John,

The climate crisis is here and now. Across the country, communities are being inundated with floods, uncontrollable wildfires ravage the west coast, and an extraordinarily active and dangerous hurricane season threatens our coastal communities. On top of this climate devastation, millions of people have lost their jobs while the COVID-19 crisis has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands.

This is the unprecedented moment we are finding ourselves in for Climate Week 2020. It is a moment of multiple crises that cannot be dealt with single issue solutions. It is a moment that calls for a people-powered movement that will bring jobs back to New Yorkers, address systemic disinvestment from black and brown communities, while making our environment safer, cleaner, and more sustainable for everyone.

That is why the Climate Works for All coalition, a grassroots coalition of labor, climate, and community organizations came together to create the Climate and Community Stimulus Platform to respond to this moment. This platform provides a path for an Equitable Recovery that will bring 100,000 well paying, green jobs to the Black and Latinx frontline communities hit hardest by our economic and climate crisis. Will you join our fight for an Equitable Recovery and 100,000 green jobs for New Yorkers?

The Climate Works for All coalition has come together to identify the seven pillars of an Equitable Recovery: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Systems, Housing Infrastructure Improvements, Clean Public Transportation Solutions, Local Manufacturing Hubs, Public Land Development, Public Waste Management, and Labor Workforce Training and Development.

These seven pillars deal with the concrete living conditions of New Yorkers, especially Black and Latinx communities. This is about well-paying union jobs, cleaner air, safer streets, green spaces to play and thrive. This Climate Week, it has never been more apparent that we must move toward transformative change to tackle our climate and economic crisis. Join our movement toward an Equitable Recovery.

In Solidarity,

Maritza Silva-Farrell

Executive Director

ALIGN NY

[email protected]