From the Bay to the Central Valley: The Youth Environmental Justice Network

Hello There! Welcome to the Youth EJ Page!
The Youth Environmental Justice Network is a space for young people
to come together to network and collaborate,
and this website is a tool that will help us to do just that! Enjoy!

Youth Environmental Justice Network Mission statement Youth Environmental Justice is a network, created and let by youth of low-income communities to empower our voices to make a systemic change by supporting and recognizing the community organizing we conduct through our organizations. We encourage all youth participants to express creative and thoughtful ideas on how to address environmental and social justice issues. YEJ brings together organizations to ensure a space for youth and communities to learn, share, work, and grow together in order to further develop our place in the environmental justice movement as a whole.

Principles for the Youth Environmental Justice Network
1. Youth EJ affirms that acts of Environmental Injustice is considered a violation of Human Rights.
2. Youth EJ will advocate for environmental, social, economical, and political justice after coming to a clear understanding of the particular issue presented to us.
3. Youth EJ affirms that all members participate on equal grounds/ terms and in a safe environment based upon the conditions created. Safe space incorporates no discrimination against people of different nationalities, creeds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender, and religious background.
4. Youth EJ considers all organizations are linked together as a family, therefore we shall support each other’s endeavors. 5. Youth EJ recognizes that all participants should assist with ensuring the flow of each meeting is consistent. Supporting with facilitation and note taking is an example of this.
6. Youth EJ demands that youth work together encouraging that all youth give equal input and that we nurture each other within the decision making process while making sure to include our own individual thoughts.
7. Youth EJ demands that youth are united on assessment of need, planning, implementation and evaluation of issues.
8. Youth EJ recognizes that support for each other’s campaigns and events are necessary in order to further encourage cross collaboration and building power. Support given is based upon the capacity of the group, and each decision made to give support must fall within these principles.
9. Youth EJ calls for presentation and education of environmental and social justice issues inside and outside of our community, which will help to expand our foundation.
10. Youth EJ affirms that growth is necessary within the network as well as our personal selves. In order to ensure that growth is continuous, we will actively recruit organizations and regularly participate in skill and political based trainings. 11. Youth EJ understands that advancement is essential, therefore we hold the goals we set as priority. 12. Youth EJ affirms that our decision making process is to strive for consensus. We will use the “fist of 5” process as a tool to help us move towards consensus. If we cannot come to consensus, all opinions will be heard and recognized until we make a final decision.