Sierra Club’s Inner City Outing to California
This summer, the Sierra Club North Star Chapter’s Inner City Outings program sponsored a national service trip for three Hmong teens from Minnesota to the Marble Mountains of far-northern California.
"I'd never been to the mountains before, so seeing them and being in them for the first time was mind-blowing," says Kia Lor, one of three Hmong youths who did trail work in the Marble Mountains, part of the Klamath National Forest.
Kids from Southern California; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Louisville, KY; and the Orlando, FL ranging from 14 to 19 years old, participated in the service trip. Eight kids participated, and all received 10-year Sierra Club memberships.
Says fellow Hmong teenager Meng Yang: "This was my first time out of the Midwest, my first time on an airplane, and my first time being away from home for a week. The trip was one of the hardest, dehydrating, exhausting, scariest, and greatest things I've ever done. If given the opportunity, I'd do it all over again."
“What is a green job and are they in Minnesota?”
“E.J. on display!” remarked one observer at the Green Jobs Photo Project Gallery at Common Roots Café in Minneapolis, referring to the environmental justice movement. The photographic exhibit, depicting the diversity of workers in action in green jobs, drew a lively and admiring crowd on the opening day. The artistic representation of workers constructing wind turbines and weatherizing homes caused some onlookers to marvel at the beauty of working people and others to express surprise at the wide range of employment opportunities in the green economy.
“People always talk about green jobs, but where are they?” inquired Joshua Low, organizer for the Blue-Green Alliance. The Blue-Green Alliance is a coalition, which includes the Sierra Club, the United Steel Workers, and other partners, dedicated to the principle that industrial workers and environmentalists can and must work together for economic prosperity and sustainability. “This photo gallery is a visual representation of those green jobs here in Minnesota”, added Low.
“Green jobs include conservation, weatherization, but also workers in the areas of geothermal and heating cooling system, pipefitters, pervious concrete, solar, etc.”, explained Low. “There is a wide array of opportunities.”
“The green economy employs thousands of Minnesotans,” Low said. “With this exhibit we are trying to help people understand green jobs in a more expansive way.”
Environmental justice advocates at the opening pointed to the importance of making sure that the green jobs movement does not leave communities of color behind. “I was glad to see Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, and all Americans represented in the photo gallery”, said Joey Adamji..
“It can’t just be green for some; it’s got to be green for all.” Several youth on hand expressed satisfaction with the representation of diversity shown the photographic display. Green jobs advocates, still celebrating the Twin Cities award of $9 million in green jobs training grants, felt that the gallery display helped to inform the public what the possibilities for green economy are.
“I want a green job” said 17-year-old Austin Monahan. “I want to clean up the earth and fatten-up my wallet too!”
|
