Passion is contagious. Don't miss our 2018 Awards Celebration: United to Vote with keynote speaker Senator Toni Atkins as we recognize the following environmental and social justice leaders.

With limited seating and a history of selling out, be sure to buy your tickets today. 

Mustafa Santiago Ali: Environmental Justice Champion Award

Ali has worked to alleviate the impact of air, water and industrial pollution on vulnerable communities across the nation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 24 years. He was instrumental in developing the U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Justice and sent a strong message to the current administration upon his resignation in March 2017.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher: Spirit of Justice Award

As the first Latina in California history to chair the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the first woman and person of color elected CEO and Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, she has championed the needs of our community with state legislation that set national precedents. Her leadership has resulted in protection for children from lead in water at schools; supported women by combatting sexual assault; and fought climate change by expanding urban tree canopy. In 2017, she lead the passage of AB 805, that reforms SANDAG and enables transportation justice efforts to grow rapidly.

Councilwoman Ale Sotelo-Solis - Spirit of Justice Award

As Councilwoman of National City, her efforts have had enormous benefits, especially through her tireless work to ensure a historic Westside Specific Plan to protect both community health and business and her leadership that resulted in 201 new and affordable homes for National City residents. At the state level, her advocacy to gain adoption of California’s first environmental justice element requirement is unparalleled.

Councilwoman Mona Rios - Spirit of Justice Award

We applaud her lifetime work and to transportation justice as Councilwoman of National City. Rios’ tireless work to ensure passage of AB 805 is enabling transportation efforts to grow rapidly, particularly in transit-dependent communities. Her commitment as Vice Chair of Metropolitan Transit System is a momentous opportunity for a regional reset to transit and clean air, especially in the South Bay.

 California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)  - Environmental Justice Champion Award

For their commitment to environmental and social justice in California has had enormous benefits to the San Diego-Tijuana border region. CEJA’s leadership is unsurpassed and has lifted the environmental justice movement to new heights to address climate change, air pollution, healthy neighborhoods, clean and accessible energy and so much more.

Engage San Diego - Building Power Award

Engage San Diego is a regional civic engagement network whose mission is to build power to win social and economic justice through integrated voter engagement and community organizing. Engage San Diego seeks to build a culture of voting and achieve equitable vote share across all demographics in San Diego County. Engage brings together local organizations with diverse issues, constituencies and organizing styles and provides them with the space and leadership for innovative and effective civic collaboration.

In December 2017, Environmental Health Coalition Executive Director Diane Takvorian was honored as the KPBS and National Conflict Resolution Center’s community hero for environmental sustainability.

That honor culminated with a community conversation on January 11, 2018, between Diane and KPBS environmental reporter Erik Anderson.

More than 145 community members joined Diane and Erik as they talked about nearly 40 years of EHC’s work to protect public health and our communities burdened by toxic pollution. After their conversation, each table discussed three important questions among themselves and shared their answers with the crowd. Community members from Barrio Logan, National City, City Heights and Sherman Heights joined us and the conversation was translated into English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Thank you for joining us. If you missed it, you can check out the Facebook Live video of Diane’s interview with Erik here.

In December 2017, National City Council unanimously approved a community garden for the neighborhood and granted oversight and maintenance to National-City based Mundo Gardens.

Mundo Gardens is a neighborhood garden program which cultivates wellness and empowers youth and families by combining nature, music and art.

Why Does A Community Garden Matter?

Since 2005, residents have expressed the need for access to fresh, healthy food and natural space owned and operated by the community, for the community.

The garden, soon to be located on the north side of Paradise Creek Park near Kimball Elementary School, aligns with the community’s vision for a healthy neighborhood.

In a place that ranks among the top five percent of communities in California most impacted by pollution, a locally owned and operated garden embodies our hope for a healthier future.

National City Council will finalize the implementation agreement with Mundo Gardens in 2018. The garden is expected to open in the summer of 2019.

When our region provides affordable and accessible transportation options - such as walking, biking and transit – we can reduce the pollution that we breathe every day, reduce the harmful impacts of climate change and improve the quality of life in our communities.

We recently brought this intention to the California Air Resources Board, where we told state leaders that we need strong laws, like SB 375, to reduce pollution in our neighborhoods.

What Is SB 375?

SB 375 is Senate bill that holds our regional transportation-planning agency, SANDAG, accountable for reducing its pollution. Our communities demanded SANDAG reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by the year 2035.

Why SB 375 Matters to All of Us

For years, SANDAG’s transportation planning has long neglected to meet the needs of our families and neighborhoods. SB 375 would require SANDAG to ditch its current transportation plan in favor of one that significantly decreases greenhouse gas emissions and ensures our communities don’t continue to shoulder the burden of air pollution in the region and in the state.

Joined by a variety of organizations across the region, we submitted this letter to state leaders to explain why SANDAG’s operations and planning need to change.

Support a Strong SB 375 to Protect Our Communities

Many San Diego organizations have joined us to demand California decision makers hold SANDAG accountable. Learn more about SB 375 here.

By: Giuliana Schroeder – Individual Giving Director

Recently I sat down with Franco Garcia, EHC’s associate director of organizing, to talk about civic engagement and what it means for our communities.

Franco, why is civic engagement in our communities important?

Historically, low-income families of color are unlikely to vote. When we vote, we can positively impact election results. When we don’t vote, we give up the opportunity to create a safer and healthier environment for our families.

How many people in our communities vote?

The chart below shows that 60 percent of California is made up of communities of color, yet only 35 percent of us vote. To ensure the policies that will build #healthyhoods win, we have to change this picture.

What does EHC hope to accomplish with its civic engagement work in 2018?

Ultimately, we want voting to represent the community voice. We want to empower our residents to go to the polls so we can ensure the policies that pass reflect our needs and what we know will build #healthyhoods.

EHC has a track record of impacting elections and the culture of voting. Every investment in EHC enables us to provide resources to empower the most marginalized communities to find their voice and use it at the polls.

To learn more about our civic engagement efforts or to get involved, please contact Franco at Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo..