View this email in your browser ([link removed])
[link removed]

[link removed]


** EJNYC Panel: Equitable Approaches to Address Climate Change, Food Insecurity, and Poverty
------------------------------------------------------------

As part of its ongoing outreach series for the EJNYC Plan ([link removed]) , the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice is hosting a panel discussion on how we can better ensure equitable food systems and sovereignty by addressing the connection between climate change, food insecurity, and poverty. This public discussion will be held on Thursday, January 15th from 6:30-8:00 PM at Port Richmond High School, which is located at 85 St. Joseph’s Ave. in Staten Island. The panelists will include Sachi Cooper, Associate Planner at the New York City Department of City Planning; Aileen Gaztambide, Vice President for Public Markets at the New York City Economic Development Corporation; Dr. Kristin Reynolds, Chair and Associate Professor of Food Studies and Founding Director of the Food and Social Justice Action Research Lab at The New School; and Alexandra Shoneyin, Steward and Executive Director of Forgotten Foods. RSVP
([link removed])

[link removed]


** Take the EJNYC Survey: Provide Input on Environmental Issues in Your Community
------------------------------------------------------------

As the City works to develop its first comprehensive Environmental Justice Plan, the EJNYC Plan ([link removed]) , the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice has launched a short questionnaire
([link removed]) to hear from New Yorkers about priority environmental justice concerns in communities across the city, as well as the solutions respondents believe would be most impactful.

The EJNYC Plan will put forth actionable strategies to address environmental inequities identified in the 2024 EJNYC Report ([link removed]) and embed environmental justice into City decision-making. Questionnaire responses will be used to identify potential gaps and inform the draft EJNYC Plan. If you have
any questions or seek additional information regarding the EJNYC Plan, please visit nyc.gov/ej or email at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=&body=) . Take the Survey ([link removed])

[link removed]


** Mark Your Calendar: January Membership Meeting
------------------------------------------------------------

Get ready for our first Membership Meeting of the year! We will be meeting from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM on Saturday, January 17th at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall, located at 454 West 155th Street. We’ll discuss our plans and priorities for 2026 and meet with some of our elected officials. RSVP ([link removed])

[link removed]


** Blueprint for Change: Read Our 2026 Policy Agenda
------------------------------------------------------------

For those of you who missed the preview at our November Membership Meeting, our 2026 Policy Agenda ([link removed]) has been finalized. Click here ([link removed]) to download a copy and then come to our January Membership Meeting to learn how you can help us advocate for these policies!

[link removed]


** Lower Your Energy Bills: Free Tools & Guidance at Our Virtual Workshop
------------------------------------------------------------

Are you or someone you know struggling to pay your energy bill? You are not alone, as this is an issue for millions of New Yorkers. WE ACT can help! We host New York State’s Manhattan Clean Energy Hub ([link removed]) , which is designed to help individuals, nonprofits, small businesses, and affordable housing owners in Manhattan learn about the benefits of the clean energy economy, ways to reduce energy use and costs, and how to make more informed energy decisions.


At 6:30 PM on Tuesday, January 27th, the Hub is hosting an online workshop to help you reduce your energy use and lower your energy bill. Participants will receive a FREE home energy savings kit with $92 worth of energy efficiency upgrades, including LED light bulbs, a window insulation kit, and more! RSVP ([link removed])

[link removed]


** The Heat Is On: Apply to HEAP for Help with Winter Heating Costs
------------------------------------------------------------

Staying warm shouldn’t be a luxury. The Home Energy Assistance Program ([link removed]) (HEAP) is now open – and it’s a critical resource for low-income frontline communities facing rising energy burdens and winter heating costs.

Too many New Yorkers are forced to choose between heat, food, and rent because of unaffordable utility bills and aging, inequitable energy systems. HEAP can help provide a credit toward your heating bill, whether you use electric, gas, oil, propane, or other fuels.


Check to see if you qualify and apply at MyBenefits.ny.gov ([link removed]) . You can learn more and apply at otda.ny.gov/programs/heap or by calling 1-800-342-3009, but our friends at PULP recommend MyBenefits.ny.gov ([link removed]) as it could be quicker. Learn More & Apply ([link removed])

[link removed]


** Join Our Earth Day 5K Fun Run
------------------------------------------------------------

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Earth Day, but our 5K Fun Run is the best. You’ll have a chance to be active, enjoy one of the less-explored parks in Manhattan, and support WE ACT for Environmental Justice!


Our annual 5K is a fundraiser open to all ages. We have competitive runners, casual joggers, and leisurely walkers. You can enter as an individual or as a team. The important thing is being there, being a part of our community, and raising money for environmental justice. Register Today ([link removed])


Join us ([link removed]) on Saturday, April 25th, on Randall’s Island. Our staff will be there at 8:00 AM with pre-race snacks and drinks. Check-in starts at 8:30 AM, with the fun run starting at 9:00 AM. And once our last participants cross the finish line, we’ll hand out the medals, with awards for the top finishers and fundraisers!


Take advantage of early bird registration, which includes a free WE ACT membership ([link removed]) and a fashionable WE ACT Earth Day 5K t-shirt.


To register ([link removed]) for the race, read our FAQ, or get more information, please click here ([link removed]) . If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=&body=) .


All proceeds from the Earth Day 5K support WE ACT! If you can’t join us, please consider making a donation ([link removed]) to support our work.

[link removed]

Our press release ([link removed]) announcing that New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Ban on PFAS & Toxic Chemicals in Menstrual Products Act into law was picked up by Nonwovens Industry ([link removed]) , a trade publication serving the nonwovens industry – which includes many menstrual products. It included quotes from Briana Carbajal on the importance of this win to communities of color as well as thanking the bill sponsors - New York State Senator Nathalia Fernandez and New York Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal – along with Governor Hochul.


Peggy Shepard and Liz Reyes were featured in an Observer ([link removed]) article on lead poisoning, a public health crisis “driven by regulatory neglect and uneven enforcement.” Peggy provides some historical context for the issue and the work we have done while Liz focuses on where we are at today.


Yosef Robele was featured in a Public News Service ([link removed]) story about the Environmental Protection Agency’s delay in requiring compliance with its methane emission rules. The story was picked up by local media outlets across the nation, including the Invading Sea ([link removed]) (Florida), Kiowa County Press ([link removed]) (Colorado), Utah Public Radio ([link removed]) (Utah), WCSM Radio ([link removed]) (Ohio), and Wyoming Public Media
([link removed]) (Wyoming) – to name a few. In the story, Yosef emphasized that the delay will likely result in unnecessary deaths and increased hospital visits, particularly among communities of color.


Eric Walker was featured on the Alliance for Clean Energy New York’s ([link removed]) (ACE NY) Plugging In podcast ([link removed]) , where he explained how intentional policies have shaped environmental burdens and explored the transformative potential of clean energy investments – including the state’s cap-and-invest program, known as the New York Clean Air Initiative ([link removed]) , and its role in rebalancing economic responsibilities for a sustainable future. Listen ([link removed])


Manny Salgado and Ashley Sullivan were interviewed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication ([link removed]) (YPCCC) for a blog post discussing climate communication, their work at the intersection of environmental justice and climate science, and their partnership with YPCCC.


While an ACCESS Newswire ([link removed]) story on the top sustainability podcasts somehow failed to include Uptown Chats ([link removed]) , it did mention TED Climate, recommending Peggy Shepard’s episode ([link removed]) along with one by Bill Gates.

[link removed]
[link removed]

Marileidy Pimentel Paniagua (left) and Marciely Alvarado (right) ran into New York City Council Member for the 8th District Elsie Encarnacion (center) at El Museo del Barrio’s ([link removed]) 48th Annual Three Kings Celebration.
[link removed]

Marciely Alvarado (left) and Marileidy Pimentel Paniagua (right) also ran into New York City Council Member for the 6th District Gale Brewer (center) at El Museo del Barrio’s ([link removed]) 48th Annual Three Kings Celebration.

[link removed]


** Harlem Welcomes Artists in Action: Climate Change Awareness in America
------------------------------------------------------------

The Dwyer Cultural Center ([link removed]) in Harlem has a new exhibition, Artists for Action: Climate Change Awareness in the Americas ([link removed]) , which features paintings, photographs, prints, and videos by 12 Caribbean and Diaspora artists highlighting efforts to maintain and restore our fragile ecosystems. As part of this exhibition, they are also hosting a panel discussion on Thursday, January 15th from 5.30-8:00 PM.

[link removed]
[link removed]

[link removed]
Instagram ([link removed])
[link removed]
Bluesky ([link removed])
[link removed]
Facebook ([link removed])
[link removed]
LinkedIn ([link removed])
[link removed]
YouTube ([link removed])
[link removed]
Website ([link removed])
mailto:[email protected]
Email (mailto:[email protected])

Copyright © 2025 WE ACT for Environmental Justice, All rights reserved.
Your are receiving this email because you opted in at our website or we met you at an event.

Our mailing address is:
WE ACT for Environmental Justice

1854 Amsterdam Avenue, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10031

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe ([link removed])