For those committed to racial, social, and environmental justice, the national election was a gut punch. A result that will have far reaching and devastating consequences for ourselves, our loved ones, our communities, and the planet. The coming days will require us to catch our breath, then begin organizing to fight harder and smarter. We know what to expect, and we know what we must do.
Last spring, the following list of national policy and legal experts began compiling options to advance and defend federal climate justice gains made by the Biden Administration and protect civil and environmental rights. This impressive table brought together experts in environmental, climate, racial, economic, public health, housing, immigrant justice, and the equitable treatment of Indigenous Peoples, Black, Brown, and other People of Color. Together, we spent months compiling our best thinking of policy and legal solutions and strategies to advance climate justice and respond to different election outcomes. In the coming weeks, we will share with you our recommendations for defending climate justice.
We must continue to invest in grassroots organizing to advance community-led solutions capable of fostering resilient communities, mobilizing voters, and delivering on the promise of climate justice – safety, opportunity, health, jobs, and affordability. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and we look forward to doing it with you.
++
Collaborators and Contributors of forthcoming report, Defending Climate Justice Policies:
Dalal Aboulhosn, Senior Director of Programs & Policy, Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy
Karen Abrams, Deputy Director Programs, The Chisholm Legacy Project
Johanna Bozuwa, Executive Director, Climate & Community Institute
Irene Burga, Climate and Clean Energy Program Director, GreenLatinos
Amy Laura Cahn, Convener, Title VI Alliance
Thais Carrero, Director of External Affairs, National Partnership for New Americans
Sophia Cheng, Climate Justice Campaign Director, People’s Action Institute
Sylvia Chi, Senior Policy Analyst, Just Solutions
Lew Daly, Senior Fellow, Just Solutions
Kendall Dix, National Policy Director, Taproot Earth
Megan Essaheb, Director of Federal Affairs, People’s Action Institute
Ahmed Gaya, Director Climate Justice Collaborative, National Partnership for New Americans
James Goodwin, Policy Director, Center for Progressive Reform
Ardie Griffin, Policy Analyst & Legislative Director, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Batul Hassan, Policy Manager, Climate & Community Project
Jameka Hodnett, Chief Programs Officer, The Chisholm Legacy Project
Melissa Holguin Pineda, Program Manager Inclusion Initiatives, National Partnership for New
Americans
Miah Hornyak, Environment and Health Policy Coordinator, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Naadiya Hutchinson, Just Transition Lawyering Network Manager, Taproot Earth
Sonal Jessel, Senior Program Director, Building Power Resource Center
Sonia Kikeri, National Director of Policy and Civic Engagement, Emerald Cities Collaborative
Paige Knappenberger, Program Director of the Environment and Health Program, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Gladys Limón, Civil Rights and Environmental Justice Attorney
Jennifer Moon, Senior Researcher, Just Solutions
Priya Mulgaonkar, Senior Policy and Field Manager, Green New Deal Network
Cristina Muñoz De La Torre, Ph.D, Senior Researcher, Just Solutions
Sonum Nerurkar, Federal Strategist, Climate & Clean Energy Equity Fund
Noah Patton, Housing Policy Analyst, National Low-Income Housing Coalition
Hannah Perls, Senior Staff Attorney, Environmental & Energy Law Program, Harvard University
Natalie Rivas, Research & Policy Manager, The Chisholm Legacy Project
Adrien Salazar, Policy Director, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
Alvaro Sanchez, Vice President of Policy, Greenlining Institute
Aiko Schaefer, Executive Director, Just Solutions
Kelly Sheehan, Co-Executive Director, Initiative for Energy Justice
Idalmis Vaqueo, Senior Policy Analyst, Just Solutions
Gabriella Velardi-Ward, Founder, Coalition for Wetlands and Forests
Michelle Wright, Policy Organizing Manager, Climate Justice Alliance
Janene Yazzie, Director of Policy and Advocacy, NDN Collective
Ansha Zaman, Federal Policy Director, Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy
Organizations are listed for affiliation purposes only. If you have more questions about this work, please contact Aiko Schaefer: aiko at justsolutionscollective.org