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Recent News
Attention!
E&I is currently in a process of transitioning to a new address. During this period our phone lines are temporarily down. If you need to reach the Campaign please email nicholas@equityandinclusion.org
1.1.2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
9/21/2011
BREAKING: You Did It!!!
Congratulations: You did it! The RESTORE Act just passed the Environment and Public Works Committee this morning, thanks to all of your hard work and tireless advocacy.
It can now move to the full Senate.
We want to thank you for your hard work and leadership to RESTORE the Gulf!
But we're not done.
Call your Representative TODAY: 202-224-3121
Tell them that they must move quickly to pass a House bill that mirrors the Senate version and RESTORE our Coast!
9/20/2011
TAKE ACTION TODAY! RESTORE THE GULF
Tomorrow, U.S. Senators in the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee are scheduled to vote on the RESTORE Act to dedicate at least 80% of BP fines paid under the Clean Water Act to Gulf states for restoration efforts.
Please take a moment today to let the Committee know they should act to RESTORE our Coast.
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Democrat
Barbara Boxer (CA) - (202) 224-3553
Max Baucus (MT) - (202) 224-2651
Tom Carper (DE) - (202) 224-2441
Frank Lautenberg (NJ) - (202) 224-3224
Ben Cardin (MD) - (202) 224-4524
Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) - (202) 224-2921
Tom Udall (NM) - (202) 224-6621
Jeff Merkley (OR) - (202) 224-3753
Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) - (202) 224-4451
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Republican
Jim Inhofe (OK) - (202) 224-4721
John Barrasso (WY) - (202) 224-6441
Mike Crapo (ID) - (202) 224-6142
Lamar Alexander (TN) - (202) 224-4944
Mike Johanns (NE) - (202) 224-4224
John Boozman, (AR) - (202) 224-4843
Independent:
Bernie Sanders (VT) - (202) 224-5141
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Learn more about RESTORE!
The Clean Water Act allows the EPA to collect $1,100 per barrel of oil spilled, or $4,300 per barrel if there is a finding of gross negligence, from any party found responsible for an oil spill in federal waters. Based on the estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, BP could face fines between $5.4 billion and $21.1 billion. Under current law, this money would go to the U.S. Treasury and the Gulf Coast would get nothing.
The RESTORE Act will:
* Dedicate 80 % of Clean Water Act penalties charged to BP to the restoration of the Gulf Coast
* Provide needed resources to Gulf Coast states to start recovery immediately
* Establish a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council
* Establish a Long Term Science and Fisheries Endowment and Gulf Coast Centers of Excellence
Thank you for your action to RESTORE our Coast!
7/25/2011
Monday, July 25th - National Call in Day to RESTORE the Gulf
Congress has finally introduced a bill to help
RESTORE the Gulf by directing fines and penalties paid by BP and other responsible parties to the Gulf for ecosystem restoration.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE SURE IT PASSES. It has been well over a year since BP's oil drilling disaster began, and ecosystems and communities continue to suffer.
Contact your Senators and Representatives TODAY at (202) 224-3121
Suggested Talking Points:
"I'm (your name) from (your city) calling in support of the Gulf Coast.
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I'm calling today to ask that you support the RESTORE Act to send Clean Water Act fines from the BP oil spill to the Gulf for restoration.
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A voice for communities should also be included in the bill. Please support the creation of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens Advisory Council (GMRCAC) in the RESTORE Act to give impacted communities a much-needed voice in energy industry decisions that ultimately affect our lives, livelihoods, and environment.
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Finally, ensure Federal - not state - labor and contracting standards are enforced throughout the restoration process.
7/7/2011
Tell Obama: There's a Better Way! Protect Programs for Low-Income Americans
You've heard all the talk about our national debt and potential cuts to important programs like Medicare while protecting tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.
For example, tax breaks for corporate jet owners, oil companies and hedge fund managers alone total $40 billion in potential revenue over 10 years. Wouldn't you rather see that money in education, housing or nutrition programs?
Please take a moment right now and call or write the White House to let President Obama know what's important to you. You can call and leave a message at
1-888-245-0215
.
It's toll free and only takes a moment.
Or click
here to write President Obama, and tell him to continue to stand with us.
Here is a sample message that you can copy and paste into the comment box:
Dear Mr. President,
Please hold firm and stand by low-income people in negotiations to reduce the deficit. Please prevent reckless cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and other services that are essential to our communities and a vital part of economic recovery. |
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6/8/2011
Last week, a small delegation from the Equity and Inclusion Campaign again traveled to Washington, DC to meet with leaders on Capitol Hill and the Obama Administration on the many issues we've been together advancing to end poverty and promote equitable recovery.
Representatives from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama met with senior leadership on:
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Clean Water Act fines in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster for areas impacted by the spill, including the importance of a Regional Citizens Advisory Council as well as federal labor and contracting standards
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Down Home, E&I's recent report on Alabama disaster housing and the continued need for housing recovery in Mobile County
Our advocacy was strong and our meetings fruitful, but we've still got a ways to go.
Join us in the coming months as we schedule congressional in-district local visits in each of our three states - we must get it right!
For more information on meetings with Congressional leaders happening in your district, email info@equityandinclusion.org.
6/1/11
For those Gulf Coast faith and community leaders interested, please see
the White House Faith-Based and Community Conference announcement below:
The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Cordially Invites You To Join Executive Director Joshua DuBois for:
Connecting Communities for the Common Good:
Conversations and Partnership Opportunities with the Obama Administration's
Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Office
Monday, June 6, 2011
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans (MCCNO)
Hall B Entrance, Rooms 353-355
900 Convention Center Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70130-2226
8:30am to 12:30pm
Registration begins at 8 am
To attend the White House Connecting Communities Conference,
please register here:
http://events.SignUp4.com/WHOFBNP
by Thursday, June 2nd.
Faith and community leaders from across the Gulf Coast are invited to join with the White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, other government officials and diverse nonprofit peers, for a series of innovative workshops, networking opportunities, and conversations with President Obama's Faith-based Offices across the federal government.
*Explore partnership opportunities across the federal government relevant to your congregation or community
*Engage with your peers, faith-based and nonprofit leaders and key Administration representatives
*Empower your communities with information about initiatives and resources
If you would like to attend the White House Connecting Communities Conference, please register here: http://events.SignUp4.com/WHOFBNP by Thursday, June 2nd. Space is limited, so register early! (There is no registration fee for the
Connecting Communities Conference)
6/1/11
June 1, 2011 marks the beginning of hurricane season and the release of the Equity and Inclusion Campaign's report, "Down Home: Alabama Housing Recovery in the Aftermath of Katrina and Implications for the Tornadoes of 2011."
Nearly six years after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, families in South Alabama continue to live with damaged or destroyed housing, some with tarp blue roofs and others abandoning their former homes. The devastating tornadoes in April are a crucial moment to learn lessons from the last disaster so that people can build back and come home. Down Home examines two communities in detail, which supplement what quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis reveal: that despite access to private resources such as homeowners insurance and personal savings, households including primarily homeowners did not recover.
Now is the time to get it right!
5/12/11
Budget battles and deficit ceilings headline the news every day, but what does that mean for us? Are we going to be safer from disaster, better educated, live in a healthy environment, and have access to economic opportunity no matter what?
Clearly, our voices are needed in Washington, DC to ensure our Representatives, the people we sent to our nation's capitol, are getting it right! While most Americans think Congress should shift the debt reduction burden to Wall Street executives and other top earners, rather than the elderly, poor or even middle class, we in the South know this is especially true.
This is a critical time for America and especially, for the people of the Gulf Coast states. Getting it right for our children, getting it right for our working families, getting it right for the people of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, requires all us to get engaged in public policy - in ways we have never been before!
This summer the Equity and Inclusion Campaign (E&I) is launching "Summer 2011: Getting It Right" - an effort to directly meet with each member of our Congressional delegation while they are in-district. There are many important policy decisions facing us: whether cuts in Medicare and Medicaid spending will be used to lower the debt, whether our children will be well educated, and whether polluters will continue to ride the tax free wave.
It is important that you RSVP for the appropriate advocacy training; see below for RSVP dates and full schedule of activities.
Please RSVP to Matt Mosley (matthew@equityandinclusion.org) for the appropriate advocacy training session to receive more information.
Louisiana citizens: RSVP by May 19, 2011
Alabama citizens: RSVP by June 1, 2011
Mississippi citizens: RSVP by June 21, 2011
Getting It Right Schedule
Trainings and meetings:
May 25: New Orleans, LA advocacy training
June 3: Prep Conference Call advocacy training
June 6 - 7: Louisiana in-district meetings w/ Gulf Coast delegation
June 8: Mobile, AL advocacy training
June 9 - 10: Alabama in-district meetings w/ Gulf Coast delegation
June 13: Debrief Conference Call advocacy training/strategy check-in
June 28th: Biloxi, MS advocacy training
June 29 - 30: Mississippi in-district meetings w/ Gulf Coast delegation
July 6th: Debrief Conference Call advocacy training/strategy check-in
July 18 - 21: Senators, AL, MS, LA in-district meetings w/ Gulf Coast delegation
July 26th: Debrief Conference Call Next Steps
5/2/11
Congress is proposing devastating structural changes and budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.
SNAP is the most effective government response to low-wealth and vulnerable communities during disasters and troubling economic times. It reduces hunger and food insecurities, bolsters local economies, and relieves pressures on food banks.
In Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, we know that thousands of families, working paycheck to paycheck, need food stamps to ensure their children are fed.
Take Action now and click HERE to join our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) with a letter to Congress to strongly oppose structural changes and budget cuts to this critical program.
4/28/11
We are far too familiar with how life can change overnight; our region has experienced historic tornadoes. We are saddened by the loss of life and damage to homes and communities. Today, please send your thoughts and prayers for those who suddenly find themselves facing life without a loved one, or the painful process of rebuilding homes and communities.
In Hope and Faith,
Equity and Inclusion Campaign
4/27/11
As you may know, many nonprofit organizations were among the first to respond to families and communities impacted by the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster. And as the region continues to feel the financial and environmental effects of the disaster, we know that much of the recovery efforts in our region are in the hands of critical nonprofit organizations and their ability to finance their work. However, these organizations have continually been denied by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF), to the detriment of our communities and our region.
At the urging of Senator Landrieu, GCCF Administrator Feinberg recently agreed to review protocols and work towards potential compensation for the countless nonprofits whose work increased but whose financial resources didn't.
We are working to generate a comprehensive list of all of the local organizations that stretched limited resources to meet the needs of their communities.
If your nonprofit organization has been denied by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, please send your organization's contact information to
info@equityandinclusion.org. If your nonprofit organization had considered filing a claim for damages but then decided not to do so, please include that information as well.
This information is being compiled to provide an essential perspective for the review of protocols to the GCCF.
4/25/11
Please see below for an upcoming Community Preparedness webinar and a scholarship grant opportunity.
Community Preparedness Webinar Series
Evacuation of Students with and without Access and Functional Needs
Monday, April 25, 2011, 12 PM EST
You should login 10 minutes prior to the start of the webinar.
Access the webinar HERE.
Join the webinar on Evacuating Students With and Without Access and Functional Needs. On April 25, 2011, Marcie Roth, director of the Office for Disability Integration and Coordination at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Richard Devylder, Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation at the U.S. Department of Transportation, will be providing strategies for planning and responding to the needs of children during evacuations. Both are national leaders in planning for and responding to the needs of children and adults with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. The webinar will be an opportunity to look at planning and responding from a functional needs perspective and a universal team approach.
For more information, please click HERE.
Additional Resources:
Access and Functional Needs Transportation and Evacuation Planning Toolkit (Cal EMA)
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The Bollinger Foundation is now accepting nominations for its 2011 grant awards. The scholarship grants are presented to families who have lost a parent or guardian, with the deceased or surviving parent having worked or continuing to work in the field of public housing, community development, or economic development. Grants are primarily awarded for educational expenses, including special educational needs, school materials, and college tuition.
Please visit their website (
www.bollingerfoundation.org) to make a nomination of an eligible family using the online nomination form before our deadline of
May 18th, 2011. Nominations can also be mailed to Kelly Bielen, The Bollinger Foundation, c/o IEDC, 734 15th St., NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005, or faxed to (202) 223-4745.
If you would like to have the form or any sponsorship materials mailed, faxed, or emailed to you, please contact
Kelly Bielen at (202) 942-9476 or kbielen@iedconline.org.
4/21/11
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees announced today that they have reached an agreement with BP to release $1 billion toward early restoration projects along the Gulf Coast. The NRDA process to assess injuries to natural resources caused by the spill is not complete, but the announcement today is an important advancement. To read the agreement, click here.
"This is an important step towards an equitable recovery," says Adren Wilson, National Director of the Equity and Inclusion Campaign, "and now we need to get the entire Gulf Coast delegation to prioritize policy over politics in ensuring Clean Water Act penalties reach our shores as well".
Urgent Action is still needed to ensure that the costs the region has borne to fuel American energy production are re-invested to sustain it. Take Action Now to ensure fines levied against responsible parties fund our restoration.
The funds levied against BP and responsible parties should protect wetlands, restore marshes and the marine habitat, offer hurricane protection, and strengthen the livelihoods and resilience of coastal communities.
Please, tell Congress to ensure our long-term, comprehensive restoration.
4/18/11
As you know, this Wednesday marks the one year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, but our coastal communities are not yet made whole.
Please take a moment right now to tell Congress that fines levied against BP should be used to protect our wetlands, restore marshes and marine habitat, offer hurricane protection, and strengthen the livelihoods and resilience of coastal communities.
Below is a list of events happening this Wednesday, April 20th across the Gulf Coast to commemorate this important milestone. Stand with coastal communities by attending one or more of our partner events below.
Marsh Plantings and Dedication of the "Oil Spill HOPE Mural
Hosted by Louisiana Oystermen Association, Fisherman & Concerned Citizens Association,
Zion Travelers Cooperative Center.
11:00am-5:00pm
The Reverend Percy Griffin Community Center
15577 Highway 15 in Davant/Braithwaite
Plaquemines Parish, LA
12:00pm: Press Conference at Pointe-a-La-Hache Marina
For more information, contact Michele Roberts at mroberts@ehumanrights.org.
Sunrise Gathering: A Call for Reflection, Restoration, and Renewal
7:00am-8:00am
Amphitheater across from the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square
New Orleans, LA
For more information, contact Darryl Malek-Wiley at darryl.malek@sierraclub.org
One Year Later: Mississippians Memorialize BP's Oil Disaster
Hosted by Sierra Club, Gulf Restoration Network
10:30am
Lighthouse Fishing Dock
Biloxi, MS
For more information, contact Louie Miller at Louie.miller@sierraclub.org
or Thao Vu at ThaoVu337@gmail.com
New Orleans Press Conference, Gulf Future Action Plan Revealed
Hosted by Gulf Restoration Network, Sierra Club
11:00am-12:00pm
Hilton Riverside
2 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70140
For more information, contact
Dan Favre at dan@healthygulf.org, Jordan Macha at jordan.macha@sierraclub.org
Biloxi Press Conference, Gulf Future Action Plan Revealed
10:30am-11:30pm
Lighthouse Fishing Dock (north end of Lee Street)
Biloxi, MS
For more information, contact Raleigh Hoke at Raleigh@healthygulf.org, Louie Miller at Louie.miller@sierraclub.org, Thao Vu atThaoVu337@gmail.com.
Memorial of the First Anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion
4:00pm-9:00pm
Grounds of the Grand Isle Medical Clinic
108 Willow Lane
Grand Isle, LA
For more information, contact Karen Hopkins at grandislekaren@yahoo.com or Devin Martin at devin.martin@sierraclub.org.
Guitars for the Gulf
6:00pm-9:00pm
All Shed BBQ Locations from Louisiana to Florida
For more information, visit
www.theshedbbq.com
Candlelight Vigil
7:30pm-8:30pm
Oak Avenue Walk Over
Grand Isle, LA
For more information, contact Devin Martin at devin.martin@sierraclub.org
The Solution to Pollution Project
7:30pm-10:30pm
Tipitina's French Quarter
233 North Peters Street
New Orleans, LA
For more information, visit www.tipitinas.com
Harmony for Health Benefit
Hosted by Guardians of the Gulf
8:00pm-11:00pm
House of Blues
225 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA
For more information, visit http://harmony-for-health.org/
3/15/11
As restoration and recovery from the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster continues, the need for action and opportunities for engagement continue.
Please take a moment right now
to tell Congress that Clean Water Act penalties levied against companies responsible for the oil spill should come back to our states to fund restoration efforts.
Your voice is essential! If you live in Louisiana, thank your Congressperson for championing legislation. If you live in Alabama or Mississippi, ask your Congressperson to get on board.
Also, NOAA recently announced a series of public meetings to create a restoration plan under the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process.
The public scoping meetings are part of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) announced in a Federal Register notice on February 17, 2011, as part of the ongoing
Natural Resource Damage Assessment
. The purpose of the PEIS is to identify restoration types, analyze their potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and establish a programmatic framework and procedures that will enable the co-trustees to expedite the selection and implementation of restoration projects.
To find out more, you can visit www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov
. In addition to providing comments by mail or in person at scoping meetings, members of the public also can enter comments via this website
.
Or, you can attend one or more of the public meetings below:
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Pensacola, FL, on March 16
: Bayview Community Center, 2001 Lloyd Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Panama City, FL, on March 17
: Bay County Government Center, 840 W. 11th Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Biloxi, MS, on March 21
: Donal Snyder Community Center, 2520 Pass Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Belle Chasse, LA, on March 22
: Belle Chasse Public Library, 8442 Highway 23. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Mobile, AL, on March 23
: The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, 26 North Royal St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Houma, LA, on March 24
: Holiday Inn, 1800 Martin Luther King Blvd. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
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Grand Isle, LA, on March 28
: Grand Isle Community Center, 3811 Highway 1. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
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Morgan City, LA, on March 29
: Bayou Vista Community Center, 1333 Belleview St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
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Port Arthur, TX, on March 30
: Port Arthur Civic Center, 3401 Cultural Center Drive. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Galveston, TX, on March 31
: Texas A&M University at Galveston's Ocean and Coastal Studies Building. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Washington, DC, on April 6
: USDOC Herbert Hoover Building Auditorium, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; formal meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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2/8/11
Congress needs to invest in our communities and ensure we are building better.
By extending expiring deadlines and passing a workable budget, Congress can take steps to ensure our communities work for us..... but they won't without your
advocacy.
Current budget proposals in the US House strip community development programs to below even the current operating budget, while Gulf Coast housing is even further endangered by tax credit deadlines that can stop projects short.
Take a moment right now to tell your Representative
that
adequate funding and affordable housing are still needed!
Then take the next step, and register for the 2011 Housing and Environmental Justice Leadership Summit
, hosted by the Mobile Center for Fair Housing and the Gulf Coast Fund to shed light on and bring practical solutions to housing and environmental injustices occurring here along the southeast region of the United States. This historical event will bring together community advocates, residents, elected officials, community activists, members of the legal community, housing, environmental community and policy community from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to address issues and practical solutions. Register HERE
!
1/18/11
Two weeks ago marked the first day of the new Congress, and let's just be clear: we've got some work to do.
Now is the time for us to let our delegation know where we stand: that we are constituents and our numbers are significant, that we are working together. While the work ahead may be formidable, take a moment to let your Congress people know that we're here.
You probably aren't interested in revisiting the political battles of the last two years. You also may have worked to increase healthcare choices for the people in your community. Don't let them write us off. Please, let your representative know where you stand on healthy choices and affordability.
From portability of medical records during times of disaster to access to health insurance and prescriptions-choice, affordability and access are important to our communities.
In the coming weeks, we hope to also host a teleconference training with help from Administration officials, to ensure that those who want to enroll for healthcare insurance can. We want to make sure everyone can learn firsthand how to get their people insured.
In the meantime, take a minute
right now to take action. If you need technical assistance, reply to this email with your phone number and we'll give you a call.
1/11/11
Please see below for timely community meetings related to the BP Oil Spill.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11th
Houma Town Hall Meeting with Kenneth Feinberg
1:00pm CST-2:00pm CST
Location: East Houma Recreation Center, South Boundary Road, Houma, LA
Events are open to the public and the media.
Gulf Coast Claims Administrator Kenneth R. Feinberg will be returning to meet with citizens to explain the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF) guidelines and process for interim & final payments and "quick pay" claims.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12th
National Oil Spill Commission
Registration: 12:30pm
Forum Program: 1:30-3:00pm CST
Sheraton Hotel, Armstrong Ballroom (8th Floor)
500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA
Forum will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis
The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling will present its final report and recommendations at a special forum. All seven Commissioners will present the Commission's final recommendations, following the release of the Commission's final report in Washington, DC. After the forum, the Commissioners will travel the Gulf States to present the final recommendations to the people, businesses and elected officials of the Gulf region.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25th
Delta Discussion Group briefing on NRDA, State and federal plans, BP claims process, hypoxia and toxicity concerns, recent research and more. The briefing will be conducted in New Orleans; venue TBA.
1/5/2010
As we together begin the New Year and take stock of both the opportunities ahead and the lessons learned behind, we know that change is needed, and that together our work is stronger. While times are tough and the challenges ahead significant, this moment of reflection allows us to see greatness-- when all communities have fairness, equality and the light of human rights.
Leadership in the easiest of times isn't maybe the true test of our skills. But rather, together as leaders we forge ahead and welcome adversity as a better test of our collective strength, skill, and strategy in ways that allow us to put our very best foot forward and come together to overcome.
At the Campaign, you marked the last year with both challenges and achievements, and while you uplifted your voice to ensure you were heard, we have more to do together and our work is not yet done. Whether you went to Washington, DC for Campaign-wide Lobby days or to lead briefings in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster; whether you attended a strategy meeting in your community's church or led an Obama Cabinet member on a tour of your neighborhood, your leadership has been essential and your commitment great.
This year, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign reiterates its commitment to creative and innovative strategies to impact low-wealth communities in our region, and to support those on the front-lines providing essential services and opportunities for people in our region.
We know that 2011 will present hurdles, but we know together that we can overcome. In the past year, we have jumped higher than our hurdles and have seen real and lasting change. By working collectively, intelligently and with thoughtful precision, we will continue to see great things accomplished for our communities.
12/7/2010
While coastal communities continue to feel the impact of the BP oil spill, Congress has yet to pass essential legislation. Today, partner organizations such as Gulf Restoration Network and others across the Coast are calling on Congress to do the right thing. Please take a moment right now to add your voice.
Support our states and communities by telling Congress to:
* Support legislation that will direct BP's Clean Water Act fines back to the Gulf to begin comprehensive and long-term ecosystem restoration. The total penalty amounts could range from $5.4 billion to $21.1 billion. If Congress fails to act, these fines will go to the U.S. Treasury, rather than coastal states that bear the true costs of oil and gas production.
* Support the creation of a Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens' Advisory Council, to ensure that affected communities are formally involved in oversight, transparency and accountability for on-going oil and gas operations.
It will only take a moment, and it's important that your voice is heard. Click here to make a difference.
11/16/2010
We wanted you to be the first to hear exciting news from HUD Secretary Donovan's trip to Gulfport, Bayou La Batre and Mobile today!
In Gulfport, partners announced an agreement with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the State of Mississippi that will dedicate $132.8 million in Katrina related funding to address unmet housing needs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Equity and Inclusion Campaign applauds the relentless and tireless work of Mississippi Center for Justice, Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center, Steps Coalition and the MS State Conference of the NAACP to ensure housing funds met intended recipients and those most in need.
In Alabama, E&I was pleased to host the Secretary and staff on a tour of disaster impacted homes and a meeting with local advocacy organizations. In Mobile, Bay Area Women's Coalition, along with partners such as Mobile Center for Fair Housing, Alabama Appleseed, Operation Homecare and Boat People SOS met with the Secretary in the Trinity Gardens neighborhood, a low wealth area that felt the impact of Katrina but never the relief.
In southern Mobile County, the Secretary and regional HUD staff toured homes in Bayou La Batre with leadership from South Bay Communities Alliance.
While the Secretary announced new homes for 37 families in Alabama, he also made it clear that it was just the beginning. Pointing to accomplishments in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi the Secretary promised, "It's Alabama's turn".
11/2/10
As Equity and Inclusion Campaign continues with our exciting and inspiring strategic planning process, we continue to look for your expertise and knowledge. We invite you to attend two additional grassroots community meetings in New Orleans, LA
(please note the new location) and Biloxi, MS.
New Home Ministries
13800 Hayne Street
New Orleans, LA
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 12:00pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
Church of the Redeemer
610 Water Street
Biloxi, MS
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 6:00pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
Please RSVP to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
10/29/10
Please see below for timely community announcements.
As Equity and Inclusion Campaign continues with our exciting and inspiring strategic planning process, we continue to look for your expertise and knowledge. We invite you to attend two additional grassroots community meetings in New Orleans, LA and Biloxi, MS.
Rosedale Missionary Baptist
6757 Brutus Street
New Orleans, LA
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 12:00pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
Church of the Redeemer
610 Water Street
Biloxi, MS
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 6:00pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
Please RSVP to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
The Equity and Inclusion Campaign also wants YOU to attend the
Building A Movement-Regional Strategic Planning Retreat in
Biloxi, MS on
November 16-17, 2010. E&I needs YOUR feedback! Your voice is essential!
Please RSVP to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
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The State of Alabama, in conjunction with the other Gulf Coast States and federal natural resource trustees, are conducting a Natural Resource Damage Assessment for the Deepwater BP oil spill.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama's lead trustee agency for the oil spill, and the Geological Survey of Alabama, co-state trustee, along with our federal trustee partners--the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service--are hosting a
November 11 public meeting on this topic.
The public is invited to attend to learn the fundamentals of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process through this meeting and understand
opportunities for public involvement as the process moves forward.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at 8 p.m. at Five Rivers, Alabama's Delta Resource Center in the Tensaw Theater.
*Please note this event will not address private claims.
Meeting Date/Location
Thursday, November 11
Five Rivers ~ Alabama's Delta Resource Center
Tensaw Theater
30945 Five Rivers Boulevard
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
10/28/10
As you may know, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign has been engaged in an exciting and inspiring strategic planning process--a movement blueprint to transform the South. Grassroots communities, policy advocates, nonprofit leaders, faith communities and student leaders throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have come together to provide a vision for the Gulf Coast and the Campaign's future. We are excited about what has been learned and eager to take critical next steps.
We invite you to participate in the
Building A Movement-
Regional Strategic Planning Retreat on
November 16-17,2010 in
Biloxi, MS. The retreat will be a full day on November 16 and a half day on November 17. The Campaign will provide hotel accommodations (shared rooms) for November 15 and 16, provide meals, and reimburse mileage.
Please
RSVP to
matthew@equityandinclusion.org by
noon on November 8, 2010.
Strategic Planning Retreat
November 16-17, 2010
IP Hotel and Casino
850 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
Please
RSVP to
matthew@equityandinclusion.org by
noon on
November 8, 2010.
10/27/10
Please see invitation from Administrator Jackson to the first Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force meeting taking place in Pensacola, Florida on November 8th.
The EPA will be hosting two calls to discuss details of the forthcoming meeting.
Wednesday, October 27th, from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. CST (Today!)
Monday, November 1st, from 4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. CST
If you are interested in participating in one of the calls please RSVP to GulfCoastTaskForce@epa.gov
.
From Administrator Jackson:
As Chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, I invite you to join me and members of the Task Force at our first public meeting, to be held on Monday, November 8, 2010 from 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 pm. at the Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory Street, in Pensacola, Florida.
President Obama formed the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force to oversee the long-term recovery and restoration of the Gulf Coast following the Deepwater BP oil spill. The Task Force will rely on the input of local stakeholders, state and local governments, tribes, scientists, and the general public to ensure accountability in the restoration of this national treasure. In working together, we hope to confront the difficult challenges facing this great waterbody and coastline.
This meeting will be open to the public, and everyone is welcome to attend. I look forward to seeing you there and working with you in the months and years ahead.
Sincerely,
Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
###
First Meeting of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
Monday, November 8, 2010 --- 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m
Pensacola Civic Center, 201 E. Gregory Street, Pensacola, Florida
Please RSVP a
t http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/videolen.nsf/GulfCoastTaskForce
The meeting space is fully accessible. If you have special needs or require translation, please note in
the registration form.
Please visit
www.restorethegulf.gov
for more information. If you have questions please email
gulfcoasttaskforce@epa.gov
or call 1-800-241-1754.
If you are a member of the media, please contact us at:
press@epa.gov
so we can secure space and accommodations.
The Executive Order
Recognizing the Gulf Coast as a national treasure, on October 5, 2010 President Obama issued an Executive Order creating the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, continuing the Administration's ongoing commitment to the region. The mission of the Task Force is to efficiently integrate Federal efforts with those of local stakeholders and state and tribal governments so as to better implement Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration and to facilitate appropriate accountability and support throughout the restoration process. The President's Executive Order establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/05/executive-order-gulf-coast-ecosystem-restoration-task-force
10/22/10
Your voice is essential!
We invite you to attend our grassroots community meeting in Mobile, AL.
Dotch Community Center
3100 Banks Avenue
Friday, October 22, 2010 4:00pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
The Equity and Inclusion Campaign wants YOU to attend a community discussion regarding Gulf Coast policy and advocacy. Our organization needs YOUR feedback to address the future of Mobile and the Gulf Coast.
Please send any questions to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
10/19/10
Your voice is essential!
We invite you to attend our grassroots community meeting in Biloxi, MS.
Church of the Redeemer
610 Water Street
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 5:30pm
Food and refreshments will be available.
The Equity and Inclusion Campaign wants YOU to attend a community discussion regarding Gulf Coast policy and advocacy. Our organization needs YOUR feedback to address the future of Biloxi and the Gulf Coast.
Please send any questions to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
10/15/10
We wanted to share some recent exciting Campaign news, as well as alert you to upcoming events and meetings below.
We are proud to announce that the FEMA National Advisory Council honored our request and appointed Mary Troupe, E&I Board Member and Executive Director of Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, to join their ranks. Congratulations, Mary, and we know that your insights and experiences will be an invaluable addition to the NAC in its continued work on the National Response Framework!
Also, as many of you know, Alabama still faces significant challenges in disaster housing recovery, many of these same communities of which are now on the frontlines of the BP Horizon disaster. Read the op-ed by Adren Wilson, E&I National Director, "Compounding Housing Burdens in Coastal Alabama: Katrina and the BP Oil Spill" in the Washington Post, Alternet and American Prospect.
If you haven't heard already, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is in the middle of an exciting and inspiring strategic planning process. Part of this process includes conducting community conversations/focus groups throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. To learn more about the meetings happening next week, please visit us here.
Finally, BP Oil Spill Assessment and Restoration Meetings have been set in Louisiana. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, along with state relevant agencies, are hosting a series of public meetings on this topic across coastal Louisiana, listed below. The public is welcome to attend, but please know that these will not deal with individual claims.
Monday, October 25
Nicholls State University
Pell Pier Auditorium (Bldg. #40)
906 E. 1st Street
Thibodaux, LA
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Terrebonne/St. Mary/Lafourche
Tuesday, October 26
Jefferson Council Chambers, Yenni Building
1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard
Harahan, Louisiana
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Jefferson/Orleans/St. Tammany
Wednesday, October 27
Iberia Parish Library
445 E. Main Street
New Iberia, LA
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Iberia/Vermillion/Cameron
Thursday, October 28
St. Bernard Council Chambers
8201 West Judge Perez Drive
Chalmette, LA
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Plaquemines/St. Bernard
10/8/10
As you may know, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is in the middle of an exciting and inspiring strategic planning process. Part of this process includes conducting community conversations/focus groups throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
As we wish to include everyone in these conversations who will help guide E&I and the people of the Gulf coast toward a successful future, we are asking for your recommendations. We are looking for talented grassroots leaders connected to diverse communities; folks who represent the values and mission of the Campaign; folks who would add resources and guidance in our five policy working groups and three states. Please note the scheduled meetings below. The list includes the date, time, community and city.
October 18
9:30am - Faith Community, New Orleans, LA
1:30pm - Non-Profit Leadership, New Orleans, LA
5:30pm - Grassroots Community, New Orleans, LA
October 19
9:30am - Policy and Advocacy Community, New Orleans, LA
5:30pm - Grassroots Community, Biloxi, MS
October 20
9:30am - Faith Community, Jackson, MS
1:30pm - Policy and Advocacy Community, Jackson, MS
October 21
9:30am - Faith Community, Montgomery, AL
1:30pm - Policy and Advocacy Community, Montgomery, AL
October 22
9:30am - Non-Profit Leadership, Mobile, AL
4:00pm - Grassroots Community, Mobile, AL
We are asking you to join us and to open up your contacts to recommend those who would be relevant participants in each community conversation/focus group.
Please confirm your attendance and send recommendations to
Matt Mosley at matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
Please keep in mind that the
Strategic Planning Retreat will be held on
November 16-17, 2010, in
Biloxi, MS. More details will be sent out shortly, but please mark the date on your calendar.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the campaign.
10/7/10
Please see below for timely community announcements.
PUBLIC FORUM
Judicial Candidates in Harrison & Jackson Counties
U.S. Congressional Candidates for Mississippi District IV
October 12, 2010 - 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
De Miller Hall
610 Water Street, Biloxi, MS
Please contact Karlyn M. Stephens, President of the
Mississippi Gulf Coast League of Women Voters. Phone: 228-818-9062; Email: kmsbbm@aol.com
----
The Black Women's Roundtable (BWR),
an initiative of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation launches its
2010 Healthy Wealthy Wise BWR National Empowerment Tour
in New Orleans, LA on October 8 - 12.
Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras Street, New Orleans, La. 70115
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m
The Black Women's Roundtable Empowerment Tour will hit seven (7) states and the District of Columbia over the next 7 months. The BWR Tour will provide over 10,000 Black and underserved women and girls with tools that help them to live healthier, achieve economic security and sustainability, be empowered through educational and training opportunities, and access affordable technology to compete in a global economy.
"The National Coalition has a long history in the Gulf Coast Region and has been working to support our state-based affiliates in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi impacted by Katrina-Rita with recovery and rebuilding over the past 5 years." states Melanie L. Campbell, President & CEO, NCBCP & National Convener, BWR, "Now, these same communities are in crisis again due to the recent oil spill. To assist communities impacted, it was imperative that we launch our initiative in the Gulf Coast cities of New Orleans, LA, Mobile, AL, and Gulfport/Biloxi, MS."
Please contact
Monifa Bandele: 202.664.9763 (NCBCP) or
Vincent Sylvain: 504.232.3499 (LA Unity Coalition)
----
The U.S. Department of Education has an opportunity for a graduate student
to obtain a Federal Career Intern position. The position is a Management
and Program Analyst working in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and
Policy Development. The Project Management Office at the U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Budget
Service manages the Budget Formulation and Execution Line-of-Business
(BFELoB) initiative.
The Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development is seeking a
Management and Program Analyst to* *participation in workgroups; updating
and maintaining the web-based collaboration site; providing training and
assistance in use of technology and collaboration tools to budget
professionals; direct personal contact with budget professionals to discuss
budget process and product issues and interfacing with them and colleagues
to develop potential solutions; participate in the development and
maintenance of strategic and workload plans, project plans, spend plans and
marketing plans; preparing reports; provide logistical support for workgroup
and task force meetings; and develop and deliver presentations on products,
tools and services to diverse audiences, as necessary.
Candidates should be highly motivated, have strong organizational,
interpersonal, and time-management skills. They should also have
outstanding written and oral communications skills. Candidates should be
able to work with minimal assistance without being reminded. The desired
candidate should be web-savvy and possess advanced computer skills.
The U.S. Department of Education Vacancy Announcement is OPEPD-2010-CIP-0003. This announcement covers the duties, qualifications, how to apply, benefits offered, and how to find out more about working for the U.S. Department of Education. Applications and supporting documents can be emailed to Ms. Milliken, and she will be accepting applications through the close of business on
Friday, October 15, 2010.
Please contact Dory A. Milliken,
Human Resources Specialist at U.S. Department of Education.
Phone: 202-401-0767; Fax: 202-401-0520; Email: dory.milliken@ed.gov.
10/5/10
Gulf Coast Funders for Equity (GCFE) is now accepting applications for its Small Grants and Technical Assistance Fund. The application deadline is
Monday, November 1, 2010. Grant decisions will be announced by December 15, 2010. While GCFE supports organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, this cycle is for Alabama organizations only!
Applications will be accepted via email or hard copy by mail only.
Please email applications to gcfe@cox.net or mail to:
Gulf Coast Funders for Equity; P. O. Box 740639; New Orleans, LA 70174.
If you have any questions or would like more information, you may contact Samantha Bickham via email at gcfe@cox.net or via phone at 504-267-7670.
10/1/10
We wanted to update you on a few of the many activities happening at the Campaign and in the Gulf Coast.
First, we wanted to share that the recent Congressional Black Caucus legislative conference in Washington, DC featured important Gulf Coast panels. E&I National Director Adren Wilson moderated a panel entitled, "Hope from Ground Zero: Resilience and Renewal in the Gulf Coast" featuring Donna Brazile, Alice Craft-Kearney, Jerome Ringo, and other prominent community leaders. The conference also featured a Black Women's Roundtable Dialogue, featuring Monique Harden, Dr. Beverly Wright, Tracie Washington, among others, and sponsored by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. To learn more about the conference please click here.
Last week was also an important one for Alabama advocates, as Fred Tombar, Senior Advisor to HUD Secretary Donovan, visited communities still reeling from the failed post-Katrina federal housing response, many of whom are now hit again by the BP disaster. South Bay Community Alliance coordinated Mr. Tombar's meeting and site visit in Coden and Bayou La Batre, while Bay Area Women Coalition hosted Mr. Tombar for a meeting in Mobile. Mobile Center for Fair Housing, Operation Homecare and other advocates and community members also helped to make Mr. Tombar's meeting a productive one. To read more about unmet disaster housing needs and the on-going work in Alabama, please click here.
As many of you know, this week was also an important one for advocates who have been working hard on the BP Horizon disaster response and recovery. On Tuesday, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus released his report entitled: America's Gulf Coast: a Long Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Please click here to read the report in full. The Campaign looks forward to engaging its community partners and participants in the long road ahead to address the wide range of ecological, economic and health impacts of the most recent disaster in the Gulf.
Finally, many of you have read about the Census Bureau's report on record increases in poverty, including an increased 3.7 million poor people, bringing America to 14.3% of its population nationwide. However, what we also know is that 14.3% of an impoverished population was also the baseline for the South, which rose to 15.7% and maintained its status as poorest region of the U.S. While Mississippi counted in at a record 20.8% of its population in poverty, followed by Louisiana at 17.6% and Alabama at 15.9%, our work and our mission is clear: we have more families, more children, more individuals in poverty than other states and regions in the U.S. And because of these numbers our children and families will continue to be sicker, be less likely to go to college, reside in less than adequate housing and suffer all the vulnerabilities that being poor brings. That is why E&I commits to you that we will work together to continue this struggle to lift our communities out of poverty and towards the healthy, strong and resilient communities we all are committed to being.
8/26/10
The Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina marks a day of hope, commemoration, and resilience. The Equity and Inclusion Campaign honors the lives of those we lost, as well as the families and communities across the Gulf Coast that have demonstrated so much strength in the face of adversity.
We continue together as a coalition and community, to amplify our voices and the needs for change, as well as to celebrate the tremendous milestones and victories we have together met. We remain committed to the collective effort of undoing the poverty that the hurricane revealed, while recognizing that together we are stronger, and that our commitment, labor and even love must be sustained over time.
As we continue to grow, to advance, to increase the number of people advocating on their own behalf and with ever expanding skill, we commit ourselves to upholding the dignity, the resilience and the human rights of individuals, to together build a better Gulf Coast.
Please take a moment
right now
to tell President Obama's Administration to align national disaster recovery plans with international human rights standards to provide equitable outcomes for people impacted by disaster throughout the U.S.
8/18/10
As the 5th Anniversary of Katrina nears, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is excited to be participating in several important events in the region. We encourage you to participate in these events.
Katrina @ 5, New Orleans in Exile: A Renaissance Village Family Reunion...They came as devastated Strangers and left as family: August 28, 2010; 4-6pm.
Katrina Rebirth is putting together an event reuniting residents of the Renaissance Village FEMA Trailer Park. The event will include a casual dinner, door prizes, memory wall, and speakers reflecting on the past five years. It will be held at Miracle Place Church in Baker, LA. The Equity and Inclusion Campaign is a co-sponsor.
LANO 2010 Annual Conference: August 25-27, 2010.
The Louisiana Association of Nonprofits Organizations (LANO) is holding the event as Louisiana commemorates the 5th anniversary of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and faces an unprecendented environmental challenge in the Gulf oil spill. This will be an opportunity to celebrate the nonprofit sector's state-wide response and rebuilding efforts; evaluate lessons learned and chart a course toward our most prosperous future. The Equity and Inclusion Campaign provided scholarships to this conference to members and active participants. More information may be found at www.lano.org/conference
Phenomenal People Celebration of Healing: August 21-29, 2010.
The Hope Community Development Agency (Hope CDA) has been instrumental in uniting community leaders, businesses and individuals from across the Gulf Coast in planning the Phenomenal People Celebration of Healing. With the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina quickly approaching, a week of events is being held during the last week of August across the Coast. This will not only be a time of memorializing and remembering those we lost but a celebration of our many accomplishments. The Equity and Inclusion Campaign is a bronze sponsor. More information may be found at http://www.phenomenalpeople.org/.
We are eager to send out your Katrina Anniversary Events. Please send information to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
8/10/10
For all of you tireless advocates who have been our champions, we wanted to again thank you for your hard work. Thanks to your emails and telephone calls to Members of Congress and their staff, the Supplemental Spending Bill signed into law by President Obama on July 29th did NOT include rescission of our housing disaster money, including $112 million for Gustav/Ike recovery and $400 million from the Louisiana Road Home program. Thank you for all of your efforts: we won.
For those of you who joined us in Washington, DC last week, your voices were also heard: in many meetings officials heard your challenges, chief among them the lack of capacity and funding for assisting our communities in this process. Yesterday the EPA responded by announcing grants for local non-profit and faith-based organizations. To read more about this opportunity, please visit: http://epa.gov/environmentaljustice/grants/bp-spill-grants.html.
To all of our Campaign participants and incredible advocates, huge congratulations and thanks are in order. From independent administration of the claims process, issuance of six month claim checks, and the many ways that this disaster has been re-shaped due to your advocacy, you are our heroes.
We know the work is not yet over and steep challenges remain ahead, but the E&I team wanted to take a moment and acknowledge your hard work: you've won some stuff.
8/9/10
We want to invite you to a briefing on the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. As many of you know, the NRDA will be a driver of how the Gulf Coast is compensated for damages and how it is restored from the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster.
What:
NOAA Briefing on the NRDA
This is a Webinar Meeting
When:
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 11:30-12:30
Agenda:
15 minute overview and background of the NRDA process; 45 minutes of discussion, question and answer with NOAA to uplift local concerns, priorities and questions.
Please RSVP to monika@equityandinclusion.org
by Tuesday, August 10th to attend.*
Because this meeting requires reliable internet access, many of our incredible partners have offered their offices for computer access. If you'd like to attend but don't have regular internet access, please feel free to attend the webinar at
Bayou Grace Community Services: 5228 B Highway 56, Chauvin, LA
Bay Area Women Coalition: 1700 Jesse Street, Trinity Gardens, Mobile, AL
Steps Coalition: Church of the Redeemer, 610 Water Street, Biloxi, MS
Why we are asking you to RSVP: we need to get an estimate on phone lines to ensure we have technical capacity. For folks attending at offices listed above, we want to ensure there are enough spaces and computers.
More about the NRDA:
Data collected in the Gulf and across the five states will help determine what natural resources have been injured and what human uses have been lost. Once the injuries and losses are known, trustees will work with the public to identify and select restoration projects to compensate the public by restoring, rehabilitating, replacing, or acquiring the equivalent of the natural resources lost or injured by the oil spill.
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/nrd/nrda2.htm
http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/about/nrda.html
8/3/10
Please join the Equity and Inclusion Campaign for an important regional convening on Monday, August 30, 2010. The Board of Directors will reflect on their recent Board Retreat and discuss the future of the Campaign.
This convening will serve as a defining moment in our collective work!
August 30, 2010
9:00am-4:00pm
Biloxi, MS
Please RSVP to matthew@equityandinclusion.org by
August 20, 2010.
Hotel rooms (double occupancy) will be provided for August 29, 2010.
8/2/10
As you may know, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has been charged with mapping a Gulf Restoration plan. The Secretary will be in the Gulf Coast this week holding a series of town hall meetings, which are open to the public and media, and will provide residents an opportunity to discuss long-term economic and environmental restoration ideas with the Secretary. We hope you are able to attend one of the town halls. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone you think may be interested in attending.
Monday, 2 AUG, Alabama
Secretary Mabus will hold two town hall meetings in Alabama:
* At 12:00 (noon local), there will be a meeting in Theodore at the Nan Gray Davis Elementary School, 6900 Nan Gray Davis Rd, Theodore, AL 36582.
* Following the meeting, at approximately 1:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
* At 6:00 pm (local), there will be a meeting in Robertsdale at the Robertsdale Elementary School, 19150 Wilters St Robertsdale, AL 36567.
* Following the meeting, at approximately 7:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
Tuesday, 3 AUG, Florida
Secretary Mabus will hold town hall meetings in Florida:
* At 12:00 (noon local) in Panama City at the Amelia Center Theatre, Amelia G. Tapper Center for the Arts, Gulf Coast Community College, 5230 West U.S. Hwy. 98, Panama City, FL 32401
* Following the meeting, at approximately 1:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
* At 6:00 pm (local) in St. Petersburg at the Karen Steininger Auditorium at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, University of South Florida, 100 Eighth Ave S., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
* Following the meeting, at approximately 7:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
Thursday, 5 AUG, Louisiana
Secretary Mabus will hold town hall meetings in Louisiana:
* At 12:00 (noon local) in Terrebonne Parish at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center
346 Civic Center Blvd, Houma, LA 70360
* Following the meeting, at approximately 1:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
* At 6:00 pm (local) in Plaquemines Parish at the Buras Auditorium, 35619 Highway 11, Buras, LA, 70041
* Following the meeting, at approximately 7:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
Friday, 6 AUG, Texas
Secretary Mabus will hold town hall meetings in Texas:
* At 1200 (noon local) in Galveston. Location details to be provided in coming days.
* Following the meeting, at approximately 1:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
Saturday, 7 AUG, Mississippi
Secretary Mabus will hold town hall meetings in Mississippi:
* At 10:00 am (local) in Bay St. Louis. Location details to be provided in coming days.
* Following the meeting, at approximately 11:30 am, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
* At 2:00 pm (local) in Ocean Springs. Location details to be provided in coming days.
* Following the meeting, at approximately 3:30 pm, Secretary Mabus will be available to speak with interested media.
7/29/10
As you know, this week marks the 100th day of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster, and as the Equity and Inclusion Campaign once again brings its message of resilience and recovery to Washington, DC, we are asking you to take a moment right now to Support Our Leaders
by sending a message to Washington with them.
Tomorrow the Senate will take up spill related legislation, and it is essential that provisions important to the Gulf Coast are included.
Tell your Senators
to increase transparency, oversight and participation through the Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens Advisory Council; ensure that any long term Restoration Plan includes permanent funding streams for restoration projects; and that any Clean Energy legislation explicitly provides clean energy technology and workforce development investment in oil and gas production economies.
We have a long road ahead of us, and we know that our beaches, wetlands and communities won't be made instantly whole, but the Senate should do its part to include the voices of those most impacted by the recent crisis through a Gulf of Mexico Regional Citizens Advisory Council (GOMRAC), and ensure that any restoration plans are fully funded to adequately address a region that was already in crisis.
Stand with community leaders
as they travel to Washington, DC this week and let's work together to make the Gulf Coast whole.
7/28/10
See below for a timely community announcement.
BISCO announces its Gulf Coast Interfaith Prayer Service to be held on Friday
night, July 30, 2010 at 7 PM. The service will be held at the Terrebonne Civic
Center in Houma, LA and is free and open to the public. Rev. Blair Mitchell and
Rev. Curtiss Eden will co- chair this event. Please join us as we pray for
Divine Intervention in this Gulf Coast Oil Disaster and for Protection during
this Hurricane Season.
A GULF COAST INTERFAITH
PRAYER SERVICE
Hosted By BISCO
Friday, July 30, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Houma/Terrebonne Civic Center
Corner of Barrow Street and Highway 311
Houma, Louisiana
PLEASE JOIN US IN A TIME OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION
FOR DIVINE INTERVENTION IN THE OIL DISASTER
"So we rebuilt the wall until all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart." Nehemiah 4:6
7/20/10
We wanted to let you know about two current funding opportunities.
The Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological health has
announced two grant application deadlines in August. Full details are below.
*Summer Grant Cycle Applications Due August 16th, 2010*
The Gulf Coast Fund will be conducting our Summer Grant Cycle with a *deadline
of Monday August 16th*. The Request for Proposal and application materials
are attached and can be found on our website www.gulfcoastfund.org. Grant
decisions will be announced in October 2010. Applicants can apply for up to
$40,000 but grant awards are expected to be in the $5,000 to $20,000 range.
Full information can be found in the attached RFP and at:
http://gulfcoastfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/rfp-a-guidelines.html
*Next Round of BP Emergency Grant Applications Due August 2nd, 2010*
The Gulf Coast Fund continues to offer ongoing Emergency Grants in response
to the BP Oil Drilling Disaster. *The next deadline for Emergency Grant
applications is Monday August 2nd. *Emergency grants are intended for
community-led projects with immediate and short-term timelines. Decisions
will be announced by August 10th. Applicants can apply for up to
$7000. Details can be found in the attached Emergency Grant Application or
on our website:
http://gulfcoastfund.org/apply-for-a-grant/emergency-grants.html
*IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE:*
**Organizations who have previously received a BP Disaster Emergency Grant
from the Gulf Coast Fund are now eligible to reapply for emergency funds*.
Please submit a new application, including a brief report on what your
organization has accomplished with emergency funds received to date. (Full
details are included in the updated Emergency Grant application.)
*All past grantee organizations (emergency and regular grant cycles) are
eligible to apply for the Summer Grant Cycle, with the exception of
organizations who received a grant in our Winter 2010 Grant Cycle (list can
be found at www.gulfcoastfund.org)
*Organizations may submit applications for both the Emergency Grant and the
Summer Grant Cycle, as long as each application is focused on a different
project, and each project fits the criteria for the type of grant being
requested.
**Announcing The Pam Dashiell Fund: Healthy and Sustainable Communities for
All*
In December 2009 the Gulf Coast Fund created the Pam Dashiell Fund with an
initial $50,000 contribution in honor of founding Advisory Group member and
tireless community leader Pam Dashiell. A long-time resident of New Orleans'
Lower 9th Ward, Pam founded the Center for Sustained Engagement and
Development and participated in countless initiatives and coalitions to
support justice and sustainability. Pam was an unparalleled bridge-builder
linking communities and issues, and this Fund will be used to administer
special awards to applications that best embody the principles to which Pam
dedicated her life's work. *In the upcoming Summer Grant Cycle, applications
that best demonstrate the convergence of justice, sustainability,
environmental health and wellness for all will be selected to receive
Special Awards from the Pam Dashiell Fund.* Awards will be announced in
October 2010. No special application materials are required--award
recipients will be selected from applications received.
*****
Not sure which type of grant to apply for? Please see the information
attached and available at www.gulfcoastfund.org. If you are still unsure or
have questions, please contact Annie at annie@gulfcoastfund.org or
203-287-1948.
7/16/10
We wanted to let you know about a current funding opportunity.
Pepsi is providing $1.3 million dollars in grants each month to grassroots ideas big and small that are making real change in the lives of everyday Americans. Earlier this month, Pepsi's committed an additional $1.3 million for the month of August - doubling the monthly total grants to $2.6 million - for projects that will benefit communities in the Gulf States affected by the oil spill in an initiative called Do Good For The Gulf.
7/10/10
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a 2010 Supplemental bill that takes back badly needed hurricane recovery dollars. As the bill moves to the Senate,
tell your U.S. Senator that any Supplemental spending legislation should ensure the Gulf Coast does not lose critical funding. The current bill includes rescission of:
Take Action Right Now to let your Senators know that rescinding these hurricane recovery dollars will significantly impede our rebuilding capabilities and progress moving forward. You can make your voice heard by:
- 1) Call the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and tell them that any bill passed by the Senate should preserve money appropriated for the Gulf Coast. They can be reached at (202) 224-7363.
After you've called in, please take a moment to reply back to this email and report your call. We will follow up with Committee staff and mention your call.
- 2) Tell your Senators to fight on our behalf!
Click here to email a letter directly to them.
7/7/10
CONTACT:
Roberta Avila Kaitlin Truong, Pharm.D.
Executive Director, Steps Coalition Chair, Asian Americans for Change
228-229-8552 228-806-1384
228-435-3113 kaitlin.truong@aachange.org
ravila@cableone.net
What: Oil Spill Resources and Claims Fair
When: Thursday, July 8, 2010
12:00 Noon - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Conference Hall "D"
2350 Beach Boulevard
Biloxi, MS 39531
Why:To provide a 1-stop shop where community members and businesses affected by the Deepwater Horizon Incident Oil Spill Disaster can get assistance with existing claims, file an initial claim online or calling toll-free, and get support and information from local resources.
Interpreters will be available and information materials will be made available in Vietnamese and Spanish.
The Oil Spill Resources and Claims Fair features include the following:
Unified Command:
Unified Command open house regarding the Deepwater Horizon Incident, the impact of the oil spill and clean up efforts underway.
Access to Local Community Resources:
Information on how to apply for food stamps, and access to health services, Health screenings, Mental Wellness, WIN Job Center, Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs, social services, and much more.
Online & Toll-Free Claim Filing:
For people and businesses affected by the oil spill, BP Claims Officers will be on hand. People can get assistance with existing claims and have the ability to file new claims online or calling toll-free.
Children's Activities & Area:
Crafts and entertainment for children while adults focus on claims and access to community resources.
Entertainment:
VHN-TV show host and singers: Do Thanh and Diep Thanh Thanh
The Sao Dem Band
This fair is being made possible in part by a grant from BP and by the generosity of non-profits and businesses working together for the good of the community.
*****
White House Gulf Coast Update Conference Call
CALL NAME: Gulf Outreach Call
CALL-IN NUMBER: (800) 230-1092
Friday, July 9, 2010
2:00PM EST
*****
OPEN HOUSE IN LAFOURCHE PARISH
July 8 (TOMORROW)
The Moses Community Center
6:00 - 8:00pm CDT
1310 Cardinal Drive
Thibodaux, LA 70301
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, BP, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and other state and partner agencies responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be at this open house. This dialogue will give residents the opportunity to engage one-on-one with experts about the techniques, strategies and materials being used in the spill response. "We want to keep the local communities informed with the most accurate and timely information we have," said Coast Guard Capt. Roger Laferriere, Coast Guard Incident Commander in Houma, La. "We want to communicate with the public and provide them with first-hand information on the topics that concern them most."
The open house will feature experts and representatives from responding agencies who will answer questions and provide visual information on the various tools and testing, equipment and tactics that are being used in the response, including waste remediation, boom, burns, sand berms, skimming and dispersants. Agencies representatives will be available to address concerns about environmental quality, wildlife, safety and resources available to residents. Information will also be available on the Vessels of Opportunity Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and volunteer and employment efforts.
Claims representatives will be available for questions or concerns residents might have on the claims process.
*****
ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES STREAMLINED OIL SPILL RESPONSE WEBSITE
Visit the new site: RestoreTheGulf.gov <http://www.restorethegulf.gov/>
7/6/10
As the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina nears, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is seeking opportunities to ensure our voices are heard in many different arenas. See below for two exciting opportunities to lift our voices!
First, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign will be sending a small delegation to participate in the Mississippi Policy Conference presented by the Congressional Black Caucus, Political Education and Leadership Institute. The conference will be held on August 12-14, 2010 in Tunica, MS.
The Conference includes strategically designed Policy Sessions to bring clarity and elicit diverse thoughts on issues which impact and affect the quality of life in minority communities specifically, and all Americans in general. For more information, visit cbctunica.com
Second, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is partnering with the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) for their Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA on August 25-27, 2010.
The conference includes dozens of informative breakout sessions, will feature over 55 noted sector and civic leaders, top scholars and industry experts delivering the essentials of nonprofit excellence to you. Topics will include Fund Development, Trends and Innovations, Public Policy, Communications, Leadership, Accountability, Organizational Development and Human Capital. For more information, visit lano.org
MS Policy Conference
August 12-14, 2010
Tunica, MS
LANO Conference
August 25-27, 2010
New Orleans, LA
We have limited available spaces for both conferences.
If you would like to participate in one of these conferences,
please email matthew@equityandinclusion.org
before
noon on July 6, 2010
Priority will be given to Equity and Inclusion Campaign members.
6/30/10
BISCO announces a community educational forum to be held on Wednesday June 30th with Dr. Riki Ott, Exxon Survivor, community activist, a former Alaskan commercial salmon "fisherma'am" and a marine toxicologist with a specialty in oil pollution. Also presenting will be a group of indigenous leaders from British Columbia and indigenous leaders from Ecuador. These international guests are anxious to share with us their experiences in other oil disasters.
Community Educational Forum
June 30 (Today) 6:30pm
St. Elois KC Home
1331 Dr. Beatrous Rd. Theriot, LA.
Admission is free, and the presentation is open to the public.
6/29/10
We wanted to share a list of local events coordinated by BP and the Obama Administration. The Unified Area Command set up a series of open house events for citizens to learn more about the response to the Gulf oil spill. Booths will be arranged in each venue so that people can walk around and ask questions of each government/agency representative. Please see below for a full list of events happening this week.
June 29 (TODAY)
New Iberia, 6:00-8:00 pm
Caneview Elementary School
4110 Loreauville Road
New Iberia, LA 70563
July 1 (Thursday)
Houma Civic Center, 6:00-8:00 pm
Houma Terrebonne Civic Center
346 Civic Center Boulevard
Houma, Louisiana 70360
July 1 (Thursday)
6:00-8:00 pm
Biloxi Community Center
591 Howard Ave
Biloxi, MS 39530
July 2 (Friday)
A discussion between Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and the
Editor in Chief of Essence Magazine, Angela Burt Murray about the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the impact of the Oil Spill
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 1:00-1:45pm
900 Convention Center Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70130-1799
6/28/10
Talking Social Justice Issues in Uncertain Times
July 27, 2010
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
DeMiller Hall
610 Water St., Biloxi, MS
To reserve your space, please RSVP to Penny Burbank
by Friday, July 16
phone: 228-435-3113
fax: 228-432-9312
email: stepscoalition@gmail.com
Communications Workshop with the Steps Coalition, Equity and Inclusion Campaign and The Opportunity Agenda
Framing and Messaging Social Justice Issues
Telling values-based stories
Themes for guiding message development
Issue Examples
Talking about race in the age of Obama
Campaign for Community Values - a cross issue communications campaign
The Opportunity Agenda work on the 1st anniversary of Katrina
Interactive Exercise: Building a values-based message
Communications and Media Strategy
Identifying goals and audience
Media tactics and tips
Working with available resources
Interactive Exercise: Letter to the Editor
About The Opportunity Agenda
The Opportunity Agenda is a communications, research, and advocacy organization with the hopeful mission of building the national will to expand opportunity in America. Founded in 2004 as a project of Tides Center, we translate data, legal analysis, and practical experience into effective policies and practices.
6/24/10
Public Meeting on Independent Claims Process
Tomorrow: Friday, June 25, 2010,
12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT
Larose Civic Center
307 E. 5th Street, Larose, La. 70373
WASHINGTON - United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., and Ken Feinberg, Administrator of the Independent Claims Facility for BP's $20 billion escrow fund, will host public meetings in Larose and Violet, Louisiana, on Friday, to get input from individuals and businesses affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Last week, President Obama announced that Mr. Feinberg would manage the $20 billion escrow account established by BP to pay claims to Gulf Coast residents and communities who have suffered economic damages and losses as a result of the BP oil disaster. Local feedback provided from Friday's meetings -- from groups such as fishermen, charter boat captains, restaurant owners, oil rig workers, oil service companies, community leaders, and the interested public -- will help inform Mr. Feinberg's decisions on how to administer funds quickly and fairly in the short-term and how to best compensate families and businesses that will be negatively impacted in the long-term. The Claims Facility can be reached at 800-440-0858.
Media availabilities with Sen. Landrieu and Mr. Feinberg will occur immediately following each public meeting.
LANO Deepwater Horizon Assessment
In order to best equip the nonprofit sector with necessary resources relative to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, please complete this brief survey documenting your current needs and forward to any nonprofits you believe may be impacted by the crisis. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete.
These survey questions replicate those recently released by the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the Alabama Association of Nonprofits, and will help create a representative view of the needs of nonprofits across the affected region.
Your answers will allow timely understanding of our nonprofits' responsiveness, ability, resources and demands as they develop. Results will be shared in aggregate and published on the LANO website and elsewhere.
Louisiana's nonprofit sector is active in serving the needs of our citizens, communities, economy and environment. As the current crisis puts additional strain on nonprofits across our state and our region, please assist in this effort to understand and anticipate our sector's pressing needs.
Thank you!
****
AmericanSpeaks: Our Budget, Our Economy
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Roberts Wathall Hotel
225 East Capital Street (downtown Jackson, MS)
10:30am to 5pm, with check-in beginning at 9:45am
Why you should attend AmericaSpeaks: Our Budget, Our Economy discussion this Saturday:
Shape Our Financial Future: AmericaSpeaks presents a rare opportunity for you to have a direct hand in shaping fiscal policy for our nation for the long term.
Hear and Be Heard: You will share your insight and perspective as well as hear real-time responses from others across the nation and share with policy makers recommendations for putting our federal budget on a sustainable path. Recommendations from the session will be presented to Congress, President Obama, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, and the Bi-Partisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force.
It is important that voices in our region are heard, as Jackson is the only Deep South location in this non-partisan 20-city National Town Hall meeting.
Please visit www.USABudgetDiscussion.org to register at no cost.
A few words from an event sponsor, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
AmericaSpeaks is a powerful forum in which to raise one's voice, so we want to ensure we draw on the strengths of those who are typically not at the heart of decision making. It's important to hear from local voices so participants include people of all races and color, a wide range of ages including our youth, and those in lower socioeconomic classes. Civic engagement is central to our work at the Foundation, and we hope the people of Jackson will feel empowered to speak up and step up to improve their community.
6/15/10
This year marks the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Coast continues to feel the effects of the storm while facing new a crisis from the BP Horizon Disaster.
Five years after Hurricane Katrina, we must remember and document our journey-our narratives, our stories. Our narratives from the Gulf Coast help the entire nation understand this ongoing disaster and the years of hard work that must continue. Your narratives construct meaning for yourselves, your community, your state, and your country.
With this, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign is announcing the Hurricane Katrina 5th Anniversary: Narratives of Hope and Struggle Series. We begin with narratives of those throughout the Gulf Coast who remain homeless due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. You may watch the narratives by clicking HERE.
We invite you to upload your stories and share them with the greater community. While we may not yet see a satisfactory end to our collective narrative, we are not invisible!
6/11/10
The Equity and Inclusion Campaign's Board of Directors recently announced the appointment of a special membership committee.
This committee will make a recommendation to the Board regarding membership benefits, fees, process, etc. The committee has five members (one person representing each state, one staff member, and one board member).
The committee members are:
o Lydia Ball- Arthur - Louisiana Representative
o Eugene Bryant - Board Representative
o Zack Carter - Alabama Representative
o James Crowell - Mississippi Representative
o Adren Wilson - E & I Staff Representative
o James Crowell will chair the committee
In order for the committee to accurately represent your viewpoints,
we invite all participants to send the committee suggestions.
6/3/10
As you've probably heard, last week we went to Washington, DC to ensure that communities impacted by the BP Horizon disaster are included in the search for solutions.
Ten of us from communities across the Gulf Coast held House and Senate briefings for legislative staff, met with Obama Administration officials, as well as those of our Congressional delegation and relevant committees.
The days were hectic ones, but essential in our ability to share a narrative from our homes that are once again in such grave danger. We heard messages of openness and receptiveness to the full range of issues facing our communities; we also heard difficult messages and know that this will once again be a heavy lift to ensure our lives are protected.
Together we have developed a platform that outlines the full scope of economic, social, cultural and ecological impacts this disaster has on our communities, along with proposed solutions. We collectively wrote this platform from a wide range of input in a series of community meetings and forums....and now we must make this message heard.
To read the full statement, please click
HERE
.
To add your organization's name as a supporter of this effort,
We will send this platform to every Member of Congress, officials from the Obama Administration, and submit it to the Congressional record of relevant hearings, in the first of many steps to advance regional and equitable solutions to the crisis in the Gulf.
6/1/2010
GULF COAST PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT ASSEMBLY presents
IMPACTING CLIMATE CHANGE II:
Wetland Restoration asCommunity Protection and Disaster Mitigation
FRIDAY, MAY 28th, 2010
10am - 4PM
Quality Inn
2414 Beach Blvd.
Biloxi, MS
Please RSVP your attendance via e-mail to:
info@movingforwardgc.org
Directions: I-10 to Gulfport MS. Exit #38 (Lorraine/Hwy 605) headed South toward the beach. Turn Left at Beach Blvd. U-turn to Quality Inn.
Gulf Coast residents share information and solutions for community and disaster protection through restoring our coastal wetlands and rebuilding the region with equity.
*****
U.S. SOCIAL FORUM
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE; ANOTHER WORLD IS NECESSARY
JUNE 22-26, 2010
Detroit, Michigan
The US Social Forum (USSF) is not a conference, but a movement building process to bring people together to come up with solutions to the economic and ecological crises facing our country and the world. The USSF in Detroit is the second forum that will be held in the United States, following years of World Social Forums that have been held in Brazil, Africa, Venezuela, and other countries around the world. The Detroit forum is an important step in our struggle to build a multi-racial, intergenerational, diverse, inclusive international movement that will transform this country and changes history.
LIFETIME will be sending a delegation of CalWORKs students to this historic event, where we'll be conducting two workshops: (1) Ending Poverty, Not Welfare, about our work to challenge welfare time limits and make ending poverty the goal of the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), the 1996 legislation that created welfare reform; and (2) Women for Economic Justice (WEJ), an interactive session that will enable LIFETIME parent leaders to network and brainstorm with low-income women's organizations around the country, about how we can work together to end poverty for our families, and achieve economic justice for our communities.
*****
ANSI-HSSP WORKSHOP on EMERGENCY EVACUATION OPERATIONS
THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2010
Astor Crowne Plaza
739 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA
Registration is open until June 9th. Go to http://www.ansi.org/ to register.
In February 2009, the ANSI-Homeland Security Standards Panel (HSSP), in collaboration with the National Organization on Disability (NOD) Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) and the NFPA Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee (DARAC), launched a new Workshop to examine existing and/or needed standards for Emergency Preparedness for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs in both the built environment as well as for evacuation operations. The final Workshop report issued in May 2009 is available for your review [click here].The ANSI-HSSP will now launch a Phase II series of three separate issue-driven Workshops related to the topic of Emergency Preparedness for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs working to provide actionable recommendations for the timely development of standards, specifically related to the built environment, products and assistive devices, and emergency evacuation operations.
5/21/2010
Call To Action: Take pictures and videos of our marshes, beaches and Gulf Coast. We need to document the current conditions of wildlife and the natural surroundings that may be impacted by the oil spill. Video or audio testimony and observations are also encouraged.
Please submit media and contact or organizational information to video@belowthesurface.org. We'll be
making the map available to any organizations who want to use it or integrate it into their website.
5/10/2010
As all eyes turn toward our Coast and the landfall of the BP Horizon Disaster oil slick, the Equity and Inclusion Campaign will go forth with our scheduled All-Campaign Regional Convening. With an added sense of purpose, we bring together all policy areas represented in the Campaign. The meeting will present important information regarding all Working Groups, Media Training and Community Organizing.
In addition, we will conduct official business, including the election of new Board Members. If you would like to nominate self or others to the board, please send a short resume to Mary Troupe at mary@msccd.org by May 21, 2010. Please note that Board Members are required to be Equity and Inclusion Campaign members.
Hotel information and an official agenda will be sent out soon.
Unity and Purpose
All Campaign Regional Convening
May 26-27, 2010
Biloxi, MS.
(We will begin promptly at 10:30am on May 26, 2010
and end promptly at 1:00pm on May 27, 2010.)
In order to ensure everyone a hotel room (double occupancy) and meals
Please RSVP by May 14, 2010 to matthew@equityandinclusion.org
5/3/2010
As the BP oil slick washes ashore coastal Louisiana and heads towards Mississippi and Alabama, our hearts and minds are with the families and communities across the Gulf Coast. To survivors of the BP Horizon explosion, as well as the families, friends and co-workers of those missing, we extend our deepest sympathies and prayers.
As we coordinate information and resources, we will continue to send you regular updates. At the request of Equity and Inclusion Campaign participants along the coast, we have also set up a BP Horizon Disaster Resource Pagethat is interactive and can provide you with real-time, updated information, links to a variety of resources and information and volunteer opportunities.
We know that the impact of the BP Horizon Disaster on families and communities will be deep and long-lasting. We know that people have already lost their livelihoods; we also know that still more will. We know that the oil spill threatens our fragile wetlands, beaches and communities and that the environmental, economic and social impact of the spill will be deep and far-reaching, and that families still struggling to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina are once again made vulnerable.
Please take a moment to visit our BP Horizon Disaster Resource Pageto read and post your own stories, access updated information and connect with community resources.
Now, more than ever, we must commit to restoring our wetlands and protecting our coast.
And together we will.
4/26/10
With the destruction of the tornadoes over the weekend, we are saddened by the loss of life and praying for the families and communities impacted. Please say a prayer today for those who suddenly find themselves facing life without a love one and for those facing the painful process of rebuilding homes and communities.
With Prayer,
Equity and Inclusion Campaign
4/21/10
Fair Housing Educational Forum for
Hurricane Katrina Relocatees
and the Atlanta Community
Saturday, April 24, 2010 - 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
in the Greater Saint Stephen Hall
Changing A Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church
3350 Greenbriar Parkway, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30331
Near Greenbriar Mall
Light refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public.
Hear directly from Gordon Joyner, Esq., Executive Director and Administrator of the Georgia Civil Rights Department – Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity and staff members about steps to take if discrimination of any kind has occurred, plus submit discrimination complaint forms on site.
April is National Fair Housing Month and Georgia Fair Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity Month.
For more information, call (404) 752-3001
- NAACP Atlanta Branch.
4/15/10
Equity and Inclusion Campaign is hosting a Policy Series throughout the Gulf Coast. The Policy Series is an opportunity to enhance our collective policy work, assess existing unmet needs, discuss solutions and strategize our advocacy.
The event will focus on Environment and Infrastructure, and be held on April 20, 2010, at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer (610 Water Street; 10:30-2:30) in Biloxi, MS. A light lunch will be provided.
Our next event will focus on Workers' Rights and Economic Development, and be held on April 22, 2010, at the University of South Alabama Student Center (307 University Blvd North; 10:30-2:30) in Mobile, AL. A light lunch will be provided.
Our last Policy Series Event will focus on Education, and be held on April 28, 2010, at the Masonic Temple (1072 J R Lynch Street;10:30-2:30) in Jackson, MS. A light lunch will be provided.
In order to ensure everyone will be accomodated,
please RSVP for these events by April 16, 2010,
to matthew@equityandinclusion.org.
In your e-mail, please note which event you will be attending .
3/16/10
Our first event will focus on housing, and be held on March 23, 2010, at the Lindy C. Boggs International Conference Center on the campus of the University of New Orleans (Room 154 Amphitheater; 10:30-2:30) in New Orleans, LA. A light lunch will be provided.
Our second event will focus on health and healthcare, and be held on March 25, 2010, at the Dotch Community Center (3100 Banks Avenue; 10:30-2:30) in Mobile, AL. A light lunch will be provided.
In order to ensure everyone will be accomodated,
please RSVP for these events by March 18, 2010,
In your e-mail, please note which event you will be attending.
2/25/10
The Obama Administration's Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group recently released a draft of its final report, the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF), which incorporates many of the comments put forward by Equity and Inclusion Campaign participants in a January 7th meeting in New Orleans.
Comments on the draft are only allowed until this Friday, February 26th. To read and comment on the framework, click HERE.
The Equity and Inclusion Campaign will be sending a sign-on letter to the Administration this Friday, and we welcome your organization to sign on as a supporter. To view the letter, please click HERE.
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