In the area that we live, danger is expected to be lurking around every corner. Many students from Ànimo Pat Brown spend some time in the Washington park or Roosevelt park. Many dangerous situations occur in the park.
Fellow Junior SRLA member, Patricia Cardenas experienced this first hand. She was running the usual way when they get her from behind and steal her necklace. They scratched her neck.
“I don’t feel safe in the park anymore. I feel paranoid” said Junior Patricia Cardenas.
SRLA member and Junior Cruz Contreras, has been through dangerous experiences while spending time at Roosevelt park.
“Yes I have been, 2 cholos robbed me and my friend. One punched me in my face. So now I just feel nervous when I see cholos at the park and close by me.”
The SRLA students run through the Washington park every Tuesday and Thursday. Some students may think the park is safe but others don’t.
“I do think it’s a safe park to run in, if you’re in a group, but I would be scared to run alone” Cruz said.
A couple of APB students go to Roosevelt park after school to play soccer and spend a lot of time there.
Bismarck Sedano is a junior who normally goes to Roosevelt park to play soccer with his friends.
“I haven’t been in a dangerous situation I have just seen people fight each other and that’s about it. I don’t feel frightened or threatened because I walked through the park late at night and I got home safely. I think it is safe to play at the park because I go with my friends and nothing has happened to any of us,” said Bismarck.
The leader of SRLA, Alexis Hanson states that “For the most part I don’t feel threatened or frightened. There are things that you can do to make it safer for yourself. I feel very responsible for the students’ safety and it really upsets me when things get stolen from students.”
Dallas Richardson is one of the teachers that runs with SRLA around Washington park and knows how dangerous it can be in this area.
“I’m concerned for students, not for me. Based on things that happen it’s not a safe park. It’s not as safe as I would like it to be but something like that can happen anywhere even here in our parking lot. I feel like the students safety is my responsibility,” said Richardson