Community Event Tonight: “From Puerto Rico to Rhode Island: Raising Voices for Climate Justice”
Event marks 6-month anniversary of Hurricane Maria with focus on climate change, resilience
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), the City of Providence’s Office of Sustainability, the University of Rhode Island, the Brown University School of Public Health, and Rhode Island College will host a free public event tonight (3/20) featuring internationally recognized Puerto Rican attorney and environmental justice leader Elizabeth Yeampierre.
On the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Ms. Yeampierre will share her experiences with a recent grassroots recovery delegation to Puerto Rico and reflect on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. These tragic events serve as critical lessons on the health impacts of climate change and the urgency of planning for equitable community resilience.
The event will also engage attendees in facilitated discussions to inform the Statewide Resilience Action Strategy initiated by Governor Gina Raimondo’s Executive Order outlining Rhode Island’s Action Plan to Stand Up to Climate Change, and galvanize community action to address climate change and promote health equity.
Child care, Spanish-language interpretation, and refreshments will be available at no cost.
Who: Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE
What: Community event focused on climate justice and community resilience
When: Tuesday, March 20, 2018 – 5:30 to 8 p.m. (Presentation 6 to 7 p.m. with discussion to follow)
Where: Paff Auditorium, URI Feinstein Campus, 80 Washington Street, Providence
This event is supported by the Kresge Foundation’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative. The Kresge Foundation’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health initiative equips local, public health department leaders with knowledge and skills to transform the role of public health in their communities.
About Elizabeth Yeampierre
Elizabeth Yeampierre is an internationally recognized Puerto Rican attorney and environmental and climate justice leader of African and Indigenous ancestry born and raised in New York City. A national leader in climate justice movement, Elizabeth is the co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance. She is Executive Director of UPROSE, Brooklyn’s oldest Latino community based organization. Her award-winning vision for an inter-generational, multi-cultural and community led organization is the driving force behind UPROSE. She is a long-time advocate and trailblazer for community organizing around just, sustainable development, environmental justice and community-led climate adaptation and community resiliency in Sunset Park. Prior to assuming the Executive Director position at UPROSE, Ms. Yeampierre was the Director of Legal Education and Training at the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, Director of Legal Services for the American Indian law Alliance and Dean of Puerto Rican Student Affairs at Yale University. She holds a BA from Fordham University and a law degree from Northeastern University.