All Climate Events

Thursday, March 4, 2021. 12:00PM. Leah Bamberger, City of Providence;Jazandra Baros, Jesus Holguin, and Monica Huertas, Racial and Environmental Justice Committee of Providence, Rhode Island. Sponsored by NJ Climate Change Alliance. Details and Registration link.

Join Leah Bamberger (Director of Sustainability) and Jazandra Baros, Jesus Holguin, and Monica Huertas (colleagues from the Racial and Environmental Justice Committee of Providence, Rhode Island) in a presentation and discussion regarding Providence's Climate Justice Action Plan.

About the Speakers

Leah Bamberger, Director of Sustainability

Mayor Jorge O. Elorza appointed Leah Bamberger as the Director of Sustainability in April 2015. Leah brings a wealth of experience in municipal sustainability efforts. She previously managed the City of Boston’s citywide sustainability initiative, Greenovate Boston. In this role, she worked on policy and community engagement and led the development of the City’s 2014 Climate Action Plan. Prior to this position, Leah served as a consultant to a variety of local and regional governments and nonprofits in the northeast, supporting their climate and sustainability planning work. The Sustainability Director’s responsibilities include identifying opportunities to reduce the City’s energy costs, working with community groups, residents, and businesses to implement the City’s first comprehensive sustainability action plan, transitioning residents to the Recycle Together program, and other projects. Under Mayor Elorza’s leadership, Leah has prioritized centering racial equity in this work, demonstrated by the launch of Equity in Sustainability Initiative in 2016 and the release of the Climate Justice Plan in 2019.Leah has a B.A. from the College of Charleston in Political Science and Environmental Studies and a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She resides in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Providence.

Jazandra Barros, Community Outreach Coordinator, Southside Community Land Trust

I am a food and land justice advocate, currently serving as the community outreach coordinator for Southside Community Land Trust and as a member of the Race and Environmental Justice Committee of Providence. I'm a gardener and plant based chef with a specific interest in the role that eating plant foods and stewarding land plays into community healing and wellbeing.

Monica Huertas is a founding member of the Racial and Environmental Justice Committee and Director of Green Justice Zone.

Jesus Holguin, Community Organizer, Project Team Member REJC, Center Coordinator Youth Pride Inc.

Originally born in Manhattan, NY Jesus now resides in Providence, RI. Jesus identifies as a Queer Afro-Latino Youth and an activist. His main areas of activism include LGBT Rights, Gender Justice, Environmental Justice, Food Justice, and Immigration Rights. Since 2009, Jesus has been actively involved with Youth Pride Inc, first as a youth and later as an employee. Shortly after his mother was deported in 2010 Jesus was introduced to organizing and community impact. This passion for justice opened many doors and provided Jesus with several opportunities to work with their community. They educate and mobilize youth to fight toxic infrastructure in their communities. also a co-founding member of the Racial Environmental Justice Committee, a collaboration on developing bridges between community and city municipalities. They serve on the Environmental Sustainability task force. Their goal is to create holistic safe spaces for young folks in PVD, in 2018 Jesus was chosen to be the face of RI by USA Today. And this year chosen to be a Champion of Pride for the Advocate Magazine for their community work.

Providence Climate Justice Flyer