A coalition of New Rochelle teachers and environmental activists has received a $100,000 grant from the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) to expand the New Rochelle Eco-Ambassador Summer Program, which trains local youth to be community scientists and advocates for environmental justice.  

The Energy Justice Law and Policy Center (EJLPC), led by New Rochelle resident Raya Salter, in collaboration with New Rochelle High School Environmental Science teacher Carmen Glenn, Huguenot Academy science teacher Jonathan LaRosa, and the New Rochelle Youth Bureau, created and led the Eco-Ambassador program and applied for the additional funding.  The new grant will enable the project to purchase needed equipment, pay summer interns, support field trips, and hopefully secure a waterfront location for its work. 

LISCIF builds capacity for organizations located in communities affected by disproportionate environmental and human health risks, and to provide technical assistance for organizations in historically underserved areas. 

Years of Organizing for Environmental Justice

The Eco-Ambassador Program is a product of years of organizing around environmental justice in New Rochelle.  

In 2021, New Rochelle activists began fighting a change in zoning regulations that permitted a Starbucks drive-thru just below the Bracey Apartment complex on the corner of Huguenot Street and Echo Avenue.  New Rochelle had never previously allowed a drive-thru next to a residential building.  The city approved the drive-thru despite fierce objections by activists concerned about the impact of air pollution on the health of local residents. Activists pointed out that the zoning change would allow drive-thrus adjacent to multi-family housing but not near single and two-family homes, and noted that chain restaurants like McDonalds and Starbucks had not been permitted to build drive-thrus in the city’s predominantly white neighborhoods.

Since then, there has been a steady rise in environmental and climate justice organizing in New Rochelle.  In October 2021, New Rochelle Against Racism (New RoAR) organized an  Environmental Racism Trolley Tour with associated online learning modules showing how  historic anti-Black racism led to disproportionate climate and environmental impacts in the city’s African-American and Latinx communities, which comprise half of our city and are sometimes referred to as “sacrifice zones.”  

In April 2022, 150 people attended an Earth Day Environmental Justice Rally and Walking Tour, organized by New RoAR and co-sponsored by CURE (Coalition for Understanding Racism through Education), the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, Urban Legacy, Indivisible New Rochelle, Soulful Synergy, and Zonta Club of New Rochelle, along with participation from the New Rochelle High School Green Club. 

Getting Youth Involved

Based on these successful events, activists decided to cultivate youth-led environmental education and organizing  to address the impact of climate change and environmental racism. To do this, youth would need to learn the science – how to form and test hypotheses and to research what has worked in other cities. In short, they need to become community scientists. 

A grant from the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation helped launch the New Rochelle Citizen Science and Youth Study of Air Monitoring Initiative in the spring of 2023. An ongoing partnership was formed, led by Lisa Burton from New RoAR, New Rochelle High School Environmental Science teacher Carmen Glenn, and Raya Salter of the EJLPC. The timing was excellent, as EJLPC is a community-based partner for New York State’s environmental justice local data mapping project, which collects environmental  data in New Rochelle. Ms. Glenn enthusiastically engaged her students in the study of air monitoring and environmental health. Throughout the spring, they incorporated local air quality data into their studies. Some students included the air quality monitoring project in their Advanced Placement science projects. 

The 2023 Summer Eco-Ambassador Program

The success of the spring program created a lot of momentum. With the support of the B&J grant and additional funds raised by EJLPC, Ms. Glenn partnered with the New Rochelle Youth Bureau to create a Summer Eco-Ambassador Program, with paid internships for more than 80  high school ambassadors.

The program involved students in:

• Eco-restoration, including planting native species, removing invasive plants, and contributing to the health and biodiversity of local ecosystems; 
• Air monitoring, examining pollution data, and connecting air quality to neighborhood activities;
• Environmental education trips to the NYS DEC Environmental Education Center at Norrie Point, where students engaged in canoeing, fishing, and other hands-on environmental learning activities; and
• Visits to Soundwaters and the restored Mill River Park in Stamford, Connecticut; the Westchester County Sewage Treatment Plant in New Rochelle; and the New Rochelle coastline at Davenport, Hudson and Five Islands Park; 
• Indoor gardening and plant workshops to learn how plants help improve air quality and promote well-being in urban environments, planting vegetable and flower gardens and a native plant pollinator garden at Trinity Elementary School; and
• Workshops on environmental justice and government to understand the role of state and local government in environmental policy-making.

The summer’s activities were celebrated at a meaningful graduation ceremony at City Hall, where students, parents, and community members gathered to recognize the achievements of our young environmental stewards and their ongoing commitment to environmental advocacy and citizen science.

Encouraged by the summer’s success, NRHS students continued their air monitoring studies into the fall, including participating in activities with the Energy Justice Alliance, a program of EJLPC. This further expanded their knowledge and application of both environmental science and the power of climate action. The continuation of this vital work was supported by additional funding raised by EJLPC.             

Call to Action

This project has led to the development of an ongoing program called the Air of Truth, which is working with the students to use their findings to engage the community about local environmental injustice through storytelling and organizing. We need you to get involved! Air of Truth is seeking community members to serve on its advisory committee and help tell the story of air quality disparities in New Rochelle and throughout Westchester. 

If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Raya Salter at info@Westchesterjustice.org.