West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.

Web site:   www.weact.org

Mission (from the website):

"West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT) is a non-profit, community-based, environmental justice organization dedicated to building community power to fight environmental racism and improve environmental health, protection and policy in communities of color.

"WE ACT accomplishes its mission through community organizing, education and training, advocacy and research, and public policy development."

Description (from the website):

"WE ACT, a vigorous advocate for and a significant monitor of the Northern Manhattan environment, is a non-profit, incorporated, community-based organization that was staffed in October 1994. WE ACT's mission is to inform, educate, train and mobilize the predominately African-American and Latino residents of Northern Manhattan on issues that impact their quality of life -- air, water and indoor pollution, toxins, land use and open space, waterfront development and usage, sanitation, transportation, historic preservation, regulatory enforcement, and citizen participation in public policy making.

"WE ACT seeks to build a more sustainable community through:

• strong advocacy and planning
• community and voter education
• multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition building
• community organizing training and leadership development
• youth leadership development
• monitoring and reporting on environmental enforcement and municipal services' delivery
• constituency building and development of citizen task forces
• organizing informed public participation in policy making
• collaborating on environmental education and public health research with community-based institutions
• multi-media communications
• developing a lead "safe house"
• creating a green business
• creating a Community Environmental Center and training institute in a landmark brownstone to be restored and converted to be energy efficient."

Resources to Share:

Environmental Health Perspectives Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news on the impact of the environment on human health. EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content is free online. Print issues are available by paid subscription.
 

Uptown Eye Newspaper This bilingual, bimonthly newspaper, which began with the May/June 1996 issue and a distribution of 10,000 copies, is the key tool that WE ACT utilizes to communicate with residents and community leaders and inform them of significant quality of life issues impacting Northern Manhattan.

Uptown Eye focuses on environmental issues impacting the Northern Manhattan community. Through in-depth reports, the paper serves as a tool for educating the community about issues including planning and zoning, air and water quality, and to highlight positive neighborhood initiatives. Coverage includes environmental legislative initiatives, resource guides and reports to educate voters on how elected officials are responding to environmental issues.