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Peggy Shepard Among Local Leaders Speaking About Climate Justice in Harlem
Peggy Shepard was among the keynote speakers at Harlem Week’s annual climate event, hosted by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia Climate School. They will soon be uploading a video replay, so be sure to check this link in the coming days to hear her speak along with CUNY Medgar Evers College President Dr. Patricia Ramsey and a great panel discussion with New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice Director Elijah Hutchinson, Columbia Climate School Professor of Climate Sheila Foster, Harlem Community Development Corporation President Curtis Archer, and Infrastructure Engineering Incorporated CEO Michael Sutton – moderated by Columbia’s Chief Climate & Sustainability Officer Daniel Zarrilli. And click here to see what is happening during the rest of Harlem Week, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary!
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Save the Date: Membership Meeting to Focus on Children's Environmental Health
It's back-to-school season, so we will be focusing on issues impacting children's environmental health at our September Membership Meeting on Saturday, September 14 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. We'll let you know once we've locked down a location, as this will be an in-person meeting. Come join our discussion of asthma, green and healthy schools, and electric school buses. RSVP
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Training: Understanding Environmental Justice Laws & Policies
One of our TCTAC partners, NYU Institute for Policy Integrity, is conducting a free, six-part training series to provide environmental justice communities – and those who serve them – with the tools to effectively engage with government at all levels. The first in this series, Understanding Environmental Justice Laws and Policies, will be held on Thursday, August 22 from 5:00-6:00 PM. This training will present a high-level overview of key laws and policies that require the consideration of environmental justice issues in decisionmaking at the federal and state level for New York and New Jersey. Register here, and learn more about the TCTAC (including other trainings and funding opportunities) here.
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Take Action: Don't Let Them Water Down One of NYC's Most Important Climate Laws!
Local Law 97 is the most aggressive and ambitious city climate law in the country that we helped pass in 2019. New York City’s buildings are responsible for 70 percent of climate pollution in the city, and this law is set to begin slashing building emissions drastically starting this year. However, a new bill, Intro 772, which could severely weaken Local Law 97, has been introduced in City Council and is gaining traction. We cannot let this bill pass and weaken our efforts for cleaner and healthier buildings throughout the city. Send an email to New York City Council members and make a phone call to your Council member telling them to defend Local Law 97!
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Peggy Shepard was quoted in an article in the 19th about Vice President Harris' environmental record, noting that "she’s clearly been a champion for the environmental agenda."
Peggy Shepard was among the leaders who met with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to make the case for a strong, equitable Cap & Invest program, as reported by POLITICO.
WE ACT was among the collaborators in a new study on the importance of engaging with communities when conducting academic research on issues such as the disproportionate impact of air pollution, as noted in Phys.org.
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Dr. John Balbus stopped by our office while in town for the National Medical Association conference. He is the Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services new Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Change and Health Equity. Pictured above (L-R) are Dr. Micaela Martinez, Cameron Clarke, Dr. Balbus, and Caleb Smith.
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We were at New York State Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos' Parents Block Party & Community Resources Fair on August 3. Pictured (L-R) are Tyisha Smalls and Christopher Espinoza, the Assemblymember's Director of Community Affairs.
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Learn: New Environmental Justice Course Available for Members
As an extension of our Environmental Health & Justice Leadership Training program, we have 10 FREE spots for WE ACT members and our community to audit an immersive course on environmental justice being taught this fall by Dr. Micaela Martinez and Cameron Clarke at the CUNY School of Public Health, which is located at 55 West 125th Street in Harlem. This in-person class begins on Monday, September 9 and will be held Mondays from 6:00-7:50 PM until December 16, 2024.
The course has no prerequisites, no required textbooks, and is free to WE ACT members and residents of Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx (no academic credit will be available for non-CUNY students). Given that there are only 10 spots available, please be sure you will be able to attend all of the classes before signing up - WE ACT members will be prioritized if we hit the cap. If you are interested and confident that you can attend all of the classes, please sign up here.
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Listen: US Energy Policy Wrong Direction Mini-Series - Liquefied Natural Gas
You can still listen to Roishetta Sibley Ozane, founder of the Vessel Project, discussing LNG – Liquefied Natural Gas – and the multiple harms it causes our communities. And on Monday, our new episode will revisit what we have learned so far in our Uptown Chat's Wrong Direction mini-series. Listen Today
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New Guide for Collaboration Between Health Professionals and Communities
The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, along with George Mason University, released a Health Professional and Community Collaboration Guide (PDF). "In addition to outlining the benefits of working together, the guide also provides strategies for finding, building, and maintaining effective partnerships. While the primary focus is community-based organizations and health professionals, these strategies can also be applied more broadly to other multidisciplinary collaborations." Download (PDF)
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