The first event will be an Environmental Justice Panel held on April 12th, 2012 at 7 pm in the Jacqua Center Auditorium. It will consist of three panelists: Caleen Sisk (the tribal leader of the Winnemen Wintu), Luis Olmedo (a community EJ activist from San Diego), and Ben Duncan (Chair of the Governor’s Oregon Environmental Justice Task Force). The panel will give three very different and intriguing perspectives on pollution in vulnerable communities.  This event is free and open to the public.

The second event is the Environmental Justice “Toxic” Bus Tour itself – students will get to experience Environmental Justice activism first hand! Participants will be touring the toxic sites in West Eugene. This event will include students, community members, and city officials. Participants will have the opportunity to see the sites, converse with community members from the area and city officials, and will have the opportunity to attend a community forum where impacted West Eugene residents with talk with city officials how about steps to mitigate the pollution in their community. This will give students an opportunity to see these issues in their community and witness a community bringing about profound political change. Lunch is provided by a local caterer. This event is by registration only. Community members can register by emailing aguzman@beyondtoxics.org and students can register through thisform. Space is limited (50 spots for each group) so register quickly! The cut-off date is April 6th, 2012 at 5 pm.

This Event is Generously Supported by the Student Sustainability Fund, Yamada Language Center, and the Center for the Study of Women and Society.

Here is the schedule:

11:00 EJ workshop led by CAER                               River Rooms

12:00 Lunch Keynote: Breeze Harper                Fir Room

1:30 Free Time/Games/Networking                      River Room

2:00 Local Eugene Panel                                        River Room

3:00 NW Dirty Energy Panel                                    River Room

4:00 Food Justice Panel                                          River Room

5:00 Free Time/Games/Networking                    River Room

5:30 Dinner Keynote: Michelle Williams          Fir Room

7:00 EJ Art Workshop: Favianna Rodrguez      Fir Room

Our lunch keynote, Breeze Harper, is an accomplished scholar on issues of black feminisms, critical race theory, and food politics. She has also edited the volume Sistah Vegan: Black Female Vegans Speak about Food, Identity, Health, and Society. This volume, as well her presentation, explores food politics, identity, sexuality, heath, womanism, feminism, decolonization, anti-racism, eco-sustainability, and animal rights through the lens of the black female vegan experience in the USA.

For our dinner keynote, we are hosting Michelle Roberts. She is affiliated with the Advocates for Environmental Human Rights and has provided technical assistance and advocacy support to communities regarding the impacts of toxins on human health and the environment. In addition, she is a spoken word artist who created Arts Slam @SsAMS, a community-based arts program. She has co-authored reports on environmental justice issues and her advocacy work is featured in television, print news, and magazines.

Finally, CAER will be hosting an Environmental Justice artistic workshop as part of the conference with renowned Oakland-based Chicana artist Favianna Rodriquez. Her composites reflect literal and imaginative migration, global community, and interdependence. Her subjects vary, including immigrant day laborers in the US, mothers of disappeared women in Juárez, Mexico, and herself. Through her work we witness the changing US metropolis and new dispora in the arts.

We are very excited for CAER this year! Please join us for our first meeting TONIGHT (Tuesday September 27) at 7 pm in the MCC

Hope to see you all there!

All rights remain with Patagonia Rising

Join us for the Oregon premier of a new Environmental Justice film.

Deep in the heart of Patagonia, Chile flow two of the world’s purest rivers, the Baker and Pascua. Fed by vast glacial systems, these free-flowing watersheds drive biodiversity in temperate rainforests, estuaries and marine ecosystems. They are also the life source for Patagonia’s most tenacious residents. Gauchos, the iconic South American cowboys, endure rele…ntless winds and long winters on remote ranches in these river valleys.

Isolated and largely undeveloped Patagonia and its people are caught in a heated conflict surrounding a proposal to build five large hydroelectric dams on the Baker and Pascua Rivers. Promoted as “clean” energy, the project’s cultural and environmental impacts would forever alter the region. Alternatives exist. Clean energy experts are proving the viability of solar, wind and geothermal resources developed much closer to demand and infrastructure.

Over the past century more than 45,000 large dams have redefined the course and health of the planet’s rivers with disastrous impacts that continue to unfold. Tracing the hydrologic cycle of the Baker from ice to ocean, Patagonia Rising brings voice to the frontier people caught in the crossfire of Chile’s energy demands. Juxtaposing the pro-dam business sector with renewable energy experts, the documentary will bring awareness and solutions to this global conflict over water and power.

Trailer: http://patagoniarising.com/trailer

The Coalition Against Environmental Racism (CAER) is hosting its 16^th Annual Grassroots Environmental Justice Conference on Saturday, April 30^th and Sunday, May 1^st. No registration is required. Please join us for a great weekend of free food and free knowledge at the University of Oregon (EMU Fir Room and River Rooms)!!

See attached poster for detailed conference schedule. Please do not hesitate to contact caer@uoregon.edu with any questions.

Saturday will be filled with workshops, panels, and speakers on environmental justice topics such as, climate justice, food justice, water justice, indigenous rights, and health equity.

FREE FOOD!! FREE EVENT!! FREE KNOWLEDGE!!!

NO REGISTRATION NECESSARY!

Tentative Program:

9:00-10:00 am Opening EJ Training & Discussion (OPAL)

10:15-11:15 am PowerShift Panel (CJL)

11:30-1:00 pm Food Justice Panel (Huerto de la Familia, South Central Farmers, United Farm Workers)

1:15-2:45 pm Food Justice Keynote (Bryant Terry)

3:00-4:15 pm Environmental Justice in Eugene (Oregon Toxics Alliance, Centro Latino Americano)

4:30-6:00 pm Indigenous Rights Keynote (Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Enivronmental Justice Coalition for Water)

6:15 pm Dinner

6:30-8:45 pm Film Screening and Discussion (Sun Come Up)

8:45 pm Dessert and Networking

Hello University of Oregon Students,

We are writing on behalf of the ASUO student group Coalition Against Environmental Racism (CAER). CAER is committed to bridging the gap between the struggle for social and environmental equality. CAER has the dual mission of educating the campus about Environmental Racism and building coalitions within the University community to foster activism in the Environmental Justice Movement. Unfortunately, this next term, Spring 2011, two of the three CAER student leaders will be studying abroad. Consequently, we need two interim student leaders for next term, Spring 2011.

This position requires the applicant to attend CAER’s weekly meetings (Tuesday at 7:00 PM in the Multicultural Center). Most importantly, the applicant will assist with the organization and implementation of CAER’s 16^th Annual Grassroots Environmental Justice Conference (April 31-May1). In addition, this position requires attendance at the occasional Program Council Meetings and/or Multicultural Board meetings.

This position does have a stipend. However, the stipend is not enough to fully compensate the applicant for the time spent in this position. Please do not apply unless you are interested in Environmental Justice and are willing to spend at least 5 hours a week on the group. Please anticipate allocating more than five hours a week leading up the conference, which occurs during the middle of Spring Term.

We will interview all applicants in the coming weeks. Please note that this position is only for Spring 2011. You are welcome to take part in the standard officer election for next year, but your position would be in no way guaranteed. Please submit a resume to caer@uoregon.edu as soon as possible. Feel free to email CAER if you have any questions. We look forward to meeting you.

Thank you,