To the editor: Times reported that the prices offered by President Trump could threaten the commercial industry with $ 300 billion in southern California, a sector that supports nearly 2 million jobs related to port and logistics systems in our region (“Trump's prices threaten the commercial industry with $ 300 billion in southern California, according to the report” April 22).
This is deeply disturbing because these industries are fundamental to the economic health of our region and ensure the stability of countless families. It is particularly worrying for recent university graduates like me who enter the labor market at a moment of uncertainty. Rather than developing opportunities, these policies could reduce job prospects in several sectors.
As a recent public health student, my point of view is shaped both by academic training and personal experience. I have studied how economic insecurity can lead to the worsening of mental health results, an increase in chronic stress and a reduction in access to essential services such as health care. These are realities for many of my peers, in particular those from the working class and immigrants who are already confronted with systemic obstacles to employment and well-being.
Also concerning that job loss does not remain confined to a single industry. When trade and logistics take a blow, it has repercussions outside: local clinics, schools, public transport and housing markets all feel tension. Communities that are already subdressources are often hardly struck.
The decision -makers should adopt a more holistic approach, which considers not only the objectives of national trade, but also local economic and public impacts. The protection of jobs in southern California should not come second on the political posture. We need trade policies that support, not sabotage, the future of our communities.
Nadia Mahida, Grove Garden Garden
