(Full Post)On June 2nd, the Bay Area Air District will be voting on whether to take strong regulatory action against Chevron and force the facility to make dramatic pollution cuts. After seeing the stark health impact data and hearing from community members like you, the Advisory Council of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) recommended that the Air District take “maximum feasible action within its authority to reduce emissions from [particulate matter] sources, prioritizing the most impacted areas.” However, Big Oil and its allies are lobbying aggressively against the rule, distorting facts and making false claims about the rule. 

We cannot afford to lose this intergenerational fight for environmental justice. Our lungs cannot afford it. 

The Air District must protect community health and truly bring “A HEALTHY BREATHING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY BAY AREA RESIDENT.” Help us we ultimately chart the path towards a future #BeyondChevron for Richmond.

Here are three ways you can support to make sure the Board votes the right way!

1. Attend an action at the Air District Headquarters at 10AM Tuesday June 1st! Join community youth members and organizations to tell the Board members we need them to vote the right way to protect community health. You can RSVP here.
   
2. Sign the petition!
   
3. Send an email to Air District Board members! Tell them your story about why you need them to vote the right way. 

(Click for full post ) This is huge/ confirms what we already knew. Alternative(5c) that was picked did NOTHING to improve air quality for hundreds that live along the corridor. 20+ yrs of organizing on 710 freeway alongside CEHAJ and we will continue to fight for a cleaner project that doesn’t displace people, includes local hire, and commits to a zero-emissions corridor.

(Read Full Statement)

March 19^th, 2021 

Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) condemns all forms of xenophobia, anti-Asian racism, and anti-Blackness.  Whether violence takes the form of environmental injustice, state-sanctioned divestment, or state-sanctioned terror, we reprehend these harms that stem from white supremacy and capitalism.   

We condemn the anti-Asian hate, rhetoric, and violence that has arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we denounce those that advocate for increased policing as a solution to this issue. This includes the anti-Black response of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf; who uses both her privilege and platform to push her pro-police agenda and divide communities of color. Schaaf’s response, to increase policing in our communities, comes during a time when Oakland has committed to reimagining public safety and put forth demands to defund the police. Our communities have first-hand experience that has shown increased policing does not equate to an increase in public safety.  

Our commitment to a Just Transition embeds racial justice and social equity. We work to dismantle false solutions that seek to divide us while building a future rooted in community resilience. CBE is advocating for a Just Recovery: a redefinition of public safety that centers communities of color. We are calling on our elected officials to defund police budgets, and to reinvest in solutions that replenish, restore, and heal: safe housing, clean air and water, access to food and healthcare, healthy jobs and schools. We uplift the mutual aid efforts of those who are supporting community needs by providing solutions that center healing and restorative justice. We support calls to all civic leadership throughout California, particularly from the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, to immediately increase culturally relevant and trauma informed investments that:  

1.) Ensure victims and survivors of all backgrounds and language abilities receive full supportive services so they can recover and heal.  

2.) Expand intervention- and prevention-based programs; as well as invest in basic needs and community-based infrastructure that we know will end the cycle of violence, which will keep all of us safer.  

3.) Resource cross-community education and healing in Asian American and Black communities that humanizes all of us rather than demonizes or scapegoats any community of color. 

CBE stands united with all those who are working to end violence against and within their communities. We will continue building cross-racial solidarity with our allies to reimagine and reinvest in long term community centered solutions. 

We encourage our members, allies, and followers to support and amplify the efforts of: 

• Oakland Little Saigon  
• Oakland Chinatown Coalition 
• Coalition for Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) 
• Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) 

• Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (CCED) 
• Ktown4BlackLives (@ktown4blacklives) 
• Tuesday Night Project (@tnproject)⁣  
• Nikkei Progressives (@NikkeiProgressives)⁣  
• Sunday Jump (@thesundayjump)  

• API Equality-LA (@apiequalityla)  
• Kabataang maka-Bayan/ProPeople Youth (@kmb_la)  
• Progressive Asian Network for Action (PANA) (@progressiveasians)  
• Palms Up Academy (@palmsupacademy)  
• J-Town Action and Solidarity (@jtown.action.and.solidarity)  

• Khmer Girls in Action (KGA) (@kgalb) 

CBE encourages all to continue learning about the issues of violence facing our Asian American communities, and to continue uplifting community-led solutions around elder needs and public safety. 

In community and solidarity,  

Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) 

(Full Post, Noticia Completa) The WaterTalks survey will support the planning for a sustainable water future for California.
Share your thoughts and experiences about water quality and accessibility in your neighborhood. Complete the survey, claim your organizational affilitation with CBE and enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
For extra raffle prizes, take a screen shot of your completed survey and email laura@cbecal.org or text it to (424) 258-4630.
Take the survey now: www.tinyurl.com/WaterLA

La encuesta WaterTalks apoyará la planificación de un futuro hídrico sostenible para California.
Comparta sus pensamientos y experiencias sobre la calidad y accesibilidad del agua en su vecindario. Complete la encuesta, reclame su afiliación organizacional con CBE y participe para tener la oportunidad de ganar una tarjeta de regalo de $ 100.
Para premios adicionales, tome una captura de pantalla de su encuesta completa y envíe un correo electrónico a laura@cbecal.org o envíe un mensaje de texto al (424) 258-4630.
Responde la encuesta ahora: www.tinyurl.com/AguaLA

(Full post, noticia completa) Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) is committed to the wellbeing of low-income environmental justice neighborhoods of color. Now more than ever our communities need extra support—that is why we created the CBE Community Fund. Since the Fund’s inception, we knew this was immediate and temporary relief. We received the last round of applications in October 2020 and have since closed the Fund due to exhausted funds. For the past 8 months we have supported more than 430 individuals and families statewide and distributed approximately $151,050 directly to Black, Indigenous, people of color, undocumented folks, low-income households, elders, youth, those that are differently abled, women, trans* or gender non-conforming folks, formerly incarcerated, single income households, houseless people, and those who are health compromised.

We will continue to:  

• Hold Tenant Legal Clinics to ensure tenants know their rights and can consult with a lawyer 

• Support and share information from local mutual aid networks to increase access to resources and strengthen local mutual aid 
• Provide PPE and emergency kits to frontline communities who are impacted by wildfire, poor air quality, and increased COVID-risk  
• Advocate for Utility-debt forgiveness, clean energy, a 2,500 ft buffer between oil & homes, and a Just Recovery 
• Build relationships, amplify community leadership, organize for community-solutions that prioritize Black, Indigenous, People of Color and workers in a Just Transition! 

We would like to thank all who donated, all who applied, all who shared the application, and all staff who led and supported these efforts.  

(Full post, noticia completa)  Everyone has a right to live in a healthy environment, emPOWER is a coalition of community-based organizations across Los Angeles County making sure that the people hurt most by pollution, high heat, and increasing utility bills can access the millions of dollars provided by State and local agencies to combat climate change. To learn more, visit:
https://libhill.co/empower-cbe

¿Tiene problemas con la registracion su automóvil? ¿Sabía que California ayuda a las familias de bajos ingresos con hasta $1,200 para pagar las reparaciones de smog, $1,500 para desechar su vehículo o $11,000 para reemplazarlo? Having trouble registering your car? Did you know California will provide working-class families up to $1,200 to pay for smog repairs, $1,500 to scrap your vehicle, or $11,000 to replace it?

Utility debt piling up? Low-income families can receive debt forgiveness and save 50% to 90% off their utility bills through monthly subsidies, no-cost efficiency upgrades, and free solar panels.

¿Se sigue acumulando la deuda de servicios públicos? Las familias de bajos ingresos pueden recibir la condonación de deudas y ahorrar entre un 50% y un 90% en sus facturas de servicios públicos a través de subsidios mensuales, mejoras de eficiencia sin costo y paneles solares gratuitos.

Mas informacion: https://libhill.co/empower-cbe

(Press Release) “We look forward to days without toxic oil drilling next to our homes, schools, and community facilities. Days with revitalized lands where our families, children, neighbors, and workers can live and work without having to sacrifice their health. Today was a big win for environmental justice communities.” –Wendy Miranda, Wilmington community member and intern for Communities for A Better Environment

(Full post, publicación completa) This has been a year of collective uncertainty, heartache & resilience. CBE appreciates all the love and support that went into our communities throughout 2020. Please continue to support our efforts so we can keep up the fight for environmental justice! 

Giving Tuesday is just around the corner ✨ Donate to CBE today!

Este ha sido un año de incertidumbre colectiva, dolor de corazón y resiliencia. CBE aprecia todo el amor y el apoyo que se le ha prestado a nuestras comunidades. Continúe apoyando nuestros esfuerzos para que podamos seguir luchando por la justicia ambiental. El martes es #UnDiaParaDar haga clic para donar a CBE 🙂 ✨

(Full post, publicacion entera) We are enraged that Judge Sontchi has approved Exide’s 3rd bankruptcy with the support of the Department of “Justice.” The Vernon site will be abandoned by Exide by October 30, 2020 which will force Californians to pay for the costly toxic clean up. Despite over 1000 people submitting emails in opposition and over 250 people mobilized to a public hearing with a one day’s notice, Judge Sontchi ignored community concerns and testimony and still approved the bankruptcy plan.  Adding insult to injury the judge minimized the threat the Vernon site poses to SELA and ELA community members, finding that the site did not pose an immediate and imminent threat even though there admittedly extremely high rates of lead. While the judge preserves the right for the state of California to file administrative claims he ultimately ruled that the Exide will be able to walk away from the public health catastrophe they created by the end of the month. While this is not surprising to many of us that have witnessed local, state and federal government continually prioritize corporations over the well-being of our communities, it will never get easy to experience this slow violence. It will never get easy to know that our families have to continue to have their health deteriorate due to the carelessness of companies like Exide and the negligence of the state. US DOJ claims the bankruptcy is meant to avoid the site abandonment. Now, the site cleanup will be under Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) ‘s responsibility. Considering how the community cleanup is going and knowing DTSC has allowed for this massive disaster, we have little faith in them. Now more than ever it is important to continue building with our neighbors. The fight is not over, our communities have always organized and we will continue to so long as our government continues to fail us. What do we do when our communities are under attack? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!

Amazing art work by Amber Williams-King

Nos enfurece que el juez Sontchi haya aprobado la tercera quiebra de Exide con la aprobación del Departamento de “Justicia”, lo que inevitablemente hará que los californianos paguen por la costosa limpieza tóxica. A pesar de que más de 1000 personas enviaron correos electrónicos en contra y más de 250 se movilizaron a una audiencia pública con un día de anticipación, El Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos decidió ponerse del lado del contaminador. El juez Sontchi dijo que el estado de California aún puede presentar reclamos administrativos, pero finalmente que el sitio de Exide en Vernon no representa una amenaza inmediata e inminente y que el plan de quiebra propuesto seguirá adelante. Sabemos que esto no es verdad, esto no es sorprendente para muchos de nosotros que hemos sido testigos de que el gobierno local, estatal, y federal continuamente prioriza a las corporaciones sobre el bienestar de nuestras comunidades, nunca será fácil vivir esta VIOLENCIA lenta. Nunca será fácil saber que nuestras familias tienen que seguir con el deterioro de su salud debido al descuido de empresas como Exide y la negligencia del  estado. El Departamento de Justicia de los EE. UU. Afirma que la quiebra está destinada a evitar el abandono del sitio. Ahora, la limpieza del sitio estará bajo la responsabilidad del Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Teniendo en cuenta cómo va la limpieza de la comunidad y sabiendo que DTSC ha permitido este desastre masivo, tenemos poca fe en ellos. Ahora más que nunca es importante seguir construyendo con nuestros vecinos. La lucha no ha terminado, nuestras comunidades siempre se han organizado y seguiremos haciéndolo mientras nuestro gobierno nos siga fallando. ¿Qué hacemos cuando nuestras comunidades están siendo atacadas? ¡LEVANTARTE Y LUCHAR! 💚

Increíble obra de arte de Amber Williams-King

(Full post, publicación completa)  Visit StayHousedla.org to learn more about tenant rights and get connected to legal assistance in Los Angeles. The COVID-19 pandemic has cost people their jobs & livelihoods. This has put an estimated one-third of households in a position where they cannot make rent.

Visite StayHousedla.org para obtener más información sobre los derechos de los inquilinos y conectarse a la asistencia legal en Los Ángeles. La pandemia de COVID-19 le ha costado a la gente su trabajo y sus medios de vida. Esto ha puesto a un tercio de los hogares en una posición en la que no pueden pagar el alquiler.