February Membership Meeting: Celebrate Black History Month & Learn About Upcoming Events

Come celebrate Black History Month and learn how you can participate in the many events we have planned for the next couple of months. We will also have a special Valentine's Day activity! Our February Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 14th from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall, located at 454 West 155th Street. RSVP

Beauty Justice at Caucus Weekend: Safety, Culture, and Equity in the Beauty and Personal Care Industry

Are you going to the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus Weekend in Albany next weekend? We are co-hosting a panel with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. that will discuss beauty justice and how Black women and other women of color disproportionately experience the health, cultural, and economic burdens of unsafe beauty and personal care products.

In addition to highlighting lived experiences, research and policy efforts to ensure safer, more transparent products, this event will also focus on two New York State legislative priorities: the Beauty Justice Act (S.2057A/A.2054A), which restricts some of the most harmful chemicals - including PFAS - in personal care and cosmetic products, and the Natural Hair Care and Braiding Bill (A.7924A/S.8573), which will strengthen the existing Natural Hair Styling License and advance health, safety, and professional standards within the natural hair care industry.

Join us on Saturday, February 14th at the Legislative Office Building Mezzanine at 3:45 PM (time is subject to change, with the committee is still finalizing the schedule). The panel will include Ginger Cowles, Managing Editor, Home & Trends at Consumer Reports; Michele Holmes, Impacted Community Member from Harlem; Sophia Longsworth, Toxics Policy Director at Clean+Healthy; and Erin H. Maybin, Co-Founder of the Natural Hairstyle & Braid Coalition. Briana Carbajal, State Legislative Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, will moderate.

Watch: Principles for Equitable Building Decarbonization Webinar

If you missed our Healthy Homes, Thriving Communities: Principles for Equitable Building Decarbonization webinar, you can watch the video replay and learn about these principles and local efforts to advance healthy homes and building decarbonization. Watch

Beauty Justice Fair: Learn About the Dangers in Cosmetics & What You Can Do About It

The beauty industry is largely unregulated, and everyday beauty products often contain harmful chemicals – especially the products marketed to people of color.

Come to WE ACT’s 2026 Beauty Justice Fair and learn about the dangers, how you can help advocate for safer alternatives, and receive free non-toxic beauty items. You can also learn about colorism and racism in the beauty industry and the importance of passing the New York State Beauty Justice Act while exploring hands-on activities, creative projects, and DIY stations. In addition, we will have local clean beauty businesses on-hand and offer free food, drinks, and merch!

Join us on Friday, March 6th from 5:00-8:00 PM in the NAC Ballroom at the City College of New York (160 Convent Ave.). Questions? Email [email protected]. RSVP

Uptown Chats Podcast: Weezie Foster Talks About Our Federal Policy Office

Jaron and Lonnie talk with Weezie Foster, our Government Affairs Manager, about our Federal Policy Office in Washington, DC and the important work we are doing, including some of the key federal policies in our 2026 Policy Agenda. Listen

Karla Cordero Moderates NYC Service Panel on Cross-Sector Collaboration

Karla Cordero (pictured above, far right) served as the moderator of a panel discussing how the City can better activate cross-sector collaboration - including public, private, and nonprofit entities - to address large-scale, citywide needs. Hosted by NYC Service, the panel included (pictured above, left to right) Beatriz Fritschler, Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Partnerships at the New York City Department  of Social Services; Ayo Harrington, LES Ready! Co-Chair and New York City Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster; Leo Uzcategui, Founder & CEO at FundavNYC; and Laura James, East Region Community Relationships Manager at United Parcel Service.

Note to Mayor: Poll Finds Parks Funding Popular

We're a member of the Play Fair for Parks coalition, which found that - in a recent New York Times poll - more than 35,000 readers voted for increased parks and library funding as their number one priority for New York City. We hope our new Mayor will take note and increase funding for parks - and funding for libraries would be nice as well!

Be a Part of the New York City Extreme Heat StoryMap

Columbia University researchers, South Bronx Unite, and the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene are collaborating on a StoryMap that shows how heat is distributed across neighborhoods in New York City - along with personal accounts of how extreme heat is affecting the daily lives of New Yorkers. Help put a face on how extreme heat - the deadliest impact of climate change - is impacting communities like ours. Click here to participate!

Warming Centers & Other Resources for Staying Warm

New York City Emergency Management has resources to help New Yorkers struggling in this cold. Click here to find your nearest warming center and call 311 if you see someone out in the cold who needs assistance. Warming Centers

Take the EJNYC Survey: Provide Input on Environmental Issues in Your Community

As the City works to develop its first comprehensive Environmental Justice Plan, the EJNYC Plan, the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice has launched a short questionnaire to hear from New Yorkers about priority environmental justice concerns in communities across the city, as well as the solutions respondents believe would be most impactful.

The EJNYC Plan will put forth actionable strategies to address environmental inequities identified in the 2024 EJNYC Report and embed environmental justice into City decision-making. Questionnaire responses will be used to identify potential gaps and inform the draft EJNYC Plan. If you have any questions or seek additional information regarding the EJNYC Plan, please visit nyc.gov/ej or email at [email protected]. Take the Survey

The Heat Is On: Apply to HEAP for Help with Winter Heating Costs

Staying warm shouldn’t be a luxury. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is now open – and it’s a critical resource for low-income frontline communities facing rising energy burdens and winter heating costs.

Too many New Yorkers are forced to choose between heat, food, and rent because of unaffordable utility bills and aging, inequitable energy systems. HEAP can help provide a credit toward your heating bill, whether you use electric, gas, oil, propane, or other fuels.

Check to see if you qualify and apply at MyBenefits.ny.gov. You can learn more and apply at otda.ny.gov/programs/heap or by calling 1-800-342-3009, but our friends at PULP recommend MyBenefits.ny.gov as it could be quicker. Learn More & Apply 

Join Our Earth Day 5K Fun Run

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Earth Day, but our 5K Fun Run is the best. You’ll have a chance to be active, enjoy one of the less-explored parks in Manhattan, and support WE ACT for Environmental Justice!

Our annual 5K is a fundraiser open to all ages. We have competitive runners, casual joggers, and leisurely walkers. You can enter as an individual or as a team. The important thing is being there, being a part of our community, and raising money for environmental justice. Register Today

Join us on Saturday, April 25th, on Randall’s Island. Our staff will be there at 8:00 AM with pre-race snacks and drinks. Check-in starts at 8:30 AM, with the fun run starting at 9:00 AM. And once our last participants cross the finish line, we’ll hand out the medals, with awards for the top finishers and fundraisers!

Take advantage of early bird registration, which includes a free WE ACT membership and a fashionable WE ACT Earth Day 5K t-shirt.

To register for the race, read our FAQ, or get more information, please click here. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, email [email protected].

All proceeds from the Earth Day 5K support WE ACT! If you can’t join us, please consider making a donation to support our work.

Free Financial Literacy Workshop for the Community

Do you want to gain a better understanding of how to manage your finances? The East Harlem Council for Human Services, East Harlem Community Partnership, Boriken Neighborhood Health Center, and Apple Bank – along with support from Union Settlement – are hosting a Financial Literacy Workshop from 6:00-8:00 PM on Tuesday, February 3rd on the Second Floor of 71 East 111th Street (between Park and Madison). Come learn the fundamentals of personal finance, including budget planning and debt management. Refreshments and raffle prizes will be provided. Originally scheduled for January 27th, this workshop was rescheduled due to the storm. RSVP

Summer Youth Employment Program: Applications Are Now Open

Applications for the 2026 Summer Youth Employment Program are open! We encourage youth and families interested in these employment opportunities to visit nyc.gov/syep and apply by February 27th. And, as you can see below, Mayor Mamdani is on board!