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The Path to Climate Justice is local
-Elizabeth Yeampierre
Querida Comunidad,
September vibes renew us; we can almost hear Earth, Wind, and Fire providing the soundtrack to our fall flow.
Last month, we proudly launched the "Grid 2.0" report – the PLAN – the collective community-based effort to forge a path to address the multidimensional problems faced by frontline led communities like ours. The Grid 2.0 honors over 10 years of community based planning in Sunset Park and is packed with solutions to decarbonize our neighborhood while building local ownership and community wealth. There is lots of excitement around GRID 2.0., a testament that a just transition is not just aspirational, that it is operational.
NYC Climate Week has reminded us that caring about climate change isn't always the same as caring for racial justice or working in partnership with frontline BIPOC climate justice leadership- that core values grounded in racial justice are rooted in a culture of practice - not rhetoric and not funding to purchase authenticity or street cred. There is so much at stake and it is heartbreaking to see a racial justice roll back in the climate change movement. Notwithstanding, we will hold it down and continue to follow the goals of the Climate Justice Alliance. We will continue to
Fight the Bad
Build the Good
Change the Rules
Move the Money
and Change the Story
UPROSE is committed to changing the landscape through building intergenerational leadership, working in coalition on radical policies, building leadership, addressing the community priorities of renewable energy, drinkable water, food sovereignty, and wellness. The list is as long as the transformational wins - as they should be.
Join us on Thursday, September 21, 2023 — a date that reverberates with significance. It marks precisely nine years since the monumental 2014 People’s Climate March, where the heartbeat of humanity, 400K+, resounded through our streets and was led by a frontline of 45,000 people.
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Photo of FRONTLINE leadership organizing for People's Climate March 2014
Thursday, we invite you to a forum at UPROSE to engage, reflect, and envision what a People's COP could look like. Together, we'll discuss how we lay down the groundwork for a future where solutions for the global majority are centered and the culture of extraction is removed from negotiating justice and from compromising our lives.
Our journey has always been a collective one, and as we gather again, let's remember the strength of our community, the importance of our allies, and the lessons from our ancestors. Vamos mi gente!
Paz y Poder,
Elizabeth and the UPROSE team
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A Comprehensive Community-Led Vision to Decarbonize Sunset Park (The GRID 2.0) | |
UPROSE's Grid 2.0 Plan: Executive Summary Highlight
At the forefront of environmental innovation, UPROSE proudly presents the Grid 2.0 plan. This visionary framework not only aims to reshape our urban energy infrastructure but also envisions a future where sustainability and community well-being converge. By integrating cutting-edge technology with community-centric approaches, Grid 2.0 addresses pressing environmental challenges while fostering equitable growth. Rooted in the principles of Climate Justice, this plan marks a significant step toward a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban future. Dive in to explore our roadmap to tomorrow.
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This November, world leaders, and civil society members will meet in Dubai as part of COP 28 to negotiate international commitments to protecting our communities from climate change.
The Conference of Parties (COP) was created to be an international space that breaks the wall between leaders, activists, educators, and youth to talk about climate change (including its cultural dimensions) to hold nation-states accountable. Instead, it’s become a space for elite representatives and fossil fuel corporations — especially from the Global North — to drown out our voices, water down climate change agreements, and wash away our futures.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
RSVP for Thursday, September 21, 2023 — exactly 9 years since the 2014 People’s Climate March — for a forum at UPROSE to discuss what a People’s COP might look like in 2024.
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Advancing Justice: A Transformative Movement Approach to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Implementation
Join the Regenerative Economies Network on Thursday, September 21 from 2-4 PM ET for a webinar to learn about a transformative approach to non-extractive lending that will catalyze lasting community impact and integrate grassroots solutions into the implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. RSVP for Zoom Here.
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Climate Justice and Energy Democracy: Putting Frontline Communities First
Sponsored by: NYC-EJA, NAACP-NYCHA, Rise Light & Power, City & State
Date/Time: September 20th from 3pm – 7pm
Location: Verizon Center at Cornell Tech, Roosevelt Island followed by Cocktail Reception at The Graduate Hotel
New York’s transition from fossil fuel generation and the scale of investments needed to achieve an emissions-free grid holds immense promise to upend long-held notions of land use, economic mobility, and quality of life in Energy Justice communities. Transforming energy infrastructure in densely populated urban areas into a net benefit will require reimagining legacy power plant sites, redesigning New York's working waterfront, and localizing a supply chain and talent pipeline in the very same frontline communities. Is this nascent industry up to the task of disrupting and stopping enduring patterns of inequity and profound injustices in our City & State? Join us for an engaging and unique Climate Justice discussion. Our very own Lovinia Reynolds, Energy Democracy Coordinator, will be a panelist.
RSVP link: https://t.ly/k4RRI
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Our esteemed Executive Director, Elizabeth Yeampierre, who also serves as the Co-Chair of the Climate Justice Alliance Board, will participate in the WECAN NYClimateWeek panel. This event takes place on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, in NYC. We hope to see you there. Join us! | |
"This Peoples’ Climate Week is an intervention led by Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab, & South Asian organizers to disrupt the promotion of false solutions by corporate, governmental, and big green NGOs at Climate Week NYC & the UN Climate Ambition Summit." -Climate Justice Alliance | |
August 18, 2023, will forever be etched in UPROSE's history. It wasn't just an evening; it was a jubilation of our dedication to the Climate Justice cause! With immense gratitude, we celebrated the expansion of The Climate Justice Center's space, symbolizing our growing roots and widening canopy in this movement. Our new space isn't just a place; it's a testament to the vibrancy, resilience, and unity of our community. As we gather here, we're not only poised to continue our essential work but also to amplify the joy and healing that binds us. A heartfelt thank you to each one of you for your unwavering support. Together, we grow stronger! | |
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UPROSE hosted a community gathering about the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway on Wednesday, August 16th, at our new office. Thank you so much to everyone who participated! Here is what it looked like:
¡Esperamos que este correo le encuentre bien! Como quizás saben, UPROSE tuvo un taller comunitario sobre la BQE el miércoles, 16 de agosto en nuestra nueva oficina. ¡Muchas gracias a quienes participaron! Aquí una imagen del taller:
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By Leon Fu, a 2023 UPROSE Climate Justice Intern. |
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Thank you for diving deep into UPROSE's September newsletter and making it all the way to the end. Now, for a touch of fun – Could you help us name our spiritual avatar featured below? Share your ideas at info@uprose.org. | |
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Credit: Leon Fu, a 2023
UPROSE Climate Justice Intern.
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UPROSE is an intergenerational, multi-racial, nationally-recognized, women of color-led, grassroots organization that promotes sustainability and resiliency through community organizing, education, leadership development and cultural/artistic expression in Brooklyn, New York. | |
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