“Climate Change: Structural Racism and Environmental Justice”
by Energy Economist, Policy Advocate, and Regulatory Affairs Expert Stacia Harper
Sunday Service 11am EST by Zoom
April 18, 2021
About our Speaker:
Stacia Harper has spent more than two decades working in the energy sector, representing consumer interests, advocating for low income populations, and creating new market opportunities to reduce harmful emissions, increase energy efficiency, and increase participation in renewable energy.
Her unique experiences and varied career have enabled her to lead stakeholder coalitions while working directly with national laboratories, universities, state commissions, PIOs/NGOs, wholesale market operators, deregulated and regulated utilities, and disadvantaged populations. Ms. Harper’s work has led to national collaboration and replication in many states and utility territories.
While with the Ohio Consumers Council, she saved consumers in Ohio over $9 billion over a ten year period, and increased energy efficiency and renewable portfolio standards in the state. She was then recruited by the Ohio Low-income Weatherization Network to lead up regulatory affairs for 60 member-based agencies representing the interests of the economic disadvantaged.
About her Presentation:
The year 2020 has been a watershed year, bringing awareness and dialogue to structural racism and the presence of disparate racial vulnerabilities amplified by climate change in the United States. The murder of George Floyd led rise to the “Black Lives Matter” movement, bringing to the forefront open dialogue, exposing long-term structural racism. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed undeniable disproportionate health vulnerabilities to communities of color, and exposed affluent white populations to the inescapable consequences of climate change, forcing uncertainty to health and financial well-being.
Traditionally, disadvantaged communities are simply referred to as low-income communities, ignoring the fact that the majority of the population in low income areas are black. Structural racism and economic disadvantage have sanctioned the continued siting of dirty chemical/coal plants and toxic waste sites in predominantly low-income, black communities.
Climate change and structural racism are inextricably linked. To address climate change, we must also address the issues of equity and justice. As long as affluent populations in society are able to remain removed from the gross injustices of poor environmental management and escape the consequences of climate change, change will not happen.
The disparate environmental equity, and lack of environmental justice to communities of color has compromised health, education, and economic advancement. The disproportionate exposure to environmental harms and health consequences in black communities, is an issue of environmental equity and justice, that have remained hidden by the forces of structural racism. Paving the path forward for policy advocates and community members to ensure the environmental justice movement provides equal protection from environmental harms and risks, for all populations, it is imperative that communities of color are involved and represented in the policy making process.
SUNDAY SERVICE Join by Phone: Use your phone to dial either 312 626 6799 or 646 876 9923. Then, when asked, enter meeting ID: 823 6539 7153 OR cut & paste this whole string of numbers, a couple commas, and an ending number symbol into your phone and it’ll dial all that automagically: +16468769923,,82365397153#
ANNUAL MEETING REMINDER: SATURDAY, APRIL 23rd 2021 at 2:30pm via Zoom.
Please attend and join in the discussion of this past year along with our executive board! All current members received a packet of information for your review prior to the meeting.If you did not receive or have questions about the packet, please join one of the information sessions that Katie Evans, President-Elect has arranged: Sunday, April 18th at 12:30 pm and Tuesday, April 20th at 7:00 pm. Katie can be reached at: kaevans1979@gmail.com for Zoom login information and questions.
TUESDAY APRIL 27th: “TIME OUT TUESDAYS”
If you haven’t joined us for our twice-monthly Timeout Tuesdays, please know that our next meeting (April 27) will center around the holy objects in our lives – things that represent something or someone important to us. Maybe a photo, family heirloom or gift from a loved one. – Rev. Don Rollins.
TIME OUT TUESDAYS Join via Zoom: If you’ve already download the Zoom app, then simply click on this link to join us: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82793797593
TIME OUT TUESDAYS Join by Phone: Use your phone to dial either 312 626 6799 or 646 876 9923. Then, when asked, enter meeting ID: 827 9379 7593 OR cut & paste this whole string of numbers, a couple commas, and an ending number symbol into your phone and it’ll dial all that automagically: +13017158592,,82793797593#
UU JUSTICE OHIO NEWS:
“MAY DAY FOR DEMOCRACY” UUJO SPRING GATHERING 2021
Saturday, May 1, 2021
10 am to approx. 2:15 pm ET
Come join UUJO, UUs from around the state and others from our partner organizations as we talk about the different legislative threats to Democracy in Ohio and what we can do about them.
We will have a panel of Ohio legislators in the morning who will be able to answer questions about the anti-democracy bills, the Ohio Equality Act and more. You will also learn more about the Our Voices Together coalition of justice groups in Ohio that are working together to preserve our First Amendment rights in the state.
In the afternoon, we will turn to Unitarian Universalist issues and explore the 8th Principle and anti-racism and how you can talk about it in your congregation.
More information will be coming soon.
Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqd-mgpjkrH9MuRBMt3BnGhpN9KTRGh718
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Registration for May Day for Democracy is free. But we request that, if at all possible, you donate $15 or more to UUJO. You can donate online at: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-uujo?source=direct_link&
You can also send a check to:
UUJO
PO Box 980
Worthington, OH 43085
THE UUFA BOARD’S NEXT MEETING will be on Saturday, May 8th at 2:30 pm via Zoom. All members are invited to attend. Contact a board member for Zoom login information.
PROGRAM IDEAS?
The UUFA Programming Committee seeks your ideas of programs for our Sunday mornings. Would you like to present during one of our Sundays? Would you like to share music or readings? Can you recommend a good speaker?
The committee will meet next on Sunday, April 11th at 7pm via Zoom. All members are invited to attend. Future Sundays below, subject to change. Contact Wenda, Katie, Susan, or Brian for Zoom login info. Ideas most welcome. All information subject to change, and exact titles are likely to change. Check our website or Facebook page for the latest information.
April 18th at 12:30pm – UUFA Information Session prior to Annual Meeting
April 20th at 7pm – UUFA Information Session prior to Annual Meeting
Saturday April 24th at 2:30pm – UUFA Annual Meeting
April 27th at 7pm – Time Out Tuesday with Rev. Don Rollins
April 25th at 11am – Buddhism in the Workplace with Guest Speaker
May 2nd at 11am – Trauma Stewardship with Katie Evans
May 9th at 11am – Rev. Don Rollins
May 16th at 11am – Speaker: Jack Frech, former head of Athens County Job and Family Services
May 23rd or May 30th – Parking Lot Service, Date depending on weather.
HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR THIS GREENSHEET NEWSLETTER: Please email items to wendasheard@yahoo.com and put “Greensheet” in the subject line. New ideas, new columns, announcements, artwork, photographs, biographies, birthdays, anniversaries, and whatnot that you don’t mind being public are all welcome for possible inclusion in the Greensheet. Deadline for each week: Midnight Wednesday or before publication, whichever comes last. Thanks!
Michelle Pride, Ph.D. Michelle received her doctorate from Michigan State University. She is a multicultural/feminist/constructivist therapist who has specialized in working in a university setting. Her interests and expertise include women’s issues, LGBTIQA+ issues, trans affirmative therapy, group therapy, trauma work, and working with student athletes. Michelle was the training director for 8 years and for the last 3 years she has been working on balancing her passions for clinical work, supervision, advocacy, and social justice, and self-care. When she’s not at work, you can find Michelle hiking, kayaking, knitting, gardening, or listening to esoteric podcasts..
UUFA HIKING SUNDAY
“LET’S TALK ABOUT CARE”
“A CONVERSATION ABOUT POVERTY”
“Moms are People Too”
“TRAUMA STEWARDSHIP”
