Demanding Climate Justice for Latinx Communities, Poder Latinx Kicks Off Week of Action on the Environment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 19, 2021
CONTACT:
Fernanda Durand | (214) 402-0186 | fernanda@communicationsshop.us
Demanding Climate Justice for Latinx Communities, Poder Latinx Kicks Off Week of Action on the Environment
NATIONWIDE – Poder Latinx is launching a week of action across our three key states – Georgia, Arizona, and Florida – to celebrate Earth Day and engage the Latinx community in local actions to support the urgent environmental justice battle to bring better living conditions to Latinx communities.
The Latinx community has historically faced representational barriers, which have resulted in disproportionately unsafe environments in their communities and neighborhoods. See below for the events taking place this week in Georgia, Arizona, and Florida, and join us to stand up for the Earth and Latinx communities impacted by the unequal impacts of climate change.
IN-PERSON EVENTS
ARIZONA – Wednesday, April 21, 5:00 p.m. MT.
Community Meeting: Poder Latinx Arizona will be holding a community meeting to discuss with our neighbors our local and state priorities in regards to the environment and how they can take action. We will also be holding some interactive activities to engage with children and their parents through a phone application to learn about nature in our neighborhood. This is a gateway to further a conversation with parents and children about the environment.
FLORIDA – Thursday, April 22, 5:30 p.m. ET.
Community Clean-Up at La Costa Wetlands: This week, we are urging the city of Orlando to ensure that we have Clean Neighborhoods For All, free of pollution, litter, and toxic waste. We start locally by asking the city to implement more trash and recycling bins in our Latinx spaces. Facebook Event HERE.
GEORGIA – Saturday, April 24, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET
Community Clean-Up Day
FB Event HERE
Location: Pinnacle Park
Co-hosts: Alliance for Black Lives, Gwinnett Recycles, SomosGAIA, Gwinnett Ready for 100, Sierra Club and GALEO
DIGITAL EVENTS
Monday, April 19, 4:00 p.m. EST / 2:00 p.m. MT | IG Live with a Poderosa | Latinas fighting for Environmental Justice
Wednesday, April 21, 1:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. MT | GA Instagram Live | Melania Armenta from Somos GAIA and Susi Duran of Poder Latinx will speak about Earth Day, the importance of community cleanups, and invite the public to come to our #EarthDay2020 Cleanup Event at Pinnacle Park in Georgia
Thursday, April 22, 11:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 a.m. MT | National Town Hall with Univision, EDF, Corazon Latino, Poder Latinx and Health Experts | on Univision Digital
Thursday, April 22, 12:00 p.m. EST / 10:00 a.m. MT | Poder Latinx National Facebook Webinar with our leaders from Georgia, Arizona, and Florida
Saturday, April 24, 4:00 p.m. MT on Univision Arizona / 4:30 p.m. MT on Univision Arizona Facebook | Poder Latinx will participate in a town hall with Univision Arizona, Chispa, Corazon Latino, EDF, and Elected officials on how we are fighting for environmental justice in our state (video HERE)
At the national level, Congress will soon have an opportunity to respond to environmental challenges with the THRIVE ACT (Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy).
The THRIVE ACT would put over 15 million people to work in family-sustaining, union jobs across the economy — from clean energy to care work to manufacturing — to cut climate pollution in half by 2030 and advance gender, environmental, Indigenous, economic, and racial justice. Sponsored by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), as well as Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), and Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), and supported by Poder Latinx, the THRIVE ACT offers a blueprint for economic renewal backed and supported by unions, racial justice, climate, and other grassroots groups.
Beyond endorsing these federal responses, this week, Poder Latinx is focusing on the key states of Georgia, Arizona, and Florida, which are in particular need of both national and local responses to the climate crisis and the ways in which it is disproportionately impacting the lives of Latinx communities and other minority groups.
In Georgia, residents suffer from the impacts of environmental pollution on their waterways, and in the air they breathe.
“The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River is one of the most endangered river basins in the country and is the fountain of life in Georgia - over 40 million people rely on the river for drinking water, as does our industry, power generation, and fisheries. Georgia cannot wait any longer for clean air, for clean water, safe coal-ash disposal, or renewable energy. Georgia needs it now. We need to hold polluters accountable, ensure safe coal-ash cleanup and disposal, and will seek justice for the communities most impacted by pollution and environmental degradation," said Susi Duran, Georgia state director for Poder Latinx.
In Arizona, climate changes are impacting lives across the state with particular impacts on marginalized communities.
“Arizona is impacted every year during the summer with heat waves that almost feel unbearable and every year just seems to get worse. It is time for our local elected officials to take a stand against global warming and beat the heat in Arizona by supporting policy that addresses the harm that is being done to our planet and our communities,” said Josue Andonaegui, Regional Organizing Coordinator with Poder Latinx. The Poder Latinx team on the ground continues to fight for the Arizona Heritage Fund (SB1384), which will provide $10 million to support public spaces and invest in youth, families, and communities. We are also fighting bills like HB2248, which would shift the power to enact energy rules from the Arizona Corporate Commissioner to the legislature. We join Arizona Public Services and the business community in opposing the bill, which is awaiting a floor vote.
Florida also faces dangerous consequences of the climate crisis. “Every year, we face further environmental burdens that disproportionately affect low-income, brown and black communities. Our elected officials must pass policy, both at a local and national level, to combat the climate crisis while putting the most vulnerable communities at the center,” said Jennifer Torres, Environmental Organizer in Florida.
###