Are there social justice issues in America or in your home town that you want to explore?Can you imagine solutions?
You know you want to..
April 27, 2010
We made it way easier to get involved with OAG and fight back against social injustice. To compliment this, young artist Allie Spurlock put together some super-hot art. Check it out at the new...
Get Involved page.
Get Involved page.
Environmental Justice in Washington State
April 12, 2010
Our first publication is here!
Keep and eye out for free copies around Seattle in your favorite cafe, campus, or community center, or download now.
Here is an abstract of the magazine:
Environmental Justice (EJ) regards the distribution of environmental problems in our communities with special attention paid to the role of race and class. For all the progress of industry, we have created pollution in our air, water, and soil, and this pollution is not spread fairly. In EJ the “environment” is defined as the place you live, work, play and pray. Everyone has a right to a healthy environment. Those who have historically been targets of racism are frequently victims of environmental injustice, and for this reason, EJ is often referred to as environmental racism. Poor communities in WA State are consistently subject to more pollution then wealthier citizens. Seattle’s history, like America’s, has been influenced by racism. Although reports of cooperation between settlers and Native Americans can be found early on, eventually natives were driven off their lands that historically provided them with subsistence. Natives continue to be marginalized today, and play a part of many of the issues we highlight in this magazine. Seattle also upheld zoning laws that required property to be sold and distributed on the basis of race until the 1970s, limiting nonwhites to particular parts of the city. Today, Natives, Blacks, and Latin Americans have the greatest percentage of poor individuals within their demographic (20,19, and 18% respectively). In Washington State as a whole, nonwhites and low-income persons live in the most polluted environments as well. Nonwhites are 33% of the population, yet live with 36% of polluting facilities. 39% are low‐income, and are living with 47% of the total facilities. Conversely, medium‐to‐high‐income whites make up 49% of the population yet only have to live with 41% of the toxic facilities. Six of Washington’s 8 biggest counties follow this same, unjust trend. As OAG explored the history of the Environmental Justice close to home, we found a vibrant movement of dedicated organizations across WA State fighting for environmental justice in their communities. This magazine highlights a few of these organizations, introduces the communities and offers ways to get involved.
Rumblings of a Renaissance...
Y=Youth Powered * N=National * L=Local (Washington State)
Antechamber Collective L,Y
Break the Silence Collective L,Y
Campus Sustainablity Fund L,Y
Cascade Climate Network L,Y
Community Coalition for Environmental Justice L
Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition L
El Centro de la Raza L
Energy Action Coalition N,Y
Engaged Youth L,Y
Fair Elections Now N
Fix Congress First N
Free Child Project N
Heart of America Northwest L
International District Housing Alliance L
MPowerment Project L,Y
MEChA N,Y
MEChA de UW L,Y
Move to Amend N
Public Campaign N
Puget Sound Off L,Y
Queer Youth Space L,Y
Race/Knowledge Project L,Y
Reclaim Democracy N
Reform America N
Reform Immigration for America N
Restorative Justice Online N
Seattle Young Peoples Project L,Y
SOLE -Students Organizing for LGBT Equality L,Y
UW Food Network L,Y
UW Ruckus L,Y
Washington Bus L,Y
Washington Dream Act Coalition L,Y
Washington Jobs with Justice L
Washington Public Campaigns L
Youth Activism Project N,Y
Youth in Focus L,Y
Youth Noise N,Y
UW Daily - 5/27/2010 "Students identify contamination caused by UW dairy provider"
Rumblings of a Renaissance...
Y=Youth Powered * N=National * L=Local (Washington State)
Antechamber Collective L,Y
Break the Silence Collective L,Y
Campus Sustainablity Fund L,Y
Cascade Climate Network L,Y
Community Coalition for Environmental Justice L
Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition L
El Centro de la Raza L
Energy Action Coalition N,Y
Engaged Youth L,Y
Fair Elections Now N
Fix Congress First N
Free Child Project N
Heart of America Northwest L
International District Housing Alliance L
MPowerment Project L,Y
MEChA N,Y
MEChA de UW L,Y
Move to Amend N
Public Campaign N
Puget Sound Off L,Y
Queer Youth Space L,Y
Race/Knowledge Project L,Y
Reclaim Democracy N
Reform America N
Reform Immigration for America N
Restorative Justice Online N
Seattle Young Peoples Project L,Y
SOLE -Students Organizing for LGBT Equality L,Y
UW Food Network L,Y
UW Ruckus L,Y
Washington Bus L,Y
Washington Dream Act Coalition L,Y
Washington Jobs with Justice L
Washington Public Campaigns L
Youth Activism Project N,Y
Youth in Focus L,Y
Youth Noise N,Y
UW Daily - 5/27/2010 "Students identify contamination caused by UW dairy provider"
The Youth Talks
In our tech-savvy city, it’s easy to forget that access to broadband technology isn’t ubiquitous, and that not all young people are growing up with the luxury of playing around on the internet. In a 2009 report by the City of Seattle, income and education were noted as the strongest predictors of access to technology in the home. Ethnicity followed closely behind. Learn how Seattle's youth can earn a laptop and a $500 stipend for helping to bridge the digital divide.
Urban farms have the potential to combat an array of social injustices: chronic hunger, health disparities, symptoms of income inequality, and so on. Seattle beauraucrats dedicated 2010 as a "year of urban agriculture", and now has chance to prove that they are serious about it. The abandoned Atlantic City Nursery in Rainier Beach is being staged as a 10-acre urban farm. You(th) can learn more and support the project by reading Michelle's article.
Most young folks of our American generation must start their careers amidst the fallout of the Great Recession. Others continue to pursue their education, delaying the inevitable yet unclear obligation to become a productive member of our economy, our society. How will you(th) face these challenges? Scott Davis reflects on a recent NYT article (American Dream Elusive for the New Generation, July 6), and begs some questions about the strength of our convictions within a downtrodden economy.
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