Dear John,

It’s time to fund the frontlines, early and big! So says Supriya Lopez Pillai, the Executive Director of the Hidden Leaf Foundation, who is also supporting CJA’s Reinvest in Our Power Campaign moving millions to grassroots climate justice initiatives over the next few years. 

If you agree, share on your social media channels and with your networks. Tag us @CJAOurPower and use #ReinvestInOurPower.

“I write this from California, still in a record drought and paradoxically receiving enormous rain — floods and blizzards in places that have rarely, if ever, experienced such weather. And to add to the paradox, we have battled devastating fires, among many other climate-related disasters. Despite this, the actions of those on the front lines of the climate crisis continue to inspire. Because of them, I see a future that is already underway and being forged by environmental justice communities here and around the globe. It is our job as funders to enable bringing this future to fruition now.”

Read the full opinion piece by Supriya Lopez Pillai in Inside Philanthropy here.

We are excited to announce CJA’s newest elected Board Members! The following members were elected to four open seats to serve a 3 year term, alongside the existing board members. 

Christine Cordero, Co-Executive Director, Asian Pacific Environmental Network

Lisa Abbott, Co-Executive Director Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Aghilah Nadaraj, Equity Fellow, Kheprw Institute

Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director, UPROSE

Our remaining Board Members will finish their terms next year when there will be another election.

Earlier this month, Dwaign Tyndal, Melissa Miles, Kirtrina Baxter, and Leah Humphrey, the Co-Chairs of Climate Justice Alliance’s Black Caucus, released the following statement: 

“As the City of Atlanta and it’s Police Department hold steadfast to their efforts to create a new militarized police infrastructure which will only serve to perpetuate state sanctioned violence against our communities and accelerate the destruction of communal natural resources– we too hold steadfast in our opposition to “Cop City”, in defense of Black life, and Mother Earth. We stand with frontline communities and the mass mobilizations in Atlanta, Georgia.”

Read the full statement here.

Earlier this month, CJA Co-Executive Director Marion Gee traveled to the White House with a delegation of environmental justice leaders to impress upon the Biden Administration the importance of federal climate investments going directly to frontline communities and community accountable organizations. They were in town for a series of meetings convened by the Communities First Fund to discuss frontline solutions to the climate crisis and more. 

Unfortunately, a few days later President Biden went against his campaign promise to stop any new oil drilling by approving the largest oil extraction site on US federal land, the Willow project in Alaska. This was done at the same time as his Administration announced new environmental initiatives. Read what CJA’s leadership and members said about it here.