Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a 'fair'. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gatherings and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sport-related. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were (and in some cases still are) of great importance. This led to their export around the world by south Asian diaspora communities wishing to bring something of that tradition to their new countries.

Mothers of East Los Angeles (MELA), started in 1986, as a group of Latina mothers under the guidance of Monsignor John Moretta of Resurrection Church with the dedication to fight the proposed construction of a state prison in East Los Angeles by Governor Deukmejian. Rosa Disenor, Juana Guitterez, Lucy Ramos, and Aurora Castillo are some of the founding mothers among the now 400-member group. Two organizations exist today who originate from the same founding members, one organization being the Mothers of East LA and the other being Madres de Este Los Angeles, Santa Isabel. Both groups are primarily focused on environmental justice because "[t]hey are mothers who have coalesced around something of immediate importance to them, the safety of their families and children." They are known nationally for their victory over the proposed state prison in East L.A. which later lead MELA to take on many issues that have affected their environment and quality of life and has been unceasing in their dedication to protect their community from other projects they perceive as harmful.