10 Days of Giving Back: New York City Environmental Justice Project
Nov 25, 2024 brooklyn,charity,giving,giving tuesday,new york,red hook
As part of our celebration of the holidays — and as a thank you to the larger community that supports us all year long — Realty Collective is proud to feature the work of key non-profit organizations making the borough (and beyond) better every day. We’ve selected 10 non-profits to highlight and we encourage everyone to learn a bit about their respective missions and, if possible, to join us in making a small monetary donation to further their work. We thank them for everything they do and thank you for supporting a small, woman-owned Brooklyn business for nearly 20 years.
Since 1991, the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (NYC-EJA) has been mobilizing “low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in their struggle for environmental justice.” It’s all part of a unique organizing model that harnesses the power of its member community groups to tackle systemic environmental injustice across New York City through targeted campaigns with clear, defined goals. As might be expected, its mission is massive and its scope expansive. But its grassroots approach also means it’s often successful.
NYC-EJA focuses on specific campaigns – current ones target everything from coastal resiliency and extreme heat to clean energy transition and transportation justice. Previous campaigns have resulted in wins such as the passage of 2019’s NYC Climate Mobilization Act, 2014’s People’s Climate March, and tireless work on congestion pricing. Chances are, even if you’ve never heard their name, you’re familiar with their work.
While the organization does not directly offer individual volunteer opportunities, there are still plenty of ways to get involved in their mission. If you know of a grassroots environmental advocacy group in your community, encourage them to get in touch and find out about NYC-EJA’s advocacy. We’d also encourage you to sign up for their email list to stay up to date on their efforts.
Climate and environmental justice is an increasingly urgent issue for us all but there’s no doubt that communities of color and low-income communities face these realities disproportionately and with dire, long-term consequences. We encourage you to learn more not just about the work of NYC-EJA but issues of environmental racism in your community. We all stand a chance when we stand together.