On Sunday, September 8, 2024, members from the ASEZ Club at California State University, Fresno participated in a graffiti removal. This was the 8,282 Worldwide Cleanup Campaign globally in a united effort to make a positive change.
Through the Broken Window Theory, the volunteers aim to make a positive impact and provide a better environment by cleaning up the surroundings. The area was on Clinton and Marks in the Southwest area of Fresno and was in an abandoned field with some businesses nearby.
About 25 members gathered and began to cover up graffiti beginning at 8 am. There were numerous walls covered with graffiti, and due to a few transients in the area, the field was littered with trash and debris.
The City of Fresno Graffiti Removal team came out to give a brief demonstration on how to get rid of the markings. From then on, the volunteers worked quickly in the sun to remove the graffiti from the walls and give it a much cleaner look.
After all the graffiti was removed, the volunteers picked up trash and debris in the field and nearby parking lots and collected more than 30 bags.
The ASEZ Club also partnered with Fresno State to help clean up the grounds of the campus, including a movement to get rid of unnecessary grass and lay mulch to prevent excess water usage. The ASEZ Club also held a street cleanup near downtown Fresno on July 28, 2024, and was able to pick up 50 bags in just a couple of hours.
The ASEZ Club plans on holding street cleanups in other parts of Fresno, and they are putting together an effort to host a Crime Prevention Forum.
