Intro: Celebrating the Power of Our Movement
Over the past two months, we've witnessed a breathtaking resurgence of grassroots activism across the US. Communities are standing up for their rights as workers, students, parents, and stewards of a clean energy-powered, locally resilient future:
- On March 17, over 150 local leaders launched exciting new campaigns at our Local Clean Energy Alliance’s second annual Clean Power, Healthy Communities conference.
- On April 2, enthusiastic community leaders affirmed our shared vision of an equitable and resilient Bay Area at Bay Localize's 5-Year Anniversary Gala, Roots of Resilience.
- In mid-April, over 10,000 young people converged on Washington, DC for Power Shift 2011, sending our political leaders the unmistakable message that the time for a clean energy economy is NOW!
- And in partnership with our allies at Oakland Community Organizations (OCO), over 2,000 parents and concerned residents came together to demand equal education for our children.
As our movements grow, the possibilities for change grow with them. Now is the time to get involved!
Read on for more exciting updates from our programs, and for localization news from around the Bay!
Yours for community,
— The Bay Localize team
Communities for Resilience: Roots of Resilience Gala Brings Movement Together
On Saturday, April 2nd hundreds gathered in downtown Oakland for Roots of Resilience, Bay Localize's 5-year anniversary gala celebration! Attendees enjoyed delicious local organic food, reconnected with friends and allies, and celebrated the growing movement for community resilience.
Keynoter Oakland Mayor Jean Quan drove home how our local green movements are playing a vital role in raising the bar at the state and national levels, and our Community Resilience Leadership Awardees highlighted the growing potential of urban agriculture, green redevelopment, cooperative economics, and local clean energy to strengthen our communities. To top off the evening, electric hip-soul artist Jennifer Johns and Jet-magazine up-and-comer Ashel "Seasunz" Eldridge rocked the main stage as scores of guests danced the night away. Thanks to all our sponsors, interns, volunteers, Steering Committee members, and new supporters for making Roots of Resilience an evening to remember!
See the full photo set from Roots of Resilience! Missed our 5-year gala? Support our work!
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Story Initiative Trains Climate Activists, Works to Protect Equal Education for Our Kids
Bay Localize is launching an exciting initiative to build the power of grassroots groups to communicate about a resilient vision for our future and the concrete steps we need to make it happen. In March, Bay Localize partnered with 350.org on a climate action skills-building workshop at the Ecology Center entitledStory of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now. Over 40 organizers came together to learn how to use storytelling more intentionally for social change.
This spring, our Story-Centered Advocacy initiative has been supporting Oakland Community Organizations (OCO) in filming and amplifying the stories of school communities that are threatened with severe budget cuts, effectively denying the rights of young people to have equal access to quality education. We are engaging parents and community members to raise awareness of the disproportionate impact of the layoff crisis on low-income school communities. On May 3rd, OCO's Save Our Schools Action was attended by about 2,000 people (see photo above), and featured a 10-minute film produced by Bay Localize that interweaves the heart-wrenching stories of four school communities into a powerful testament of resilience.
On May 8th, we are co-sponsoring a Mother’s Day storytelling exhibition where we will hear stories about all mothers — including Mother Earth. We are also excited to re-convene folks interested in developing a shared story for the Bay Area in June. If you are interested in joining us, email kay@baylocalize.org.
Support the Save Futures Oakland Campaign! RSVP to the Mother’s Day Exhibition on May 8
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Green Your City: SF Passes Historic Urban Ag Ordinance!
Bay Localize joined in this effort with the SF Urban Ag Alliance, a coalition of urban farmers, food entrepreneurs, and community groups that brought together multiple stakeholders to engage with city staff and elected leaders. The resulting ordinance stands as a landmark policy toward a healthier, more resilient local food system with exciting opportunities for small entrepreneurs. To see what the media had to say, check out the SF Urban Ag Alliance's news page.
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Grow Local Campaign to Promote Healthy Food Access, Urban Farming in Oakland and Richmond
The cities of Oakland and Richmond are both looking at ways to help promote urban agriculture in their communities. Both have many community gardens, nonprofits, and programs that focus on increasing access to healthy foods to critical neighborhoods, as well as an abundance of residents involved in growing their own food. However, obstacles remain for residents and businesses who want to grow and sell their own food, especially in residential areas and on public lands.
Our goal is to ensure that new policies to improve urban ag also include the perspectives of those working the soil. In partnership with our friends and allies, Bay Localize's "Grow Local" campaign is bringing together diverse communities to advance proven strategies to increase local food growing and sellling, local green jobs, and improved community health. If you live in Oakland or Richmond and want to get involved, shoot an e-mail to leah@baylocalize.org. Let’s Grow Local!
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Local Clean Energy: Clean Power, Healthy Communities Conference Brings Together 150 Advocates for Local Energy
The Local Clean Energy Alliance’s second annual Clean Power, Healthy Communities conference drew over 150 people on March 18 to launch three exciting campaigns: Claim Our Cash, Solutions in Our Backyard, and Community Choice Energy. The conference began March 17th with a Happy Hour debate on “Who Controls the Energy Pot of Gold” (see photo below) and ended with a rally at Oakland City Hall that called on city officials to say "Yes to Clean Energy, No to Nuclear Power" in light of the meltdowns in Japan.
Attended by a diverse cross-section of climate activists, clean energy businesses, trade unionists, environmental justice advocates, and public officials, the conference provided compelling evidence that our only escape from our fossil fuel-dependent, climate-destroying energy system is to reduce overall energy consumption and transition to renewable energy generated locally in our communities. The Clean Power, Healthy Community conference emphasized local clean energy as an economically, socially just alternative to the perils of fossil fuel and nuclear energy production. A decentralized energy system not only addresses the impact of climate change, but provides clean energy jobs, equitable development, and healthy communities.