Hell No To Hilco: Our Bodies Are Not Dollar Signs

House Warming Podcast, Episode 011: Hell No To Hilco - Our Bodies Are Not Dollar Signs with Edith Tovar from the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization    

In this episode, Sarah talks with Edith Tovar about the impact of Hilco's implosion of the coal plant smokestacks and the Hell No To Hilco campaign, which fights the installation of polluting industry and works for regenerative community-based land use in the community.

Edith Tovar is the Community Organizer at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) focusing on Just Transition* visions and efforts in the Little Village community. They focus on the "Hell No Hilco" campaign, informing residents about the new Target warehouse facility at the former Crawford Coal Plant -- Exchange 55 -- and connecting ongoing EJ efforts across the community and city. #FueraHilco #HellNoHilco #Exchange55 #LaVillitaRespira

Edith is a life-long resident of La Villita community. As a first generation college student and youngest of four, she was the second in her family to graduate with a university degree. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish-Economics with a minor in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Edith also obtained her Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at UIC with a concentration in Environmental Planning and Policy. Edith is a sister, tía, prima, a bestie to many, she has three fur babies; Xico & Mango (cats) and Kapi (dog), and enjoys creating habitats for pollinators like the Monarch butterfly.

*Just Transition is a principle, a process and a practice. The principle of just transition is that a healthy economy and a clean environment can and should co-exist. The process for achieving this vision should be a fair one that should not cost workers or community residents their health, environment, jobs, or economic assets. Any losses should be fairly compensated. And the practice of just transition means that the people who are most affected by pollution – the frontline workers and the fenceline communities – should be in the leadership of crafting policy solutions. - Just Transition Alliance, http://jtalliance.org/ 

Here is the link to their second website focusing on Just Transition in the Little Village community: https://lavillitarespira.com/

Follow LVEJO on Facebook (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)), Twitter (@lvejo) and Instagram (@lvejo20).

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