ACJA Field Work
2021
ACJA continued its virtual collaboration with Acción GLOCAL with Mr. Tobias Fox, in Constanza Dominican Republic. (lead by CEO Deanee Ríos and with the participation of CFO Myriam Góez)
ACJA is a member of the Steering Committee of New Jersey Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition (NJ PEEC) since March 2021. More details to come soon…
In October 2021 ACJA was accepted as Committee Maker- Feminist Action for Climate Justice Action Coalition of the Generation Equality Forum.
ACJA joined international and national organizations in a letter to President Biden requesting him to appoint an Environmental Champion as the next Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner. (August 2021).
ACJA sponsored the March for Climate Justice Through Racial Justice in New York City (lead by CEO Deanee Ríos Gómez)
ACJA attended the 3 meetings prior to the Generation Equality Forum that took place in July 2021. ACJA is a member of the Advisory Working Group of Generation Equality.
Multiple Climate justice and change presentation with students of OPAS Puerto Rico, The InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, lead by Dr. Elsie Aquino González.
Three Virtual Conversatorios en español about Climate Change, climate crisis, renewal energy, electric vehicles and solar panels with Latino Institute, Presente Digital, and Negocios Hispanos USA.
ACJA publications in 2021:
ACJA Advocacy Manual (Maria Santiago Valentin, copyrights to ACJA/ registered at the Library of Congress)
NJLCV Environmental Policy Guide – section in Clean Energy about Climate Education (Maria Santiago Valentin) https://www.njlcvef.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/NJLCV_EPG2021_WebFinal_V3.pdf
eBook about Climate Change (manuscript by Dr. Elsie Aquino) for middle schoolers
Letters and emails to Congress and our President Biden (Deanee Ríos Gómez).
GreenLatinas Podcast. 14 episodes (Maria Santiago Valentin) https://anchor.fm/maria-santiago62
Article published in iLEAD magazine of the Africa Leadership Assembly– “The Role of Young Leaders in Combatting the Climate Crisis” (author: Dr. Elsie Aquino Gonzalez).
Conference Presenter and Moderator representing ACJA in “The Unmoving Needle: In a Time of Covid 19” our Executive Board member Sherna Alexander Benjamin with O.a.b.I., UN Women Caribbean, Huntington University, The Center for Building Resilient Communities, and The World Pulse.
Humanitarian Relief
Advocacy
Education
OPAS Puerto Rico Eco-Schools – ACJA – Climate Change/ Justice Presentations since 2020. Now in 2021 with the participation of the New Jersey Student Sustainability Coalition (high school and college students)
ACJA- Policy Reform Efforts – reached out to Legislative Environmental Commissions and Committees in New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico.
Green Latinas Bilingual Podcast – Podcast to feature latino and non-latino leaders in the EJ and Climate Justice movement. In addition some episodes will be dedicated to explain current legislation at the national and local level. (English and Spanish Podcast) (moderator: Maria Santiago Valentin)
https://anchor.fm/maria-santiago62
ACJA Environmental Justice Steward/ Advocacy Training to obtain the ACJA Environmental Justice/ Advocacy Certificate. (15 hours training)
Campaigns 2020
EDUCATION- Climate Crisis Education – delivered by presentations by ACJA Climate Reality Project ACJA members- in Puerto Rico, New Jersey and beyond- Action Plan Developed by Dr. Elsie Aquino González in Partnership with ECO-schools and Maria Santiago Valentin in NJ in partnership/ alliances with educational institutions in NJ and virtually beyond NJ
ADVOCACY – Participation with questions submitted to Basura Cero Puerto Rico- Puerto Rico Gubernatorial Candidates Debate prior to November 2020 elections. The candidates respond questions about the state of the environment in PR, and their proposals to deal with the climate crisis and transition energy plan. Lead by Deanee Rios Gomez, Patty Cronheim and Maria Santiago Valentin
ADVOCACY – Policy Reform Efforts (2020-2021) – Puerto Rico LEAD by Executive Director Deanee Rios Gomez
Policy reform efforts via virtual campaigns, domestic mobilization, follow up with PREPA Energy transformation plan, by using the input of Ley de Cambio Climático 19-33, the Paris Agreement Guidelines, and of the climate/environmental justice grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico to achieve a reduction of 2°C in greenhouse emmissions in Puerto Rico.
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF – Emergency Plan (food and supplies collection and distribution) in developing stages by Deanee Rios Gomez and Tobias Fox, to be activated in case of a natural disaster. Partnership with Arrmonía en la Montaña lead by Maria Santiago Valentin and Deanee Rios Gómez
Campaigns August 2020
PREPA, LUMA and Ley de Cambio Climático in Puerto Rico – Reaching out to organizations in the island affected by the decision making of having LUMA transition the Electricity System (workers, and families) Deanee Rios-Leading the campaign in collaboration with Maria Santiago. ACJA signed as co-sponsor of Queremos Sol.
Participation on the Virtual Seminar with Amnesty International of Puerto Rico about Environmental Justice- August 21 – Coordinator of Puerto Rico Affairs- Linoshka Colón.
ACJA Sponsoring Paddle and March for Our Lungs – August 24, New Jersey – Maria Santiago
Participation in a Panel (ACJA -Maria Santiago Valentin and Sherna Alexander Benjamin) about Health Disparities and Environmental Justice with Fresh Justice – Charity Organization – New Jersey, Founder and CEO Jermaine Spence, Esq. Maria was one of the panelists and Sherna Alexander Benjamin was the moderator.
Campaign in Puerto Rico with Green Culebra and creating educational resources for families children in Spanish about climate change, climate crisis and environmental justice- Deanee Rios.
New Jersey Environmental Justice Virtual Town Hall – August 19, 6:00pm- ACJA Maria Santiago
Armonía en la montaña- Puerto Rico’s First Agro-Eco-Cultural Hub – Maria Santiago and Deanee Rios – 8/28/2020
Atlantic Climate Justice Alliance 