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Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Summary

The theme of our 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast is The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice. This event will gather various community residents, leaders, and agencies to join in fellowship through a dialogue on environmental justice in Iowa. We are honored to have our keynote delivered by Dr. Robert D. Bullard, a distinguished professor and award-winning author known as “The Father of Environmental Justice”. Following Dr. Bullard's keynote address, we will present the Make A Difference awards to the following 2023 honorees:

  • Dr. Mary Chapman, Vice President Emeritus, Des Moines Area Community College
  • Sgt. Bernell Edwards, a 31-year veteran of the Des Moines Police Department
  • Ania Ewing, a 5th grader at Samuelson Elementary School and member of Girl Scout Troop #30078

Immediately following the breakfast, the Iowa Environmental Council and community partners will sponsor a Dialogue on Environmental Justice in Iowa, providing an opportunity for participants to discuss how race, equity and justice intersect with environmental issues in the state.

Join us as we promote Dr. King's message for peace, justice, and righteousness.

Dr. Bullard, who earned his Ph.D. at Iowa State University, is the former Dean of
   the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern
   University. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and
   Environmental Policy and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and
   Climate Justice.  He is an award-winning author of eighteen books that address
   sustainable development, environmental racism, urban land use, industrial facility
   siting, community reinvestment, housing, transportation, climate justice,
   disasters, emergency response, community resilience, smart growth,
   and regional equity.

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May 22, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism

The Associated Press reveals the significant gaps in health outcomes between Black Americans and their white counterparts throughout their lives.

May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism

Grassroots groups are collecting their own pollution data to increase accountability and demand environmental justice.

May 24, 2023
Carbon Emissions
Carbon Emissions

Three Texas oil & gas industry sites that caught fire had long violation records.

May 24, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism

Houston residents protest proposed cutback in neighborhood drainage spending amid revenue surge

May 24, 2023

Carbon credits for nitrous oxide reductions could fill a key gap in international agreements and government regulations.

May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

Supreme Court ruling on May 25, 2023, has curtailed the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) to regulate millions of acres of wetlands.

May 26, 2023
Environmental Racism
Environmental Racism

This article addresses the systemic racism and environmental injustice experienced by Latino farmworkers in the US, focusing on their exposure to the herbicide paraquat.

May 26, 2023

According to the American Red Cross, 64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of white children have few to no swimming skills.

May 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

This article by Somini Sengupta discusses the dangerous feedback loops that extreme heat can trigger for hospitals and clinics in the United States.

May 26, 2023

Lawmakers in the United States are currently negotiating the national debt ceiling and in the midst of these negotiations, the future of clean energy and environmental protection.

April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

Nearly two dozen lawsuits filed by cities and states aim to put fossil fuel companies on trial for deceiving the public about climate change.

May 26, 2023

Legislatures in a dozen states have passed “right of first refusal” laws that freeze out competition in transmission line projects, raising concerns about higher energy costs.

April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

EPA’s upcoming climate rules are expected to rely on carbon capture technology.

April 26, 2023
Climate Change
Climate Change

Final investment decision for Rio Grande LNG project, set to be built in Brownsville, Texas by Bechtel, is set to be made in June, says its developer.

The Federal Railroad Administration launched a public database for complaints about blocked crossings in late 2019, and it has received over 28,000 reports of stopped trains.