Everyone has the right to breathe clean, life-giving air. Air, however, is not equally clean for all communities, resulting in disparities in health, healthcare and quality of life.
MomsRising, NAACP, Presente, American Lung Association and Consumers Union invite everyone interested in Clean Air for All to participate in a blog carnival. This online event aims to raise a chorus of voices to elevate clean air as a public health and civil rights issue – among and for all communities.
We invite all participants to think broadly, since clean air is connected to everything. Want to write about Hurricane Sandy, climate change and fairness? Go ahead!
Here are some blog post ideas:
• Clean air in communities
• Clean air in schools
• Clean air in playgrounds
• Asthma disparities
• Asthma healthcare and health costs
• Economic impact of pollution on community businesses
• Clean air as a civil rights issue
• Response to Hurricane Sandy in different New York neighborhoods
• Climate change and communities of color
• Obama’s environmental legacy
• Personal stories about asthma, mercury poisoning or other air-related illness, with fairness angle
• Mothers as community organizers for clean air
• The daily burden on parents in protecting their kids from air pollution
• Economic impact of pollution on families
• African-American women, gender and asthma mortality
• Any idea you may come up with related to clean air and environmental justice!
How the Blog Carnival Works
When many voices talk about the same issue at the same time, it helps the issue break through all the “noise” in the information landscape and register in the public consciousness. This blog carnival organizes many voices to talk about clean air and environmental justice at the same time.
We are accepting blog post submissions from now through Monday, November 26, 2012. The blog carnival “goes live” on Thursday, November 29.
All the links to all the contributed pieces will be gathered into one umbrella blog post, with an introduction written by Vernice Miller-Travis, Vice Chair of the Maryland State Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities and Co-founder West Harlem Environmental Action. The umbrella blog post will be published across all co-organizer websites.
TWITTER CHAT: Also on November 29, co-organizers will hold a Twitter chat at hashtag #cleanair4kids to further amplify the message of clean air and environmental justice by sharing information and highlighting individual pieces in the blog carnival.
How to Submit a Post
CHOOSE YOUR MEDIUM: For this blog carnival, in addition to text posts, we welcome video, art and photography – whatever your preferred medium – to be displayed in a blog post.
Please email the following to anita@momsrising.org by Monday, 5:00 PM EST, November 26, 2012, copying gloria@momsrising.org:
• Author name and email address
• Author head shot
• Author or organization Twitter handle as appropriate
• Post title
• Post content
• If a text post, if possible, include an accompanying photo or image, with photo or image credit. Photos and images are extremely effective in encouraging people to share blog shared around the Internet.
• We do welcome previously published pieces, but ask that authors include a few new sentences about why they are submitting it for this particular blog carnival. Please include the original blog post URL to receive credit.
The more blog posts, the merrier (and the bigger the impact we’ll have overall). So in addition to submitting your own blog post, if you know anyone else who may like to participate, feel free to share this invitation with them.
Useful Articles and Resources
Disparities in the Impact of Air Pollution
New EPA Rules Help Communities of Color Breathe Easier
Poll: Air pollution takes heaviest toll on black, Latino communities
Should Race Be A Political Factor In The Treatment Of Childhood Asthma?
Luchando por el Aire: The Burden of Asthma on Hispanics
Thank You for Your Help
MomsRising is excited to offer everyone who submits a post to the Clean Air and Environmental Justice Blog Carnival the following thank you gifts:
1) Pacha’s Pajamas soundtrack and eBook ($14.00 value). This family clean air conversation starter is a Children’s Pop Musical that inspires kids to be superheroes for the planet. The lead character Pacha overcomes asthma and helps organize a huge festival in nature to bring balance to the planet. This story is a great way for families to start and further conversations about clean air. The soundtrack’s featured artists include Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def, Cheech Marin, Talib Kweli, and Majora Carter, among others.
2) MomsRising bumper sticker. Proudly display this bumper sticker to remind everyone that moms and families are a powerful force!
Read more: http://www.momsrising.org/...