Environmental Justice In Southeastern Massachusetts

A Virtual Conference

Healthy city with diverse people

March 17. 2021 | 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

What is Environmental Justice?

Watch the video! Download PDFs and resources!


March 24. 2021 | 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

Supporting Public Access to Recreational Waters

Watch the video! Download PDFs and resources!


March 31, 2021 | 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

Promoting Environmental Justice: The First Steps

Watch the video! Download PDFs and resources!

 

Watershed Action Alliance's 2021 virtual conference addresses environmental justice as it pertains to clean and plentiful water, reconnected rivers, and healthy watersheds for all. Sign up for one, two or all of the three sessions and learn from local leaders and experts about this timely topic. The conference is free, although donations are encouraged to supplement the support of our sponsors, listed below.

The first session is What is Environmental Justice? during which you will learn:

  • the definition of environmental justice (often abbreviated to "EJ")
  • how environmental justice populations are defined and where they are located in Massachusetts
  • some of the biggest EJ issues in the region
  • details about Black and indigenous peoples' engagement in clean energy development

The speakers will be Reverend Betsy Sowers; Kerry Snyder, J.D.; and Amelia Moore, Ph.D. whose bios are here.


Supporting Public Access to Recreational Waters, the second session, also boasts an exciting line up of presenters, who will speak about:

  • the successful and popular Neponset River Greenway Trail, and how grassroots efforts, local support and targeted marketing increased usage by environmental justice community members and others
  • Indigenous people's rights to access ancestral fishing grounds in Massachusetts and beyond
  • how social science, data collection and hearing from those most impacted can aid in making public access areas to water welcoming and available to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities

Read more about speakers Vivian Ortiz, Melissa Ferretti and Kate Mulvaney. 


Promoting Environmental Justice: the First Steps is the third and final session. Attendees will take the first steps toward implementing environmental justice by learning key terms and definitions, how to have authentic conversations about racism, and ways to implement anti-racist practices. They will also take away specific recommendations for how to continue this work after the session ends. Read more about session leader Livia Davis of C4 Innovations. 

 

Many thanks to our sponsors and supporters!

 

 

Bald Eagle

Island Foundation logo

 

 

Osprey

 

Three Birds Consulting logo

 Horsley Witten Group logo

 

NSRWA logo hi rez 2018

 

Bluefish

 

Neponset River WA logo

 

MassBays National Estuary Partnership logo

 

Beals and Thomas logo

Pembroke Watershed Association logo

 

HPWA logo

 

BCWC Logo Final

 save the bay logo 2021

 

sixponds

 

Herring

MA DER logo