October 5, 2017: Coal Industry & Global Warming: Tracking Coal Projects Around the Globe
An interview with Dr. Christine Shearer of Coalswarm about the coal industry and global warming. Coalswarm is a conglomerate which tracks coal projects around the world. Dr. Shearer discussed how these coal projects are affecting the climate, the myths purported by the current administration about “clean coal,” and her vision for the future of the environmental justice movement. Dr. Shearer discussed the most egregious coal projects happening in parts of Asia and about the urgent need to garner a renewed commitment to addressing global climate change.
October 12, 2017: “No Place Like Home:” The Santa Cruz Housing Crisis
Santa Cruz County is experiencing a major housing crisis. Steven McKay, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz, is the co-Principle investigator of a research project called “No Place Like Home” to better understand the housing crisis in the area. Hermes Padilla is an undergraduate student who was part of the research team for “No Place Like Home” after taking Professor McKay’s class. This study involved well over 1,400 surveys and interviews with local residents about how they are experiencing the local housing crisis. They, along with the other researchers, will be discussing the findings of their study at a community event scheduled for October 19, 2017 at 7PM in downtown Santa Cruz. The event is the kick-off event to Affordable Housing week with a wide-range of county organizations and community groups.
October 19, 2017: Bookshop Santa Cruz: Words to Act On: Education, Empathy, and Action.
Bookshop Santa Cruz, a locally owned and independent bookstore, has organized a series of events this past year as part of a new program called Words to Act On: Education, Empathy, and Action. This Fall 2017, Santa Cruz Bookshop has organized a series of events and campaign addressing the topic of immigration. Casey Coonerty Protti is a second generation owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz and has run daily operations since 2006. We discussed the events, the history of this established family business, and about the challenges facing independent bookstores in today’s market.
Read a letter from Casey about why she started the program.
October 26, 2017: Puerto Rico in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria
Puerto Rico has been devastated following Hurricane Maria. Juan Carlos Davila Santiago, is a filmmaker, journalist, writer, and graduate student in the doctoral program of Latin American and Latino Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He recently returned from a trip to Puerto Rico where his family is based and where he spent most of his summer. He provided a first-hand account of what he witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. He addressed the issue of the impact of climate change on the islands and community-based recovery efforts that are not being reported by the mainstream US media. These community-based recovery efforts include support from the following groups:
Center for Popular Democracy’s Hurricane María Community Recovery Fund
Defend Puerto Rico Relief Fund
Casa Taller Relief Fund Puerto Rico
Casa Pueblo
Comedores Sociales de Puerto Rico
Taller Salud