Justice Fund Grantees - Center for Environmental Health

2016 Justice Fund Grantees

Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project

Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project (ANV) elevates life in the inner city by challenging oppressive dynamics and environments through urban farming. ANV’s quarter acre farm located in the City of Oakland’s Tassafaronga Park is planned, planted, harvested and sold by youth in grades K-8. One hundred percent of the proceeds are placed into individual savings accounts for those who participate.

ANV received a grant for general support to address environmental health, economic, and educational inequities by engaging low-income youth of color (ages 5-13) and their families by connecting them to nature and their community through farming; outdoor and cultural programs, field trips, community events; vocational skills development; and asset building for a better future.

Asociación de Gente Unida por el Agua (AGUA)

AGUA is a coalition of community organizations, nonprofit agencies, and youth dedicated to securing safe, clean, and affordable drinking water in the San Joaquin Valley by organizing communities to address pollution from various sources and contaminants. AGUA’s goal is to improve water quality in the San Joaquin Valley, particularly contaminated groundwater basins.

AGUA received a grant for general support to organize and develop the capacity of their members to become advocates for access to clean, affordable and sustainable water solutions, with both policymakers and the public.

Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC)

The Bay Area Environmental Health Collaborative (BAEHC) is a partnership of six environmental health coalitions—with more than 30 organizations—working for the adoption of measures to reduce air pollution in heavily impacted communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area of California. The Collaborative’s diverse membership includes community-based organizations, environmental health and justice advocacy groups, and public health experts.

BAEHC received a grant to support grassroots member participation and staff coordination of collaborative activities aimed to improve health and reduce the cumulative impact of pollution in Bay Area communities and enhance community engagement in environmental decision making.

California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative

The Collaborative was formed out of growing concern for the health and safety of the nail and beauty care workforce in California. Reflecting this concern, the Collaborative strives to improve the health, safety, and rights of the nail and beauty care workforce to achieve a healthier, more sustainable and just industry. The Collaborative’s core belief is that nail and beauty salon workers have the right to work in a healthy and safe environment that is free of harmful toxins. It works toward this through a multidisciplinary approach of outreach, education, research, industry advocacy, and policy strategies.

The Collaborative received a grant to support safer consumer products policy advocacy, to provide updated health and safety training sessions for nail salon workers throughout California, and to conduct right-to-know and safer consumer products outreach education.

California Indian Environmental Alliance

California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA) is a Native American nonprofit located in the East Bay with a mission to ‘Protect and restore California Peoples’ cultural traditions, ancestral territories, means of subsistence, and environmental health.’ CIEA was founded to address mining toxins in California’s rivers, lakes, and streams. They work for underserved and underrepresented Tribes and low income Native American families in Northern California. Since 2003, CIEA has worked to secure stricter water quality standards and to identify tools to protect subsistence fishing, safe drinking water, and traditional habitat restoration.

For general support with an emphasis on securing more stringent water quality in California for California Indian Tribes and Tribal communities.

Central Valley Air Quality (CVAQ) Coalition

The Central Valley Air Quality Coalition is a broad coalition of more than 70 community, public health, environmental justice, medical, civil rights, and environmental groups dedicated to fighting chronic air pollution and its impacts in California’s San Joaquin Valley. CVAQ’s mission is to work toward awareness, act as a watchdog, advocate for policy, mobilize communities to create clean air in the San Joaquin Valley, and ensure that all communities, of all races, cultures, class, or creed, have the opportunity to be involved in the policy department and regulatory processes improving regional health.

CVAQ received a grant to support the implementation of its annual Clean Air Action Day to connect valley advocates and residents with their state legislators to educate them on environmental justice issues, through researching legislation, conducting outreach and education to partners/community members, and working with the legislators.

CHANGE – Californians for a Healthy & Green Economy

Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE) is a California based, nationally networked, cross-sector coalition working for comprehensive chemicals policy reform. Founded in 2006, CHANGE aims to serve all Californians by reducing their exposures to chemicals that can impact their health. They educate and organize communities across the state to advance and improve the enforcement of health protective laws and regulations, and to expand the California economy through the growth of innovative green chemistry based jobs and industries.

CHANGE received a grant to support their Leadership Development and Base Building (LDBB) Initiative for 2016 – 2017. By conducting trainings, developing stories, and creating policy solutions.

Del Amo Action Committee

The Del Amo Action Committee promotes and initiates partnerships with environmental justice leaders, academics, residents, nonprofits, government entities (local, state and federal) and regulators to ensure residents being affected by contaminants in their communities have a voice as decisions are being made. The Del Amo Action Committee is a grassroots community based non-profit organization formed in 1993 by residents living on top of the largest known DDT contamination site in the world, the former Montrose DDT manufacturing facility and one of the largest cancer causing contaminated groundwater plumes in the country caused by a World War II industrial complex.

Del Amo Action Committee received a grant to support their project on Extensive Summer Educational Outreach Mobilization. The purpose of this project is to develop a strategic plan and bilingual outreach materials, outreach to 450 homes on an ongoing basis and hold monthly core group meetings, organize and facilitate two greater community meetings and formalize community comments to the appropriate regulatory agency.

Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative

DDDC is a powerful coalition of over fifteen community-based, environmental justice, public health, and environmental organizations and agencies with a mission to reduce diesel pollution in low-income communities of color. DDDC provides education and outreach to build awareness and a larger constituency for change, while working to reduce diesel pollution regionally.

DDDC received a grant for general operating support to advance their work to build the capacity of inequitably impacted communities to promote health and quality of life within decisions by transportation agencies within the region.

East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ)

East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ) is a community-based organization that works to facilitate self-advocates in Southeast Los Angeles and Long Beach. By providing workshops & trainings, EYCEJ prepares community members to engage in the decision-making processes that directly impact their health and quality of life.

EYCEJ received a grant to support their efforts to increase two program capacities: La Cosecha Colectiva (LCC), Riding On All Roads (ROAR), and community mobilizations through the purchase of bicycles, cargo carts, lights, helmets, and patch kits.

FF Asian Community Garden

The Florence Fang Asian Community Garden is a San Francisco based Asian community garden open to all San Franciscans. They are a completely community based open space and greening project that engages underserved and underrepresented populations to be part of San Francisco’s environmental justice activities, cleaning up neighborhood blight, and growing healthier communities. FFACG includes specific programs and outreach activities tailored to limited English proficiency Asian immigrants, as well as increasing interactions, understanding and collaboration between diverse communities of color.

FF Asian Community Garden received a grant to support their project that will add sustainability to their project of re-purposing public land for community use, empowering marginalized communities and promoting relations between different communities of color in San Francisco’s most neglected neighborhood.

Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice

Greenaction for Health & Environmental Justice is a multiracial grassroots organization that works with low-income and working class urban, rural, and indigenous communities to fight environmental racism and build a clean, healthy and just future for all. They mobilize community power to win victories that change government and corporate policies and practices to protect health and to promote environmental, social and economic justice.

Greenaction received a grant to assist two of their community organizers to fully participate in the “Bayview Hunters Point Youth, Arts & Environmental and Climate Justice Project.”

Just Transition Alliance

The Just Transition Alliance was founded in 1997 by environmental justice networks and labor organizations and became a 501(c)3 organization in 2005. They are based in San Diego, California and work on state and national projects. The Just Transition Alliance serves people of color, low-income communities who live next to polluting industries, and workers, particularly those who work in the service, energy, farmworker, and chemical sectors. Their focus is on contaminated communities and workplaces that should be cleaned up, as well as on the just transition to clean production and a sustainable economy centered on the improvement of health and wellness in the community. They also focus on community education, awareness, and action that aims to ameliorate the lack of knowledge and choice their communities have when dealing with toxic chemicals in their community and workplaces.

The Just Transition Alliance received a general support grant to support their efforts to increase community involvement and workplace awareness, and create opportunities for just transitions in the workplace and fenceline communities in order to improve quality of life and safety in the communities they work with.

Klamath Riverkeeper

Klamath Riverkeeper works closely with Klamath River Tribal people, fishermen, and recreational groups in their campaigns to protect and restore the Klamath Basin. Their work focuses on three major campaigns inluding un-dam the Klamath, protect water quality throughout the basin, and restore key Klamath tributaries. Klamath Riverkeeper is proud to have built the largest grassroots network in the Klamath watershed of southern Oregon and far northern California.

Klamath Riverkeeper received a general support grant to bolster their ability to support local community members to engage with decision-makers to improve water quality and access to healthy, traditional food sources; host trainings, community meetings and field trips, and conduct policy advocacy targeting key decision-makers to advance their ongoing campaigns.

Madera Coalition for Community Justice (MCCJ)

The primary objective and purpose for the Madera Coalition for Community Justice (MCCJ) is to Educate and assist low income residents in the city of Madera. The Madera Coalition for Community Justice works together with the residents of Madera to obtain appropriate and sufficient food, clothing, health care, education, employment opportunities, and other fundamental needs.

MCCJ received a grant to support in their development of a cadre of youth leaders who will initiate an air quality campaign in Madera by educating them on a broad range of air quality issues and training them on facilitation/presentation skills.

Mujeres de la Tierra

Mujeres de la Tierra (MDLT) works to build grassroots community leadership and capacity among traditionally marginalized communities, especially among those that are low-income, immigrant or people of color and culture. They do this to bring about an inclusive process in
local decision-making, civic participation, neighborhood revitalization and community building efforts. Their mission is to inspire, support, train and empower women and their families interested in becoming active participants and decision-makers in environmental and social
issues impacting their neighborhoods.

MDLT received a grant to support their work to identify scientists with expertise on various issues (air quality, water quality, hydrology) who will offer scientific information and analytical support to the concerned community enabling them to better understand their actual situation.

No Coal in Oakland

No Coal in Oakland is a grassroots organization campaigning to stop the threat of coal being transported by rail into Oakland for export overseas.

No Coal in Oakland received a general support grant to increase community outreach in various formats and to support a commission that would analyze the evidence submitted to city council and prepare a report that would warrant an ordinance to banning use of coal.

Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples

The mission of Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples (SPI) is to build the capacity of Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples to protect sacred lands, waters, and cultures. We support Indigenous communities, including youth, artists, students, community activists, Elders, and tribal leaders at the local, regional, state, federal and global level working to protect Indigenous environmental and cultural resources from pollution, overdevelopment, and desecration. Our long-term goal is to see clear policy and public paradigm shifts regarding the importance of protecting Indigenous sacred lands, waters, and cultures.

Sacred Places received a grant to assist them in their efforts to disseminate information on the Jefferson Drill Site and as well as their Make Jefferson Beautiful Campaign.

Safe Ag Safe Schools

Safe Ag Safe Schools, formerly known as the Safe Strawberry Monterey County Working Group (SSMCWG) is a coalition of 25-plus organizations and individuals working together to reduce pesticide exposure threats for the region’s residents. The group was originally convened in response to a proposal to approve the carcinogenic fumigant pesticide methyl iodide on agricultural fields in California. SSMCWG successfully pushed the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution calling on the state to ban methyl iodide; this local campaign was an important part of the statewide movement that successfully forced methyl iodide’s withdrawal from the market in 2012. Currently, SSMCWG is focused on increasing grassroots pressure on government decision makers to phase out hazardous drift-prone pesticides over the long term, and taking action to reduce hazardous pesticide use near schools and residential communities in the shorter term.

Safe Ag Safe Schools received a grant to support their project to mitigate environmental health hazards from agricultural pesticide operations, by generating attention, pressuring the opposition and fostering community engagement to ensure that the new regulations are as strong as possible.

Unión de Vecinos

Union de Vecinos is a grassroots community organization that promotes civic engagement, democracy, and the development of community power in Boyle Heights and the City of Maywood in LA County. Since 1996, Union de Vecinos has united neighborhoods – tenants, homeowners, families, youth, seniors, immigrants, low income families, working class families, and small business owners – in building and sustaining economic and environmental efforts in the City of Maywood, where residents are primarily low income families and Latino immigrants.

Union de Vecinos received a grant to support in the implementation of their Clean Up Green Up Ordinance in their target communities and push for its enactment in the whole city of LA. That includes educating local businesses on the ordinance, its impact, and helping them purchase/access to greener technologies.

Youth United for Community Action

YUCA was founded on the belief that the most effective youth program should include the intense involvement of young people at all levels of the organization. As a result, representing their constituency, YUCA is led and run at all levels entirely by young people of color, majority low-income, majority women, thus providing an opportunity for their community to define their own needs, determine their own vision, and implement it.

Youth United for Community Action received a grant to support their work to utilize the expertise of youth in their community to educate the neighborhood of East Palo Alto on the threats of Climate Change, through community surveys, community workshops, region-wide climate change leader training, and publishing a magazine about the role water plays on the climate.