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

As part of its ongoing outreach series for the EJNYC Plan, 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

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, the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice has launched a short questionnaire 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 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]. Take the Survey

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

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 has been finalized. Click here to download a copy and then come to our January Membership Meeting to learn how you can help us advocate for these policies!

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, 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

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 (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. 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 as it could be quicker. Learn More & Apply 

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

Join us 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 and a fashionable WE ACT Earth Day 5K t-shirt.

To register for the race, read our FAQ, or get more information, please click here. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, email [email protected].

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

Our press release 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, 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 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 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 (Florida), Kiowa County Press (Colorado), Utah Public Radio (Utah), WCSM Radio (Ohio), and Wyoming Public Media (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 (ACE NY) Plugging In podcast, 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, and its role in rebalancing economic responsibilities for a sustainable future. Listen

Manny Salgado and Ashley Sullivan were interviewed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (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 story on the top sustainability podcasts somehow failed to include Uptown Chats, it did mention TED Climate, recommending Peggy Shepard’s episode along with one by Bill Gates.

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 48th Annual Three Kings Celebration.

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 48th Annual Three Kings Celebration.

Harlem Welcomes Artists in Action: Climate Change Awareness in America

The Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem has a new exhibition, Artists for Action: Climate Change Awareness in the Americas, 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.