We are in a pivotal moment where things once unimaginable are now undeniable. We can't continue to rely on technocratic approaches that have proven ineffective or that only make superficial change. To build a just world, we need people-centered strategies that challenge the political, social, and economic leaders and systems that produced decades of environmental racism and inaction on climate change. Environmental Justice Movement leaders, specifically the people who are closest to the dangers of climate change, should lead us in identifying solutions.
Read MoreFor the fourth part of the Tishman Center’s video interview series, we spoke to Dr. Nicky Sheats, director of the Center for the Urban Environment of the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy at Thomas Edison State University and a key member of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA). He is also a lawyer and longtime advocate for environmental justice.
Read MoreOur third conversation in the interview series was with Susan Blaustein, the Executive Director of WomenStrong International, a community of organizations across the globe that focuses empowering women and girls. We spoke with Susan about how climate impacts affect women, inequalities that have stemmed from COVID-19 among other things. We hope you all enjoy this episode and please share your feedback with us.
Read MoreFor the second part of the Tishman Center’s video interview series, we would like to highlight Maria Lopez-Nuñez. As the Deputy Director of Organizing and Advocacy at the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) in Newark, NJ, Maria is an environmental justice activist deeply rooted in the Ironbound community.
Read MoreWe want to highlight the work of those looking to create positive change in the environmental and climate justice spaces and to share how we can support and elevate them; therefore we will be sharing their stories in the form of short interviews. Our first featured interview is with Leslie Velasquez, the Environmental Justice Program Coordinator at El Puente, a Brooklyn-based social justice and arts non-profit.
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