Advocacy
In 1988, community activists joined forces with environmental lawyers to fight for landmark changes in Northern Manhattan’s air quality. More than 30 years later, we have not stopped fighting for justice.
WE ACT combines the voices and interests of our growing membership base with the legal and policy expertise of staff and partners to fight for environmental policy and justice at a local, state, and federal level. Download our 2021 Policy Agenda in English or Spanish.
Our mission and methods are always driven by the communities who are most impacted by environmental racism.
Community Power
Our advocacy methods lift up community voices by:
- expanding democratic participation among low-income residents and communities of color
- providing opportunities for meaningful engagement and opportunities for determining how policy is shaped.
Litigation
Our legal and policy team fights for justice by:
- working to ensure that our local, state and federal environmental laws are administered fairly and without regard to race.
- researching and assessing where new policy supports environmental justice.
- taking legal action when environmental injustice is occurring in our communities.
Partnerships and Coalitions
We form partnerships and coalitions to:
- amplify WE ACT and community voices around shared values and policies.
- mobilize a broader base of support to enact policy change at a local, state and federal level.