Social Actions: Tomorrow-Racial Justice Film+Upcoming Events
Sarah Klepner
TRUE JUSTICE “Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality” follows Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and his struggle to create greater fairness in the criminal justice system. The film shows how racial injustice emerged, evolved and continues to threaten the country, and challenges viewers to confront it.
Here in New Jersey, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, accounting for nearly half of our state’s emissions.
If we’re ever going to fully tackle the climate crisis and improve the poor air quality that predominantly suffocates environmental justice, Black, and Latinx communities, it’s imperative that we accelerate to a future of an electrified transportation system.
The state legislature is poised to vote on a landmark electric vehicle bill this Monday that would transform New Jersey’s transportation sector, ensure we’re well on our way to meeting our 100% clean energy goals, and certify our status as a national leader in greenhouse gas reductions. But we can only make that happen by raising our voices to get our lawmakers to support it.
To ensure everyone has access to electric vehicles, S2252/A4819 would establish a nation-leading incentive program with rebates of up to $5,000 and provide the framework for an essential public charging network so everyone can plug-in. In addition, it will help homeowners purchase in-home electric vehicle charging equipment. With regards to public transportation, the bill will also put NJTransit on an aggressive timeline to achieve a near zero-emission bus fleet by 2040!
Everyone deserves the right to clean air, yet the majority of New Jersey’s counties routinely receives failing ratings from the American Lung Association for their terrible air quality. By electrifying our transportation system, we can take a major step forward in cleaning up the air for more than 167,000 children in New Jersey living with asthma, especially those in Black and Latinx communities who are much more likely to suffer the consequences of toxic exhaust from vehicles on heavily trafficked roads.
New Jersey is no stranger to clean energy solutions – it’s high time for us to start taking real, tangible steps toward replacing gas guzzling cars with clean running electric vehicles. We’ll see less greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change, more local jobs, and cleaner air for our communities.
Send a message to your state lawmakers ASAP and tell them to support S2252/A4819 >>
Thanks for joining us in the fight for a 100% clean energy future.
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Thanks to Patty Whyte (pwhy...@gmail.com) for the following info on racial justice programs in Red Bank: