Environment

Conference: Struggle for Equity Intensifies in Post-Katrina New Orleans

Published

9 years ago

November 9, 2015

By Nikolas Zelinski

It has been 10 years since Katrina hit New Orleans, leaving a lasting impact and growing disparities in the hurricane’s wake.

To shine a spotlight on conditions for Black people in the city and the ongoing struggles of Black people, national and New Orleans-based civil rights groups held an online town hall meeting recently to discuss Black Resistance after Hurricane Katrina, resistance to the privatization of schools and the expansion of the cradle-to-prison pipeline, the exclusion of Black workers from quality jobs, and resistance to the expansion of white power in post Katrina New Orleans.

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The online town hall, held on Sept 24, provides an opportunity to connect with front-line organizers to better understand the current struggles in the efforts to dismantle the plantation economy, end white supremacy, and build a world that respects Black lives in school, at work, and in communities.

Alongside a decrease in general population, the city has lost a large portion of its African American inhabitants between 2005 and 2013.

Moderating the discussion was Van Jones, president, Dream Corps and Co-founder, ColorOfChange. The host was Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color of Change.

According to organizers, nearly 100,000 people have moved out the city, and median housing prices have shot up.

While parts of the city are rebounding, conditions of African Americans are stark, with.52 percent of African American males are unemployed; 50 percent of African American children live in poverty; and African American families earn 50 percent less than white families.

The conference focused on connections between Hurricane Katrina, lack of employment opportunities for Blacks, youth poverty and incarceration, and white supremacist symbols and attitudes in the city.

“We watched the city turn into the largest construction zone in the country. We watched how Black people were excluded from the construction, while immigrant workers were exploited,” said Saket Soni, executive director for the New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice.

African Americans make up four percent of the construction workforce in the city, according to the conference press release.

Another topic was the criminalization of youth. Gina Womack, Executive Director of Friends and Families of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), explained that her organization launched a program called Let Kids be Kids.

“Children’s youthful behavior should not be criminalized,” she said. “Our children should have the opportunity for positive moderation and conflict management.”

Womack hopes to reduce the number of security guards at school, because “our kids are allowed to be detained for minor infractions, or subjective behavior called willful disobedience.”

Quess, a two-time national slam poetry champion, pointed out that New Orleans has the highest rate of imprisonment per capita in the world.

Quess, co-founder of the Black Youth Project 100, has organized to demand protest the removal of confederate monuments and street names in New Orleans, such as the Robert E. Lee statue.

“We live in a state that venerates war criminals,” Quess said.

Twenty-one schools around the city bear the name of confederates, Quess continued. “We hope to send the message that systematic racism and symbolic white supremacy work together.

ColorofChange, which hosted the online conference, was co-founded by Rashad Robinson, James Rucker, and Van Jones 10 years ago in the wake of the hurricane. Robinson saw the need for African Americans and their allies to have an organization that could hold governmental bodies accountable for disaster relief.

“We started the process of building ColorofChange in a living room in Oakland,” said Robinson.

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

2 weeks ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

STREAMED LIVE!
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/PostNewsGroup
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/blackpressusatv
X: twitter.com/blackpressusa

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Business

Gov. Newsom Issues Executive Order to Tackle Rising Electric Bills

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to help alleviate the financial burden of skyrocketing electric bills on residents. This directive instructs the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Energy Commission to identify strategies to lower electricity costs and prevent rapid increases in the future.

Published

3 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Among the key actions proposed, the governor emphasized a closer examination of utility expenditures related to wildfire mitigation, which accounts for about 13% of residential electric bills.

Newsom underscored the state’s commitment to balancing affordability with environmental goals.

“We’re taking action to address rising electricity costs and save consumers money on their bills,” said Newsom. “California is proving that we can address affordability concerns as we continue our world-leading efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

California now has the second-highest electric rates in the country, trailing only Hawaii, with residential bills having surged as much as 110% over the past decade. The largest utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have seen rate hikes of 20% to 50% in just the last three years, approved by the state’s regulatory bodies.

The executive order also directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to explore increasing the California Climate Credit, which provides some relief on energy costs for residents. Additionally, the PUC is urged to pursue federal funding opportunities to further reduce electric expenses.

While consumer advocates welcomed the governor’s focus on lowering costs, concerns were raised regarding potential cuts to essential clean energy programs. CALPIRG, a consumer group, pointed out that the real issue behind high utility bills is wasteful spending by utilities and urged greater accountability.

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Bay Area

California Ports to Receive Over $1 Billion in Federal Funds to Decarbonize

Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allocate over $1 billion to seven California ports for zero-emission (ZE) infrastructure and climate management plans. In an Oct. 29 press release, Padilla said this funding, part of the EPA’s Clean Ports Program and supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality at ports nationwide.

Published

3 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

In an Oct. 29 press release, Padilla said this funding, part of the EPA’s Clean Ports Program and supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality at ports nationwide.

Among the grants, the Port of Los Angeles received over $411 million, the largest award in the country. California ports are vital to the national economy, handling about 40% of containerized imports and 30% of exports.

“California’s ports move the goods that power our economy. This historic investment in our ports is a major step forward in accelerating the zero-emission infrastructure transition,” said Padilla.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka and fellow port officials echoed Padilla’s sentiments, with plans to acquire over 400 pieces of ZE cargo handling equipment, reducing emissions by 41,500 tons annually.

“This transformative investment will be a tremendous boost to our efforts to meet our ambitious zero emission goals, improve regional air quality, and combat climate change while accelerating the port industry’s transition to zero emissions across the country,” said Seroka.

Other ports, including Oakland, Stockton, San Diego, and San Francisco, will also use their grants to transition to ZE operations, improve regional air quality, and create job opportunities.

The EPA’s funding will support various projects, from electrifying cargo terminals to establishing the first high-speed zero-emission ferry network in the U.S. Ports will collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure these investments benefit their surrounding communities.

The port of Hueneme in Ventura County and the Port of Redwood City on the Southern San Francisco Bay will also receive funding, respectively.