Gasping for air, breathing treatments, congestion, coughing and exhaustion is how I spent most of my childhood. The countless birthdays, holidays and special occasions as a regular visitor of the emergency room, or admitted with pneumonia framed the majority of my childhood.  I did not have the pleasure of enjoying extracurricular activities such as sports or simple playground fun. Instead I could be found reading a book with friends during recess time. When my frustrations got the best of me, I would risk trying some of the activities and would most assuredly be sent to the nurse's office due to an asthma attack.

Asthma attacks are the reason for over 800,00 trips to the emergency room per year.  African-American children have an 80% higher prevalence of asthma than other children, and I was one of them.

Growing up in California was a gift. The beaches, the scenery, the beautiful weather...but for someone who has trouble breathing, this gift could only be partially opened. Why? California is known for growing fruits and vegetables.  As a result pesticides are constantly sprayed from crop planes, and left filtering through the air for asthma suffers like me to breathe in.  Not a good combination.  So I sat and suffered for the majority of my young life. Fortunately, as I grew older, the effects were not as severe.

What does this mean for today? As a mother of two girls and the history of asthma running rampant in my family, It is critical for me to pay close attention to what they are breathing.  Shortly before they were born, my husband and I rid our home completely of all aerosols, bleach, and cleaning products with any toxic vapors. What a huge difference this has made in my health and theirs.

I am indebted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and staff for leading the movement for CLEAN AIR. My family will be eternally grateful.