Last Saturday, January 21st, WE ACT and South Bronx Unite took nearly 50 elected officials and other representatives from government agencies at the city, state, and federal levels on a tour of environmental justice sites in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx.
The morning tour showcased both environmental challenges in these communities as well as examples of how we can successfully address them with community-based solutions. The afternoon session focused on discussing how President Biden's Justice40 Initiative can help direct money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and other federal appropriations to support solutions in our communities.
This is part of WE ACT's Justice40rward program, which is hosting similar tours in other environmental justice communities to ensure transparency and collaboration between elected officials, municipalities, and those who live in disadvantaged communities that the Justice40 Initiative is designed to support.
WE ACT Joins Advocacy Day for Green Energy at the State Capitol
WE ACT members and staff joined over 200 advocates from around the state in Albany on Tuesday ahead of the release of Governor Hochul's state budget next week. We rallied at the state capitol and called for legislation that will help New Yorkers get fossil fuels out of our buildings and improve public health through statewide electrification. Our staff and members then broke into lobbying teams and met with state legislators to call for action in the state budget to make New York's future fossil-free. Thank you to everyone who joined us this week to demand a greener future for our communities!
Uptown Chats: Back to Class
Join us on Wednesday, February 1, 6 - 7:30 pm for our Uptown Chats on environmental education. During this interactive online event, we will be discussing our award-winning Environmental Health and Justice Leadership Training (EHJLT) program. Participants will also learn about our involvement in a climate justice education policy campaign in New York State, hear updates about the new WE ACT Environmental Justice Center, and test their environmental justice knowledge in a trivia game for a chance to win a prize!
Our Out of Gas, In with Justice Study Coming Next Week!
The findings for our much-anticipated Out of Gas, In with Justice pilot study will be released next week as the gas stove debate heats up! Check out our mentions in The Guardian, Capital B News, and WNYC.
The Out of Gas, In with Justice campaign conducted a pilot program in a NYCHA building in the Bronx last year to measure the impact on indoor air quality when transitioning from gas stoves to electric induction stoves. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels like gas has been linked to a variety of health issues, including asthma. This is the first study to measure the impacts on indoor air quality when transitioning from gas to induction stoves with residents in-place in affordable housing. And we will be hosting an upcoming webinar to share our findings and discuss our recommendations for moving forward. Stay tuned for more!
Take Our New EHJLT Classes to Learn About Environmental Justice Issues
We are excited to announce a new set of Environmental Health & Justice Leadership Training classes starting February 6th for adults. Participants in this 4-course, online training program will learn about environmental and climate justice issues and how to advocate for equitable solutions to address them.
There are no prerequisites for these courses, and they are open to anyone 15 and older. There is no cost, either, though we encourage you to make a donation to help us continue the program and give others the same opportunity. And we ask that if you do sign up, you honor your commitment to attend all the sessions because space is limited and demand is high.
Beauty Inside Out Survey Results: Beau Morton was quoted in Amsterdam News about the results of our Beauty Inside Out survey. Our survey of women and non-binary/femme-identifying people of color in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx explored their use of chemical hair straighteners) and skin lighteners in terms of perceptions of, attitudes towards, and product use. It is part of our Beauty Inside Out campaign, which aims to raise awareness of and advance policies that address the use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics and other personal care products, which are linked to multiple health problems..
Gas Stoves: WE ACT was mentioned in The Guardian, Capital B News, and WNYC about our Out of Gas, In with Justice campaign amid the ongoing national gas stove debate.
Rally at One45 Truck Depot
Councilmember Kristin Richardson-Jordan will be leading another rally at the One45 site on the corner of 145th Street and Lenox/Malcom X Boulevard in Harlem this Saturday, January 28th, 1 - 3pm to demand actual affordable housing on the site. Despite community opposition, the developer has moved ahead with his threats to open a polluting truck depot, a clear act of environmental racism.
Budget 101: How It Works & What We Can Do
Join the Energy Democracy Alliance on February 2 from 6 - 7 pm for a New York State budget 101 workshop! Hear from expert speakers, share what you want to see in a 2024 state budget, and help advance a budget that provides safe, non-toxic housing and affordable, renewable energy to all.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a training on January 31 from 6 - 8 pm geared toward environmental justice and tribal communities to review proposed updates to state plans to limit pollution from existing sources under the Clean Air Act. It will also provide information on how to effectively engage in the regulatory process and an opportunity to ask clarifying questions.
Join Human Rights Watch for their online 2023 Film Festival February 2 - 9. The festival will feature important human rights issues and live Q&As with filmmakers and global human rights leaders. They will be screening two films that showcase important environmental defenders:
Delikado – about three environmental defenders tested like never before in their battle to save their home, Palawan, an island paradise in the Philippines, from the illegal destruction of its forests, fisheries, and mountains.
Uýra: The Rising Forest - about a trans Indigenous artist who travels through the Amazon on a journey of self-discovery using performance art to teach Indigenous youth that they are the guardians of the Amazon.
Access an online special $6 ticket price by using the code "RESIST23" when buying a ticket online!
Join the Healthy Homes Working Group
WE ACT's Healthy Homes Working Group is eager to expand and welcome more members this year! This 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. They meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6 pm. The next meeting is Tuesday, February 14.
