Jovan Houston 

SEIU USWW member
Customer Service Agent at LAX for 10 years

“Where I work is a big warehouse-style building, directly across from the jetway. All the planes park next to where we work. The air quality is really bad. After years of working at the airport, I got diagnosed with COPD. It’s usually caused by smoking, but I don’t smoke. My doctor thought it was probably related to my job. My lungs became inflamed. They put me on steroids and I have to use an inhaler and nebulizer. I used to be really active and play softball, but now I can’t. My son Tyler is 13. He grew up near LAX and had bad asthma when he was young. Extreme heat and smoke from climate change is making our air quality even worse. Airport workers are acting now to fight for strong environmental protections for our health and our community.”