Introducing a New Resource For Environmental Justice Funding
Do you want to learn how to access and pursue environmental justice funding opportunities, ranging from federal environmental health grants to state workforce development programs and private foundation grants? We can help! Join WE ACT and our partners via Zoom on Monday, October 30 at 5:30 pm as we launch the New Jersey-New York Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC). The New Jersey-New York TCTAC is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy to provide training and other assistance to build capacity for navigating federal grant application systems, writing strong grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding.
Volunteer to Tackle Trash in Harlem with Team Up to Clean Up
WE ACT is joining forces with community leaders, local businesses, community-based organizations, and block associations to tackle trash in West Harlem and beyond. Volunteer with us at Team Up to Clean Up to pick up trash on Saturday, October 7 from 10 am - 1 pm. We’ll be meeting at the WE ACT Office at 1854 Amsterdam Avenue (on the corner of 152nd Street). Supplies will be provided!
October Membership Meeting: Elections, Money in Politics, & NYC Carbon Goals
Join us in-person for our October Membership Meeting on Saturday, October 14 from 10 am - 1 pm at the New Heights Academy Charter School. Our special guest speaker will be New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, talking about work his office is doing on environmental issues. We will also have staff from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander’s office giving us a presentation on the City’s Climate Dashboard, which tracks the progress toward meeting its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. With key metrics on the City’s energy transition, emissions, and resiliency infrastructure, the new maps on this dashboard track the City’s air, water, and land quality levels for more in-depth analysis of environmental justice impacts by neighborhood.
New Report Outlines the Dangers of Indoor Air Pollution Sources
We published a new report with the Sierra Club and Physicians for Social Responsibility that shows that the pollution is coming from inside the house! This new report compiles national outdoor air pollution data from across government and expert sources showing the extent of the harm caused to people and the environment from fossil fuel burning equipment in homes and buildings, the disproportionate impact this pollution has on environmental justice communities and vulnerable demographic groups, and how the use of methane gas in buildings is connected to the broader system of methane gas extraction and distribution.
We will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, October 5, at 1 pm to walk through the report and answer questions from attendees. Register to attend in advance!
New Uptown Chats Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
The new episode of Uptown Chats podcast is out! This month, Lonnie and Jaron are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and discussing environmental justice in the Hispanic community with special guests City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, Marileidy Pimentel, WE ACT's Bilingual Community Organizer, and Manny Salgado, WE ACT's Environmental Justice Research Analyst. Follow Uptown Chats on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or stream directly from Castos.
A New EPA Plan for Truck Emissions is Historic. Lobbyists Want it Stopped.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has introduced a historic new plan to clean up dirty diesel truck pollution and supercharge the transition to clean electric trucks. Diesel truck pollution is a major environmental justice issue, disproportionately affecting the health of communities of color and low-income neighborhoods - and something that we have long fought against in Northern Manhattan. Naturally, powerful fossil fuel lobbyists want this plan shelved. The Clean Air For the Long Haul coalition that WE ACT is a part of has released a new ad urging the EPA to stand their ground and keep to the plan to protect our communities. Please share this ad (Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook), tag the EPA, and urge them not to back down!
Help Grow New York City's Urban Forest
Celebrate the annual City of Forest Day on Saturday, October 14. City of Forest Day is an annual day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of our city. From tree planting, to composting, to raising public awareness, there is a plethora of activities happening in every borough including several in Northern Manhattan!
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!
Extreme Heat and the Urban Forest:Columbia Spectator quoted Lonnie Portis in an article about our extreme heat work, the Forest for All NYC campaign, and the urban forest rally that we co-hosted at city hall.
Cumulative Risk: Our response to the EPA's call for input on its proposed Cumulative Risk Assessment guidelines was mentioned in an article in The National Law Review.
Seasonal Fertility: Dr. Micaela Martinez shared her scientific expertise in an article in The Atlantic about how factors, including climate change, are affecting seasonal fertility rates.
Local Law 97: Harlem World shared our response to the City's proposed changes to Local Law 97 implementation, including our demands for the City to fully enforce this critical law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.
Celebrate the HEArts Center in the South Bronx
Join the Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Stewards and South Bronx Unite this Saturday, September 30, from 11 am - 2 pm for a celebratory community event and get the latest news on the HEArts Center, a community vision to transform an abandoned city-owned building on East 140th Street into a thriving community hub that offers programming on holistic health, education, and the arts. This event will also honor the powerful legacy of Dr. Mutulu Shakur, who pioneered acupuncture as a treatment for addiction at the People’s Detox Center. Friends and comrades of Dr. Shakur will share testimonials.
Compost Carnival in Brooklyn
Love composting and carnivals? You're in luck! Join compost professionals and sustainability advocates for a free Compost Carnival at Prospect Park this Sunday, October 1, from 2 - 5pm with performances, entertainment, and pop-up food scrap drop-offs to help reduce waste in our city.
Let's Talk About Asthma
In case you missed our last membership meeting, we started a dialogue about asthma and its impact on our community. We are developing a Unified Asthma Policy Agenda that addresses housing, transportation, workers, land use, healthcare, climate, education, and more with asthma in mind - and we would like your help! Do you or someone you know have asthma? Do you have any thoughts about where we can take our work? We would love to interview you about your experience, your challenges, and your ideas to learn how we can better advocate for policies that impact your health.Click here and our team will reach out to you!
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.
