Volume 8, Issue 1
 

Everyday, we awaken to headlines about the new Trump administration heading backwards on climate change and the environment.  We were deeply moved by the millions of people who joined Women's Marches across the country- and the world- on the new administration's first day. We are glad to have new allies in the fights against climate denial, racism, and social inequality. Many experts believe this may have been the largest single day demonstration in the US, and several of our staffers attended marches both in DC and NYC, as well as the #NoBanNoWall marches this weekend.

These marches are just the beginning. We will spend the next four years not just building resistance, but implementing policies that will increase sustainability and resiliency for environmental justice communities at the State, City, and local levels. If you want to get more involved in this movement-- please join us.  Consider making a donation, attending one of our community meetings, or joining us at our next rally. Help us keep government officials accountable to our communities.

 "The time is always ripe, to do what is right."
-Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Women's March in NYC. Photo by NYC-EJA's Resiliency Planner, Annel Hernandez. 
The Climate Works for All Coalition held a rally on 1/23/17 to ensure the City includes economic and environmental justice in its Solar program.
CLIMATE JUSTICE ADVOCACY
 
We continue to advocate for City policies that will make low income communities and communities of color more sustainable and resilient. To this end, we testified at three City Council Hearings this month: 
  • Solar Power Purchase Agreement: On January 23rd, we joined labor unions and economic justice groups outside City Hall to highlight the importance of taking down billionaire climate deniers in our federal government, and demand NYC to step up for climate justice, good jobs, and racial equality. 
    In our testimony, we stressed that the City must target renewable energy investments to prioritize environmental justice and other low income communities that have been disproportionately burdened by polluting infrastructure.
  • Emergency Evacuation: As Superstorm Sandy showed us, certain groups are more vulnerable in emergencies than others. We testified in support of Intro 1155, which would require the City to maintain a voluntary registry of people who may need evacuation assistance in the event of an emergency. We understand the need for privacy, and therefore support making the registry voluntary.  
  • Flood Mitigation in Southeast Queens: OneNYC announced a much-needed $1.5 billion plan to alleviate flooding in Southeast Queens. This bill would create greater transparency and accountability for the plan. We believe this plan will serve as a good example for other flood-prone neighborhoods across the City. 
These advocacy efforts are directly in line with the recommendations in our NYC Climate Justice Agenda, and if passed, these bills will help shape a more climate-just City. 
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LECTURE SERIES AT PRATT

NEW STAFF
 
Kartik Amarnath is the new Energy Planner for NYC Environmental Justice Alliance. He provides outreach, advocacy, and research support for REVitalize, a project focused on community-based energy planning, along with NYC-EJA's ongoing energy campaign work. He has previously worked with the HOPE Foundation, the CDC, National Science Foundation's REU program, Democracy Now!, C40, and the Tishman Environment and Design Center. He spent the 2013-2014 academic year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a Fulbright researcher studying the impacts of gentrification in his mother's childhood neighborhood. Born in Indianapolis, he was raised in four countries and is of Sri Lankan Tamil and Indo-Malaysian descent. He received a B.A. in Biology with minors in Anthropology and Philosophy from DePauw University and a M.S. in Design and Urban Ecologies from the New School.

Welcome!

WE'RE HIRING A DEPUTY DIRECTOR
 
Are you an experienced manager with a passion for community planning and organizing? NYC-EJA is seeking candidates to fill the position of  Deputy Director!  For more information, visit the job posting  here . 


NYC-EJA's Eddie Bautista leading South Bronx trash rally. Photo by Joe Hirsch via the Mott Haven Herald.
NYC-EJA IN THE NEWS
 
Be sure to check for more exciting news from NYC-EJA on our  website and in future newsletters! And if you like what you read, please consider making a tax-exempt donation to support our work. 
 
Sincerely,
 
Eddie Bautista 
Executive Director 
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance

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