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Breakthrough Communities Frontline News: Issue #23
You're invited!
Race, Poverty & the Environment (RP&E) Relaunch Event: Movements Making Media
  
The Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE), Urban Habitat (UH), and the Movement Strategy Center (MSC) announce the launch of a new collaborative publishing endeavor-Reimagine! -which will be the new home of 
Race, Poverty & the Environment (RP&E), the national journal of social and environmental justice. Come celebrate and learn how you can be a part.

 

East Bay Community Foundation
200 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 
March 27th 6:30PM- 9:30PM with light refreshments
R.S.V.P. to

 

Upcoming from Six Big Wins Case Studies Project at Breakthrough Communities: 
Climate Justice: Frontline Stories from Groundbreaking Coalitions in California
Thanks to all of you who have shared the stories and lessons learned from our coalitions working together on SB375 in California. Breakthrough Communities is pleased to announce that the first volume of Climate Justice is nearing completion and features in-depth contributions from nearly 50 of our statewide partners. We want to shout out to our university community partners who reported on Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California, and San Diego regions. The San Francisco Bay Area benefited from a deeper dive with the Six Wins Networks each reporting from the frontlines. 

 

Read more about the project here.

You're invited! 
Chasing Ice 
Documentary Film Event & Panel Discussion
The El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee and the WCCC League of Women Voters present:

 

"Chasing Ice" & Panel

Discussion

Thursday, April 17 |

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM 

Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, 10070 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito

 

Join the Environmental Quality Committee for a free showing of the award-winning film Chasing Ice, a gripping and beautifully filmed chronicle of climate change, revealed through dramatic time-lapse images capturing retreating glaciers and polar ice cover. This event will be followed by a panel discussion, including special guest speaker Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and Dr. Paloma Pavel. 

 

For more details, visit www.el-cerrito.org or call 510-215-4361.

 

To reserve a free ticket, register through Eventbrite .

 
UC Berkeley 
Presentation on 
Frontline Stories 
of Climate Justice
Carl Anthony, Professor Susan Griffin and Paloma Pavel at UC Berkeley

 

To watch the UC Berkeley Presentation, click here to view online.

 

Prolific feminist scholar and writer, Susan Griffin, invited Carl Anthony and Dr. Paloma Pavel to speak at UC Berkeley about their groundbreaking work on Climate Justice on Fall 2013. Griffin invited Anthony and Pavel to speak on the historical context for environmental justice and the significance of social justice in environmental issues. Another speaker for the session included Madeline Santo, Staff Attorney for the Center of Race, Poverty and the Environment. 

 

Anthony and Pavel shared the story behind the Six Big Wins, regarding climate change and justice for low-income communities. Anthony presented a powerful brief video about the history of African Americans to demonstrate the connection between environmental justice and racial justice. He affirmed, "We need a new creation story. We have learned what science has taught us in the last five hundred years as a foundation on how to deal ethically, responsibly and spiritually with the natural world." Anthony also referred to his upcoming book The Earth, the City, and the Hidden Narrative of Race: Discovering New Foundations for the Great Work of our Time in which he explores what history can teach us about the emerging geography of climate justice in the 21st century. 

 

Dr. Pavel argued, "Instead of thinking about climate change as polar bears on an iceberg, we must think about climate change here in Oakland as increased asthma rates in children of color." Here, Pavel refers to the projected impact of the Six Big Wins in bringing climate justice closer to home regarding its impact on underprivileged youth of color.   

 

At the conclusion of the presentation, Dr. Pavel poignantly stated, "We must think like a region and act like a region," which truly resonated with the audience regarding the unity that is necessary in order to advance efforts of environmental justice.

 

To purchase a copy of Breakthrough Communities: Sustainability and Justice in the Next American Metropolis (Urban and Industrial Environments), click here.

 

Paloma's Climate 
Justice and Solidarity 
Presentation at 
Sofia University
Dr. Pavel and Richard Page as a fire creature at the conclusion of Luisah Teish's ritual

"The same water that  slave ships traveled during the Transatlantic Slave Trade is the same water that breaks as birth water when a child is born." Dr. Paloma Pavel presented on behalf of Breakthrough Communities at Earth House at Luisah Teish's Winter Solstice Celebration. Teish, spiritual leader and teacher,  led the festival entitled "The Sea Shellebration: A Ritual Theatre Performance in Honor of Olokun, Owner of the Deep." Invited were various members of the Bay Area community to share their talents and to discuss environmental sustainability efforts around the world with special attention to water issues.

 

"The same water that we drink today is the same water of dinosaur tears," Pavel shared during her presentation. Dr. Pavel's demonstration through slideshow and lecture connected water as a vital resource for all communities throughout all time. Dr. Pavel also shared case study research about various communities efforts in water justice and environmental justice resiliency in communities such as West Harlem, Fukushima, and the Bay Area from the 2009 book anthology she edited, including a foreword by Mr. Carl Anthony, called Breakthrough Communities: Sustainability and Justice in the Next American Metropolis (Urban and Industrial Environments).

 

At the close, Dr. Pavel dedicated the upcoming release of her book,

Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty to community work and climate justice efforts in West Harlem, Fukushima, and the Bay Area, as well as all over the world. One final line of the poem imaginatively states: "The steps we take now decide what kind of earth that will be."

 
To purchase a copy of
Breakthrough Communities: Sustainability and Justice in the Next American Metropolis (Urban and Industrial Environments)click here.
 
Spotlight on Breakthrough Communities Spring 2014 Internship Program
Breakthrough Communities Interns & Team

Breakthrough Communities is proud to announce the beginning of their Spring 2014 Internship and cohort. This year features students from California State University East Bay and University of California, Berkeley. Four of the current interns, Feizi, Nooshin, Sophie, and Saruabh are graduate students in the Healthcare Administration program at CSU East Bay. One student, Mimi, is studying in the Letters and Science College in the department of Environmental Economics and Policy with a minor in City and Regional Planning. Our first intern seminar focused on discussion of Carl Anthony's upcoming book The Earth, the City, and the Hidden Narrative of Race, as well as an overview of upcoming projects. Breakthrough Communities is delighted to be hosting such a talented group of individuals. If you are interested with partnering with Breakthrough Communities to work with our individuals, please contact us and let us know!

Climate Justice Leaders Testify at 
Supervisor John Gioia's California Air Resources Board Confirmation Hearing
Supervisor John Gioia, Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, Carl Anthony, and Paloma Pavel
February 19th, 2014 was an amazing day with environmental and equity allies converging in the California State Capitol, Sacramento, to rally around Climate Justice hero, Supervisor John Gioia! Mr. Carl Anthony and Dr. Paloma Pavel of Breakthrough Communities testified at the California Air Resources Board confirmation hearing in support of Gioia.
Supervisor John Gioia testifies at CARB hearing. 
Credit: T. Cheung
 
In attendance were California Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg who authored SB375 and for the reception, Secretary for Environmental Protection at the California Environmental Protection Agency Matthew Rodriquez.
 
CARB Capitol Hearing. Credit: T. Cheung
Join Us!
CAL EPA Enviro Screen in April 2014
Breakthrough Communities encourages community resilience and environmental justice advocates to participate in the Enviro Screen Workshop sponsored by CAL EPA in the Bay Area in April 2014. 

Paloma Pavel; Sec. Environ. Protection CAL EPA Matthew Rodriquez; Carl Anthony
 
Let us know if you are interested in participating in this event. More details coming soon.
 
Six Big Wins Demonstrates Theory of 
Change in Carl Anthony's Upcoming Book
Paloma and Carl at the California State Capitol
"Framing issues is the future of community impact," stated Carl Anthony in a quote requested by foundations and social equity networks. Carl Anthony met with a group of community activists, including members of the Ford Foundation to discuss the achievements of the Six Big Wins Coalition. He explained the origins of the Six Big Wins idea and the political theory of change. This political theory has been developed by Doug McAdam, a professor of Sociology at Stanford University. Basically, it consists of three parts: first, in order for a social movement to be effective, it must contain an opportunity or an opening for significant intervention; second, it must be organized by constituencies in the community who are able to take advantage of the opportunity; and third, organizers must frame the opportunity in ways that allow the constituencies to act, or follow-through. In order to focus on individual transformation and wide-scale system change, the Office for Transformative Leadership advanced by Dr. Margaret Paloma Pavel, is utilizing this theory of political change in conjunction with its organizational goals of building strong, effective leaders in the public sector.

Climate change presents a major opportunity for achieving social and racial justice while reducing our greenhouse gas use. Senate Bill 375 (the Six Big Wins) presented a huge opportunity for low-income communities and their allies to achieve long-standing objectives regarding equity.

 

The Six Big Wins include:

1. Clean Air and Healthy Communication

2. Reliable Public Transit

3. Affordable Housing

4. Investment without Displacement

5. Economic Opportunity

6. Community Power

 

Many people have been organizing in the Bay Area for social equity for several years. As Anthony explained to the various participants during the meeting, "The leaders of the Six Big Wins Coalition including the Alliance for Community Empowerment, Breakthrough Communities, California Walks, Genesis, Public Advocates, Regional Asthma Management Project (RAMP), and Urban Habitat were able to bring their long-standing engagement with knowledge of these low-income communities into alignment with the opportunity provided by SB375. The Senate Bill simply made it possible for these community groups to scale up their efforts to build on information they already had in order to achieve an outstanding result." The story of the Six Wins will be included in Anthony's forthcoming book The Earth, the City, and the Hidden Narrative of Race: Discovering New Foundations of the Great Work of our Time.

Progress Under the Affordable Care Act: 
Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Project
PCMH Team: Dr. Paloma Pavel, Strategic Communications, Dr. Kathleen Clanon, Principal Investigator, Erin Friedman, Project Director, Lois Bailey Lindsey, HIV ACCESS Program Director, Megan Crowley, Project Coordinator, Dan Clanon, IT Systems Specialist
The Patient Centered Medical Home Project with Dr. Kathleen Clanon as Principal Investigator and Erin Friedman as Project Director reported findings to the statewide convening of all California grantees with the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) and California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP) earlier this month. Sites who presented included: San Francisco Department of Public Health/UCSF, Office of AIDS Program and Policy, UC San Diego, Tri-City, and St. Mary Medical Center.
 
Success at Alameda HealthPAC Charrette
Alameda HealthPAC Team celebrating success
During Fall 2013, Dr. Kathleen Clanon, Medical Director, convened a HealthPAC 2.0 Charrette sponsored by the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency at the Highland Pavilion Hospital in Oakland, CA. Earth House Interns supported the event. The main focus of the HealthPAC 2.0 Charrette was to provide space for a community consultation where members from sixteen different organizations could present and share their opinions about improving access in the capacity of care for the people of Alameda County.

The event provided different members of the community a chance to voice their concerns in a cooperative space. There were more than 50 attendees including two renowned experts from the Bay Area - Dr. Tom Bodenhimer from San Francisco General Hospital and Dr. Alan Glaseroff from Stanford University.

The interns were able to capture and document the lively discussion, while representing Breakthrough Communities. Successfully, at the conclusion of the Charrette, the previously discussed eight options for increasing access and capacity in the Alameda Health system were narrowed down to just three options. The three options to be made available for low-income Alameda inhabitants included: chronic disease management visits with registered nurses, urgent care options, and group visits. As far as next steps for the consensus-driven options for Alameda County, these options will be evaluated with further consideration and analysis.
  
For further information on Alameda HealthPAC Charrette, click here.

Coming Soon

Climate Justice: Frontline Stories from Groundbreaking Coalitions in California 

SB375 Case Studies Guidebook

Guidebook

 

Some of the Six Big Wins Coalition Contributors: Jill Ratner New -Voices are Rising, Azibuike Akaba -RAMP, Wendy Alfsen- Walk California, Carl Anthony - Breakthrough Communities, Mary Lim-Lampe - Genesis, Marybelle Nzegwu -Public Advocates, Richard Marcantonio - Public Advocates, Esther Mealy -  Breakthrough Communities

Last newsletter issue, Breakthrough Communities happily announced the advancing of the project Case Studies: A Resource for Social and Health Equity now with the working title, Climate Justice: Frontline Stories from 

Groundbreaking Coalitions in CaliforniaThe project supports communities across California in their efforts to mitigate the effect of climate change through transportation and land use policy, in particular regarding SB375 and AB32.

 

Breakthrough Communities at Earth House Center is in the process of compiling the case studies guidebook about climate change. The case studies project includes a collection of stories and interviews regarding the Six Big Wins Coalition. Over 50 interviews have been conducted, thus far, and are in the process of being transcribed. Each story and interview presents an introspective look into the underlying personal experiences of inspiring social action. Each case study is placed in its historical, racial, environmental and class context to provide information about what led to the 
achievements in each story, in hopes they can be analyzed and replicated. The case studies take place in over 5 regions in California: Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento and San Diego. These 5 regions represent 95% of the highest greenhouse gas emissions of the state and thus, demonstrate exceptional need for implementation of the Six Big Wins outcomes.

 

In the Bay Area, coalition members tell the story of the Six Big Wins in their own words, alongside the strategic actionable strategies. The documented success of the Six Big Wins includes accessible policy analysis to ensure that the information can be easily understood and applied to the work of various essential community constituencies in upholding the outcomes of SB375. These groups include community groups, planners, health professionals, and others. 

 

The project itself provides an opportunity for collaboration between constituencies in fields such as social justice, public health, academic institutions, and policy groups. The work of a diverse set of
groups represents a strong victory in the upholding of an equity agenda in the implementation of SB375 in the identified 5 regions in California. 

 

There are lots of opportunities to build collective impact. You and your organizations are welcome to be a part of the next steps. 

 

 

 

 

www.BreakthroughCommunities.info

[email protected]

P: 510-652-2425

F: 510-595-7295

 

We are better together.