Environmental Health

What would happen to health and housing in NYC if tenants had as much power as landlords?

New York City is in the throes of one of the worst housing crises in generations. Affordability is plummeting, displacement and homelessness have reached record levels, and the severe public health consequences of the living conditions that feed gentrification will

Génesis Abreu on Univision – September 26, 2018

On September 26th, 2018, WE ACT’s Environmental Health Programs Manager Milagros de Hoz and several of our members testified in a public hearing at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan US Courthouse as part of the Federal Government’s lawsuit against the New

The How’s, Where’s and Why’s of Lead

On September 26th, 2018 the Federal Government of the United States’ lawsuit against the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), US v. NYCHA 18 Civ 5213 (WHP), had a public hearing. Among other housing safety and sanitary violations, lead paint

Safe, Affordable, Clean and Dignified Housing is Always the Key to Health

I grew up in California’s wine country with mild and wet weather throughout the winter. My family’s three-bedroom apartment would be mostly warm and cozy during those months but the bedroom I shared with my younger sister would be damp

Growing Old

I was raised in Harlem from birth, born at the old Women’s Hospital on February 17th, 1950. My most vivid memories from my childhood are from my home on 116th Street between 8th and Manhattan Avenue. Living there with my

Transforming Community Spaces: Lessons from West Harlem Group Association

“When Architects and Designers specify better, healthier building products for housing renovations it can make a big impact on the lives of residents and provide concrete evidence for change.” —Alison Mears, Director, Healthy Materials Lab Research demonstrates that substantial human health

Let’s Rap About Flint

As famous rapper J.Cole once said, “Lemme take y’all back man as I do so well…” It’s January 2016. You’re on the way to the gym to keep that New Year’s resolution you had made about being healthier. Driving in

WE ACT Supports the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Call for Stronger Federal Food Safety Requirements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2018 Contact: Chris Dobens, 212-961-1000 ext. 320, chris@weact.org WASHINGTON — The American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on Food Additives and Child Health is a monumental step in protecting the health and well-being of all

WE ACT Statement on NYC’s New Lead Initiative in Harlem World – July 16, 2018

On July 16, 2018, Harlem World Magazine featured WE ACT’s statement on New York City’s new lead initiative. Read the Story

Stephan Roundtree, Jr. in Grist – July 11, 2018

In this July 11, 2018 Grist article on the impact of extreme heat, WE ACT’s Environmental Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Stephan Roundtree, Jr. discusses the work we are doing to help New Yorkers learn about and locate neighborhood cooling centers during