By Mustafa Santiago Ali

About the author: Mustafa Santiago Ali is the Senior Advisor to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization.

As I travel across the nation, I see the incredible work that young people are doing to make our country stronger. The power of youth is undeniable. Their leadership has been a driving force in many of the most successful social justice movements globally. From the Civil Rights movement to the Chicano movement and the American Indian movement, each of these and many more have been driven by young people addressing the injustices happening in their communities.

The legacies of these movements can be seen today throughout the environmental and climate justice movements across the country. Young people are engaged and thinking critically about tackling these challenges and opportunities of the 21^st century.

Click to Watch the Video Announcement for the Work Group

And that is why I am pleased that today EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy announced that we have selected 15 emerging young leaders to participate in the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council’s (NEJAC) Youth Perspectives on Climate Justice Workgroup. The workgroup is comprised of young people, ages 18 to 29, at the forefront of the fight against climate change. They will assist EPA in developing strategies and finding opportunities to combat climate change and to empower other young people to take on the challenge. These youth will amplify the diversity of the NEJAC by contributing unique backgrounds and perspectives that will enhance the work of the Council.

They have relevant hands-on experience from working with communities on projects related to climate change, health and adaptation, environmental science, and economic resilience.

And these young leaders have already accomplished amazing things.

Like soon-to-be high school graduates, Stefan Petrovic, who co-founded a youth initiative emphasizing climate activism, and college-student William DiGravio, who founded the award-winning Students for Climate Action organization, to Kathy Tran, who collaborated with vulnerable populations nationally and internationally while pursuing her doctoral degree.

While Oforiwaa Pee Agyei-Boakye was working internationally on a climate change campaign in Ghana, Anthony Torres was working with various non-profit development agencies in Washington D.C., and Nikita Robinson has continued to work with her tribal community to combat the impacts of climate change in Alaska.

Their work with nongovernmental organizations is vast: varying from Amber Vignieri who works as a Communications Coordinator at Elevate Energy to Eriqah Vincent who works as the National EcoLeaders Coordinator with the National Wildlife Federation to Amanda Nesheiwat who is a UN Representative for the Foundation for Post Conflict Development.

They are fluent in utilizing critical mapping and data tools, like Melake Getabecha, who used mapping tools to show heat vulnerability in communities in Colorado.

Students in Youth Workshop at NEJAC Meeting

They are civil activists – like Yudith Nieto – who works with groups nationally and internationally to build inter-generational movements that advocate for environmental justice, and civil engineers – like Kayla DeVault – who is designing a program on her Native reservation to allow students and professionals to work with tribal communities on climate adaptation and sustainability projects.

They are well versed in critical thinking and cross-cultural communications skills. Devin Crowther have presented a national conferences; Samantha Parker served as an international delegate in Paris for the UN Climate Change Conference; and Samantha Shattuck led workshops on youth engagement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Peru.

I know that collaborating with these young people will improve the capacity of the NEJAC and the EPA to develop strategies and to find unique opportunities to combat climate change. If we are willing to create a space for their voices, advice and recommendations, their innovation, energy and ideas can position our country to be leaders in the emerging climate economy.

Congratulations to all those selected! We are excited to learn from you and work with you towards addressing these incredible challenges and opportunities.

By Althea Moses

About the author: Althea Moses serves as EPA Region 7’s Environmental Justice Coordinator and the Deputy Director of the Enforcement Coordination Office. Her passion is helping people.  She is a proud Civil Engineering graduate of Prairie View A&M University of Texas.

Almost without exception for the past 15 years I have had what I consider a second Christmas – a day when my heart rate rises like it did when opening gifts when I was a kid. The date I’m referring to is the due date for Environmental Justice grant applications. The sense of anticipation – waiting to learn what projects are being proposed – is what Charlie felt when peeling back the wrapper of a Wonka Bar.

My first gift is reading through the proposals. Many times the applications are from organizations and people whose paths I come across regularly. Through their applications, local communities introduce themselves and their communities. I get most excited though about proposals for communities of which I was previously unaware.

Another gift is the sense of fulfillment that comes from the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of a community in need. It’s not the words on the paper that’s exciting – it’s the possibility of what can be achieved. This excitement comes from all I have seen and learned over the years about the possibility of what can be accomplished through projects that are funded at a relatively small amount compared to many other government grants.

EPA’s EJ grants program, both Small Grants and EJ Collaborative Problem Solving, inspire sheer amazement when I consider the level of creative leveraging through partnerships and volunteers to achieve outputs and outcomes one might compare to projects ten times their monetary size.

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Yet another gift is how gratifying it is to see people who started at the neighborhood level with an EJ Small Grant working to understand and address local challenges, now recognized as environmental justice leaders. We have seen tools developed and then used to educate and assist parents and caregivers in reducing children’s asthma attacks and the number of school-days missed.  We have seen the organizing of lead screening events, which taught children as young as pre-school age what it means to avoid and protect themselves from environmental hazards.  How do you explain that lead dust is invisible in soil, so play on the grass?  There’s a preschool curriculum that was developed and demonstrated which does just that!

There are many lessons I have learned from working with grantees which have transformed how I approach my work:

• Meet people where they are – physically as well as in their understanding. It is amazing the number of people who can be reached, the results achieved, and the resources saved when we go to places where our target audience gathers. We can engage them in a manner in which they relate.
• Take the time to understand and value what is important to the communities in which you work. This is key to connecting in such a way that encourages mutual understanding, which may result in positive change.
• “Each one, teach one.” Train-the-trainer is a model that allows projects to be sustaining well beyond funding. When we use this approach, we multiply what we can achieve.
• Communities want to know what they don’t know about human health and environmental issues.
• When you bring information about a problem, bring information about the solution. This is hard – it does not excuse us from bringing information about a problem – but challenges us to work hard to find the solution. Sometimes solutions are found through outside partnerships.

EPA’s EJ grant programs are among the smallest pots of money in the agency, but oh, the good they have done educating, empowering, building capacity, and ultimately, making a visible difference in communities across the country.

 
By Makara Rumley

About the author: Makara Rumley, JD, is the Senior Advisor to the EPA Region 4 Regional Administrator. Her interest in the links between human rights and the environment had its roots in her work with Amnesty International, the National Geographic Society, and GreenLaw.

It’s amazing as I travel around the country, I see the energy, innovation, and thoughtful approaches that youth are developing to address the impacts of climate change. Today’s youth are uniquely positioned to elevate their voices and perspectives about this issue that impacts their lives today and tomorrow, as well as the lives of their future generations. Their focus on the most vulnerable communities is one of the driving forces behind the climate justice movement.

This commitment of positive social change has its roots in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Earlier this year, Jibreel Khazan, one of the Greensboro Four who began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, used the 55th anniversary of the protest as a call for youth action, noting that:

Climate change is young people’s ‘lunch counter moment’ for the 21st century. When my three classmates and I sat down at that lunch counter to end segregation we did not know what the outcome would be. We simply knew that we had to act. We had to take bold action for necessary change to come about. It is in the tradition of civil and human rights struggle that young people today are calling for action on climate change. It is the biggest threat to justice and opportunity our planet has ever seen.

Climate change is considered an environmental stressor that has catapulted a new generation of leaders and activists into the environmental movement. Youth constitute the majority of the population in many countries and have increasingly strong sense of social awareness and environmental perspectives. The efforts of the New York City Climate Justice Youth Summit as well as the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Climate Change Initiative are evidence that an organized and forward thinking delegation of youth is taking root in the climate change conversation. It is critical that these voices be heard and viewpoints incorporated into policymaking.

We recognize the key role that youth play in bringing awareness to climate change and offering solutions to transform our societies towards a low-carbon and climate resilient future. It is essential that youth have a seat at the table and help inform the hard decisions that must be made that affect so many. Thus, the formation of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council Youth Perspectives on Climate Justice Work Group is our effort to include young people in assisting EPA in addressing climate change concerns. This advisory work group is the first of its kind in any federal agency. We are looking forward to working with a geographically diverse group of emerging thought leaders in the climate change space. The work group will comprise up to 15 leaders between the ages of 18 and 29 to assist us in developing strategies and finding opportunities to combat climate change and empower other young people to take on the challenge. Applications for the work group are due to EPA by November 30, so spread the word.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy put it best in a recent blog when she wrote that

Fighting for environmental justice, and climate justice, echoes the spirit of America’s great civil rights leaders; it’s a spirit fueled by our moral obligation to leave our children a world safer and rich with opportunity. History proves even the most wrenching strains on justice can be unwound, with a committed, diverse, and vocal coalition of people calling for change. That’s why EPA, the Hip Hop Caucus, and organizations around the country are fighting for climate justice—so we can further fairness and opportunity for all.

We need your power. We need your voices. Act now. Your voice matters!

For more information about how to engage in this effort, contact me at nejac@epa.gov. More

About the author: Carolina Diaz de Villegas is a recent graduate of the Department of Biological Sciences at Florida International University, where she, Kiara Rodriguez, and Michelle Bravo have been providing technical assistance to the Town of Medley as part of projects developed under EPA’s College/Underserved Community Partnership Program.

As many of you may already know, the Everglades — home to countless native plant and animal species — is not only one of Florida’s greatest treasures, but also the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States. Unfortunately, the Everglades ecosystem faces constant threats from urban and agricultural expansion.

In an effort to shift to a more sustainable way of life, efforts are underway to counteract decades of human driven land use by reforesting the small town of Medley, Florida – one tree at a time.

Medley is home to about 1,100 residents in northwest Miami-Dade County. For nearly 85% of the residents, Spanish is their first language. Residents have to drive several miles to get to the closest grocery store. Medley also is home to approximately 1,800 businesses, bringing the weekday population to nearly 60,000. More than 80% of the city is covered in impervious paving due to this industrial activity. As a result, this largely industrial town has become a food desert with heavy air pollution. An urban food desert typically has plenty of convenience stores, liquor stores, and fast food joints, but little or no access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

With the support of Medley Town Mayor Roberto Martell and EPA’s College/Underserved Community Partnership Program (CUPP) , my fellow Florida International University students and I are working with local residents to address these issues.

We began by planting native trees at Medley’s Lakeside Retirement Park. We also planted a variety of native flowers and shrubs near the entrance to attract not only passersby but also pollinators. The change is so dramatic that students have informally dubbed the area the “Medley Botanical Garden.”

Click on picture to watch video

Since education is the key to progress, we worked to help local community members better understand the importance of trees and living a sustainable lifestyle in their urban landscape. My colleague Kiara Rodriguez and I talked about the importance of these principles to kids in the local afterschool care program. We taught them about carbon sequestration, the importance of recycling, and even climate change — a term most had never heard before! We also visited the Community Center during its Saturday food distribution and spoke with the elders about these topics.

This summer, supported by grants from our university, we planted more trees and created two “All-in-One” food gardens. Because much of the land surface around the Medley Lake retirement center is covered by paving and other impervious surfaces, we created an aboveground garden that uses harvested rainwater. We planted several summer crops and are working with the community center to supplement the garden soil with food waste from the cafeteria. The project has many benefits – it produces fresh food for a community in the middle of a food desert, it uses a water-efficient method for watering, and it will reduce food waste by generating compost to supplement the garden.

Here we are standing proudly next to some of our newly planted trees, along with our professor Dr. Tiffany Troxler.

My fellow student Michelle Bravo led other volunteers who built a pergola that is a central feature of the developing Medley Botanical Garden. Ms. Bravo is conducting research that showed that a botanical garden could both improve the health of elderly residents and increase carbon sequestration with the new trees planted. In a continued commitment to Medley, other Florida International University students will be working with the town to develop an economic development plan.

By increasing the amount of green mass available for carbon sequestration, we are helping Medley in the ongoing battle against climate change on a local scale, while also increasing awareness about these issues in future generations.

By Mustafa Santiago Ali

About the author: Mustafa Ali is the Senior Advisor to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization.

Public forums in which community members participate (whether online or in-person), provide problem-solving ideas and actions that have taken environmental justice to new heights. The importance of these conversations, to which stakeholders bring their experience, expertise, and knowledge, echo the 10th principle of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development:

“Environmental decisions are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens …[who] shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment held by public authorities, including … the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes.“

Click to watch ‘The Road to Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice’ Video

Over the years, I have witnessed the power of community input that has shaped how federal agencies are integrating environmental justice into their policies and programs. Notably, the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice (EJ IWG) was created in 1994 in response to public comments asking the federal family to address — in a holistic manner — the myriad of challenges and opportunities facing communities that are overburdened and under-resourced.

Community Meeting, Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill, 2010

As part of its effort to engage as many stakeholders as possible, the EJ IWG is seeking public input about its new draft Action Agenda Framework. The Framework is a strategic plan to define new goals for the next three years and advance greater federal agency collaboration to improve quality of life and expand economic opportunity. As a forum for federal agencies, the EJ IWG strives to build comprehensive solutions to address environmental justice and ensure that the public has meaningful opportunities for participation in the decision-making process.

In addition to the public comment period, which starts today, August 25, and runs through September 25, the EJ IWG is hosting two national webinars about the draft Framework. Don’t miss out on this important opportunity to influence decision-making that is fundamental to improving federal agency environmental justice initiatives, programs, and activities.

I urge you to participate in one of the live webinars to learn more about the Framework. Information about each webinar is listed below. Mark and your calendar and register today. Note that both webinars will cover the same information:

• Tuesday, September 1, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
• Wednesday, September 16, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Eastern)

You can RSVP for both webinars here. For more information or if you need special accommodation, contact Kevin Olp, olp.kevin@epa.gov. Webinar materials will be forwarded to participants a week before each presentation.

In 1991, environmental justice advocates laid out 17 principles for environmental justice. Among them was Principle 7, which called for the “participation as equal partners at every level of decision-making.” Voicing your comments during the public comment period will directly influence government decision-making and actions for the next three years. Help shape an effective Framework that addresses environmental justice issues in environmental protection, housing, transportation, economic development, energy policy, management of natural and cultural resources, and health disparities.

Take an active part in developing goals and activities that collectively advance environmental justice principles in an integrated effort by reviewing the Framework and providing your comments to ejstrategy@epa.gov.

Remember. Your voice matters!