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STORRS, CONN., March 30, 2023 – Sustainable CT, a statewide initiative that promotes sustainability and equity in communities across Connecticut, has announced the hiring of six new Equity Coaches.
The new Equity Coaches, hired with the generous support of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, will work with Sustainable CT's team to provide guidance, resources, and support to municipalities as they work to implement sustainable and equitable practices. The Equity Coaches will help municipalities identify and address the root causes of environmental and social injustices in their communities, with a focus on historically marginalized and under-served populations.
According to Lynn Stoddard, executive director of Sustainable CT, the new Equity Coaches have joined the organization at a critical time.
“Our Equity Coaches are positioned to assist municipalities with unprecedented funding opportunities now available through Federal grants - for climate mitigation, clean energy, and infrastructure improvements,” said Stoddard, referring to funding available through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “Our Equity Coaches can provide no-cost support to municipalities to ensure that their grant proposals advance environmental justice and help all members of the community thrive.”
Stoddard added that Equity Coaches can also assist towns in meeting the goals of the Justice40 Initiative, the Federal Government's goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to communities that are marginalized, under-served, and overburdened by pollution.
The Equity Coaches were selected through a competitive application process and come from diverse backgrounds and communities throughout the state. They include:
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Abby Anderson – a coach, consultant and facilitator who has spent over a decade serving as executive director of a CT statewide nonprofit doing policy and advocacy work.
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Kamora Herrington – the 2022 recipient of the New Haven Pride Center’s Dorothy Award and the 2019 100 Women of Color Award and founder of Kamora’s Cultural Corner, a membership organization that offers opportunities for experiential community education.
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Denise Page – a thirty-year professional in the field of diversity and anti-racism, and founder of Ubuntu Storytellers, an organization that provides inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism leadership training to organizations and communities.
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Ace Riker – an educator and advocate for twenty years who has worked with a wide variety of organizations, religious forums, K-12 schools, colleges, and nonprofits.
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TeriLynn Rogers – serves on the Vernon Town Council and is the president of the Vernon Community Network, a non-profit organization.
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Latha Swamy – currently serving as the Director of Food System Policy for the City of New Haven, with 18 years of experience designing, conducting, and communicating results from quantitative and qualitative research studies in the fields of clinical medicine, environmental conservation, food and agriculture, and their intersections.
"We are thrilled to welcome these talented and experienced Equity Coaches to the Sustainable CT team as part of our ongoing commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in all areas of our work," said Stoddard. "Their expertise and passion for equity will be invaluable as we work to create a more sustainable and just future for all Connecticut residents."
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