On April 1, businessman and community activist Ken Melendez stood behind the microphone at a meeting room packed mostly with Wilmington residents.

It was a beautiful rain-swept morning and Melendez said he would get emotional. He kept his word.

Melendez stopped several times to compose himself as he spoke about community members who are taking part in planning the future of Wilmington's waterfront. Perhaps the crisp day outside and the winds of an end-of-season storm were positive signs of things to come. At the very least, they reminded everyone of what is possible in Wilmington if residents and activists accomplish their goals.

Photo courtesy Jesse Marquez/CFASE ConocoPhillips il Refinery bordering Wilmington, San Pedro, and Harbor City.

A new documentary about the 5-year struggle that Wilmington residents have been waging to clean up their air is scheduled to be broadcast May 11.

Breathless in L.A. is a local example of how ordinary people across America are working to clean up the environment. It is the fifth of seven episodes in the Sierra Club Chronicles series, produced by Brave New Films in association with the Sierra Club and made possible through the generous support of the Ford Foundation.

The documentary focuses on one slice of Wilmington's multi-faceted struggle: cleaning up the air. Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope said that 'one of the inspiring things which is happening in Wilmington is that people are discovering their power, by reaching out to their friends and neighbors, they can do something about air pollution.'

And they have. In less than six years, the public education process carried out mostly by residents and researchers has helped educate residents and policy makers to the perils posed by air pollution caused by refineries and the ports.

The hazards of air pollution include 'cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and asthma,' said Dr. John Miller, a San Pedro resident. Miller reminds us that these are not just statistics, they are problems that affect the lives of real people.

Los Angeles City Council member Janice Hahn, who represents port communities including Wilmington, acknowledged that 'over the years the port has trampled on this community, never quite realizing the long-term impacts it would have on people's lives. About 42 percent of all trade that comes into this country comes through that port complex, but it really has a negative effect in terms of pollution. People have been choking on the economic engine for a long time.'

The 30-minute documentary is fast-paced and focuses on the air pollution problem, the impact that it has had on the community, and the ways that neighbors have banded together to deal with the problem.

With much is squeezed into only a half hour, Breathless in L.A. focused on only a few of the activists and one of the struggles in Wilmington. In addition to the handful shown in the documentary, there are many more activists, like Melendez, who have also been hard at work to bring environmental justice to Wilmington.

Breathless in L.A. takes a close look at the efforts of Jesse Marquez, a full-time environmental advocate in Wilmington. Marquez started a Wilmington-based group, called the Coalition for a Safe Environment and is co-chair of the Angeles Chapter Harbor Vision Task Force.

The camera follows Marquez around town as he reaches out to the community, speaking to the Harbor Commission and the Southern California Air Quality Management District Board. At AQMD, Marquez is part of a decisive community victory dealing with oil refineries.

The camera also follows Marquez and fellow activists south of the boarder to Punta Colonet, to educate local residents there about the downsides of a massive port project proposed for their pristine beach.

Perhaps one of the most astounding things to keep in mind is that this documentary is about our own Southern Californian backyard. The suffering shown in the documentary is happening here-not in a remote location half a world away. And the hope that is shown through Wilmington's dedicated activists is one that is bridging gaps between environmental justice advocates not just in Southern California, but around the world.

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Breathless in L.A. airs May 11 and 25 at 8:30pm.

Watch it on Link TV Channel 375 on DIRECTV® Satellite or Channel 9410 on DISH® Network Satellite.

For more infomration or to download the episode after May 11, visit www.sierraclub.org/tv/episode-la.asp. For local home and public screenings, visit: angeles.sierraclub.org/hvtf/breathless.