WE ACT for Environmental Justice

West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT for Environmental Justice) is a Northern Manhattan community-based organization whose mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and/or low income participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. 

WE ACT focuses on open and green spaces, food justice, clean air, affordable and equitable transit, climate justice, sustainable and equitable land use, toxic free products, waste and pesticides reduction, and healthy homes. 

On the topic of climate resilience, WE ACT focuses on how climate change will have a disproportionate toll on the poor and working class people of New York City as was seen during Hurricane Sandy. As a response, WE ACT developed the Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan, a community driven plan that stresses the importance of community ownership as a way of avoiding 'environmental gentrification.'  Therefore, WE ACT supports energy democracy drawing on green energy cooperatives, emergency preparedness measures that will protect communication systems and community involvement in resource allocation, developing physical space for movement building activities, and widespread public participation. 

Phone: (202) 495-3036

Sectors:

• Urban
• Frontline Communities

Related Resources:

• Case Study: Harlem Heat Project
• Northern Manhattan Climate Action Plan, New York City