Episode Two: Amanda Gallegos and Janelle Astorga-Ramos
The second episode of SWOP’s 40th Anniversary Podcast features a conversation between the fierce and hardworking Amanda Gallegos and Janelle Astorga-Ramos. They talk about haunted hotels, out of town conference shenanigans and how proud they are to be a part of the SWOP family.
About the hosts:
JUSTICE WHERE WE LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY
Environmental Justice organizing has been one of the cornerstones of the SouthWest Organizing Project’s work since its inception in 1980. SWOP has worked hand in hand with environmental justice communities, from our historic fight against the Intel Corporation, to the protection of sacred lands, to reclaiming water rights, defending against nuclear waste and proliferation, to the fight for better air quality, and the fights against corporate water and tax grabs.
All of these environmental justice campaigns are different, but they also have some important things in common. We abide by the tenets set forth by the Principles of Environmental Justice and the Jemez Principles of Democratic Organizing, which means that we work with the community to uplift them in their acts of self-determination. This work isn’t easy; it often pits the community against powerful politicians and corporations, or regulatory bodies on the Municipal, County, and Federal levels, and the work often demands that we collect our own pollution data to provoke action.
This is a first look trailer of our short documentary on the Kirtland jet fuel spill which occurred in Albuquerque, New Mexico around the 1950's. We were able to hire a group of youth to help film this short documentary on the issues surrounding the jet fuel leak into frontline communities, while learning about the surrounding atmosphere of environmental justice in New Mexico.
Stay tuned for more information and a date for the first premiere showing!
Over the past few years, SWOP has: worked with community members to protect water from the Santolina development, pushed back against the Sunport Extension that is set to be built through the environmental justice community of San Jose, worked with community members to gather a year’s worth of air pollution data that they used to push regulatory bodies to provide clean air, filed multiple Title VI discrimination complaints against racist governmental bodies, and we are pushing the Air Force to speed up their clean-up of the giant jet fuel plume that is contaminating Albuquerque’s drinking water.
‘Justice where we work, live, and play’ is our motto to express that everyone deserves a clean living environment, and that the environment for someone living in an environmental justice community doesn’t necessarily just involve natures reserves, or solely plant and animals. Environmental injustices don’t happen by accident, which is why our communities have to ask, "who pays, and who benefits?" That is how we attack the root causes of inequality, while also ensuring a safe environment for our families every day. SWOP remains committed to working with environmental justice communities to ensure that their right to self-determination remains intact as we work to achieve their rights to clean water, air, and land.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Legislative Session 2022
NO NET ZERO
SWOP's Comments on HB 6 Draft Bill
Click below to view our comments on the draft bill HB 6: Clean Future Act for the 2022 Legislative Session
Source: Climate False Solutions
English
Spanish
Portugal
(Statement from July Bernal from Pueblo Action Alliance on page 54)
MEDIA LINKS & RESOURCES
Environmental Justice:
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"Environmental justice: A vision for change" High Country News
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"Engaging Scientists in Environmental Justice Communities" Union of Concerned Scientists
Air Quality
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"EPA investigating alleged discrimination by air quality board" NM Political Report
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"Do Albuquerque's Air Pollution Policies Violate Civil Rights?" KUNM News
Santolina
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"Proposed Santolina Development Threatens South Valley Acequias" New Mexico Acequia Association
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"Community Groups Take On Santolina In Court" KUNM News
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"Updates on Santolina Master Plan development" Generation Justice
Sunport Extension
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"Public hearing Wednesday on Sunport Boulevard extension" Albuquerque Journal
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"Analysis of Proposed Sunport Blvd Extension" Human Impact Partners
Kirtland AFB Jet Fuel Leak
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"Air Force faces suit over jet fuel spill" NM Political Report
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"Kirtland cleanup effort faces lawsuit claiming ‘glacial pace’" Albuquerque Journal
Intel
Pueblo Action Alliance