EJLF Convening
About the convening
"Meeting the Moment: Building Power from the Grassroots Up" The 2025 Environmental Justice Leadership Forum Convening is taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana this June 2025. The convening will bring together members from across 22 states to connect, build momentum, and grow critical skills. The agenda reflects the theme of the convening to address the current political moment for the environmental justice movement. As a forum, the group will reflect on policy advances we have made over the past few decades - and particularly the last administration - and will explore the challenges our communities are facing as well as the opportunities we have ahead to continue to advance our policy agenda.
Explore member Directorybecome a memberOUR AGENDA - DAY 1
The 2025 EJLF Convening will take place from Tuesday June 24th -Friday June 27th.
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - Arrival Day
Welcome Dinner:
Opening Remarks - Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Day 1
Welcome:
Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, will give opening remarks including local environmental justice history.
Celebrating Our Movement:
Denise Patel, National Organizing Director at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, will present a recap of the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum’s progress and work over the past year.
Meeting the Moment Panel:
Speaker: Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, former Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality
Panelists will discuss the current political moment for the environmental justice movement.
Panelists:
- Joan Brannon, Executive Director, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
- Vivian Huang, Co-Director, Asia Pacific Environmental Network
- Ean Thomas Tafoya, Vice President of State Programs, GreenLatinos
Building a Democracy to Win Panel:
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - Arrival Day
Welcome Dinner:
Opening Remarks - Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Day 1
Welcome:
Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, will give opening remarks including local environmental justice history.
Celebrating Our Movement:
Denise Patel, National Organizing Director at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, will present a recap of the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum’s progress and work over the past year.
Meeting the Moment Panel:
Speaker: Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, former Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality
Panelists will discuss the current political moment for the environmental justice movement.
Panelists:
- Joan Brannon, Executive Director, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
- Vivian Huang, Co-Director, Asia Pacific Environmental Network
- Ean Thomas Tafoya, Vice President of State Programs, GreenLatinos
Building a Democracy to Win Panel:
Panel Moderator: Vernice Miller-Travis, Executive VP, Metropolitan Group and Co-Founder of WE ACT for Environmental Justice
A healthy democracy is prerequisite to winning policies that protect our air, water, and health, create equitable energy policy, and getting corporations (not taxpayers) to clean up their toxic legacies. The environmental justice movement must now dig into its roots in the civil rights movement to ensure that the institutions that we rely on are protected and that we are building leadership in our communities that are resilient and powerful enough to continue to advance our agenda over the next four years and beyond. Panelists will provide a perspective on their civil rights work past and present and the fight for environmental justice.
Panelists:
- Paulina Lopez, Executive Director, Duwamish River Community Coalition
- Marquita Bradshaw, Executive Director, Sowing Justice
- Justin McCorkle, Lead Strategist, The Synergy Network
Building State Strategies - Cumulative Impacts Panel:
Keynote + Moderator: Charles Lee, activist, co-author Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, former Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Environmental Justice at the EPA
Keynote + Moderator: Charles Lee, activist, co-author Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States, former Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Environmental Justice at the EPA
Charles Lee will give a keynote address on the decades of work to make cumulative impacts policy a reality for environmental justice. He will then moderate a panel discussion with community leaders on the achievements of regulatory policies at local and state levels and the campaigns that lead to legislative victories. Audience members will learn how they can move campaigns forward and discuss how we can build a strategy to win cumulative impacts policy at the federal level.
Panelists:
Panelists:
- Dr. Nicky Sheats, Member, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
- Oriana Holmes Price, Director of Organizing, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
- Briana Carbajal, State Legislative Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
- Courtney Hanson, Deputy Director, People for Community Recovery
Developing our Policy Agenda EJLF Strategy Session:
WE ACT Staff will lead an interactive session to develop a collective vision for the EJLF Policy Agenda over the next few years. Members will provide local perspectives to shape our work and identify the types of resources, knowledge, and tools we will need to move forward.
Understanding C3 vs C4 Lobbying Training:
WE ACT Staff will lead an interactive session to develop a collective vision for the EJLF Policy Agenda over the next few years. Members will provide local perspectives to shape our work and identify the types of resources, knowledge, and tools we will need to move forward.
Understanding C3 vs C4 Lobbying Training:
Non-profit in-house counsel will provide an overview of the rules and considerations 501(c)(3) organizations should keep in mind regarding federal and state lobbying, and how to maximize advocacy within the rules.
Led by Sam Levor, Senior Associate, General Counsel, Natural Resources
Defense Council and NRDC Action Fund
OUR AGENDA- DAY 2
Thursday, June 26, 2025 - Day 2
New Orleans/Cancer Alley Toxic Tour
Communities along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, now known as “Cancer Alley,” have experienced decades of pollution from the post-World War II oil boom to the present-day proliferation of the plastics industry. Hurricane Katrina laid bare the impacts that climate change has on the present and future of the communities along the Gulf Coast. The New Orleans Toxic Tour will start in St. James Parish to hear from local leaders organizing with Rise St. James, then continue south to hear from the Concerned Citizens of St. Johns about their efforts to build a safer, healthier future for their communities.
Building Your Base: Local Coalitions & Engaging Your Members
Executive Director Essentials:
Dinner & Celebration
New Orleans/Cancer Alley Toxic Tour
Tour Guide: Darryl Malek-Wylie, Senior Field Representative, Sierra Club
Communities along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, now known as “Cancer Alley,” have experienced decades of pollution from the post-World War II oil boom to the present-day proliferation of the plastics industry. Hurricane Katrina laid bare the impacts that climate change has on the present and future of the communities along the Gulf Coast. The New Orleans Toxic Tour will start in St. James Parish to hear from local leaders organizing with Rise St. James, then continue south to hear from the Concerned Citizens of St. Johns about their efforts to build a safer, healthier future for their communities.
Building Your Base: Local Coalitions & Engaging Your Members
This two-part workshop includes an interactive session for organizers and campaigners to focus on two essential campaign skills to build power for your organization: building local coalitions and engaging your members. In Part 1, participants will learn and put to practice the ladder of engagement for their organization or project, learn the importance of building volunteer leaders and networks, and explore tools on how to manage and track volunteer participation to help build their campaign. In Part 2, trainers will share their experiences building and working with local coalitions, best practices, and how to troubleshoot tensions. Participants will learn about different types of coalitions and have an opportunity to discuss and share their goals and experience.
Executive Director Essentials:
Peggy Shepard and Morgan Fritz, Director of Development at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, will lead a workshop session and discussion for executive staff members on how to create a Board Development plan and the Essential Organizational Structures and Staff you need to build your organization.
I’s & T’s - Protecting Your Organization and Members Workshop:
I’s & T’s - Protecting Your Organization and Members Workshop:
Invited legal counsel will lead a session on how to protect your organization and members from potential legal actions. Panelists will highlight existing and potential threats to organizations and outline steps organization leaders can and should take to protect themselves and their work from safeguarding your financial systems and communications to addressing digital security.
Dinner & Celebration
OUR AGENDA- DAY 3
Friday, June 27, 2025 - Half-day & Travel Day
Mock Press Conference
Closing Reflection & Remarks
Telling Your Story - Organizing & Visualizing Data Workshop:
Participants will learn how to use data and research to tell their stories, including the types of data visualizations that are most effective for their messaging, understanding visual elements when displaying data, and common tools for developing visualizations.
Amplifying Your Story - Working With the "Mediaverse" Workshop:
Amplifying Your Story - Working With the "Mediaverse" Workshop:
WE ACT for Environmental Justice communications staff will guide participants of all levels through an interactive session establishing needs based on experience amplifying your message with media and in digital spaces, a reflection on what works and best practices, connecting with media and amplifying pathways, and establishing your narrative, all building towards a mock press conference! Expanding on our previous communications trainings, including Developing Your Story 101, we will use concepts like a "story hook" to engage audiences, as well as develop key thematic messages and examples that drive effective communications in order to showcase an issue/solution, and encourage action.
Mock Press Conference
Closing Reflection & Remarks
Featured
Organizations
Explore our spotlight on inspiring organizations dedicated to addressing and centering environmental justice in the effort to achieve a just transition and fight for the right to clean air, water, and land. Learn about our impactful work and innovative solutions driving progress for equitable policies and connect with your local organizations!
