April Membership Meeting: New York City Comptroller Candidate Forum

Do you know what the New York City Comptroller does? And do you know all the candidates who will be running for that seat in the June 24th Primary Election?

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, April 12th, from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, located at 454 West 155th Street, to meet the candidates running for the New York City Comptroller office. As part of our April Membership Meeting, we are co-hosting this with the NYLCVEF. We have invited all of the candidates running for Comptroller to come tell us why they are the best candidate for the job and to discuss the budget and legislative process as it relates to New York City’s parks. WE ACT members will also have an opportunity to ask them questions. Please submit any questions you may have via this form. RSVP

Protect Your Community from Pollution

Concerned about what sources of pollution end up in your neighborhood? Then join us - along with our colleagues at Environmental Advocates NY, EarthJustice, South Bronx Unite, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, and Clean+Healthy - for briefing on the Environmental Justice Siting Law (better known as Cumulative Impacts Law, which we helped pass in 2022) on Monday, April 14th at 2:00 PM via Zoom. This law protects environmental justice communities from experiencing additional burdens caused by the siting of new polluting facilities in and near their already overburdened communities. This briefing will cover the key provisions of Phase 1 of the rulemaking process for this law, regarding the State Environmental Quality Review, and provide insights about key areas we support as well as areas requiring additional feedback. If you join us, we will then provide key information and resources for you to engage in the rulemaking process. RSVP

Apply for Cooling Assistance

Have you struggled to pay your energy bill? Summer will be here soon, and the Home Energy Assistance Program – better known as HEAP – will be open for cooling assistance applications on Tuesday, April 15th. New Yorkers, be sure to check your eligibility and apply here when the program opens because it has run out of funds early for the past three summers, and this year could be even worse since the Trump administration’s gutting of the agency that funds it. Click here to download our 2025 Cooling Resources flyer. Apply for HEAP

Earth Day 5K Fun Run: One Week to Go!

Our Earth Day 5K is coming up fast, and we are proud to say that we are close to achieving our fundraising goal! It’s not too late for you to sign-up and join us on Randall’s Island on Saturday, April 19th. You can run or walk and enter as an individual or as a team. The event is open to everyone, including all ages and abilities. RSVP

Denise Patel on Climate Justice Under Trump 2.0 Panel

Denise Patel will be part of a panel discussing the impact of the Trump administration on climate equity, what litigation and the courts can do, and how states, cities, and NGOs are stepping up to fill the federal regulatory void. While the focus would be on legal avenues, the event will additionally incorporate local organizing and policy perspectives. Fellow panelists include NRDC Associate Director & Staff Attorney: Environment, Equity & Justice Center Sahana Rao and Institute for Policy Integrity State Policy Director Elizabeth Stein. NYU Law's Wilf Family Professor of Property Law Katrina Wyman will moderate. And the keynote address will be given by NYU Law's Director of the Environmental and Climate Justice Lab, former EPA Deputy General Counsel for Environmental Initiatives, and former WE ACT Board Member Marianne Engelman-Lado. The event will be on Tuesday, April 15th at 6:00 PM in NYU's Furman Hall Room 212. Dinner will be provided! RSVP

Procedural Justice in Energy and Climate Decisions Webinar

As part of our TCTAC, we are hosting the fifth installment in the New York University Environmental Justice Law and Policy Series: Procedural Justice in Energy and Climate Decisions on Wednesday, April 16 at 5:00 PM via Zoom. This virtual training webinar will explore the complex activities and processes that public utility or public service commissions take in the name of climate and energy policy. It’s a great opportunity for community-based organizations to learn about public service commissions and how to best engage with them. RSVP

Earth Day Extreme Heat Film Screening & Panel Discussion

WE ACT has once again teamed up with the Climate Film Festival for a heat-focused Earth Day event. This year we are screening The Heat Is On, an episode from PBS’s Weathered series, followed by a panel discussion on extreme heat, the deadliest impact of climate change.

The event will be held at the Maysles Documentary Center, located at 343 Malcolm X Boulevard, on Tuesday, April 22nd from 6:00-8:00 PM. Confirmed panelists include Julia Eiferman, Senior Policy Advisor at the New York City Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice; Jocelyn Rajaballey, Disability, Access, & Functional Needs Human Services Specialist at New York City Emergency Management Cooling Center Program; and Emily Walker, Senior Manager of External Affairs at the Natural Areas Conservancy. Check back soon as we will post the RSVP link as soon as Maysles shares it. Seating is limited!

Earth Day Rally for NY HEAT

Join us and climate justice activists from across the city for an Earth Day rally to demand the passage of the NY HEAT Act, the top climate priority in New York State. The event will begin at 12:00 PM on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday, April 22nd. The speakers will include the bill's lead sponsors, State Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, along with other elected officials and distinguished guests. Sponsoring organizations include 350 Brooklyn, All Our Energy, Citizen Action of New York, Food & Water Watch, New York Communities for Change, New York Progressive Action Network, Renewable Heat Now, Rise and Resist, Sane Energy Project, Third Act! NYC, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. RSVP

Annie Carforo was featured in a NY Focus story about the Trump administration firing the staff in charge of the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which provides funds for cooling assistance to states.

Eric Walker was quoted in a NY Focus article, which also appeared in City Limits, on our lawsuit against the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for failing to issue the regulations required to implement the New York State Climate Act, formerly known as the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which we helped pass in 2019. Coverage also appeared in the Albany Times-Union,  Buffalo News,  E&E News, Plattsburgh Press-Republican, and WCBS-TV News 6 in Albany.

Our Federal Policy Office in Washington, DC has been encouraging opposition to the dismantling of environmental justice offices at various federal agencies. We are happy to report that a few members of congress have risen up against these actions, with Representative Summer Lee (D-PA) sending a letter – signed by 108 of her colleagues – calling for the EPA to halt the disbanding of its environmental justice offices, according to the Hill.

Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship:
Applications Close Soon

Applications for the 2025-26 Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellowship for Environmental Justice Leadership are now open, and will remain so through April 18th. This fellowship, named in honor of Cecil Corbin-Mark, who served as WE ACT’s Deputy Director before passing away in 2020, is a unique opportunity for young people to continue to follow in his footsteps and begin a career path to become the next generation of environmental justice leaders.

This year, we will be hosting one fellow based in Washington, DC, beginning in June and lasting for one year. Learn more about the fellowship and how to apply here. And read about the experiences of former Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellows in this blog post.

WE ACT Seeking an Educational Consultant for New Environmental Justice Center

WE ACT has issued a Request for Proposals for an Educational Consultant for our WE ACT Environmental Justice Center, which is currently under construction in Harlem. Click here to read the RFP. Click here to download the RFP. We will be accepting applications through May 8, 2025.