By Ana Boyd, Sierra Club Organizing Apprentice
As we face huge federal rollbacks and an administration that is willing to risk our health and our climate, Eymhy Corpus (Organizing Representative) and I, representing the Beyond Coal Campaign in Las Vegas, collaborated with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) to host a town hall meeting on environmental justice on July 19th at Iglesia Centro de Adoracion Familiar. PLAN has recently completed an environmental justice study, interviewing people across the state to learn about significant issues within their communities. We thought that it was a great time for our organizations to check in with local community members and to discuss the risks of dirty coal and climate change.
Our guests had the opportunity to learn about the Beyond Coal Campaign and to participate in a discussion on climate justice with three panelists. We were joined by Cristhian Barneond, a participant from PLAN’s environmental justice study, Caitlin Gatchalian, a student and environmental justice advocate, and Vernard Williams, a local environmental leader, who works with youth on environmental issues with a focus on advocacy for frontline communities impacted by environmental degradation. Our panelists discussed what environmental justice means to them personally, how to engage new communities in the climate movement, and the benefits of incorporating sustainable lifestyle choices.
The event closed with a few words from John Taing of Congressman Ruben Kihuen’s office and Dane Hudson, a member of Congresswoman Jacky Rosen’s team. Both representatives discussed their work within Congress to fight for environmental issues, from voting against the road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to attempts to block the delay of new ozone standards. The Beyond Coal Campaign is excited to continue working together with local community members and politicians to fight for climate justice as we work to transition Nevada to clean energy. Similarly, we will continue to push Senator Heller and Congressman Amodei to support environmentally friendly policies and will hold them accountable if they choose not to.
El Tiempo and The Las Vegas Sun both published great pieces about the continuous fight for environmental justice and the impacts of weakened environmental regulations on marginalized communities.
Click here to read the El Tiempo en espanol.
Click here to read The Las Vegas Sun article.