Uptown Chats
Join Jaron and Lonnie as they explore issues in their community through the eyes of everyday people, and discuss how environmental justice is showing up in the news. It’s not just for experts, it's for everyone! The podcast is officially 1 year old! Now that we're older and wiser, we're releasing episodes twice each month - on the second and last Monday of each month. Uptown Chats is the official podcast of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. WE ACT was founded in 1988 and has offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. You can find us online at weact.org.
Episodes
Join Jaron and Lonnie from WE ACT for Environmental Justice to learn what the show's all about and what they have in store for 2023!
Listen to the WE ACT Team share what environmental justice means to them.
Composting is coming uptown! Jaron and Lonnie talk to a local composting advocate and discuss the benefits of composting for environmental justice communities.
You can find more information about Nando's 'hot box' composting on Instagram: @hotbox.composting
Love hurts and so can beauty - but should it? Jaron and Lonnie talk to a local social media advocate about the role of colorism in the beauty industry and why it is an environmental justice issue.
Guest Information:
TK Saccoh (Creator of The Darkest Hue)
Yuwa Vosper (Policy & Regulatory Manager at WE ACT)
References from the Show:
Safe Beauty Apps: Clearya, EWG Skin Deep, Think Dirty
In honor of Women’s History Month, Jaron and Lonnie are joined by WE ACT’s Environmental Health Intern Gabriela Lebron along with three special guests to highlight Women of Color who have laid the groundwork for the Environmental Justice movement and are shaping its future.
Guest Information:
- Gabriela...
We need renewable (and affordable) energy now! Jaron and Lonnie are joined by two experts to discuss solutions for addressing the disproportionate burden that low-income communities and communities of color experience when it comes to their energy bill.
Guest Information:
- Stephan Roundtree Read more
Join Jaron and Lonnie as they take a short detour through space [and the internet] to look at WE ACT’s Green Institute with help from our Director of Workforce Development, Charles Calloway.
Guest Information:
- Charles Calloway, Director of Workforce Development & H...
It’s getting hot! Jaron and Lonnie are joined by members of WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group along with our very own Caleb Smith to talk about their experience with extreme heat advocacy.
Guest Information:
- Liz McMillan, Climate Justice Working Group Member
- Read more
Jaron and Lonnie talk about how transportation and public transit impact environmental justice communities with help from Flora Huang, a fellow podcaster and member of WE ACT's Transit Working Group, as well as our very own, Louis Bailey.
Guest Information:
- Flora Huang, Member of WE ACT's Transportation Working Group & Podcast Host
What is air pollution and why does it matter? Join Jaron and Lonnie as they explore how air quality impacts New York City with the help of WE ACT’s Community Organizer, Tyisha Smalls and Leslie Vasquez from South Bronx Unite.
Guest Information:
- Tyisha Smalls, WE ACT&rs...
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Jaron and Lonnie are joined by three special guests, including City Councilmem...
Lead is everywhere! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the long history of lead exposure and why it is an environmental justice issue, with help from two special guests.
Guest Information:
- Sonal Jessel, WE ACT’s Director of Policy
- Read more
In the spirit of the holidays, Jaron and Lonnie are joined by two of the people who helped make WE ACT what it is today to tell their part of the WE ACT story.
Guest Information:
- Eric Goldstein, Senior Attorney and Director, New York City Environment, People & Communitie...
Jaron and Lonnie are kicking off the new year with their first listener-requested topic - Rats! We all know those furry creatures are a nuisance, but are they also an environmental justice issue? Listen to find out!
Rat Resources:
- Got rats? Call 311 to file a complaint
The war on rats continues! Jaron and Lonnie talk about rat contraceptives and other rat prevention strategies with the help of New York City Councilmember Shaun Abreu.
Rat Resources:
- Got rats? Call 311 to file a complaint. ...
Show me the money! Jaron and Lonnie explore how the budget gets decided at the city and state level in New York with the help from WE ACT’s State Legislative Manager, Briana Carbajal.
Advocacy Resources:
New report alert! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about the first-ever EJNYC Report with help from Peggy Shepard, Executive Director and Co-Founder of WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
You can find the EJNYC Report on the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice website.
Report not released yet? Sign-up for WE ACT's Newsletter for updates!
...The rent is too damn high - and so are our energy bills! Jaron and Lonnie talk about WE ACT’s new campaign, Our Homes Under Our Control, with help from WE ACT’s Climate Justice Campaign Manager, Annie Carforo.
Join WE ACT’s Climate Justice Working Group on the third T...
Count ‘em up - New Yorkers have THREE elections to vote in this year! Lonnie and Jaron are joined by Tyisha Smalls, WE ACT’s Community Organizing Coordinator, to chat about what to expect in this year’s presidential primary and highlight the role that women have played in protecting the right to vote.
In honor of Cecil Corbin-Mark, WE ACT’s first full-time employee, Lonnie and Jaron are joined by Executive Director Peggy Shepard to learn about the formation of WE ACT and the legacy of Cecil’s work.
Join us for the Cecil Corbin-Mark Street Naming Ceremony on April 20th!
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