Climate Justice on Campus and Beyond
Class Length: 90 minutes
This training will give a broad overview of what climate change is and the effects it has on CA public schools, particularly the disproportionate effect it has on schools in low-income areas. The training will unpack side effects that come from climate change like mental health effects, school closures due to extreme weather, and the role of environmental injustice that keeps some districts in harm's way more than others. Participants can expect to learn about how to advocate for climate justice on their campuses to improve student life while helping the planet. Sharing existing campaigns and examples to inspire educators to join or start at their schools is a central outcome of this training. The goal of this training is to equip paraeducators with the tools and resources needed to better prepare themselves and their students for the increasingly difficult challenges that the public school system faces as climate change worsens and turns the curiosity and anxiety that many students face into action.
Presenter
Yassi Kavezade
Yassi has been an advocate towards economic and environmental justice for 10 years. She believes in building trust, community organizing, and creating public policy with public interest in mind across several regulatory agencies and governments. In her role with the Sierra Club she has organized and lead campaigns for green jobs, clean air, and 100% clean energy for the state, with each campaign highlighting the creation of well-paying jobs for generations to come. As resident of the Inland Empire, home to some of the worst air pollution in the country, she has first-hand experience in the need to create a new standard of living for communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis.