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ALIGN in Action Fall 2019 Transforming our economy for workers, communities and our planet |
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A game changing victory for sanitation workers and environmental justice in NYC!
Last month, we won a huge victory when the City Council passed a bill to radically change the way the private sanitation industry operates across the city and raise standards for thousands of workers while dramatically reducing truck traffic, local pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
This seemed impossible to some when we first started this fight six years ago, but we built a strong coalition of impacted communities and allies, from workers and street safety activists to neighborhood communities and environmental advocates, who mobilized together and moved the City Council to act. Thanks to everyone who participated, supported, and contributed to this win along the way. |
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Celebrating leaders in the movements for economic, racial, and economic justice
This year’s Movement Builders Awards was a success. We shared and celebrated ALIGN's wins and leaders who have been movers and shakers in transforming our country toward a more equitable and inclusive economy. We were very proud to honor George Miranda of the Teamsters, Maurice Mitchell of the Working Families Party, and the Sunrise Movement at this year’s Movement Builders Awards. If you weren’t able to join us there, you can still make a contribution to help keep the fight going and grow the movement for economic, racial, and climate justice. George Miranda put it best that night:
“Big victories like this don’t just happen. Truck drivers and environmentalists and cyclists don’t just come together and get along. It takes a lot of work to build strong coalitions, with deep trust and deep commitment to collective values. Those are the kinds of coalitions that ALIGN builds. And these are the partnerships and networks that we need for the fights ahead.”
A big thank you to our board of directors and host committee and everyone who came out! We deeply appreciate the support – we literally couldn’t do it without you. |
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Meeting the Challenge of the Climate Strike’s Call to Action
The call to action from young people this September underscored the urgency of building the political will and the power to protect their future. Not only pressing for action to stop rising temperatures, but making sure that action results in a just transition and equitable future, one that prioritizes the workers and communities deeply impacted by longtime environmental pollution and by more recent fallout from climate change.
And right now at ALIGN, this means ensuring that our recent wins, on the commercial waste industry just last month to the historic climate legislation at the city level and state level earlier this year, are implemented as the coalitions that made them possible envisioned. And then building on that vision, with our many partners and allies across labor and community, for the next steps and new campaigns that will bring New York into a sustainable, just future. |
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US Senators meet with New York Renews members
Senators across the country are looking at the passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and the New York Renews coalition of labor unions, community groups, environmental organizations, faith communities, and environmental justice advocates across the state that made it possible, as a model for their efforts.
Executive Director Maritza Silva-Farrell along with partners from UPROSE, NYC-EJA, Working Families and Long Island Progressive Coalition recently met with Senator Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate Climate Caucus — Senators Merkley, Schatz, Whitehouse, Baldwin, Smith and Markey — to share how the NY Renews coalition won historic legislation to establish the most ambitious climate action plan in the nation, requiring a statewide 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050 and a carbon-free electric system by 2040. Now we’re calling on the Governor to directly invest in a Just Transition for workers and front-line communities across the state – you can join us by adding your voice here! |
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Mark your calendar for a Cyber Monday March on Amazon!
Amazon is quickly expanding its presence in New York City, where the megacorporation continues to exploit workers, pollute our neighborhoods, and sell its services to surveil black and brown communities. Join us on Monday Dec 2 during one of Amazon’s biggest sales events of the year to send Jeff Bezos a message that workers and communities are taking them on and mobilizing for justice, equity, and accountability. |
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