Why Addressing Climate Change is Critical to Addressing Poverty

Climate change is disproportionately harming people with low incomes and people of color. As an anti-poverty organization that centers racial equity, CLASP recognizes the important ways in which climate change impacts the people and policies we advocate for. That’s why, this Earth Day, we are offering a blog series exploring the intersection of environmental justice and economic security for people living with low incomes. The series will explore how:

• Racist redlining and segregation policies caused environmental hazards to be located primarily in neighborhoods of color.
• Immigrant families, children, and workers are weathering the impact of climate change without adequate protections or remedies to reduce the harm.
• Climate change will have disastrous implications for workers who will suffer harsh consequences under our current unsustainable system.
• Young people—who frequently lead the movements for environmental justice—are disproportionately impacted by and concerned about climate change.

Olivia Golden Reflects on CLASP Tenure

Last week, we celebrated Olivia Golden as she ended a remarkable nine-year tenure as executive director of CLASP. Under her leadership, CLASP has addressed a broad range of issues, including adding a new policy team focused on issues facing immigrant families, in addition to expanded work on child care; economic security programs; education, labor, and worker justice; and youth and young adult policy. CLASP will welcome Indivar “Indi” Dutta-Gupta as our next executive director in June, and Cormekki Whitley will serve as interim executive director until then. Watch Olivia share reflections on her tenure.