My beat focuses on environmental justice in The Bronx. I have been working on finding subjects to interview after I have done enough research on thee topic. So far, I have two organizations that I am ready to contact next week: the Bronx River Alliance and the New York Environmental Justice Alliance. They have been working to bring environmental justice, for years.

I recently went back to work on my second and third pitch for this beat, after further researching these two organizations. Here is a snippet of what I learned about them, below:

Some of the goals of the New York Environmental Justice Alliance are to build resilient communities, demand waste equity, protect waterfronts. One of their biggest achievements is NY Renews which is an alliance collaborating with hundreds of community based organizations, leaders and other groups that are actively involved in improving their communities environments. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act that passed in 2019 is one of the most progressive laws that was put into action by NY Renews, co-founded by NYC-EJA.

Bronx River Alliance has also grown over the years. Not only is their team expanding, but their programs are too. The central focus of the alliance is to protect the river and its surrounding areas from pollution, litter, and to educate others who want tyo be actively involved in improving and restoring their communities. Some of the programs and teams they have are the education program, recreation program, outreach program, ecology team and greenway team. The ecology team in particular is a team of scientists, community-based organizations and agencies who work together restore the Bronx River.

I also searched for people, in my area specifically, who were directly affected by industrial pollution, waste, and other sources that were affecting their physical health. I personally know Sandra Quinones, who has always had asthma, but has had it worsen when she began living in The Bronx.

I am currently searching for at least two more people who have been directly affected, and at least one person who developed asthma at a later age from pollution. I read newer articles such as one on Healthline, which is similar to the idea I had for my beat, so I am finding ways to take a different approach on this angle.

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