I dedicate this book to all the people currently going through tough times in the world right now. We will overcome, together!

Dedication:

Author's Note:

The story featured in this book discusses asthma in children living in inner city communities. Asthma is defined as a respiratory condition that makes it difficult to breathe and can be triggered by allergens in the environment, mainly pollution and dust particles. If you or your loved ones are at risk for asthma, please talk with your doctor about preventative measures and treatment options.

About the Author:

Marco A. Islas is a senior Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Biology double major at the University of Texas at Austin. He loves science, investing, and learning new things. He has a lot going on but one thing that he hopes is that you enjoyed his book and that you stay safe with loved ones.

Hello my name is Esteban and I live in the beautiful city of Miami, Florida. When most tourist think of Miami they probably imagine this skyline...

...and our beautiful white sand beaches famous all over the United States!

But what people don't know about Miami is that the air can be pretty bad to breathe in. I got to a school in the inner city of Miami and we see a lot of that bad air.

One day when I came walking home from school, I started coughing a lot and my mom heard me and got worried.

So my mom took me to my favorite Doctor, Dr. Martinez, and he explained that my coughing could be because I have asthma.

Dr. Martinez explained that asthma is a condition that effects breathing and it could be caused by these things called "allergens" in my environment. These "allergens" cause allergic reactions and that's why I started coughing a lot.

Dr. Martinez recommended I use something called "an inhaler" that helps me breathe normally anytime I feel short of breath.

Now with my inhaler I can go back to playing outside with my friend Giovanni and enjoying the beautiful beaches of Miami!

But during class one day I noticed that Giovanni and the other kids were coughing a lot just like I used to cough before I had my inhaler.

I wondered why everyone was coughing and I remembered what Dr. Martinez said about the "allergens" in my environment.

OH NO! It was the bad air quality from the city that caused all this!

So I told all my classmates that they should go to the Doctor to check if they have asthma because they might need an inhaler.

Then I told my mom about what I had discovered and she helped me write a letter to the mayor of Miami and make informational pamphlets.

The mayor read my letter and he put in place a new city law that set up clean areas for the children to play free from pollution. He also advised that we wear face masks when going to polluted regions in the city.

After the mayor set the law in place, it wasn't strictly followed so Giovanni and I went to the beach and gave people face masks and pamphlets warning them about the risks of asthma.

When we went to the gas station, my mom met one of her friends and they discussed the importance of asthma prevention and she handed her a pamphlet.