Our Common Concern

One of the many parking lots that holds diesel vehicles in Roxbury.

Now time for Part II of a Featured Concern blog by ACE, Alternatives for Community & Justice in Boston. Best wishes to ACE for their “Jammin’ for Justice” fundraiser tonight, and be sure to check out their website!

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While the current Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP) youth have recently taken on the “Diesel Pollution Solution”, our work on asthma and air pollution began over ten years ago.

In 1995, ACE’s work with youth in Roxbury schools led to students asking why so many of their classmates suffered from asthma. We worked with the youth to survey local sources of air pollution and discovered 15 bus and truck depots holding more than 1,150 diesel vehicles within 1.5 miles of the heart of Roxbury, Dudley Square. After uncovering a state Anti-Idling Law that prohibits vehicle idling for more than five minutes, the youth took action, handing out hundreds of “idling tickets” to drivers and held their own press conference targeting government officials and the media.

This work formed the base of ACE’s campaigns over the next few years, leading to such victories as the conversion of the entire public transit bus fleet to cleaner alternatives and retrofitting—installing affordable pollution control equipment—on all 600 Boston school buses.

Last year, ACE testified in front of Governor Patrick’s transition team on the need for the State to establish a comprehensive diesel emissions reduction strategy. Our work alongside our partners in Boston have led to the City making significant strides towards improving air quality, such as retrofitting the City’s own fleets and switching to biodiesel fuel.

Today, REEP youth have partnered with young people across the region to sustain local air quality work, contribute to neighborhood health education and build a statewide coalition to reduce diesel emissions. “I’ve had a lot of fun learning different perspectives from other youth and finding out what causes pollution in their neighborhoods,” reflected Andreya. “Joining together as a coalition makes our work more effective.” This research will be presented to legislators in support of the current Diesel Bill.

ACE and our partners crafted the bill being sponsored by Senator Jack Hart of South Boston and Representative Cheryl Rivera of Springfield. The Diesel Bill will retrofit all the state-owned heavy diesel engines—including trains, all the garbage trucks under public contract, all construction equipment used in publicly funded projects—and establish a state diesel retrofit fund.

“I want to see the Diesel Bill passed because everyone’s health is important,” said Andreya. “Asthma keeps me from being able to run and play sports. If the air was cleaner, I wouldn’t have to worry about having attacks or not being able to breathe.”

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It is my pleasure to introduce our newest Featured Concern, Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE). ACE seeks to empower communities of color and lower income communities in New England by eradicating environmental racism, classism and achieving environmental justice. Thank you, ACE for sharing Our Common Concern!

For all Boston-area readers: ACE is hosting their annual celebration and fundraiser, “Jammin’ for Justice”, at The Red Fez (1222 Washington Street, South End, Boston) this Wednesday, May 28 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Complete with a silent auction and plenty of food and music, it’s all free and for a good cause! So be sure to stop by if you can.

And make sure you read more about ACE in Part I of their post below.

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Youth on ACE’s “Anti-Idling March” handing out “idling tickets” to drivers

Have you ever experienced difficulty breathing? Not just a stuffy nose from a bad cold, but a serious, panicky, “can’t get enough air in your lungs” feeling?

Seventeen year old Andreya Jones has asthma and knows this sensation all too well. “Asthma is horrible! During an asthma attack, it feels like air is getting stuck in your throat. You feel like you’re about to die.”

In ACE’s home neighborhood of Roxbury, the asthma hospitalization rate is among the highest in Massachusetts, at five or six times the state average. Andreya was born and raised in Roxbury and diagnosed with asthma at age two, becoming the fourth member of her family to have asthma. Said Andreya, “The only person who doesn’t have asthma yet is my baby sister—and she’s four months old.”

Air pollution, which can trigger asthma attacks, is especially concentrated in lower income communities and communities of color. Of all causes of air pollution, diesel emissions are arguably the source of highest concern. A lethal mixture of air toxins, it is emitted everywhere—from school buses and garbage trucks to bulldozers and trains.

Andreya is one of five youth organizers in ACE’s youth program, Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP) – and all of them have asthma. Through youth organizing, a schools-based environmental justice curriculum, and youth-led campaigns and projects, REEP builds leadership among young people in our communities. REEP has taken on the “Diesel Pollution Solution” challenge, to clean up Roxbury’s air and halt the spread of asthma.

More about the Diesel Pollution Solution in our next blog!

In honor of Memorial Day, I thought I’d repost some resources for veterans that I highlighted on the previous version of Our Common Concern. Also, you may want to check out this summary of the new GI Bill. S. 22, Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance of 2007, was introduced by U.S. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and would provide job training and educational assistance to veterans from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Here’s how you can help the troops at home and abroad:

1. Fisher House: Perhaps the largest organization of its kind, Fisher House provides specially-designed homes for injured veterans. The organization now operates 34 homes nationwide, each equipped with 8-21 suites that can accomodate 16-42 family members. The temporary homes also have plenty of living space and are located in close proximity to hospitals and care centers. For ways to help, click Here.

2. Homes For Our Troops: A similar organization, Homes For Our Troops provides permanent individual family homes for injured veterans. The homes are free for the veterans and are financed fully by private contributions. To read personal stories about affected veterans, click Here. To support activity in your state, click Here. To get involved and make donations, click Here and Here.

3. Any Soldier: You can send care packages to Any Soldier in Iraq through this organization. Click Here to learn how and what to send.

4. Books for Soldiers: Register on the Books for Soldiers website and send books, DVDs, and other items to entertain the troops. Seems easy enough.

As the violence against African immigrants continues in South Africa — an episode that has killed at least 42 people and displaced 25,000 — here’s the latest news:

• AllAfrica: Searching for reasons behind the mayhem
• Reuters: South African troops deployed to end violence
• Economist: Give them a better life

Also, resources by UNICEF on violence prevention and response in South Africa and an older article by Stanford University about historical causes of some of the violence there.

It doesn’t take a democrat to respect the life’s work of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), who has served in the Senate for over 40 years and was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

I thought it might be an appropriate time to highlight some charities that work to find a cure for brain tumors and support patients diagnosed with this frequently deadly ailment. Feel free to suggest others if know of any:

• American Brain Tumor Association
• National Brain Tumor Foundation
• Brain Tumor Society

Also, two stories here and here on what this diagnosis may mean for Senator Kennedy. I join many others in sending the very best wishes to him and his family and in hoping for his good health and a speedy recovery.

In June 2007, 8-year old Liquarry Jefferson’s 7-year old cousin was playing with a loaded 9mm gun. Suddenly, a shot was fired — and Liquarry died almost instantly. His mother and half-brother were later charged with involuntary manslaughter for, in part, keeping an illegal gun in reach of young children.

In response to Liquarry’s death, a radio DJ recently organized the “Liquarry Jefferson Man Up March For Accountability and Gang Truce Rally” to encourage men to take a more active role in combating gun violence. The rally was held this past Sunday and brought together religious leaders, city leaders and other public figures to spurn community-led efforts against violence. There will also be frequent “Man Up Mondays” community meetings to keep the momentum going.

Here are some national and regional organizations active on the gun violence issue. Feel free to suggest others if you have any in mind:

• Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
• Student Pledge Against Gun Violence
• New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
• Connecticut Against Gun Violence
• Women Against Gun Violence

A few weeks ago I posted about the scourge of veterans’ mental health care in this country and the limited medical resources veterans encounter when they return home. Fortunately, a reader pointed out that U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, recently wrote a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake requesting an update on veterans’ mental health and efforts — or lack thereof — taken by the VA to support veterans in need. He has also introduced S. 2162, the Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Improvements Act of 2008.

Click here for the full press release. If you’re interested, find your U.S. Senator on the list here and urge them to support this bill.

In the meantime, let’s keep each other updated in case of any developments.

Given today’s landmark ruling on same-sex marriage in California, readers may interested in other ways that GLBT groups are calling for equal treatment.

The Human Rights Campaign recently partnered with the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association to produce a 2008 nationwide ranking of GLBT-friendly hospitals. Over half of the 88 hospitals that responded to the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) survey received a winning score. The five focus areas of the survey included the following:

• Patient non-discrimination
• Visitation
• Decision-making
• Cultural competency
• Employment

For example, over half of hospitals have (1) codified access for a patient’s same-sex partner, (2) a provision that allows patients to designate their same-sex partner as a medical decision maker, and (3) trainings for staff that address GLBT-specific issues. You can read the full report here.

Horror stories abound from same-sex couples unable to access their loved ones, including a Virginia man who had to fly back to his home state for legal documents before being allowed to visit his dying partner. The man’s partner died the next day from a cerebral hemorrhage.

More from CNN here.

As the blight of home foreclosures slowly vanishes from headlines, the pain and uncertainty for millions of families across the country continues. Now, a tale of foreclosures in two states: Massachusetts and California.

In Massachusetts, the number of foreclosure filings doubled or tripled in several communities since the first quarter of last year. Foreclosure filings in Belmont, for example, were up 200% in 2008; statewide, they increased by nearly 2,500 filings.

In Dorchester, MA, community members recently took to the streets to clean up blighted homes. The City of Boston has also purchased several three or four-family homes and is looking to develop them shortly.

Meanwhile, California foreclosure rates are up over three times what they were in early 2007, and less than one-third of those who file for foreclosure are able to recover their losses. Foreclosure.com keeps track of the number of foreclosures in California and other states.

California residents can find help here and from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which may also be a good resource for others facing foreclosure nationwide.

Long overdue for some, the Bush administration announced today that the polar bear has been listed as “threatened with extinction” under the Endangered Species Act. This is the first animal to be listed because of global warming, a decision that may have widespread ramifications for carbon-emitting industries.

More from the L.A. Times. Three environmental groups also released a statement today hailing the announcement. Finally, see my previous post on the issue here.