With summer here, many are dealing with rising gas prices and high electricity bills. This is particularly stressful for families on a tight budget who can’t afford electric vehicles or new energy-saving appliances. Alec Castellano and Diamond Spratling, two participants in this year's UC Davis Environmental Justice (EJ) Leaders cohort, are working towards electric vehicle adoption and combating rising energy costs within communities of color.
On the evening of May 19, 2023 beside the California State Capitol, over 60 graduate students, faculty, directors, and other environmental justice-focused personnel gathered to celebrate the newest cohort of Environmental Justice (EJ) Leaders.
The Environmental Justice Leaders program brings leaders working in environmental justice into dialogue and collaboration with the UC Davis research community. Fellows conduct research that benefits the community they serve, utilizing the expertise and resources at UC Davis. They are also participating in seminars, visiting classes, and speaking to the research community. The program is a collaboration between FRI, the Institute for Transportation Studies, and the Energy Efficiency Institute.
Having healthy places to live, work, and play is fundamental to achieving feminist goals of liberation for all. FRI's work in environmental justice pushes research to directly address community needs and solutions, especially in places most impacted by environmental injustices. These injustices include air pollution, toxins in the soil and water, chemical exposure, heat islands, lack of access to green space, and inequitable access to new technologies.
Community organizers, advocates, and practitioners from across the country are invited to apply to take part in the second year of the UC Davis Environmental Justice Leaders in Residence Program (formally EJ Fellowship Program). EJ leaders from across the country will work on a project of benefit to their community in partnership with researchers. Participants will network with elected officials, policymakers, and industry leaders.
The Environmental Justice Fellows program brings leaders working in environmental justice into dialogue and collaboration with the UC Davis research community. Fellows conduct research that benefits the community they serve, utilizing the expertise and resources at UC Davis. They are also participating in seminars, visiting classes, and speaking to the research community. The program is a collaboration between FRI, the Institute for Transportation Studies, and the Energy Efficiency Institute.
We are proud to announce that FRI Associate Director Sarah McCullough will direct the newly-formed UC Davis Environmental Justice Fellows program. McCullough will work with campus transportation, energy and environmental researchers, as well as community activists and organizations to foster collaborative development within the environmental justice community on-campus and beyond.
