Environmental Justice

In January, the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) of Chicago was proud to take part in the TRPT's National Advocacy Day for Civil Rights. We met with the staff of Senator Durbin and Senator Burris, as well as the staff of Representatives Davis, Gutierrez, Jackson, Jr, Lipinski, and Quigley. Because senators’ number one priority right now is jobs, we stressed...

Earlier this month, more than 40 people, representing 16 organizations
from across the state, piled into an AC Transit Bus and rode to
Sacramento to demand that our Legislators stop the fare hikes, service
cuts, and layoffs that have been devastating  California transit
operators and their riders.

This year we're working on raising $10,000 to build support around the Wilshire Bus-Only Lanes Campaign
which is so close to victory. To kick off our fundraising effort, we
had our first event on Saturday January 30th--Clean Air Campaign Yard
Sale.

Many of the key lessons of the environmental justice movement from the 80s and 90s fighting market driven policies in local campaigns can illuminate how we can re-shape the discussions around climate solutions in Congress this year.

Lead Organizer and National Coordinator of the Transit Riders for
Public Transportation (TRPT), Francisca Porchas discusses the battle
for climate justice in the re-authorization of the $500 billion Federal
Surface Transportation Act in this winter's issue of Race, Poverty, & the Environment themed "Climate Change: Catalyst or Catastrophe?"

BRU member Crystal McMillan reports on BRU's commemoration of the 54th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts."To use the example of the Boycott, we have to move forward with determination and we have to harness the will of the people. We will come together to stop the 2010 fare increase. We will use the Clean Air and Economic Justice plan to gain true mobility and a healthy environment. We will build an empowered and creative movement that can shape the Long Range Transportation Plan into a document that doesn't use fare increases and service cuts to fund our transit system."