Sacajawea Saki Hall

It Takes Roots To Weather the Storm: Race and Resilience on Forefront of the Climate Justice Movement

What is happening at the intersection of race, climate, and economy? What does it look like to address race explicitly while advancing community-driven solutions to the climate crisis? As we enter the hottest months in recorded history, Indigenous, Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander and working class white communities in the US and globally are not only on the frontlines of the climate crisis – they are also at the leading edge of the growing climate justice movement. “Frontline communities” are the peoples living directly alongside fossil-fuel pollution and extraction—overwhelmingly Indigenous Peoples, Black, Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander peoples in working class, poor, and peasant communities in the US and around the world. In climate disruption and extreme weather events, we are hit first and worst. In this interactive workshop, people will explore deep democracy approaches to communities defining their own resilience models and climate solutions, addressing race explicitly in climate resilience planning, linking economic and ecological justice through a racial justice frame, and tapping into the ecological and cultural wisdom of communities of color to transform our cities. Join leaders from the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance and the Movement Strategy Center in an interactive discussion that will build on local, regional, national, and global campaigns to draw out lessons and sharpen our collective vision of Just Transition from the extractive economy to local living economies.

Speakers: Rosa Gonzalez, Sacajawea Saki Hall, Denise Abdul-Rahman

#OurNeighborhoods: Sharing Policies for Anti-Displacement & Equitable Development

Effective policies and strategies to prevent the displacement of neighborhoods of color and promote equitable development will be shared from a range of cities across the country. Within the context of the current urban housing crisis, the global accumulation of capital, rapid gentrification, the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule, a growing #HousingJustice movement, and a long history of housing discrimination by race, voices from the frontlines will tell community stories, share local strategies, and cross-dialogue with participants from other cities in small groups. Presenters will discuss current national policy campaigns and reforms within federal agencies to support equitable development in our neighborhoods, and invite others to connect advocacy efforts across communities. The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development launched the #OurNeighborhoods campaign this year, in alliance with Right to the City, to connect neighborhoods in hot markets that are at risk of displacement to implement more policies focused on affordable housing for working class residents and thriving local small business districts, both of which are critical for our families. From historic Chinatowns in the shadows of skyscraping Downtowns, to the destruction of public housing to make way for luxury condominiums, we hope to link struggles across communities of color, share best practices, and elevate the discussion nationally. We have been traveling the country meeting with allies, building consensus and momentum around what’s working on the ground and what’s needed in DC, and we welcome you to collaborate.

Speakers: Seema Agnani, Sacajawea Saki Hall