It's been an exciting few months! After over two years of remote Environmental Justice organizing, the Clean Water team is finally back on the road traveling the state to meet with different groups and community members at events, speaking engagements, and local gatherings!
We are so appreciative to finally be back in touch with our communities and are looking forward to all the exciting direct advocacy activities we have planned this summer!
The Clean Water team would like to say thank you to all the groups and institutions that have invited us to their communities this past year to present on our Environmental Justice advocacy work and opportunities to directly support our efforts. We've met so many new faces and look forward to continue reconnecting with community members and ally organizations.
Thank you for promoting Environmental Justice and safe, affordable water for all North Carolinians!
Celebrating Earth Day & Environmental Justice Across NC!
A big thank you to Piedmont Environmental Alliance for their 2022 Earth Day fair! Clean Water for NC joined the event as an exhibitor and had a lot of fun meeting people, helping kids with a take-home groundwater project, and visiting other vendors. The support from the fair's volunteers was wonderful; they helped us set up and navigate the day!
Earth Day at the North Carolina Museum of Art was a blast! Not only did we enjoy talking with community members about groundwater monitoring and our work on poultry operations, it was great to chat with so many other nonprofits also working towards equitable drinking water infrastructure, safe drinking water, and Environmental Justice for all!
Educating About Our Work & Opportunities to Get Involved
In March, Professor Kata Chillag at Davidson College invited our Environmental Justice Organizer and Researcher, Christine Diaz, to speak to a "Water and Health" class about her work at Clean Water for NC, Environmental Justice, and career opportunities in this field. The presentation focused on current EJ issues in Southeastern NC, including wood pellet production, landfills, concentrated animal feeding operations, and cumulative impacts on communities. Thank you Davidson College!
The NC Public Health Association held their annual conference in April: Connectedness and Equity: Public Health Creates a Healthier North Carolina. The annual conference "gathers public health professionals . . from around the state to exchange information and create a healthier North Carolina through effective public health practice and engaged citizens." They invited our Executive Director, Veronica Oakler, to speak on Environmental Justice in NC and Public Health Implications. She focused on Sampson County as a case study of cumulative impacts from pollution and the disproportionate impacts borne by BIPOC communities, in particular health implications.
The NC Student Environmental Education Coalition (SEEC) invited our Executive Director, Veronica Oakler, to speak on an EJ Panel to students of the NC School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in April. SEEC engages with key environmental issues and inspires youth to take action for a cleaner world, for all. The panelists discussed the current state and future of environmental justice in NC and beyond, and the role of today's students for a better tomorrow!
We spent a lovely Sunday in April with the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle to discuss opportunities for their membership to get involved in Environmental Justice advocacy, specifically focused on how their group can contribute to the development of our "Community Toolkit". Thank you for the warm welcome, lively discussion, and enthusiasm in our work!
Upcoming Clean Water for NC Engagements!
Clean Water for NC is revamping our Community Toolkit to provide resources you can use to advocate for your neighborhood, learn about environmental justice and issues, and protect your rights for a clean environment regardless of time, funding, or previous knowledge. We will be hosting listening sessions in June and have plans for in-person events in Garysburg and Durham, as well as online options to hear better from community members, what would be helpful. Take the "Community Toolkit" survey today!
Thank you to everyone who helped make these events possible and for inviting us to participate! If you'd like a member of our team to speak with your group, please fill out our General Inquiries form!
