#SWEAnews | #SWEA | #SouthWardEA | #SouthWardEnvironmentalAlliance |
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"We've had a great year! In 2022, there is more to come." |
Greetings South Ward Family,
The month of December brings closure to 2021 and excitement for 2022! SWEA is looking forward to the new year to engage residents in our Healthy Homes, Healthy Schools and Healthy Neighborhood campaign. We have been working with our community partners, Clean Water Action, Clinton Hill Community Action, Believe in a Healthy Newark, Weequahic Park Association, Weequahic Park Environmental Conservancy, Newark DIG, the Coalition for Healthy Ports block associations, residents and businesses in our fight to reduce air pollution and address climate change.
We are excited to invite you to the 1st Environmental Summit, "One Ward, United for Environmental Justice" to be held on Saturday, February 19, Weequahic Park Feldman Middleton Jr. Community Center, 10am -1pm to discuss the state of our environment, what's in our air, water quality, green infrastructure and job opportunities in the emerging green economy.
On behalf of the South Ward Environmental Alliance, we wish you a Happy and Safe Holiday Season.
In Solidarity,
Kim Gaddy
Executive Director
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Dayton Street Spotlight
#NoSecretHub
*Livestream of press conference can be found here.
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Weequahic Section Highlight
Heat Watch and Air Quality Campaign.
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Upper Clinton Hill Spotlight
Upper Clinton Hill Residents Scored a Victory for Rose Terrace & South 10th Street Residents. [SWEA Blog].
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Lower Clinton Hill Spotlight
[Coming Soon]
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How Well Do You Know The South Ward? |
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Four Communities | Our South Ward.
Which area do you reside in?
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Below are links to our 4-part blog series, connecting the history of our ward, to current environmental challenges & injustices plaguing our community. Key steps to effectively tackling environmental injustices, is the work done through environmental organizing and environmental advocacy. In order to best advocate and serve our community, we must know the historical context and cultural values of the the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey.
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The SNS event will provided an expressive, energizing space for networking and sharing ideas, goodwill and a source of encouragement.
The event included a marketplace where South Ward Businesses and Community Resources were on display.
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South Newark Summit (SNS) “Rising Together for the Wholeness of Community”
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The South Newark Summit (SNS) was the second day of a two-day conference, held on November 20, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at the Training, Education and Recreation Center (TREC), located at
55 Ludlow Street, Newark, New Jersey.
SWEA joined the SNS as co-sponsors, "affirming and promoting Newark as a City of Destiny."
Yvonne Garrett Patterson, lead organizer and host, also of the Patterson Foundation/Blanchard Conservancy and Arboretum, discussed the development segments for Newark City of Destiny, which were presented on November 19th (day of 1 of the summit). "SNS is a public assembly, “pop-up” community gathering, a free event where all South Ward and Newark residents are honored guests. The event was designed to promote community wellness and wholeness through engagement, understanding, and the sharing of information and resources, to offer encouragement to residents and contribute to the vitality and wellbeing of the South Newark and Greater Newark community," stated Yvonne.
The Summit will presented “Spheres of Influence that play a role to serve, guide and impact the South Newark community. Summit-presenter guests painted a picture of these essential spheres of influence, conveying their function and promote optimum performance, encouraged by South Newark residents, sharing realities, optimism and solution, " she continued.
The Summit focused on and affirmed community assets; recognizing need for support and promoting strategies for success.
There was also the South Newark Youth Summit, “Me and Newark” bootcamp, which took place simultaneously at the Fieldman Middleton Center at Weequahic Park, Newark, NJ, , from 11:00 to 4:00 p.m. This event was a fun interactive event for middle and high school youth, offering tools and keys for personal development and civic responsibility, investing in the future of Newark’s youth and the future of Newark.
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Yvonne Garrett Patterson
& former Mayor of Irvington, NJ,
Wayne Smith
address attendees at South Newark Summit, day 2.
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Amazon: We Demand Quality Air & Good Jobs
What's Next? How can you help our ward?
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On Monday, December 6, 2021, the Good Jobs, Clean Air NJ coalition labor and environmental justice advocacy group, hosted an Amazon-Newark retreat in Newark's South Ward. During the retreat local residents and other coalition members representing, state and national labor unions and environmental justice organizations, met to discuss and plan next steps, in an effort to bring about transparency and calls for a community benefits agreement.
As a follow up, the following organizations who formed a coalition and launched an advocacy campaign, lead by local community leaders from Elizabeth, Irvington and Newark, New Jersey.
Good Jobs, Clean Air NJ Members are from EJ communities/airport adjacent communities in Newark and Elizabeth, and environmental and labor organizations - which include: Clean Water Action, South Ward Environmental Alliance, Newark Environmental Commission, Weequahic Park Coalition, Ironbound Community Corp, Make the Road New Jersey, RWDSU, Teamsters Joint Council 73, SEIU 32BJ, Workers United, Athena, New Jersey Policy Perspective and the South Ward Social Justice & Diversity Academy.
On Monday, December 14, 2021, the coalition organized an action day in downtown Newark, New Jersey outside of the local Wholefoods supermarket franchise, also an prime affiliate of the Amazon Corporation.
On Tuesday, December 15th, the coalition continued advocacy efforts by attending a meeting with Governor Phil Murphy's office. Members of the coalition posed important questions for representatives of Governor Murphy to answer. SWEA member, Terrance, pointedly asked, "what is the timeline for entering into the deal? What is the Governor’s role in the deal at this point and where can he intervene?"
The original date set to sign the agreement between the NJ/NY Port Authority and Amazon was back on November 1, 2021. The new or anticipated next date, has yet to be revealed by Amazon or the Port Authority.
Another coalition member Chloe, commentated, "We urge you to do everything in your power to stop this deal until more community voices can be heard, and until we understand the environmental impact and the impact on traffic and our infrastructure. In wealthier communities where Amazon has built warehouses and sortation centers, there have been significant community benefits agreements. That has not happened in New Jersey."
To support this advocacy campaign or to learn more, visit the following link to stay informed and engaged. Stay connected to SWEA via our website's blog section, for bi-weekly updates.
Upcoming Action or Advocacy Days:
January 2022 [dates & times are TBA]:
- Elizabeth, NJ - Virtual Engagement
- Newark, NJ [West Ward] - Virtual Engagement
- Newark, NJ [Ironbound] - Virtual Engagement
- NJ/NY Port Authority Board Meeting
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Join Us at the 1st South Ward Summit
powered by
The South Ward Environmental Alliance (SWEA)
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Have a story or featured topic to suggest for our next newsletter? |
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South Ward Environmental Alliance [SWEA]
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