Election: Voting Starts Saturday for the New York State Primary
Get ready to vote in the New York State Primary Election! This very important election will determine who appears on the ballot at the city, state, and federal levels for the general election in November. Early voting begins on Saturday, June 15, which is also the last day you can register to vote. Early voting runs from June 15 through June 23, and Election Day is Tuesday, June 25. You can register to vote, find out if you are registered to vote, locate where you can vote, and everything else you need to know by visiting our Voter Information page.
Peggy Shepard to Participate in KBLA Talk 1580 Climate Justice Symposium
Peggy Shepard will be in Los Angeles next week to participate in a panel of distinguished experts as part of the KBLA Talk 1580 Climate Justice Symposium, which will be shown live on C-SPAN from 7 - 10 pm on Tuesday, June 18 Eastern Time at the California Science Center.Tune in here on Tuesday evening to watch!
Training: Learn How to Apply to Federal Grants for Environmental Justice
Applying for federal grants can be overwhelming but with millions of dollars now allocated for environmental justice, federal grants are opportunities that are too good to pass up. Fortunately, our EPA Region TCTAC partners are hosting an upcoming in-depth, multi-day training to help you navigate (and secure) lucrative federal grants!
EAGLE TCTAC’s Grantsmanship: How to Apply for Federal Grants for Environmental or Energy Projects in New Jersey
June 17 and 18: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm: Learn More and Register
Mark Your Calendar: Member BBQ on July 20
Mark your calendar for our annual Membership BBQ on Saturday, July 20 from 11 am - 3:30 pm. It will be held at The Sojourner Truth School (PS-MS 149) at 41 West 117th Street (between Lenox & Fifth Avenues). We’ve got some great activities planned for all ages, along with great food and friends.
New WE ACT Working Group: Learn About and Fight Against Toxins in Our Homes
Introducing a new WE ACT Working Group! We are restructuring and transforming our Healthy Homes Working Group into the new Healthy Living Working Group. This new working group will meet monthly to learn about and fight against lead poisoning, the presence of toxic chemicals in personal care products, and pollution in our homes and neighborhoods. Join the first group meeting on Thursday, June 20 from 6 - 7 pm.
Apply Today: Cooling Assistance Helps Eligible Households Buy and Install an Air Conditioner or Fan
We could have our first heatwave next week, and it’s not even summer yet! Click here to see if you are eligible for financial support to cover the cost and installation of an air conditioner or fan in your home. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so act today because funding for this program has run out in July the last two years!
Legislative Session:Harlem World shared our statement on the frustrating and disappointing end of the 2024 New York State legislative session. The good news is that there are rumors of a special session to deal with the Governor’s congestion pricing flip-flop fiasco, so we may still have a shot at advancing some of these bills this year.
Cumulative Impacts: As co-chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Peggy Shepard has been urging the administration to research the cumulative impacts of pollution and other adverse health factors, as reported by Inside EPA.
NY HEAT Act: Annie Carforo was quoted in a Harlem World article on Albany’s failure to pass the NY HEAT Act.
Peggy Recognized: The Bucks County Herald noted that Peggy Shepard received an Alumni Achievement Award from her former high school.
Listen: US Energy Policy is Headed in the Wrong Direction - Here's Why!
While the Biden administration has taken steps to advance an equitable transition to renewable energy, there are elements of the U.S. energy policy that are clearly headed in the Wrong Direction. Join Jaron and Lonnie for the first episode of our Uptown Chats Wrong Direction mini-series to learn from WE ACT’s Federal Policy Director Anastasia Gordon about the energy options being embraced by the administration that are creating environmental justice challenges. Over the next three months, with the help of a few special guests, the Wrong Direction mini-series will explore the impacts of these misguided energy options on individuals in environmental justice communities.
Get Ready: Help Your Uptown Community Prepare for Climate Change
Do you work with an organization in Northern Manhattan? WE ACT is bringing back our award-winning Climate Ready Uptown Plan Workshops, and we would love to host one for your members! We’ll be doing workshops all summer long at member-based community organizations based Uptown. At these workshops, we will distribute the Climate Ready Uptown Plan - an interactive pamphlet that helps Northern Manhattan community members understand their individual risk to climate-related disasters – specifically extreme heat and flooding. And we’ll educate participants on the basics of extreme weather and disaster preparedness.
If you or your organization is interested, please fill out the form and we'll be in touch with details!
We hosted our June membership meeting last Saturday and delved into asthma inequity and the new policy agenda we're developing to address it. Northern Manhattan has disproportionately high rates of asthma and Black New Yorkers suffer at higher rates than average. We gave members an early look at our recommendations for policymakers. Stay tuned for the full agenda coming soon!
Fund to Build Grassroots Power Appoints Denise Padín Collazo as Executive Director
Denise Padín Collazo has been named the inaugural Executive Director of the Fund to Build Grassroots Power, which provides grants to grassroots organizations that are advancing environmental and climate justice within the United States. Since its inception in 2018, the fund has provided $25.3 million to 136 organizations who are members of or affiliated with four national networks of grassroots environmental justice organizations: the Climate Justice Alliance, the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum (facilitated by WE ACT), the People’s Action Institute, and PowerSwitch Action (formerly Partnership for Working Families). Denise’s appointment is a significant milestone for the fund, which has already approved an additional $10.1 million in grants this year!
Congressmember Adriano Espaillat is hosting Harlem's 4th Annual Juneteenth Jubilee Block Party on Saturday, June 15 on St. Nicholas Avenue between 114th and 115th Streets. This family-friendly event will have activities and entertainment for all ages!
