We're Talking Beauty Justice & Green Jobs at Our April Membership Meeting
Our April Membership Meeting is April 8 and we're talking about beauty justice and green jobs! We'll hear updates on our fight to get toxics out of personal care products and where we are at with our Beauty Inside Out campaign. We'll also hear about our rebranded workforce development program, WE ACT's Green Institute, creating pathways to green jobs for our community. It will be held in person on April 8 at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge (454 West 155th Street, between St Nicholas & Amsterdam Avenues) from 10 am to 1 pm.
Soot Pollution Matters. That's Why We're Pushing the EPA to Take a Stand
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering new rules for soot pollution, and we're demanding that they enact the strongest regulations possible. Soot is a microscopic pollutant that enters the lungs and endangers our health, and its impacts are felt strongest in low-income neighborhoods, and communities of color, particularly Black communities.
We've submitted comments and are pressuring the EPA to let them know that this is a critical environmental justice issue. You can help too by flooding social media and sharing our posts (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook), tagging the @EPA, and using the hashtag #CleanAirTestimonials to let the EPA know how our communities feel.
As House Republicans Do Horrible Things, EJ Leaders Fight Back
House Republicans are up to their shenanigans again. And by shenanigans, we mean putting polluting fossil fuel interests over the well-being of regular folks. The House Republican majority passed H.R. 1, henceforth known as the "Polluters Over People Bill". This nasty bill would cut fossil fuel regulations, redirect funding away from the environment, expand sacrifice zones, and help fossil fuel companies to make more profit at the expense of the planet. If that sounds horrible, that's because it is.
Fortunately, the environmental justice movement is organized and fighting back. Our legislative champions including Representative Doggett and Representative Grijalva spoke out vehemently against the bill in the House. Senate Majority Leader Schumer has already said that this bill is dead on arrival in the Senate, and we're working with our allies in the Senate to make sure it stays that way.
New Uptown Chats: Women of Color in Environmental Justice
We celebrated Women's History month with the latest episode of our Uptown Chats podcast, which looks at women of color in environmental justice, featuring interviews with Vernice Miller-Travis, WE ACT Co-Founder and Board Member; Dana Johnson, WE ACT's Senior Director of Strategy and Federal Policy; Kristy Drutman, Founder of Brown Girl Green; and Gabriela Lebron, WE ACT Environmental Health Intern.
As part of National Public Health Week, Peggy Shepard will participate in Columbia's Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health, a panel discussion on how cultures influence the public health and how academia and community leaders can work together to advance health equity. It will be held on Tuesday, April 4 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, and you can attend in person at the Allan Rosenfield Building, 722 West 168 Street at Columbia University or online.
Bringing Environmental Justice to DC Decision-Makers
Dana Johnson participated in an environmental justice panel with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This commission is responsible for approving or denying energy projects, and, spoiler alert, they have often greenlighted fossil fuel pollution in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. So, this was an important opportunity to bring environmental justice perspectives to real decision-makers in D.C. and urge them to seriously consider environmental justice when reviewing energy applications. You can watch Dana's testimony and the full panel starting at 0:21:59 here.
Build Public Renewables Act: Briana Carbajal co-authored an Op-Ed in the Albany Times-Union making the case for including the Build Public Renewables Act in the New York State budget.
Defining Disadvantaged in NY: Sonal Jessel spoke to The City about the recently approved criteria for defining disadvantaged communities, a critical milestone in implementing New York State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. She was part of the state's Climate Justice Working Group, which helped determine the criteria, emphasizing the need for vigilance during implementation to ensure the criteria is working and that benefits are going to communities that need them the most.
Toxins in Products Ban: Yuwa Vosper was quoted in a Spokesman-Review article about proposed state legislation to ban personal care products that contain toxic chemicals in Washington, noting that these products disproportionately harm people of color.
Soot Rules: Anastasia Gordon's Public News Service interview on the EPA's soot rule has been picked up by a number of radio stations, including NPR affiliate WAER, which serves central and northern New York State.
Looking to Start a Career in Environmentalism?
Sonal Jessel will be speaking at the EcoCareers Summit on April 11. The Summit Series prepares students and young professionals for wildlife and sustainability careers by providing information on the latest EcoCareer trends from leading analysts and employers, clarifying career-enhancing credentials and academic offerings, and formulating a better understanding of the competencies employers seek in the green sector.
Get Certified in Building Electrification
WE ACT's Green Institute is offering a free 60 hour energy efficiency technical training to earn GPRO Fundamentals of Building Green Certification along with professional development workshops for career advancement. This program is open to everyone aged 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalency, regardless of background. All applicants will undergo interviews, evaluations, and a screening/selection process. Applicants are encouraged to apply early!
Electrification Training & GPRO Fundamentals of Building Green Certification:
April 17-28, (2 Weeks: Monday - Friday) 10 am - 5 pm
Professional Development Workshops:
May 2-18, 2023, (3 Weeks: Tuesdays and Thursdays) 2 - 5 pm
Support WE ACT by Running or Walking the Earth Day 5K
WE ACT’s in-person Earth Day 5K will be held Saturday, April 15th on Randall’s Island - you can register and begin fundraising now! Our $30 registration fee includes a WE ACT membership at no extra cost. Participants are invited to run or walk either in person on Randall’s Island, or virtually during the week of April 15th - April 22nd.
At the event, we’ll recognize the fastest runners and our fundraising leaders. Prizes will include gear from Patagonia, gift cards, and more!
If you have questions about participating virtually, please see our FAQ here. If you can’t join us, please consider making a donation to support our work. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Fundraising Events Coordinator, Gianna Folz, at [email protected].
In case you missed it, check out this replay of WE ACT's and PoliticallyInFashion's webinar Celebrated but Unregulated: The Need for Policy to Protect Consumers from Toxins in the Fashion and Beauty Industry where we discuss with a panel of experts the marketing, toxicity, and racial standards of the beauty industry.
Help Identify the Role of Race, Ethnicity, and Sleep in Alzheimer's
NYU Langone is conducting a study to examine how race, ethnicity, and sleep impact the development of Alzheimer's disease. If you are between the ages of 60-75 and do not have sleep apnea or cognitive impairments, you may be eligible.
