Continue reading to watch the video! Our March public meeting will highlight the intersection between racial and climate justice. This will be the first in a series of public meetings over the coming months or year highlighting the impacts of a changing climate on different communities and stakeholders, and what actions are being done. Future events will cover the impacts on areas such as agriculture and forestry.
Read more in our March Newsletter!
The impacts of a changing climate have an unequal impact on our communities. Black, Indigenous People, People of Color, and low income communities are disproportionately impacted by poor and air and water quality, lack of access to nutritious foods, negative health outcomes and chronic illness, and by their higher likelihood of living in close proximity to toxics areas. As the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) cites, “Race is the number one indicator for the placement toxic facilities in this country.”
Racial bias influences how our communities are structured and perpetuates systemic oppression and injustice. In order to support a climate-resilient future, the Long Tom Watershed needs diverse voices from all people leading and participating in conversations about watershed health and how to build resilience and adapt to a changing climate. The health and resilience of our watershed is inextricably linked to the health of the people who make up this community. Haley Case-Scott will discuss the connections between climate and environmental justice, and how historically disadvantaged people have been left behind. She’ll also talk about what resilience means in a climate change context, and how we can support resilient communities.
Speaker Bio (from Beyond Toxics Staff Page): Haley-Case Scott is the Climate Justice organizer for Beyond Toxics and the Eugene/Springfield NAACP. She has been appointed to serve on an advisory committee for the Oregon DEQ’s Climate Protection Program, which was established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the effects of climate change. Haley was also recently appointed to the Lane County Climate Advisory committee, and was elected as committee chair.
Haley is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and a descendant of the Klamath Tribes, Yurok Tribe, and the Sakoagan Band of Chippewa Indians. She was born and raised in the Klamath Basin, and moved to Eugene in 2014 to attend the University of Oregon. She has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with a minor in Native American Studies. Prior to working as the Climate Justice Grassroots Organizer, Haley served as a Research Assistant with the Pacific Northwest Tribal Climate Change Project and the United States Forest Service. She is dedicated to ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered and respected in the development of climate policy.