September Membership Meeting: Asthma Disparities, Transit Fares, and Energy Assistance

Join us in-person for our September Membership Meeting tomorrow, September 9 from 10 am - 1 pm at the New Heights Academy Charter School, located at 1818 Amsterdam Avenue (look for the signs between 150th and 151st Streets). We will be covering a wide-range of topics, with Cameron Clarke discussing asthma disparities in our community, Lonnie Portis talking about the Fair Fares campaign in response to the MTA’s latest fare hike, and Briana Carbajal explaining how the Energy Assistance Program could help you reduce your utility bill.

TODAY: Take Action to Expose Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics

Do you like knowing if the cosmetics you rub on your skin have dangerous chemicals in them? So do we. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safer Choice program helps customers identify and avoid household products that have dangerous chemicals in them. So why don't they do the same for cosmetics? Sign our petition to the EPA to expand the program to include cosmetics and other personal care products as well, so we can make safer choices and manufacturers will have an additional incentive to remove these chemicals from their products. Personal care products remain largely unregulated, and research shows that many contain harmful chemicals and that people of color face disproportionate health impacts from exposure to these chemicals.

It's Been a Long, Hot Week...Time to Take Action on Extreme Heat

Does near-record heat have you sweating this week? You're not the only one. Extreme heat is the most dangerous impact of climate change and it hits Black people in New York City at disproportionately higher (and deadlier) rates. Eric Goldstein, longtime WE ACT Board Member and Senior Attorney and Director of the NRDC’s New York City Environment, People & Communities Program, wrote a blog post about extreme heat, urging readers to take action. It’s not too late to take digital action by signing our three heat-related petitions:

You Might Be Eligible to Save Money on Your Utility Bills

The New York State Energy Affordability Program / Low-Income Bill Discount Program provides income-eligible consumers with a discount on their monthly electric and/or gas bills, as well as other benefits, depending on your particular utility’s program. Find out if you qualify and how this program can save you money on your energy bills.

Rally for the Urban Forest 

Two important bills that would drastically and equitably expand New York City's commitment to urban forests and increase and maintain tree cover - a critical step for addressing extreme heat - are up for vote in City Council. Join us and other Forest for All NYC coalition members on Thursday, September 14 at 10 am in front of City Hall to demand that City Council pass these bills and provide more trees for New York City neighborhoods.

Get Ready for Climate Week NYC

WE ACT will be marching for climate justice as part of the March to End Fossil Fuels that kicks-off Climate Week NYC. The march will be in Midtown, starting at 1 pm, but we are planning to gather at WE ACT’s office beforehand and travel down together. Learn more about the march here, and all the Climate Week events we’re participating in here.

Awarding Environmental Justice Leaders

Join The Century Foundation on Wednesday, September 13 from 4 - 6 pm in Midtown as they honor Richard Moore, one of the founders of the environmental justice movement, and Gina Ramirez, an environmental activist and leader on Chicago’s Southeast Side, with the annual Peter A.A. Berle Environmental Integrity Awards. Peggy Shepard will join Mitchell Bernard, chief counsel of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Yukyan Lam, senior scientist at the New School’s Tishman Environment Center, in presenting the awards.

Peggy Shepard to Speak on Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community

Tune in to Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Community, a video webcast series hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of California that explores the intersections of faith, ecology, justice, and spirituality. Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel will sit down with Peggy Shepard for a conversation on environmental justice and WE ACT's work on Wednesday, September 13 at 9 pm ET. 

Leveraging Science to Take Action for Social Justice

Micaela Martinez will join the Science and Society Dialogues hosted by Advancing Earth and Space Science. She will be part of a conversation entitled Leveraging Science to Take Action for Social Justice: Conversations from the Field on Monday, September 18 from 1 - 2:30 pm about the impact of science-based research and community advocacy. 

Micaela Martinez Speaking at National Academies Workshop

Micaela Martinez will speak at the workshop Why Indoor Chemistry Matters hosted by National Academies about the intersections of environmental justice, indoor toxins, and policy and research as part of a two day workshop from September 19 - 20 with options to attend online or in-person in Washington, D.C. 

WE ACT’s 2023 Annual Gala: Celebrating Our 35th Anniversary

Join us for our 35th Anniversary Gala on Wednesday, October 18 from 6 - 9 pm at Columbia University’s Alfred Lerner Hall at 2920 Broadway (between 114th & 115th Streets) in Harlem. We are excited to announce Former Vice President Al Gore as our 35th Anniversary Gala Special Guest Speaker! We are also excited to announce this year’s honorees: Richard Moore, Co-Founder & Co-Coordinator, Los Jardines Institute (Albuquerque, NM); Joshua Klainberg, Senior Vice President, New York League of Conservation Voters (New York, NY); and Donele Wilkins, President & CEO, Green Door Initiative (Detroit, MI). Don’t miss out - reserve your seat today!

• EPA Delays Pollution Standards: An Associated Press story on the Environmental Protection Agency’s delaying of new ozone pollution standards until after the 2024 election cited quotes from Peggy Shepard and Richard Moore, co-chairs of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC), pulled from a letter they had sent to the agency citing their concern about the impact on environmental justice communities. The story was picked up by a number of news outlets, including ABC and NPR. Moore, the co-founder and co-coordinator of the Los Jardine Institute, will be honored at WE ACT’s Gala next month.
• Central Nervous System Disorder Disparities: Micaela Martinez contributed her insights on mercury and lead poisoning in a new and interactive National Academies report on disparities with central nervous system disorders.
• Extreme Heat: Caleb Smith appeared on BronxNet TV’s Open program to talk about extreme heat, its impact on environmental justice communities, and our new Extreme Heat coalition.
• Upper West Side Eco Letter: WE ACT was featured in UWSR's latest Eco Letter. Check out and subscribe to UWSR's eco letters to stay up-to-date on environmental events and commentary on environmental topics relevant to Manhattan's Upper West Side. 

Reflecting on the One Year Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act

August marked the one year anniversary of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act - the largest climate investment in the country's history. Check out this blog post reflecting what this piece of legislation means, the Justice40rward campaign, and where we are one year later.

Webinar: What Has Cap-and-Trade Done for Us Lately?

Vernice Miller-Travis, one of WE ACT's co-founders, will join an important discussion with other experts on the benefits and drawbacks of market-based mechanisms to address climate change such as “cap-and-trade” and the potential of "cap-and-invest" as an alternative model. The webinar will be on Wednesday, September 20 at 1:30 pm.

Check out Harlem's End of Summer Night Market

Come to West 133rd Street and 12th Avenue on September 14 from 4 - 10 pm for the End of Summer Uptown Night Market, a festival of diverse food and performances!

Free Ice Cream to Support the NY HEAT Act!

Join us, our colleagues in the Renewable Heat Now Coalition, and New York State Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos at 11 am on Tuesday, September 12 at 210 Sherman Avenue in Inwood where we will be handing out free ice cream to raise awareness of the NY HEAT Act, which will stop expansion of the fracked gas infrastructure and save low- to middle-income New Yorker $75 a month on their utility bills. Read this Gothamist story to learn more.

Uptown Chats: Air Pollution and Asthma

Listen to the new episode of Uptown Chats podcast! This month, Lonnie and Jaron talk with Leslie Vazquez from South Bronx Unite and WE ACT's Tyisha Smalls about air quality in New York City and how asthma and air pollution affect our communities.