Wearing casual attire that suggested a last-minute choice, Stanton City Councilmember Donald Torres navigated the chaotic days following a mass evacuation in Orange County. Over 50,000 residents were ordered to leave due to the threat of a toxic chemical leak. Torres moved between three different locations with his father, girlfriend, three parakeets, a dog, and a turtle named Squirt. All the while, he dealt with calls from concerned residents.
After evacuation orders were lifted, Torres returned to his home, only to find it in disarray. He wasted no time, joining activists outside the Garden Grove City Council chambers. Their demand was clear: deny GKN Aerospace an expansion permit and consider closing the facility that posed a risk to the community. Despite the chaos of the last few days, Torres had broader concerns about his hometown of Stanton, which has often been overlooked.
Stanton, home to about 40,000 people, is Orange County’s second-poorest city and is ethnically diverse. The recent crisis highlighted the city’s usual absence from the media spotlight, as coverage focused mainly on Garden Grove. The evacuation affected 85% of Stanton, with potential hazards threatening properties close to the toxic site.
Throughout the crisis, Stanton officials were absent from news conferences. This changed when Torres took a stand, not only as a councilmember but as a voice demanding respect for his community. “As Stanton residents call me, I hear the hardship and a lack of adequate resources,” Torres stated. “We have to rise to the occasion and act.”
Demonstrators in opposition to GKN Aerospace gathered, with Carlos Perea of the Harbor Institute acknowledging the neglect of Latino areas in Orange County. Stanton, which is predominantly Latino and Asian, often gets overlooked. Nearby, Torres apologized for not having business cards. “How many more disasters or near-disasters until working Latino families aren’t seen as an afterthought?” Perea questioned.
Torres communicated with state legislators and local officials to seek support for affected residents, including hotel and food vouchers. He planned to push city officials to approach insurance companies for assistance. However, he understood the road to recovery would be challenging. “In the pandemic, everyone at least was able to stay home,” Torres noted. “But right now, so many are displaced or were. It’s going to be harder for folks to come back to that.”
Stanton’s history dates back 70 years as part of Orange County’s post-war growth. Yet, unlike neighboring towns that gained fame, Stanton struggled with negative perceptions. Mayor David Shawver acknowledged this but highlighted progress in crime reduction and upcoming developments. “All my neighboring cities were so supportive of what our needs were,” he said.
Torres invited me to visit businesses impacted by the evacuation. At Carniceria El Novillo, owner Adalberto Barrera Valencia expressed frustration over rising hotel prices during their displacement and the loss of spoiled meat. He faced a daunting $1,800 electric bill. Torres promised to explore options for city support.
Across other local businesses, the sentiment was similar. At Panaderia El Cortez, Esperanza Cancharí recounted throwing away expired goods. Hair Colab faced cancellations as people stayed away. Store owner Dalbir Singh of Island Liquor had no qualms about evacuating, despite losing business over Memorial Day weekend.
In Cerritos Nutrition, Maria Ngo discarded spoiled items from her store. Though the impact was evident, Ngo remained hopeful. Torres offered his contact information for any further assistance. As authorities continue to probe the incident, a pressing question lingers in Stanton: “So are we going to be OK?”