By Karen Melton, Southeast PA volunteer

Eva Resnick-Day, Sierra Club Community Organizer in Pittsburgh, explained how the local Ready For 100 team shifted their priorities in response to the pandemic and the George Floyd killing.  During the pandemic she said it quickly became clear that no large funded projects were going to be adopted by a city council already struggling with a COVID-19 budget crisis, so they moved to raising funds to provide direct relief and support to Bukit Bail Fund for those at risk while incarcerated, SistersPGH, which supports the vulnerable transgender and LGBTQIA community, Casa San Jose, which supports the local Latino immigrant community many of whom cannot receive government stimulus, and support to laid off restaurant workers.  They helped people get food and masks, and also helped people work through problems getting stimulus checks.

Then the killing, and the protests began. Eva previously worked for Greenpeace, where she was trained in direct action and civil disobedience. In addition to joining the protests and helping to pass out protection gear, she was able to teach others how to protest safely.

Families in the Homewood Community that first came together for a program to save money on energy bills years ago continue to meet and organize, becoming a rich discussion forum. They are now having weekly conversations about defunding the police – what do people want to see, where should investment in Black communities go, and how to provide affordable housing. A project they had been working on, and will come back to in the future, is to improve street lighting in the neighborhood, which was identified by residents in the community as a safety concern, and at the same time will save the city money by installing LEDs.

Eva says elected officials are talking about creating commissions to look at policing policies and issuing statements, but not yet committing to real change or a shifting of resources. She points to 12 demands that have come from Black leaders, many long-term, ranging from shifts in the operational police budget to investing in the long-term health of Black communities with housing security and a safe environment. Sierra Club will continue to play a supporting role for local groups led by people of color who are advocating for these demands for as long as it takes.

  This blog was included as part of the 2020 Fall Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!