Media Contact Lori Brown, CTLCV Executive Director lori.brown@ctlcv.org (860) 214-0345 Akia S. Callum, CT NAACP-YC President akia.callum@gmail.com (347)600-3204 Hartford, CT – The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) has partnered with Connecticut State Conference NAACP Youth and College (CT NAACP YC). The partnership between the organizations reinforce a growing effort among organizations to recognize the link between social and environmental justice. NAACP’s Youth and College division (NAACP-YC) seeks to improve the social, economic, educational, and political status of minority youth and to develop effective youth leadership. CTLCV is dedicated to protecting Connecticut’s environment for all by making it a priority for elected leaders and organizing activists of a wide demographic to engage in the movement. The organizations have joined forces to phonebank for voter education. With expanded Absentee Ballot voting in Connecticut, voter education has been an important component of ensuring residents’ voices are heard, and that they know how to vote safely. "With the understanding that civic engagement is not limited to voting, this strategic partnership between the Connecticut State Conference NAACP Youth & College Division and the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters to educate, mobilize, and activate our community about issues to collectively develop solutions is powerful,” said NAACP Connecticut State Conference Youth and College President Akia S. Callum. “With the next largest voting bracket being ages 18-35, I am confident our efforts pre- and post-election will move the needle towards a just and livable future.” CTLCV and NAACP-YC are uniting under a common goal of voter education. With the current temporarily expanded Absentee Ballot provisions in Connecticut, many voters - environmentalists and community groups alike - have questions about how to vote safely in 2020. This partnership aims to provide resources to voters so that every vote, and every voice, is heard in the election on November 3rd. “We have learned how important it is for the environmental movement to expand beyond our traditional focus,” said CTLCV Executive Director Lori Brown. “Being an environmentalist is not only about ensuring a healthy planet --- it is about elevating the quality of lives of people so that they can be healthy and thrive. To tackle climate change and design a livable future, every voice must be included.” Both organizations have been thrilled to see the creative ways that youth, even those under the age of 18, have enthusiastically joined the effort. The organizations have held joint-phone banks to raise voter awareness and to answer questions regarding Connecticut’s expanded Absentee Ballot option. Many of the volunteers are not old enough to vote, but that doesn’t mean they’re too young to be civically engaged. Young Americans readily accept climate change as a pressing crisis, and with social justice movements like #BlackLivesMatter, both organizations value how collaboration not only results in voter awareness, but also a brighter future. “Social justice is environmental justice,” said CTLCV Community Organizer Alexander Rodriguez. “2020 has been a powerful reminder of how justice is not confined to any one group or issue; justice is all-encompassing.” In a year where misinformation and voter intimidation are common, voter awareness and accurate information are more important than ever. Connecticut legislators are poised to lead the nation in climate and social justice, but only if residents participate in democracy. Both CTLCV and NAACP-YC recognize the importance of voter participation and civic engagement as foundations of a just and equitable future for all. "It’s important to vote because we must exercise our rights to the fullest extent,” said NAACP Connecticut State Conference Youth and College Civic Engagement Chair Julie Jones. “We must have a say in what the present and future of this Nation will look like. Most importantly, we must elect individuals with morals and values that are reflective of a Nation that will be sustainable!" The organizations join forces with the recognition that social progress is made through collaboration, not competition. In addition to partnering on phone banks that will reach thousands of voters, the organizations are running co-branded GOTV ads on social media platforms to reach nearly 100,000 Connecticut residents in targeted communities. The message that the collaboration is sending is clear: it is up to us to vote for a just and equitable future for all. You can view CTLCV’s voter education page here, and NAACP-YC’s page here. Our People for the Planet Committee held their second meeting to review and vote on a policy platform with a powerful environmental equity lens. Our platform calls for:
After finalizing our policy platform, our committee members watched Kilowatt Ours, a documentary about conserving energy that dives into the various ways ordinary people can help their environment.
Our committee also held a brainstorming session about creating our own video to educate the public on the importance of energy efficiency and the impacts of climate change on their daily lives. Chispa CT has assigned roles to our People for the Planet Committee members in preparation of this video, and is looking forward to its release! Chispa CT organizers joined advocates and concerned citizens to protest the new fracked gas power plant recently approved by the Connecticut Siting Council. With our climate crisis getting worse, the last thing we need to do is invest in more fossil fuels.
We at Chispa CT applauded Governor Lamont for investing in offshore wind. Clean energy is our future, and fossil fuels are our past. This fracked gas power plant at Killingly is a step in the wrong direction, and we'll continue to rally our communities to divest from fossil fuels and embrace renewables and energy efficiency!
On Saturday, July 13, Chispa CT held our first committee meeting in Windsor. Members from the community joined us for a seminar on civic engagement around environmental issues.
Chispa CT committee members shared their biggest concerns about our environment and selected three issues they want to help solve:
Additionally, concerns around plastics, waste, and the burning of trash for energy in Hartford came up several times.
As a result of this seminar, our community members agreed to form a formal working committee called Chispa People for the Planet. Our next committee meeting will be held on August 17, 2019.
The committee will create a plan of action to affect change at the Capitol during the next legislative session, particularly on energy equity, climate change mitigation, and reducing energy waste. Interested in this work? Contact Chispa at info@ctlcv.org to join this committee or fill out the form below to help us combat climate change and fight for energy equity! Chispa CT presented at the Community Champions on Clean Transportation Panel at the Northeast Diesel Collaborative Partners Meeting in Rhode Island on July 11, 2019. Our team argued strongly about the importance of divesting from fossil fuels and investing in public transit and clean transportation. In particular, Chispa CT outlined the progress we've made on Clean Buses for Health Niños and environmental justice in Connecticut. These clean buses are key to cutting carbon emissions, improving our poor air quality, and reducing high asthma rates in underrepresented communities. Chispa CT Organizer Alex Rodriguez spoke forcefully about our climate crisis and the urgent need to mobilize activists who have not been fairly included in the political process.
On a hot Saturday afternoon, more than thirty children and families stopped by the Chispa CT headquarters in Middletown for our first family bottle event. Kids and their parents listened to a reading from Pesky Plastics, written by Chispa Director Leticia Colon de Meijas, where they learned about the harms of disposable, single-use plastics. Disposable plastics often end up in our streets, parks, oceans, waterways, and trails. They can choke and kill wildlife, contribute to pollution, and are not easily recycled. Chispa CT showed families how they can use less plastic, and we handed out reusable glass bottles to decorate and take home. State Senator Matt Lesser and Mayoral Candidate Valeka Clark also stopped by to talk about the work they're doing to reduce Connecticut's reliance on plastics. Chispa CT and CTLCV Education Fund have been hard at work since our Environmental Summit educating lawmakers about the threat of single-use plastics to our communities and our environment.
Children in attendance had the chance to ask Sen. Lesser and Candidate Clark about how to become better leaders in their own neighborhoods and communities. They also went home with both their new glass bottles and a copy of Pesky Plastics. Every year, members of Chispa CT and CTLCV travel to Washington, DC to meet with our Congressional leaders about top environmental and energy concerns. This year, Chispa CT also invited two young leaders to join us, Kira Ortoleva of the Youth Climate Strike and Mitchel Kvedar of the Sunrise Movement. Both Kira and Mitchel have been powerful voices on the need for climate action and energy equity in Connecticut, and we were excited to give them the chance to learn more about engaging with national leaders, sharing their stories, and being an effective advocate. Left to right: Alex Combelic (Legislative Director for Rep. Joe Courtney), Amanda Schoen (Deputy Director, CTLCV), Lori Brown (Executive Director, CTLCV), Kira Ortoleva (Youth Climate Strike), Mitchel Kvedar (Sunrise Movement), Alex Rodriguez (Chispa Organizer), Leticia Colon de Mejias (Chispa Director), and Tiffany Hsieh (LCV). Over the course of several days, Mitchel and Kira attended training seminars hosted in partnership with our national Chispa organization and the League of Conservation Voters. Over the course of a whirlwind Wednesday, they had the chance to put their training to use as we met with members and staff of our entire Connecticut Congressional delegation.
Chispa CT and CTLCV shared information with our Congressional lawmakers about the dangers of toxic PFAS—especially in light of the recent contamination of the Farmington River. Kira and Mitchel spoke passionately about their families' struggles to afford electricity, and the need for state and national action to invest in efficiency and clean energy to bring down prices and close the affordability gap. Throughout the year, Chispa CT will host local civic engagement training seminars and provide additional opportunities for our emerging leaders to meet directly with their lawmakers and share their personal stories. Chispa Calls for Intersectionality with Other Movements Alex Rodriguez, Chispa Community Organizer | May 1, 2018 Hartford, CT - In anticipation of the end of the 2018 legislative session, Hartford Mayday 2018 brought together many labor, racial, immigrant, and women’s justice organizations calling for intersectionality among their movements. Intersectionality is defined as the interconnected nature of social categories like race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. These categories often create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Seeing so many groups come together in front of the Legislative Office Building to call on state leaders to pass laws protecting the undocumented community and giving workers a living wage was eye opening to me! My coworker Merelys Torres Garcia spoke on her life in Hartford after fleeing Puerto Rico when her home was decimated by Hurricane Maria. She addressed the trauma felt by those who fled the island, as well as the lack of federal aid in helping displaced families receive housing vouchers. I addressed environmental racism in the Hartford community, highlighting the problem with the city’s waste incinerator which burns a majority of the state’s waste, as well as Chispa CT's win in New Haven in regards to the board of education’s resolution to put forth a pilot program for electric school buses. Chispa Attends Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs Anderson Elie, Chispa Promotor | May 31, 2018 Hartford, CT - On May 31, our Chispa Team attended the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs meeting. We attended this event because we wanted to be a part of a diverse group of people looking to make conversion to renewable energies a top priority in our state. This meeting was not only made up of environmental advocates, but also labor union workers--which made for a more inclusive setting. We broke into groups to discuss what improvements could be made to the Connecticut Energy Bill (Senate Bill 9) that we'd advocated for earlier. The bill was passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Malloy this month. It requires CT to have 40% of its energy to be powered by renewable energies by 2030. Following discussion was based on how we can advocate for cleaner energies around the electric, transportation, and building sectors, Taylor, Alex, and I joined the transportation working groups to share how important it is to secure clean transportation for kids. Our group was in agreement on striving to get DEEP to allocate a large majority of the Volkswagen mitigation fund towards zero emission electric school buses for children in environmental justice communities. It is really motivating to see the environmental movement and the labor movement working together towards a clean future in Connecticut! Chispa Lobbies Congress for Clean Energy Dakquie Jones, Chispa Promotor | June 7, 2018 Washington, DC - From June 4-7, members of our CTLCV team and I traveled to Washington for the League of Conservation Voters Advocacy Training & Lobby Day. I had a great experience meeting with members of the CT Congressional delegation in discussions around protecting public health and advancing clean energy in our state. In the lobby day training, I learned how to convey my personal story in Hartford and why I believe in environmental justice. Storytelling is essential to the community organizing experience. It has to be done in a way that captures our legislative leaders’ attention and motivates them to take action. Having done advocacy work in the CT State Capitol previously, there were times I felt like legislators weren’t always receptive to issues affecting people of color and low income communities. Still, I’ve continued on with the help of our team. Outreach and organizing the community at large is a challenging job, but I like it because I like using my voice to bring people up. Speaking out in February’s Lobby Day for Puerto Rican families and April’s Youth Climate Action Day’s press conference helped me gain the experience I needed to feel comfortable in these meetings. Our team met leaders such as Senator Richard Blumenthal and Represenatives Elizabeth Esty, Joe Courtney, and Jim Himes. Our team was successful in getting Senator Blumenthal, Congresswoman Esty, and Congressman Himes’ signatures toward the Clean Energy for All campaign. I enjoyed my time in our nation’s capital with our CT team. I was especially moved by the Martin Luther King Jr. monument. Seeing his statue standing tall and proud instilled hope in me. The civil rights movement he led resonates with me. His push for racial justice intersects with Chispa’s push for environmental justice. Chispa Visits with Sen. Murphy in Washington Taylor Robertson, Chispa Lead Promotora| June 7, 2018 Washington, DC - In June, I traveled to Washington with the CTLCV team to speak to the CT delegation about our Clean Energy for All campaign. Our Connecticut team was one of 29 other state leagues who had sent groups to speak with their legislators about clean energy. Going to Washington to advocate for such an important agenda gave me butterflies. Traveling from one congressional office to another was fast-paced to say the least. I’d say there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of individuals traveling from the Russell, Dirksen, and Hart Senate Office Buildings to the Cannon, Longworth, and Rayburn House Office Buildings. Our group met with most of the delegation. My favorite meeting was with Senator Chris Murphy. I felt he was genuinely interested in what our group had to say. He was polite, asked questions, and was relatable in his interaction with us. Overall, LCV Lobby Day was a great experience and I would love to do it again next year! Chispa Applauds Passage of Climate Change, Clean Energy Bills Alex Rodriguez, Chispa Community Organizer| June 20, 2018 Hartford, CT - When the League of Conservation Voters and Chispa signed on to the Clean Energy for All campaign, I was thrilled! Our pledge to fight for pollution-free communities, and to move our country toward 100% clean energy by 2050 is something I believe strongly in. I recognize that this goal can only be achieved through strategic partnerships and aggressive legislation. On June 20th, Governor Dan Malloy and Commissioner Robert Klee of DEEP held a bill signing ceremony for Public Act 18-82: Climate Change Planning and Resiliency and Public Act 18-50: Connecticut’s Energy Future. These new laws reaffirm Connecticut’s commitment to fighting climate change on a nationwide level and I’m proud to be apart of a community of bill constantly reminding our leaders to keep environmental justice at the top of the legislature’s priorities. Why I Organize Merelys Torres, Chispa Parent Organizer| June 21, 2018 Hartford, CT - My name is Merelys Torres I arrived in the US on November 15, and I am one of the refugees from Hurricane Maria. I lost everything inside my home because of the hurricane and everything that happened in Puerto Rico. I had to make the decision to travel to Connecticut without a support network, family on the mainland, or anyone who could help us. It was not easy, but here we are trying to push forward. I decided to be part of Chispa and to be a parent organizer since Chispa helps the environment and advocates for a cleaner planet. It is because of global warming and everything that is happening in the environment that my island was destroyed by a Category 5 hurricane in September of last year. Hurricane Maria made me aware that the world is trying to tell us something; it is asking for help. But people are still not paying attention to what the planet is trying to say. Today I am a testament to that, and I want to help the planet to make a better world for my descendants and other human beings. My experience at the Red Roof Inn--which is where I was sheltered here in CT--was not easy. We were one of almost 50 families who lost everything. We came with our children, only wanting to protect them and look for a better life to come for them. 4,600 people died on my island, and everyone who survived is here for a reason. I just want to make a difference and help other parents like me understand that we must fight for a better planet for everyone. April 18: Youth Climate Action Day Da’kquie Jones- Chispa Promotor Da’kquie- “On April 18, our Chispa team hosted a day of advocacy titled Youth Climate Action Day. The event was held at the Legislative Office Building. Taylor and I spoke about the pollution affecting our city and how clean energy policy can reduce pollution and fight climate change. Young people from around Connecticut came to this event to call on their legislators to invest in their future. I spoke about Senate Bill 7: An Act Concerning Climate Change Planning And Resiliency and two other bills that deal with climate issues. Before Chispa went up to to speak, state legislators, along with students from UConn and Trinity College spoke on the need to pass clean energy legislation in the state of CT because as young people, we believe our future is worth investing in. Everyone who spoke at the press conference did a great job. I got to meet so many people that also want to help get more laws enforced to help save our environment. It was a fantastic day!” April 16th: Climate Justice and Policy Panel at UCONN Taylor Robertson- Chispa Lead Promotor Taylor- “On April 16th 2018 I was invited by Wawa Gatheru to speak on a panel at UCONN. The panel was to highlight the important intersections between gender and climate justice, specifically, the progressive work CT women have done/are doing to promote equitable participation at the frontlines of environmental justice and policy. It was a great experience. The audience had great questions. After the panel, many people approached me expressing how inspired they were after hearing the things that I said and would love to volunteer with Chispa. It’s such a honor to know that I can touch people’s lives by using my words. Being a panelist made me feel like I was contributing to a large movement and I liked it!” April 14th: Chispa Speaks On Environmental Justice At March For Science Anderson Elien- Chispa Promotor Anderson - “On April 14, I attended the March for Science Rally at Minuteman Park. There were a lot of people gathered for the rally speaking about how important it is to advance the scientific method and acknowledge climate science. Chispa CT was invited to speak at the rally because we are clean energy advocates. We recognize that climate change is impacting our communities of color negatively, therefore, we advocate for environmental justice. I spoke on what environmental justice means to Chispa. Environmental justice is defined as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental justice to me has involved speaking with legislators on bills that protect communities of color, as we are burdened with toxic facilities, like coal fired power plants. These facilities emit mercury, arsenic, lead, and other contaminants into our water, food and lungs.To us, environmental justice would include doing away with these dirty facilities and replacing them with solar grids and windmills proven to reduce air pollution. Solar and wind energies are clean energies, and investing in them would result in cleaner communities.” March 26- 28th: Chispa Joins Puerto Ricans In Calling For More Aid After Hurricane Maria Alex Rodriguez- Chispa Community Organizer Alex- “On March 26, I attended the 5th Annual Latino Legislative Luncheon hosted by the Hispanic Federation. The purpose of the event was to honor the growing power and influence of Latinos in Connecticut. It was inspiring to learn of all the ongoing projects organized by Latinos to better their communities. I shared Chispa’s ongoing advocacy for electric school buses and clean energy bills with many who attended. At the event, I crossed paths with Senator Richard Blumenthal, who co-sponsored a $146 billion dollar “Marshall Plan” to help revitalize Puerto Rico’s economy and infrastructure after Hurricane Maria. Following this encounter, I attended a meeting with Congressman John Larson alongside 30 climate change refugees staying at the Red Roof Inn paid by FEMA. After FEMA announced it would rescind The families shared their needs for:
This aligns our goal of empowering under-served communities to fight back against climate change, and send a strong message at the national level. Following this meeting, Chispa CT will publish an Op-Ed detailing the struggles Puerto Rican and U.S. Virgin Islander families have endured, and will call more equal representation at the federal level as Puerto Rico has a non voting congressional representative and no U.S. senator.” March 15th: Food and Waste Meeting David Canty - Chispa Promotor David- “On March 15, our Chispa team attended a Food and Waste meeting at the boathouse in Keney Park. There, we met Herb Virgo, an environmentalist I had previously worked with and was surprised to see. I worked with him at a gardening site in the summertime and in that short amount of time, Herb taught me a lot, from aquaponics to composting. He taught me that big or small, everyone has an effect on the environment and if community members all chipped in, we can make a positive impact on the earth for years to come. Looking back on this event, I’d like to share the practice of composting with my peers and everyone around me because there is a lot of food that goes to waste. One of the food waste advocacy groups reported that they saved 2.2 million pounds in food waste. If more people composted in America, communities would burn less food waste. It would not only make our communities cleaner but healthier. “ March 9th: Asking DEEP for #CleanRide4Kids Anderson Elien- Chispa Promotor Anderson - “On March 9, our Chispa Connecticut team submitted a joint letter with at least 10 environmental allies to the Department for Energy and Environmental. Protection. In this letter, we asked DEEP to use the money they gained from the Volkswagen Mitigation Fund towards electric buses, as part of Chispa LCV’s #CleanRide4Kids campaign. On top of this, each member of our team submitted a public comment as well. It was important for our team to ask DEEP to fund electric school buses because we believe that the $55.7 million dollars Volkswagen paid to CT should go toward clean transportation for school children as they are the most susceptible to respiratory illness. The majority of school buses are fueled by diesel which causes the bus to emit harmful toxins such as nitrogen oxide which has been proven to aggravate asthma. Electric school buses emit no toxins and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80%. Over 120,000 people support our #CleanRide4Kids campaign, and we will continue to advocate clean transportation for children in underserved communities in Hartford and more.” March 3rd: Get Charged About EVs! Da’kquie Jones- Chispa Promotor Da’kquie- “On March 3rd, our Chispa team attended CT Sierra Club’s Get Charged about EVs event because our community organizers, Chispa CT was invited to share the progress our clean buses for healthy Niños has made. Our team has collected over 3,000 signatures in favor of the Volkswagen mitigation money going toward electric school buses for kids. During this event it was really exciting there were 5 speakers. One speaker was from DEEP, one speaker was from the Acadia Center, and there were electric vehicle owners who spoke as well. What I enjoyed most about the meeting was that there were electric vehicle owners who were able to articulate how much they saved on fueling their vehicles with electricity rather than oil or natural gas. A few owners drove Tesla vehicles, one drove a Chevrolet Bolt, and one owner drove a Nissan Wind. I enjoyed hearing about the new Model 3 approaching the markets. CT Sierra Club provided coffee, bagels, and other refreshments which made for a great time. In Chispa CT’s reporting, we informed the audience of the public comment deadline to DEEP on March 9th. We asked the audience to sign on to our join organizational letter asking DEEP to invest the $55.7 Million dollars CT gained from the Volkswagen settlement toward electric school buses. We also invited everyone to submit individual public comments as well.” |