Our 2023 Policy Agenda is out! Every year, we release a policy agenda that outlines our focus for the upcoming year including all policy campaigns and initiatives that we are championing or supporting at the city, state, and federal levels.
Our new Justice40rward campaign launched last week and part of this campaign is a community tour that will travel across 10 states. The community tour kicked off in Houston, TX and Austin, TX this week. In 2023, tours will be held in Anchorage, AK, Detroit, MI, Chicago, IL, Baltimore, MD, Oakland, CA and other cities to be announced. Each stop of the tour will bring together elected officials and community leaders to ensure that they are aware of funds available to them through the Justice40 initiative for environmental justice communities as well as how to best secure those funds for their community.
Check out this webinar from December 2nd explaining how to utilize public-private partnerships to create change through the Justice40 initiative.
Press Conference to Demand Governor Sign Environmental Justice Bills
The New York State legislature passed five important bills for environmental justice and public health earlier this year, but New York State Governor Hochul has yet to sign them into law. With only a few weeks left for her to do so, the JustGreen Partnership, which WE ACT co-leads, held gathered with other partners to host a press conference Thursday in Albany to demand that she sign the following bills immediately:
Clearing the Toxic Air (S.4371D – Biaggi/A.6150B)
Cumulative Impacts (S.8830/ A.2103D)
Banning PFAS in Apparel (S.6291A/A.7063A)
Ban on Mercury in Personal Care Products (S.8291A/A.8630A)
Briana Carbajal, WE ACT's New York State Legislative Manager, joined leaders from around the world at a panel at the United Nations on Wednesday. The discussion was centered on extreme heat and its increasingly deadly effects globally as the climate crisis continues.
Briana discussed the inequitable health impacts of increasing hot weather days on neighborhoods in Northern Manhattan, how we need to prepare our residents for a changing climate, and how environmental racism makes communities of color more vulnerable to extreme heat. The panel also talked about the global need for more green spaces, co-produced community action plans, and increased energy security in low-income communities by implementing energy efficiency measures in low-income communities of color.
Justice40rward Tour: The newly launched community tour to bring awareness to Justice40 across the country was featured in a Yahoo News article and a Spanish language article in Al Día.
Gas Stoves in Public Housing: Inside Climate News featured WE ACT member Russel Taylor as well as Yuwa Vosper in an article about our effort to get the Department of Housing and Urban Development to remove gas stoves from federally assisted housing due to the public health risks gas stoves pose along with their contribution to climate change.
Albany Press Conference: Briana Carbajal was featured Spectrum News 1's coverage of the Albany press conference urging Governor Hochul to sign into law several environmental justice bills including one to ban toxic PFAS chemicals in clothing.
Community Organizing: Beau Morton was featured on the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast talking about the power of community organizing.
NYC Transition to Clean Energy: Briana Carbajal was quoted in a BK Reader article on the PowerUp NYC Town Hall in Brooklyn, where she stressed the need for equity in the city's transition to clean energy.
WE ACT Awarded Grant for Energy Hub
NYSERDA has awarded WE ACT a grant to establish one of New York State's 12 Regional Clean Energy Hubs to serve as centers of outreach, awareness, and education and help foster residents' participation in the State's clean energy transition.
Responding to the news, Peggy Shepard said: "Disadvantaged communities are on the frontline of the climate crisis, where they are getting hit hardest by the effects of extreme weather like flooding and heat, but they are also facing many obstacles to improving their homes and entering a high-quality green job workforce. WE ACT and our partners are excited to lead NYSERDA's Regional Clean Energy Hub in Manhattan, specifically to serve low-income communities and communities of color in multifamily buildings that are a major source of poor air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. We are looking forward to moving our City towards a more efficient, cleaner, and just future."
Climate Education: New York Teachers on the Frontlines
Join the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force’s Youth Steering Committee for a youth-led virtual panel with teachers from New York City, Monday, December 12 at 5 pm. This panel discussion will highlight how public middle and high school teachers from New York City teach about climate change in their classrooms, the successful methods they use, challenges they may face, and why transformation within the American education system is necessary to prepare students for a climate-altered world.
How to Avoid Toxic Beauty Products: A Webinar for Black Women
The beauty products marketed to Black women are among the most toxic in the cosmetics industry and are contributing to an increased risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer, reproductive harm, and more. Join the Non-Toxic Black Beauty Project Wednesday, December 14 at 2 pm for a webinar that will help Black women better understand the chemicals of concern in beauty and personal care products marketed to them – what they are, where they are, and how they are negatively impacting their health. They'll also provide tips and resources to find non-toxic, Black-owned beauty brands and safer beauty products.
Start the new year off right by getting more involved in the fight for environmental justice! One of the best ways to be a part of the work at WE ACT is to join a working group. Our working groups meet monthly, are open to all WE ACT members, and are eager to welcome new participants in 2023!
Climate Justice Working Group: Organizes to tackle the dual crises of climate change and racism by building community power to pass legislation that prioritizes the health of our communities through environmental, political, and economic justice. Meets 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6 pm. Join here
Healthy Homes Working Group:Advocates for policies that hold landlords and city officials accountable on issues including mold, pests, toxic chemicals, and other hazards in the home. Share your experience and come together with other members to ensure our homes are healthy homes. Meets 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6 pm.Join Here
NYCHA Working Group: Builds community power and educates members around New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) issues by discussing key topics, having conversations with informed speakers, and advocating for solutions that will better NYCHA communities. Next meeting: Tues, January 24 at 6:30 pm. Join Here
Transportation Working Group: Works for safe, affordable access and equitable transportation options for all New Yorkers and organizes around policies that will improve the efficiency and safety of our transportation system, and make the system more green. Meets 3rd Monday of each month at 6 pm. Join Here
Civic Engagement Working Group:Builds WE ACT’s voter and civic engagement campaigns starting with next year's NYC Council races and helps with voter registration drives, “Get Out the Vote” campaigns, and other activities intended to increase voter turnout. Meets 1st Tuesday of each month. Email Pamela at [email protected] to get involved.
Workforce Development Working Group:Helps inform policies to strengthen an energy transition and green job development that includes communities of color. Email Charles at [email protected] to get involved.
Beauty Inside Out Working Group:Focuses on addressing the toxicity of beauty products that are marketed to people of color and that perpetuate a racially biased standard of beauty. This working group uses the input of our members to develop our campaign strategy and is a forum for our community to learn how to make better choices about their beauty products. Meets 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm. Email Sophia at [email protected] to get involved.
Sign the Petition to End Toxic Plastics in Coca-Cola drinks
Defend Our Health conducted research on popular beverages packaged in plastic bottles and found a cancer-causing chemical, antimony, in every single sample, including Coca-Cola brand beverages. National data also show that Latinx and Black communities are disproportionately exposed to antimony from all sources, contributing to environmental racism. Sign the petitionto demand Coca-Cola end any use of toxic plastic additives that may be harmful to our health!
First In-Person Membership Meeting
Thank you to everyone who came out this month to our first in-person membership meeting in 2 years! It felt great to be back together face-to-face with our members for our end-of-the-year meeting where we reviewed our accomplishments from this year and looked forward to our plans for 2023. We look forward to more in-person membership meetings next year!
