Java, thanks to your gift we got an immense amount of work done, specifically in support of tribes, salmon and orca. Our support for the Nez Perce tribal canoe flotilla on the Snake River, the SE WA Rail Technical Retreat and resulting Rosalia2Pasco rail corridor proposal so farmers and salmon can thrive are just some of the examples of the work you made possible. We were also able to bring on a part- time artful action coordinator who organized light projections and multiple deployments of our inflatables and the creation of a new 20′ inflatable Chinook aka “King” Salmon.
Puffin support accelerated or work to bring unlikely allies together. After our bilingual panel featuring factory workers who build locomotives with community advocates fighting for clean air and the electrification of railyards, an aid to Senator Markey who then invited them to present to a Senate hearing. Our recommendations for electrification have made significant impacts on EPA and FRA. And a couple months ago I got a call from a person coordinating a multi-agency task force for decarbonizing US railroads, hours before her meeting with the White House.
Solutionary Rail’s Panel Discussion featured Carl Rosen, General President of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), Scott Slawson, President of UE Local 506 that represents workers at Wabtec, in Erie, PA, and some leading EJ organizers from around the country, including Ivette Torres (People’s Collective for Environmental Justice), mark! Lopez (East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice), and Yvette Arellano (Fenceline Watch).
The webinar – one of the most compelling we’ve ever hosted – was simulcast in both English and Spanish.
Puffin made this possible by allowing me the time and budget to focus and get help with other work.
