1media/SJV Protesters going to the Capitol of California.jpg2024-04-24T18:35:21+00:00Gwen Connoreb0a88c8dfbf8cc6f86389e65348eb991ecc30e21388Sandra Garcia and many others are fighting for an issue much larger than water contamination.image_header2024-04-26T03:16:44+00:00Gwen Connoreb0a88c8dfbf8cc6f86389e65348eb991ecc30e2The contamination in the San Joaquin Valley is interconnected with racism and povertyism through the systematic residual governance that applies to minority communities. The state government has not done enough. Communities that are predominantly people of color and low income are disproportionately more likely to have contaminated water. The lack of action to change this for decades is a purposeful neglect and shows that these people valued less by the government. Additionally, the fact that they are much more likely to have health issues and the government is still allowing the problem is slow violence. In addition to the higher probability of health issues, they have to pay more so that they can have basic necessities. This can make their economic situation worse when they then have to pay medical bills to treat these health issues and for bottled water every day. People of color are discriminated against enough, they should not have to worry about the water that comes out of their tap killing them. In conclusion, with this slow violence towards people of color and low income communities and the use of residual governance to neglect this issue, the water contamination in the San Joaquin Valley can only be seen as environmental racism and discrimination against low income communities.