Renée M. Chacon: Organize to Renew our Community

Environmental justice can not be performative from state and federal agencies and local leaders statewide need to commit to communities public health, safety, and rights to thrive including recognizing the rights of nature to be cleaned and protected, especially during worsening climate impacts.

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We know where systems are failing us as disproportionately impacted communities in Commerce City. Now is the time to change it with transparency, community monitoring, community modeling highlighting cultural resilience narratives and inclusion.

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Community can reorganize to protect our needs and work to redistribute wealth to heal lack of affordable housing for DIC, restorative justice for land and urban properties for long term community stake holding, and stewardship of our resources by restoring them, and with long term equity analysis to maintain enforceable protections.

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We need transformative leaders who are trauma sensitive to insidious forms of systemic violence to be good living ancestors to protect communities and our connection to our biosphere. We all need to have the courage and humility to recognize the reality harming us all now.

As an Environmental Justice Action Task Force Member, an urban Indigenous community member, and mother, I am ready to do the work with you to finally represent and bring healthcare access and safety that is long overdue for the residents of Commerce City.