Growing Our Roots Extending Our Reach

OUR VENUE HAS CHANGED TO JACK LONDON AQUATIC CENTER!
Asian Pacific Environmental Network

Growing Our Roots
Extending Our Reach
Building Community Power for Environmental Justice

Thursday, October 18, 2007
6:00pm Reception
7:00pm Program
Hors d'oeuvres will be served

New Venue: Jack London Aquatic Center
115 Embarcadero, Oakland (see directions below)

Join APEN’s members, board, and staff as we celebrate the legacy of the environmental justice movement and move forward with a bold plan to strengthen our local work and make statewide impact.

MC: Martha Matsuoka, APEN founding board member, Assistant Professor at Occidental College

Keynote speaker:
Richard Moore has been a national leader of the environmental justice movement for more than 30 years. He is currently the Chairperson of the US-EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. He is a founding member of the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) and the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SNEEJ). He currently serves as Executive Director of SNEEJ, an organization made up over 60 community based grassroots organizations working in communities of color in six southwestern states and Northern Mexico.

Musical Guests:
O’Nami Taiko

Silent auction of visual art about and by Asian-American and Pacific Islanders, featuring art by:

York Chang
Binh Danh
Daniel Fleckles
Lora Jo Foo
Matthew Kurtesz
Mari Rose Taruc
Tran Khanh Tuyet

Special artworks by APEN members

Please RSVP by calling 510.834.8920 x307 or e-mail haibinh*AT*apen4ej.org

Directions to Jack London Aquatic Center, 115 Embarcadero, Oakland
(use these directions as google maps and other online services are incorrect)
From San Francisco/West:
I-80 EAST to the Bay Bridge. I-580 EAST/DOWNTOWN OAKLAND. EXIT toward Hayward/Stockton. I-980 WEST EXIT towards downtown Oakland. JACKSON STREET EXIT, staying RIGHT at the fork in the ramp. The exit will drop you on 5TH STREET. Stay on 5TH STREET until you reach OAK ST. Right on OAK ST., OAK ST. becomes EMBARCADERO after crossing the railroad tracks. Go approximately 3/10 mile on the EMBARCADERO, turn RIGHT into the entrance to Estuary Park and JLAC. Immediately after the JLAC entrance there is a small bridge on the EMBARCADERO; if you go over the bridge, you’ve gone too far.
From Berkeley/Richmond:
I-80 WEST toward Oakland. I-580 East/Downtown Oakland (CA-24) toward Hayward/Stockton. I-980 WEST EXIT towards DOWNTOWN OAKLAND. JACKSON STREET EXIT, staying RIGHT at the fork in the ramp. The exit will drop you on 5TH STREET. Stay on 5TH STREET until you reach OAK ST. Right on OAK ST., OAK ST. becomes EMBARCADERO after crossing the railroad tracks. Go approximately 3/10 mile on the EMBARCADERO, turn RIGHT into the entrance to Estuary Park and JLAC. Immediately after the JLAC entrance there is a small bridge on the EMBARCADERO; if you go over the bridge, you’ve gone too far.
From South of Oakland:
I880 North, 5TH AVE EXIT. Right onto the EMBARCADERO. Go approximately 2/3 mile on the Embarcadero, over a small bridge, and immediately after the bridge turn LEFT into the entrance to Estuary Park and the JLAC parking lot.

LOP Supports Equitable Development in Richmond

Below is an excerpt from the Richmond Equitable Development Initiative (REDI) press release. Over 25 LOP members came to support REDI's push to get support from the Mayor and City Council for policies which would improve land use, housing, economic development and transportation for Richmond's low-income people, people of color, and immigrants. LOP leaders presented a short skit demonstrating the housing problems facing Richmond, and the need for healthy and affordable homes the community.

"On Thursday evening [July 26th], community supporters of the Richmond Equitable Development Initiative (REDI) called on the Mayor and City Council to enact policies that ensure future development leads to a more healthy and just Richmond.

"REDI is a diverse coalition of residents, faith leaders, organizations, and policy experts committed to growth that benefits rather than burdens existing residents. REDI actively promotes planning processes that involve low-income residents in the decisions that impact their lives and neighborhoods. The community forum was attended by over 250 local residents, Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, City Council Members Tony Thurmond and Tom Butt.

"Every California city and county must have a written General Plan that describes a 10 to 15-year plan for growth. As Richmond embarks on updating its General Plan, local residents are demanding it include fair, healthy and equitable land use, housing, economic development, and transportation policy statements. Motivated by historic Richmond development that has yielded disparities and unequal distribution of resources, REDI members are promoting development that works for all Richmond residents.

"Equitable development policies can reduce poverty and social inequities, revitalize core neighborhoods, provide basic needs and services for all people regardless of socioeconomic status, and encourage the engagement of those most directly impacted by growth, such as low-income people, people of color and immigrants. Based on these principles, on Thursday night, REDI partners presented a set of specific policy recommendations that they hope will be included in Richmond’s updated General Plan. REDI seeks to have all Richmond City Council Members adopt the principles and policies."

View the full July 27 REDI press release (pdf)