bear in mind that many former customers will tear a lawyer if their case is ineffective based on outcome independently, irrespective of the lawyer's role in this outcome, and whether it was a viable case to begin with).Speak to your state bar association or visit the bar association's site to find out whether the attorney is in good position.Take a look at the yellow pages of your phone directory. Does the lawyer advertise? If so, would you find it compelling? Helpful? Tasteful?Make Some Calls As soon as you've settled on a few good candidates, it is time to get hold of them by email, telephone, or through the company's website (many firm sites have a "conversation" feature these days, where you can type a message into a firm representative and receive a response in real time, and begin a dialogue like that.) Here are some points to cover:Ask what percentage of this company's caseload is dedicated to medical malpractice; typically, the higher the better.Find out what portion of cases go to trial rather than settle. If the firm has a reputation for settling, the insurance companies may know that, and negotiate accordingly.Request details on the lawyer's fee arrangement and payment of the event expenses. You ought to be in a position to employ a medical malpractice attorney on a "contingency fee" basis. This means that the attorney will be paid a percentage of any cash accumulated through settlement, or on a judgment if the case proceeds to trial. Also, ask about prices. Will the firm absorb upfront expenses such as expert witness fees, document preparation, and filing penalties? Consider any special needs you have. For instance, could you benefit from an attorney who speaks a language other than English?Request about a face-to-face appointment if it is essential that you meet with the attorney in person, however you should not necessarily cross a lawyer off your list just because they can't schedule a meeting on short notice. Good medical malpractice lawyers are busy, so they may be unable to spend as much time as they'd like with prospective customers.Ask about the company's practice of delegating work to administrative assistants, clerks, paralegals, and other service staff. You'll want to be aware of how much of this company's work in your case will in fact be done by the attorney. Medical Negligence Westwego LAFree Consultation - CALL (504) 608 4010 MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE WESTWEGO LAFREE CONSULTATION : 00:00:05 Medical Negligence Westwego LAFree Consultation 00:00:12 Medical Malpractice Law Westwego Free Consultation 00:00:19 Westwego LA Affordable Malpractice Attorney 00:00:27 Medical Error Lawyer Westwego LA Free Consultation 00:00:34 Westwego Affordable Malpractice Negligence Lawyer Medical Negligence Westwego LAFree Consultation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN9pPMj0C98 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_HSNowpcGI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QkA6TKUKU8 by Medical Malpractice Attorney

[ethomasanderson]

A Week in Review: 8/30/2020-9/5/2020

Sharing some of what I have been reading this week:

“Is Antifa a Terrorist Group?” (2018), by Gary LaFree in Society, Volume 55, Number 3.

“Liberty announces investigation into Falwell’s tenure” (2020), by Sarah Rankin and Elana Schor in The Roys Report.

The Last Days According to Jesus: When Did Jesus Say He Would Return? (2015), by R.C. Sproul.

If you enjoyed this content be sure to…

[dipulb3]

Medics are down to their last defense with coronavirus swamping their town

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/medics-are-down-to-their-last-defense-with-coronavirus-swamping-their-town/

Medics are down to their last defense with coronavirus swamping their town

It’s loud inside the large blue tent at El Centro Regional Medical Center. Cooled air is blasting through two giant vents to counter the summer heat. Nurses half yell instructions in English and Spanish through their N95 masks and face shields to be heard by patients and each other.

The tents fill half the parking lot at the hospital — the most visible sign of the uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 in Imperial County in the far southeast of California, bordering Arizona and Mexico. The death rate here is the highest in the state.

Hospital CEO Adolphe Edward watches as people suspected of having coronavirus are assessed outside his 161-bed hospital, where he says nearly 90% of patients have tested positive for Covid.

Edward last saw these medical tents deployed in the Iraq War, during his 22-year service in the Air Force. He didn’t imagine erecting them on US soil but turned to them as coronavirus forced him to burst beyond the walls of his hospital.

“We’re not used to seeing tents outside of hospitals,” says Edward. “When folks say it’s a war zone, well, a war zone of what? A war zone of us trying to combat Covid-19.”

Hot, exhausting work to save lives

The front line in the Covid war in Imperial County begins with the first responders.

At 11 a.m., as temperatures climbed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, an emergency call sent El Centro Fire Department Captain Chad Whitlock to the front lawn of a home. Whitlock zipped up his bright yellow Tyvek suit, equipped with what looks like a scuba mask attached to an air pump. It’s called a powered air purifying respirator, or PAPR, pushing clean filtered air into Whitlock’s suit.

Whitlock approached a man, suspected of having Covid, passed out underneath a tree. He manages to revive him and an ambulance with a gurney arrives to take him away.

“Emotionally, mentally, it’s starting to really wear down on a lot of us,” says Whitlock, his hair wet and his clothes completely drenched through with his sweat as he peels off the Tyvek suit. “I wish people would really take Covid seriously for all the health care workers, firefighters, EMS crews, our hospital staff. We’re inundated. Everybody’s really tired. … I’ve been here a long time with this department — 29 plus years. This is the worst I’ve seen it.”

Whitlock heads back to the fire station where he’ll begin a two hour process of decontamination — showering, putting on new clothes and wiping down all his gear. When he’s done, he’ll start the process all over again, putting the suit back on for the next medical distress call, which the fire department says this summer has been every 30 to 60 minutes in this town of 44,000 people.

The patient Whitlock revived is heading to El Centro Regional Medical Center.

“We feel like we’re overwhelmed with so many patients,” says El Centro Regional nurse Stephen Jaime. “They’re just so sick.”

Eleven of the 12 Covid patients in this wing of the ICU are on ventilators and the medics are doing what they can to keep the 12th breathing on his own. More critically ill patients are in an 8-bed unit newly equipped as another Covid ICU. Nurses like Jaime move back and forth between the sealed rooms, putting on similar PAPR equipment to that worn by Whitlock on the emergency call.

Why it’s so bad in Imperial County

Imperial County has seen far more coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths than its size warrants. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows the county has three times the number of infections per capita than Los Angeles. And its Covid death rate is nearly twice that of any other California county.

The striking numbers do not surprise some who know this rural, majority Latino community. The virus is merely exposing the underlying problems, says Luis Olmedo of Comité Cívico del Valle, a grassroots justice organization in the Imperial Valley. “We are the poster [child] of those inequities and the reason why we’re not able to control Covid.”

One in four people in El Centro live below the poverty line, and unemployment rates have steadily been way above the rest of the country, according to El Centro Mayor Efrain Silva.

“Imperial County, even under the best circumstances, has always had close to the highest unemployment rate in the nation,” Silva said. Pre-Covid, the unemployment rate was around 18%, compared to 4 percent nationwide. “And right now we’re hovering around 30% unemployment,” Silva said.

Pollution has also been an issue for generations, with the American Lung Association saying El Centro is among the worst metropolitan areas in the country.

That has contributed to abnormally high rates of asthma and respiratory illness, says Larry Lewis, CEO at Imperial County’s other community hospital, Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District.

Also prevalent in the county, says Lewis, is diabetes and obesity, all of which make coronavirus more severe. “When you hear about those who are more seriously impacted by the disease, ask a few follow up questions about their comorbidities,” Lewis said. “You’ll hear a constant theme that there are other things going on.”

Harvesting in a pandemic

It’s impossible to separate what’s happening in Imperial County from the situation on the other side of the border. Just south is Mexicali, an industrial city and capital of the Mexican state of Baja California, mainly known for its assembly plants. The same pandemic that’s hitting the US is in Mexico, which now has the fifth highest number of deaths in the world.

And none of that has stopped the daily interaction between the border communities. More than 275,000 American citizens, including 30,000 military veterans, and thousands more green card holders live in Mexicali, according to Edward. And many choose his El Centro Regional Medical Center for care, he said. And many Mexicans come to work in Imperial County.

Every morning, as he has done for 45 years, Jacinto Moreno leaves his multigenerational home in Mexicali and walks through the Calexico border tunnel, legally. By 5:30 a.m., he’s starting his day at Duncan Family Farms.

Moreno, 65, tends to the all-organic fields that grow cilantro, romaine hearts, gold beets and swiss chard that not only fill the bins and shelves of grocery stores across the US and Canada, but also cross the Atlantic and end up in the kitchens of consumers in the UK.

He is one of at least 20,000 laborers who make the cross-border trek to make a living each day, chasing jobs that change with the season. They work even in a pandemic, though before Covid, that number was more like 50,000, according to El Centro city officials.

“That’s why in my backpack each day I bring gloves, face masks — I bring extra face masks,” Moreno says, pointing to the camo-print cloth covering only his mouth. The poorly placed cloth is just one indication of the lack of access to information Moreno and the other workers have about Covid.

The working conditions at the farm aren’t bad, he says, and the owners have been taking every precaution to avoid an outbreak. He’s learned to wipe down his hands to his boots with disinfectant, hoping it will keep him and his family free from the virus. He’s lost at least four of his fellow farm workers to coronavirus, but personally, Moreno believes he’s safe, having withstood adversity throughout his decades of migrant work.

“I take lots of vitamins, and look at me,” he says pounding his chest. “They say to stay inside but that’s worse, because you don’t sweat and that cleans your body.”

Misinformation among workers is rampant, says Olmedo, the local justice worker, who warns the virus knows no borders. To protect Americans, everyone needs to be helped to contain the spread.

“We must first deal with the inequities,” says Olmedo. “We cannot win a war on Covid in the emergency room.”

Preparing the last defense

Lewis, the CEO of Pioneers Memorial, says he’s trying to find more capacity for the ever-growing number of patients. “Today we’re in a good position to face the next month, but I worry about this extending for a year.”

He’s trying to rely on his own resources, fearing that the increase in coronavirus cases across California will mean that transferring patients to other hospitals will become harder.

At El Centro Regional, the transfers have been happening daily, as bed space disappears. “In the last 2 to 3 months we’ve sent out something like 500 patients which is much, much higher than normal,” says Dr. Andrew LaFree, Medical Director of El Centro Regional’s ER. The hospital says patients have transferred to San Diego, a two hour drive, as well as to Northern California.

His hospital chief, Edward, wrote to California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, as well as every other representative in his region and state, begging for resources to cope with the “non-stop increase in cases.” He asked for funding for programs servicing low-income communities like Imperial County, as well as 28 ICU nurses, 14 respiratory therapists and 20 ventilators, saying the need was “urgent.”

He told Appradab he is close to his last defense in his war with Covid. He has one more tent. Right now, the unused beds and folding chairs are still covered in plastic wrap. But it won’t be pristine for much longer. It is the future Covid ward.

A week or so after each major holiday this year — whether it’s been Mother’s Day or Memorial Day — El Centro has seen a bump in cases, Edward says. And it’s now almost a week since July 4.

“I keep telling people now it’s a pandemic, eventually it’s going to be an endemic,” he adds. “Is this really how we want to take care of our communities? The answer is no.”