Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice –

Educate, Motivate, Innovate (EMI) Climate Justice Initiative Sub-Committee

The Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice’s (IWG EJ) new “Educate, Motivate and Innovate (EMI) Climate Justice Initiative” Sub-Committee is reaching out to our next generation of young climate-justice leaders attending Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).  We are seeking student-developed climate justice projects to showcase during our Inaugural EMI Climate Justice Training Workshop as part of the 2016 National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program to be held March 9-12, 2016 at the Marriot Marquis Hotel in Washington, DC. The EMI workshop will be held on either March 10 or 11th

The workshop focus is on the effects of climate change on communities with underserved, minority, low-income, or tribal populations.  The emphasis is on the relationships between climate change, human health, traditional practices, economic development, and environmental justice (EJ).

Student projects are being sought that are related to EJ and climate justice and that are educational, motivating and innovative – EMI.  Of particular interest are projects that are ongoing or that could be replicated by other MSI’s, partner agencies, or organizations.

Students are requested to submit an abstract by October 30, 2015 describing their project including:

• Project statement to include discovery questions or issues being addressed;
• Project type – for example: survey, community field project, development of new tools or resources;
• Length of delivery – each student will have approximately 20 minutes;
• Name of the targeted EJ community, issues faced, and their level of involvement;
• Use of tools, methods, resources developed or offered by the Federal government;
• Progress, findings, or accomplishments to date;
• If an ongoing project – describe next phase/steps; and
• Challenges and lessons learned.

The training workshop will also discuss how EJSCREEN – EPA’s new EJ screening tool – can help identify and better understand potential community vulnerabilities. Students will be asked to use EJSCREEN as part of their projects and report their findings during the workshop.

While each MSI may submit more than one abstract, we will not accept more than one abstract from any given institution. A maximum of five student abstracts will be accepted. Of the five students accepted, the conference and IWG EJ will provide travel transportation and room accommodations.

Please submit your abstracts and questions to Joanna Mounce Stancil at joannastancil@fs.fed.us  or via phone at 703-217-2736.  Once the abstracts are received and reviewed, you will be notified of your acceptance.