[WAsummit] Van Jones lands at CAP/and DPEEP request

[Sharon Martinas]

Hey Louisa,

	Which grassroots environmental justice groups with deep roots in  
working class communities of color are involved in the leadership  
visioning and planning of this event from the get go?

	   If they aren't yet at the leadership table; or are at the table  
but not in a position to exercise leadership (i.e., they are there as  
tokens)  but get added as an 'outreach' item, I think that, despite  
your good intentions, your conference is not gonna be able to reach  
its admirable goals.

	And as for a call for 'white allies,'  it's also admirable.  But if  
these allies cant look to the leadership from environmental justice  
organizations of color because they are neither in the leadership, nor  
even at the table;   with whom, then, are the anti-racist white allies  
supposed to 'ally'?

	Just some questions of concern.

	In solidarity,
	sharon martinas

On Mar 11, 2010, at 11:15 AM, Louisa Davis wrote:

> Still totally juiced by the Howard Zinn’s tenure without compromise  
> (and act of God?) story....
>
> And, this is old, but I don’t think anyone has celebrated Van Jones  
> coming back from being pushed out of the White House last September  
> by racist pissing match with Fox News. He is staying here in DC and  
> has two new power podiums—Princeton and Center for American  
> Progress!   Totally meets my needs for coming through the fire, not  
> giving up and leveraging powerful cultural capital for those who  
> need it.
>
> SEE http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/23/AR2010022304889.html
>
> And, most importantly, I want to tell you about and involve you (or  
> your feedback) in  the DIVERSE PEOPLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC  
> PROGRESS SUMMIT:  I’m a volunteer, coordinating the Outreach team,  
> working with Iantha Gantt-Wright of the Kenian Group who is the paid  
> organizer/consultant, and about 25-30 others from environmental  
> groups all over the country.
>
> This is about making sure the green job and environmental movement  
> really includes and responds to needs of workers, youth and  
> communities of color AND has the political heft to stand up to the  
> rapaciousness of corporate, develop-driven and media-hypnotized  
> America.
>
> We need:
>  1) names of antiracist/environmental justice organizations to  
> partner with regionally—still early in planning stages: DC/ 
> Midatlantic  (May!?) , USSF/Detroit/Great Lakes in June?  then  
> Atlanta, Texas, Portland, and New England.
> 2) spread the word/outreach help and connections to folks to get to  
> the tables of the one day regional roundtables that will happen/be  
> scheduled the second half of this year. Website in the works.
> 3) We also need  more white antiracist allies who are able to help  
> bridge the gaps of understanding and skills for really including and  
> listening (etc) between well-intentioned predominantly white  
> progressive/liberal environmentalists and frustrated activists of  
> color/low-income workers whose well-being has not been as treasured  
> as much as that of the whales, horned owls and odd wilderness areas  
> in Idaho.
> 4) leads on foundation and local monies/in-kind donations....you  
> know the deal.
>
> Background:  This is the third DPEP summit in 10 years, funded by  
> the Green Group of major national environmental groups (with Hewlett  
> Packard/Ford money in the past). They are intent on building  
> partnership and I sense more and less genuinely interested/concerned  
> about learning how to overcome barriers to inclusion and  
> partnerships with civil rights, community organizing and workers,   
> youth and health rights groups. It’s not always easy to slow them  
> down for the kind of inclusion that really works...but we’re trying!
>
> For more info, contact me (louisaldavis at verizon.net) or other  
> members of the Outreach/Inclusion team,  Iantha, igwright at earthlink.net 
>   or Ron, Center for Health and Environmental Justice  (davisbuildscommunity at gmail.com 
> ).
>
> Things are just coming together so please be patient...and persistent.
>
>
>
> Louisa L. Davis, M.Div., Ph.D.
> Everyone Matters, LLC-pending
> 11330 Dockside Circle
> Reston, VA 20191
>
> H) 703/860-1203
> C & O) 240/338-5156
>
> “Somewhere in the heart of experience there is an order and a  
> coherence which we might surprise if we are attentive enough, loving  
> enough or patient enough.”  -- Lawrence Durrell from Marilyn Paul,  
> Its Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys
> _______________________________________________
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