Contributed by Faye Kennedy
Sacramento Red, Black & Green Environmental Justice Coalition (RBG-EJC): The Sacramento Red Black and Green Environmental Justice Coalition came together in Fall 2019 to offer an informed voice on environmental justice — especially where that voice is needed to appropriately inform public policy. While “environment” encompasses many concerns, our strong emphasis is on how the environment affects human health. A wide range of insight is needed to address environmental challenges. RBG-EJC is proud to contribute to the discourse and decision-making needed to improve our communities’ health.
Summary of the for Sacramento Red, Black and Green Environment Justice Coalition (RBG-EJC) Gathering, December 3, 2019
On Wednesday, December 3rd the Sacramento Red, Black and Green Environment Justice Coalition (RBG-EJC) was publicly launched at the picturesque Brickhouse Art Gallery in historic Oak Park.
The Red Black and Green Environmental Justice Coalition came together in Fall of 2019 to offer an informed voice on environmental justice in Sacramento– especially where that voice is needed to appropriately inform public policy. While “environment” encompasses many concerns, our strongest emphasis is on how the environment affects human health outcomes.
A wide range of insight is needed to address environmental challenges. RBG-EJC is proud to contribute to the discourse and decision-making needed to improve our communities’ health.
At the inaugural gathering, roughly two dozen community members gathered to listen, discuss and share their collective concerns regarding environmental related issues impacting local Black communities. Community members outlined, identified and shared the following environmental issues impacting our communities:
- Poor Air Quality (clean air); reduced greenhouse gases emissions
- Illegal dumping (the timely removal of trash and debris in impacted communities)
- Lack of green spaces
- Lack of clean and accessible water in schools
- Lack of basic safe and walkable routes in communities (need sidewalks, lighting, traffic lights and traffic calming)
- Lack of public transportation opportunities (bus and light rail schedules are unreliable and does not accommodate impacted and disadvantages communities)
- Black voices are missing at decision-making levels in Sacramento County.
- Many Black and impacted community members live in “Food Deserts” with no or limited access to healthy foods and affordable foods such as: fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Lack of funding resources to address community identified environmental related issues
- Please add/include other issues
- SB375, The Sustainable Communities Act, in the absence of equity actually exacerbated gentrification.
- Of course, decisions taken outside a community for their “improvement” often reflect the decision makers’ priorities, not the community’s. That misalignment will often make efforts ineffective because a) they are not fully usable by the community, or b) they mainly achieve the decision makers’ desired outcomes, but the community’s desired outcomes.
- SB1000 is very promising and merits our close attention.
- Resources and dollars are being committed NOW; our inattention will mean we get less of it.
- Sac agencies are strongly focused on Transportation:
- Green Tech Net Zero Transportation Hub in Del Paso Heights on Grand Ave and May Street – Featuring electric shuttles, community ride hail and ride share programs (electric vehicles, charging stations and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles)
- Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD already offers shared e-cars, [an all-electric version of Zip Cars’ short-term rentals] but only at Mutual Housing & SHRA sites through the Community Carshare program.
- Air Quality/CARB’s “Clean Cars for All “program, is expanding to Sacramento (SMAQMD).
- SacRT is expanding “SmaRT Ride” on-demand transit
- https://www.sacrt.com/apps/smart-ride/
Red, Black & Green Environmental Justice Coalition’s Founding Members
- Jackie Cole, Veritable Good
- Simeon Gant, Crystal Keene, Tyrone Netters, Masud Kibur-Cunningham, Alisa Foreman, Green Tech Education & Employment
- Nailah Pope-Harden, Morrison Creek Revitalization Project
- Joelle Toney, AB-617 Air Quality Steering Committee
- William Johnson, Sacramento Area Black Caucus
- Faye Wilson Kennedy, Sacramento Area Black Caucus & Sacramento Poor People’s Campaign
Sacramento Red, Black and Green Environment Justice Coalition (RBG-EJC):
Contacts: FayeK@springmail.com, 916-484-5025 or SimGant@gmail.com, 916-224-1042
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Red-Black-and-Green-Environmental-Justice-Coalition-107458164072678/
Sacramento Red Black and Green Environmental Justice Coalition
The Yisrael Family Farm, visit: www.yisraelfamilyfarm.net
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/2655627987859822/
Green Tech Education, visit: www.greentechedu.org
Black Urban Gardeners For Liberation, visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/875280402494179/about/
The Environmental Justice Movement Is Rooted In Black History.
Visit: https://350.org/black-history-month
Farming While Black, https://www.facebook.com/farmingwhileblack
ClimatePlan is gathering Sacramento advocates for a listening session focused on land use, transportation, climate, housing, and equity. Thursday, Feb 13 from 1:00-3:00PM: Please RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sacramento-region-land-use-and-transportation-listening-session-tickets-92141418463
Publications
Confronting Environmental Racism: Voices From the Grassroots by Robert D. Bullard and Benjamin Chavis Jr.
Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land, October 30, 2018
Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement (Justice, Power, and Politics) Hardcover – December 10, 2018
The Environmental Justice Reader: Politics, Poetics, and Pedagogy by Joni Adamson, Mei Mei Evans, et al. | Oct 31, 2002
Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility Hardcover – June 20, 2014 by Dorceta Taylor (Author)
The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems by Van Jones | Sep 29, 2009
Polluted Promises: Environmental Racism and the Search for Justice in a Southern Town by Melissa Checker | Jul 31, 2005
Compiled by Sacramento Red Black and Green Environmental Justice Coalition
