Sustainability and Environmental Justice for Underrepresented Communities: A Symposium on Health, Wellness & Healing, Wed, April 27, 11:00 – 6:00 p.m. SUB MPR

Presented by the Center for Student Engagement, the Student Association & Eddy at New Paltz

Our symposium will feature leaders from the Newburgh community and additional experts in the fields of Public Health and Community Building, including keynote speakers Dr. Gregory Simpson, Pastor and Environmental Justice Advocate, Dr. Erin Bell, School of Public Health, U. Albany, and Sameer Ranade, Climate Justice Advisor, NYSERDA. The day will involve lightning talks and panel discussions moderated by Edward Lawson, Jr., JD, MBA, Assistant Director of Intercultural Relations, SUNY New Paltz. Student Governance President Jordan Hennix will MC opportunities for creative expression and sharing at an open mic. Our SUNY New Paltz goal as co-conspirators is to promote marginalized communities as they gain access to health, wellness & environmental justice resources and strategies. By closing the gap between such supports and the people who might benefit from them, we can empower one another. We aim to listen deeply, to interrupt practices that offer help without attending to community needs, interests, concerns, hopes, and desires. In conversation with practitioners and community leaders, we will imagine and work towards Newburgh’s healing process from PFAS contamination and other environmental injustices. Our event will end with a celebration of knowledge exchange and an appreciation of shared wisdom including that of our Newburgh high school student guests and campus participants.

Symposium AGENDA April 2022 HWEJ final

Participation

We will hold space for inquiry, gathering, listening, sharing on these topics:

  • Heath, Wellness & Environmental Justice
  • Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
  • Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
  • Projects related to the Newburgh Clean Water Project
  • Community-led research
  • Urban farming
  • Quality Education
  • Social / environmental / economic sustainability
  • Violence as a public health & safety issue
  • Social media impacts on health & wellness
  • Healing-centered engagement

Registration

Please use this registration form to let us know you will attend and enjoy breakfast, lunch and/ or join the ice cream social.

Co-sponsored by the Sustainability Learning Community and the Faculty Development Center

 

Photo: Councilman Anthony Grice (SUNY NP class of 2005), Destiny, Brittany, Dr. Erin Bell, Director of the PFAS multi-site study, U Albany, Elizabeth & Jamie.