By Karen Monahan
10/28/2008

Our 5th Annual Founders Day was a huge success!!!!!!! Thank you everyone for coming and working toward environmental justice. Together we will build a better future.

Almost 300 people came together, participated in dialogue, donated time and money, and shared vision and concerns for Environmental Justice. Thank you for your donation.

Cecil Corbon-Mark, Director of WE ACT was our keynote speaker. WE ACT is a non-profit organization based in Northern Manhattan. They are working to improve environmental quality and to secure environmental justice in predominately African-American and Latino communities.

Congressman Keith Ellison gave us a report on Environmental Justice issues that are being discussed in D.C. He has been a strong leader, who has inspired and has shared his vision with us to address Environmental Justice.

Leslie Fields (Environmental Justice Director from Sierra Club), traveled from D.C. to give us a report on EJ legislation on the federal level.

Thank you to the EJAM Founders Day Committee for all of their work in pulling together this special day.

A big thanks goes out to all those who sponsored or contributed to this event including: Headwaters Foundation • Minneapolis Foundation  Sierra Club • The Bush Foundation • Minneapolis Urban League • IATP • Alliance for Metro Sustainability • Fresh Energy • Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy • Metro Transit, Wellstone Action • Eureka Recycling • Blue Green Alliance • Healthy Legacy • Transit for Livable Communities • Common Roots • Women's Environmental Institute (WEI)

Many Thanks To: • Aztec Dancers for sharing their culture/vision for the earth and sacred dancing • Ananya Dance Theatre for sharing their message - Daak (call to action) responds to the aggressive lands rights violations in primarily rural communities in order to establish global industries.

Workshop Titles included:

• Organizing for Environmental Justice
• Blacks and the Land: An Environmental Workshop by AfroEco
• Healthy Legacy – Safe Products, Made Safely
• Climate Justice
• Globalization, Environmental Justice and Money
• Dialogue with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Youth Action

Town Hall Meeting - Open Dialogue with Community Members
Special thanks to Liza O’Reilly who did an excellent job as the facilitator

Special thank you to Patricia Crumley for taking the time to emcee and for bringing a delightful energy to the event.