“EJ Ready Convening” Recap
In March, co-hosts Liberty Hill and Resources Legacy Fund convened environmental justice leaders, local government, and diverse community organizations to learn about new federal funding programs and Justice40 Initiative opportunities for L.A. based communities.
The environmental justice convening featured federal funding updates aimed at building productive relationships between L.A. communities and federal, state, and local governments. Representatives from many federal agencies–including the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing, Interior, Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency– shared information regarding Justice40 implementation as well as funding opportunities available for LA County communities made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Senior Director of The White House Council on Environmental Quality, Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome, provided keynote remarks on the efforts being led by the Biden-Harris Administration to advance environmental justice on a national level. She emphasized the administration’s commitment to achieving the goals of the Justice40 Initiative to deliver at least 40 percent of overall benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities throughout the country.
Local and state officials—U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and U.S. Representative Nanette Barragán—highlighted local environmental justice initiatives and described how California governments can work hand in hand with federal partners to deploy new investments, ensuring environmental justice targets are met at a local level.
City of Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Randall Winston from the Office of Mayor Karen Bass and Mayor Rex Richardson attended the convening to discuss key infrastructure priorities for their municipalities and reemphasized their commitment to realizing and implementing the equity and justice provisions of Justice40 in their respective cities.
Liberty Hill community partners SLATE-Z, Pacoima Beautiful, Communities for a Better Environmental, IBEW Local 11, and Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy participated in the “Community Voices'' panel, moderated by Liberty Hill’s Angelo Logan, Senior Director for EJ and Climate Justice. They explored opportunities for collaboration and identified gaps and areas for improvement through an environmental justice and equity lens.
“Today, we bring the environmental justice community and government officials together to really innovate and create solutions and ideas that we’ve never experienced here in Los Angeles,” said Liberty Hill President and CEO, Shane Murphy Goldsmith. For Liberty Hill, environmental justice is a cornerstone of social justice. As federal funding for climate, environmental and social justice initiatives becomes steadily available, Liberty Hill is committed to continue supporting our frontline community partners in the fight for a safer, healthier, and greener L.A.
