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Dear John,

A lot has changed since the last Temp Check. It's 2021. The world watched
as white supremacists tried to overturn a democratic election. The Simpsons
predicted even more things that came true. But we're seeing some glimmers
of hope. Deb Haaland is the first Indigenous person to head the Department
of Interior. T**** is the first person to be impeached after leaving
office. Despite fervent attempts from rural outposts to the oval
office–and 100% because of the hard work of BIPOC communities–Joe Biden
was inaugurated as president. But we know that even with a new
administration in office, the threat of violence is still very much real in
our communities. That is because white supremacy isn't just the thing that
fuels extremist hate groups and their memes on the internet. It's part of
the fabric that has woven this country together since its founding.

When something tragic or blatantly wrong happens, we've grown accustomed to
mainstream culture shouting "_this horrible thing happened... in 2021?!?_"
as if somehow the calendar year should have finally, magically embued us
with a moral superiority over our forebears. That's why we were shocked we
didn't hear more outrage when a study came out late last year that found
not even half of white adults were aware that Latinx and Black communities
face more pollution than the general populatio [4]n. "In addition, 60% of
respondents across the U.S. who identified as Black said they were very
concerned about air pollution exposure in their community versus 32% of
white adult respondents." That is what we mean when we say that our
communities are still at risk. While the new government considers
market-based schemes to try and solve the climate crisis that ultimately
encourage pollution to continue, our communities are still experiencing
violence from a white supremacist system that has systematically and
institutionally created the circumstances in which they are more likely to
be inhaling toxic pollution every day, more likely to deal with extremist
violence, _and_ are 2-3 times more likely to die from COVID. That is why we
are going to continue making sure the frontlines have the resources and
support they need.

THIS MONTH, CJA MEMBERS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO...

CJA CALLS ON BIDEN TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES FROM THE FRONTLINES

As we welcome in the new Biden/Harris administration and find the
announcements to jointly address the racial, economic and climate crises
exciting and desperately needed, it is clear that their project is largely
one that will continue to propose far too many market-based models [5] in
line with big industry over the interests of frontline communities.
Nevertheless, exciting opportunities exist to build grassroots power and
collaborate at all levels of government for comprehensive and
transformational policies. For more information, read CJA's recent
statement - The Frontlines Showed Up for Biden, Now He Must Show Up for Us
[6] - laying out what the President can do within the first 100 days and
what executive actions need to be taken to truly build back justly for our
communities. The THRIVE Agenda [7] is another important vehicle - guided in
part by CJA and our members who relied on the People's Orientation to a
Regenerative Economy [8] as a foundation - to forge comprehensive climate
justice legislation that can build Just Transition through local
regenerative economies. For more, check out Senator Chuck Schumer of NY
speaking about THRIVE on Rachel Maddow [9] earlier this week.

[10]

BUILD THE NEW: NY MEMBERS SHARE HOW BUSINESSES CAN SHOW UP FOR
FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES

Recently, two of our members from New York were on a panel about how
businesses should show up for the communities they're a part of. "The
conversation provided an insight into how companies can understand the
communities they serve, the area they’re in and the people they employ.
Communicating genuinely and authentically listening are two key
components." Read more important takeaways from the panel here [11].

FIGHT THE BAD: CHICAGO COMMUNITY WINS SETTLEMENT, CALLS ON DEVELOPER TO
RESCIND FUTURE PLANS

Close to a year ago a botched implosion by Hilco Redevelopment Partners
covered Little Village, Illinois in a cloud of dust, placing residents in
harm's way of severe air pollution. On the ground organizing work by Little
Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) and allies has led the
state to take legal action against Hilco for failing to take steps to
protect the community from air pollution and the compromised air quality
they caused. The state of Illinois reached a tentative settlement with
Hilco, which will require Hilco to pay $370,000 into a fund to support the
community’s long term health and wellness. [12] The money will go toward
ACCESS’ Little Village Community Health and Wellness Program, which works
to address asthma, diabetes and hypertension.

That settlement remains insufficient given the possible long-term harm done
to the community. LVEJO and residents are calling on the developer to
abandon its plan to redevelop the site into a distribution center, as well
as rescind the $19.7 million in tax subsidies the city has promised Hilco
for the project.

Support CJA

Climate Justice Alliance

Checks payable to Movement Strategy Center (CJA in memo)
PO BOX 10202
Berkeley, CA 94709
United States


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