The Millvale Food Energy Hub was a conduit for Allegheny County residents and local leaders seeking support for their community projects on May 2, preparing them to access federal funding through the Justice 40 Initiative.
The Ignite Environmental Justice Workshop, the first of three, brought together organizers from 12 projects who shared the same goal: improve the health, climate resilience, and economic opportunity of our region. The workshop series was co-developed by nonprofits New Sun Rising and RiverWise to better inform residents about environmental justice and how it relates to their community projects, while receiving support to establish and communicate their plan.
"We can get overwhelmed thinking about applying for major grants and the more formal procedures that make ideas into tangible projects. Being able to create a space where there is no judgment, open lines of communication, and honest feedback is so important in project development because [these projects] affect people's lives so intimately," said Eric Macadangdang, director of collaboration & connectivity of SWPA Municipal Project Hub and workshop mentor.
Environmental justice (EJ) communities are places that have experienced generational disinvestment " often alongside the consequences of polluting and extracting industries. The government's historic commitment states that 40 percent of the overall benefits of almost $2 trillion in certain federal investments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), flow to disadvantaged EJ communities.
Tyler Schaub, environmental justice program manager for New Sun Rising, said it was encouraging to see the diversity of projects attending the workshop, and the commitment from leaders to execute their plans was "inspiring and impactful."
Projects were in various stages of preparation, from concept or idea to early implementation, and ranged from training and workforce development for doulas, to the sustainable restoration of our rivers and increasing access to healthy and fresh foods.
Workshop participant Lisa Freeman, founder of Freeman Family Farm, spoke to the RiverWise Storytelling Team during the event and said in the past, marginalized communities haven't been at the table to receive this kind of funding.
"I knew of Justice 40, but I did not know how it was going to be implemented," Freeman said. "We often wait for the trickle down effect, that eventually it will come to us, and now with this opportunity we don't have to wait… we need to be at the table and engaging our residents and striking up that conversation."
At the end of the workshop, project leaders were given the opportunity to participate in a pitch competition with the top three winners slated to receive support from the SWPA Municipal Project Hub and first place was given a guaranteed spot in the upcoming Launch Environmental Justice Incubator program. The pitch winners included: Ebony Evans of Farmer Girl Eb, Jazmyn Rudolph for agricultural-based education opportunities, and Annie Quinn of The Mon Water Project.
"Get it on paper and make this thing come alive," said Tacumba Turner, environmental justice community coordinator at RiverWise. "Docketing, creating sophisticated processes, that won't happen in one fell swoop, but these workshops can provide a solid foundation to build on. Regardless of doing the pitch, if this is a project you want to pursue, it will be a good touchstone to see where you're at."
There are two more workshops scheduled for this month: Wednesday, May 22 at Whitted Media Content House in Beaver Falls and Thursday, May 30, location TBD in Monongahela Valley. Both workshops run from 5-9 p.m. The deadline to apply for the May 22 workshop is Monday, May 20 at 8 p.m. The deadline to apply for the May 30 workshop is Tuesday, May 28 at 8 p.m.
Those interested in attending a workshop should apply via the Community Project Intake Form. Those interested in becoming a project mentor are encouraged to email tyler@newsunrising.org.
The Ignite Environmental Justice Workshops are part of the newly launched Justice 40 Opportunity Navigator, a joint initiative between New Sun Rising and RiverWise.
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