What's Happening at CCEJ?

Toxic Beauty Campaign Update

12/5/2007

As part of the toxic beauty campaign, we are asking people to sign a pledge card to request safe alternative products at nail salons. Watch the video below to learn more about the campaign, or check out our campaigns page.

Community Calender of Events

11/7/2007
Check out our new EJ Calender of Events!

Call for Volunteers: CCEJ needs YOU!

11/13/2007
Want to reconnect with us? We need community volunteers to help strengthen and restructure CCEJ. We are also currently recruiting new board members.

Please see our volunteer page for new volunteering opportunities.

CCEJ's Transition

September 16, 2007

Dear CCEJ members, supporters, and friends,

As you may know, the Community Coalition for Environmental Justice has gone through a number of changes this past year. We said good-bye to founding director Yalonda Sinde, under whose 13 years of leadership CCEJ became a well-respected leader of the struggle for environmental justice in the Northwest. During Yalonda's transition out of CCEJ, the board and remaining staff took on more leadership responsibilities, and together we strove to continue CCEJ's mission of grassroots, community-led organizing. Navigating these changes has been an exciting, challenging, and time-consuming process for all of us. The community response during this process has been affirming, and we want to express our deep appreciation for your support and patience during this time.

Currently, CCEJ is going through another transition. Due to some significant financial challenges, the staff and board have decided to reorganize into a volunteer-based model of staffing while we work on a long-term, strategic fundraising plan. We are postponing the full implementation of a co-director model of leadership until our financial base is stronger. Our current co-directors, Carlos Alicea and Shelly Vendiola, are assisting us with this transition but have decided to hold off on joining CCEJ as permanent staff for the time being. Kate Villarreal and Melissa Carnay, who have been tirelessly keeping the organizing and administrative functions of CCEJ going smoothly, will be leaving at the end of September to pursue other career opportunities.

While the scale of CCEJ's operations will be reduced at this time, the Board of Directors will continue to meet regularly to develop and implement a viable strategy for CCEJ's future. Our current campaign, "Toxic Beauty," will continue with the support of volunteers and community members. We also plan to keep the office staffed at least one day a week. Your input is very important to us, and if you have questions or concerns, you can email the board at ccejboard@gmail.com, or call the office. While we may not be able to respond to your questions or concerns as promptly as we would like, we will get back to you. In addition, we will be convening a community meeting by the end of the year in order to engage in an in-depth discussion about future campaigns and directions for CCEJ.

Our long-term goal is to develop CCEJ into an even stronger and more active organization than it has been in the past. This goal requires that we continue to build strong community relationships while ensuring that we have a solid financial base. Now more than ever, we need your help in order to make this vision a reality. Please consider making a financial donation to CCEJ so that together we can create a safer, healthier and more just society for our selves, our children, and our communities. Your donation can be made online at www.ccej.org, or you can send a check or money order to the CCEJ office at 1620 18th Avenue, Suite 10, Seattle, WA 98122.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Alka Aurora, Board Member
Jonathan Betz-Zall, Board Member
Melissa Carnay, Staff
Secret Charles, Staff
Jenni Conrad, Board Member
Christina Gallegos, Board Member
dean jackson, Board Co-Chair
David McGraw, Board Member
Elizabeth Moseley, Board Member
Carlos Alicea Negron, Staff
Alice Park, Board Member
Tyrus Smith, Board Member
Joyce Tseng, Board Co-Chair
Michele "Shelly" Vendiola, Staff
Kate Villarreal, Staff

Conference Report Back

Thank you to everyone who made another awesome CCEJ conference possible! We had an educational and exciting day at our 6th annual conference, “Race, Power, and the Environment: Liberating Our Communities from Toxins“, on August 25th, 2007 at South Seattle Community College. The day included workshops, performances, and presenters on issues around indigenous environmental justice issues, food justice, colonization and its global impacts, toxic careers, violence and neighborhood safety, gentrification, redlining, and climate change. Also included were skill sessions, thought provoking break out caucuses, and a phenomenal key note address by Dr. Joy Leary.

What some participants had to say on the conference:

“Lots of great info! A good mix with the spoken word and music additions.“
“Amazing keynote speaker! Provocative, brilliant, insightful.“
“I loved loved the keynote speaker, [Dr.] Joy Leary. It was thoroughly riveting and eye opening. My perception has been changed! I bought her book and will share what I have learned.“
“It was really helpful for me to hear the diversity of perspectives underneath the EJ umbrella.“

Stay tuned for the conference proceedings soon to be posted!