[hitched] July 27) "Downloading Half-Dome"...[more]

July 27, 2020

Rincon Group / Our Blogs / Sierra Club's "Hitched" Newsletter. . .

 
As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.

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NEWS FROM THE LAST WEEK

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE- Campfire has an official COVID-19 page with regularly updated information about the Sierra Club’s response for staff and volunteers. There is also an external-facing Sierra Club COVID-19 response page.

HOW ARE YOU SHOWING UP THIS WEEK? White folks, how are you educating yourselves and showing up for Black people and all people of color? Utilize the Equity and Inclusion Department’s equity resource section -- and if you’ve got other great resources you’ve found, send them to us and we’ll share them!

PULLING DOWN OUR MONUMENTS- In case you missed it, Michael Brune (with the help of a great many staffers) penned the first in a series of columns about recognizing and learning from the racism in our organization’s history..

VIRTUAL YOSEMITE- The Sierra Club’s Yosemite Conservation Center will offer several virtual programs beginning in August. The topics will include Yosemite Photography and Landmarks, Yosemite's Night Sky, and more. The programs will be presented by some of the regular summer presenters, who are unable to offer live programs this year since the building is closed due to COVID-19.  Learn more and sign up for announcements here.

GOOD NEWS- Last week the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, arguably the most significant piece of conservation legislation in a generation. 

GET BACK- Thanks to smart organizing by the Sierra Club Los Padres Chapter and movement allies, the Beyond Dirty Fuels team in Ventura County, California won some important concessions related to oil development.

GET OUT- Multinational investment bank and financial services company Deutsche Bank released an updated energy policy today that rules out funding for new oil and gas drilling or exploration in the Arctic.

GET ONLINE- The Sierra Club’s Colby Library is proud to announce the recent digitization of Sierra Club Base Camp books, 1940-1957. These early publications, housed at the Colby Library and produced by Sierra Club members as keepsakes for trip participants, can now be viewed digitally and searched online via the California Revealed website. More information about what's included in the books can be found on the Library's Campfire page, under "Digital Discoveries: Sierra Club Base Camp Books, 1940-1957."

AUTHORIZED- Last week, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Included among the provisions is a requirement that the Pentagon remove Confederate names, references, and symbols from American military bases within three years. Also included are measures to safeguard public lands and Tribal sites from an expanded military bombing range in Nevada, to protect the area around the Grand Canyon from toxic uranium mining, and to expand public lands, recreation and access in California, Colorado, and Washington State. 

LATINO CONSERVATION WEEK- Sierra Club senior organizing rep Roberto Morales wrote a great column about working for equity and access in the outdoors in Los Angeles and the recent wins to protect the San Gabriel Mountains. And be sure to check out this excellent personal essay by Sierra Club Outdoors program coordinator Sergio Avila on his experiences in the outdoors as a person of color, and what it'll take to build a more inclusive and safe culture.

30x30- Kim Pope from the Sierra Club’s Our Wild America campaign writes that fighting climate change will take bold leadership -- focused on the intersections between economic, social, and environmental justice.

BUCKEYE GRIFT-  Last week the news broke in Ohio that a bill from last year that bailed out dirty uneconomic coal and nuclear energy could be done only by cheating criminal activity! Learn more in this thread from Beyond Coal staffer Neil Waggoner.

NEW STUDY- A new report from the Center for American Progress and the Hispanic Access Foundation finds that people of color, low-income communities, and families with children are most likely to be deprived of the benefits that nature provides.

VOLUNTEER SUCCESS STORY- The Sierra Club’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Team is proud to share that they’ve recently recruited a great number of new volunteers via the Sierra Club Volunteer Connection website. The opportunities were related to specific tasks identified in our 2020 work plan, requiring work at a sub-team level. All were work-at-home, virtual opportunities -- and the volunteers recruited represent a great range of ages and education levels!

COMMUNITY TALK- My Generation organizer Angie Balderas reports that last week her team hosted a virtual community talk in Colton, California. More than 20 residents gathered online to speak about issues including poor air quality, warehouses, gas plants, rail yards, and green space. She added that folks even spoke about solutions and next steps in order to see the changes they need for the city.


THE END

The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice.
 

Rincon Group / Our Blogs / Sierra Club's "Hitched" Newsletter. . .

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