SUNS Rises: The Story of Our Solar Workers Cooperative
As part of our Worker Training program, we have trained – free of charge – more than 100 unemployed and underemployed members of our community to become certified solar installers. But despite the growth in the solar industry, it has proven extremely difficult for our workers to find jobs (learn more about the industry's diversity challenges in our Green Jobs Report). That is why 10 of our installers started this cooperative, SUNS. Learn about their journey and the work they have been doing. Read Here
Sonal Jessel Op-Ed Supports Environmental Bond Act
Sonal Jessel and Daniel Ortega, the head of Community Affairs at the Engineers Labor Employer Cooperative Local 825, wrote an Op-Ed in City Limits making the case to reinstate the New York State Environmental Bond Act to reduce air pollution, improve water quality, modernize infrastructure, protect communities from climate change, and create thousands of jobs in the process. Read the Op-Ed
Peggy Shepard Calls for Equitable Funding to Address Climate Crisis
In case you missed our special email alert, Peggy Shepard authored an Op-Ed in the Chronicle of Philanthropy calling for more equitable funding for the environmental movement and offering recommendations for philanthropists. She specifically called out Jeff Bezos’ Earth Fund, which has so far overlooked environmental justice organizations as it starts to invest its $10 billion to address climate change. Read the Op-Ed
Peggy Shepard on MoMA Panel
How do we reckon with the past to create a future? Who tells the history of your neighborhood? How do we attain spatial justice? Peggy Shepard will explore these questions as part of a Museum of Modern Art panel discussion at 6:30 PM on Monday, March 29 in conjunction with the exhibition Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America. RSVP Here
Peggy Shepard at CUNY Climate Festival
Peggy Shepard will join Kizzy Charles-Guzman, Deputy Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and Kaela Mainsah, Senior Manager of Environmental Justice & Sustainability at the New York Power Authority, for a panel discussion on climate justice at 10:45 AM EDT on Wednesday, March 31 as part of CUNY’s Greenlight Climate Festival. RSVP Here
NY State Public Power 101
As part of the Public Power NY coalition, we invite you to join us at 5:00 PM EDT on Friday, April 2 for a discussion on public power and how it can help us address the climate crisis and achieve energy justice here in New York State. RSVP Here
WE ACT Candidates Forums
We are pleased to announce that we have added one more Candidates Forum to our calendar of events: the New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney’s Office on June 12. In case you missed our Manhattan Borough President Candidates Forum (which you can watch here), we invite all of the candidates running for each office to come tell us why they’re the best candidate and how they will work with us to address environmental racism in our community. Here’s the schedule:
April 10, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Membership Meeting: City Council Districts 7 & 10 Candidates Forum RSVP
April 20, 7:00 – 8:15 PM Mayor Candidates Forum RSVP
May 8, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Membership Meeting: City Council Districts 8 & 9 Candidates Forum RSVP
May 20, 7:00 – 8:15 PM Uptown Chats: Comptroller Candidates Forum RSVP
June 12, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Membership Meeting: New York County (Manhattan) District Attorney Candidates Forum RSVP
WE ACT has been staffing up, and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to some of our newest staff members: Wendy Olivo joins as our Bilingual Community Organizer, Danielle Simms as our National Advocacy Manager, and Pamela Stewart-Martinez as our Community Organizer, Voter Engagement. Plus, Caitlin Buchanan has been promoted to Congressional Affairs Manager!
And We're Still Hiring!
Visit our Careers page to see the positions we are looking to fill. Join the WE ACT team and get your name in our illustrious weekly newsletter (just one of the many benefits of working at WE ACT)!
Our Earth Day 5K Fun Run Is Only Three Weeks Away
The weather in New York City has been lovely. If you have been able to get out and enjoy a walk or a run, then we encourage you to sign up for our virtual Earth Day 5K Fundraiser. You can walk or run to raise money for WE ACT! Learn More & Register
Support WE ACT with Amazon Smiles
If you have to shop on Amazon, we encourage you to shop via Amazon Smiles and select West Harlem Environmental Action (our legal name) as the organization you would like to support. You will find the same products at the same prices, except when you shop through Amazon Smiles they will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to WE ACT! Of course, if you can't figure out what to buy us on Amazon, you can always send money instead.
For those of you who have lost a loved one to the pandemic, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set-up a program to provide financial assistance with COVID-19 funerals. You can learn the details, including who is eligible and how to apply, by visiting this website.
