Centering justice demands community-based solutions

Academic institutions committed to climate and environmental justice have a responsibility to build strong, equitable partnerships with those on the frontlines. In tandem with philanthropy and the public sector, academic institutions are well-positioned to provide scaled-up support, capacities-building and investments toward impacted communities. Now more than ever, colleges and universities should stand ready to support EJ and CJ community partners — pivoting with shifting needs and responding to emerging threats and opportunities. 

In this spirit, in 2024, the Tishman Center convened the first annual Centering Justice Symposium, bringing together academic centers, community-based organizations, private philanthropy, and public sector partners to explore how higher education can better align with environmental justice movements and advance more just partnerships with greater impacts for communities. Since this time, Centering Justice at the Tishman Center has grown into a broader body of work where we advance more equitable and inclusive ways of working, connect academics and communities, share resources and continue to convene annual symposia.

Centering Justice INITIATIVES and Objectives

In addition to our annual Centering Justice Symposium, the Tishman Center: hosts webinars and smaller convening which advance Centering Justice objectives; coordinates the work of our Centering Justice Community of Practice compromised of eight academic centers committed to working collaboratively to advance equitable ways of partnering with and technical support for EJ and CJ communities; and collects and shares relevant resources and opportunities for advancing climate and environmental justice. 
In all our work we commit to:

Hearing directly from environmental and climate justice communities about their goals, vision and needs, in service of establishing more effective and aligned relationships with universities.

Building new and strengthening existing relationships and networks that inspire long-term commitments that advance the priorities of environmental and climate justice communities.

Surfacing best practices and approaches for partnerships between university centers and environmental and climate justice organizations and communities.

Illuminating the private and public funding opportunities for advancing environmental and climate justice agendas, and how university centers can provide the support to access these opportunities.

Our Centering Justice Story

Centering Justice Symposium 2024

The inaugural Centering Justice Symposium in 2024 sought to respond to the unique moment of unprecedented public and private investments in climate and environmental justice, and with the understanding that—in spite of these investments—inclusive and equitable ways of supporting communities still fell short of what was needed. The Symposium brought together climate and EJ leaders and organizations, allied academic institutions, and relevant philanthropists to explore how higher education can better align with climate and environmental justice movements and advance just partnerships that center and push EJ communities’ agendas.

2024 Symposium Outcomes

The first symposium brought forth a Centering Justice Manifesto, highlighting three areas for action for advancing better partnerships:

1. Establish just, equitable, transparent partnerships, based on reciprocity and trust.

2. Ensure internal assessment and accountability systems within universities, while promoting alignment from funders.

3. Explore formation of an ongoing community of practice with trusted university centers and EJ partners that models and supports academic-community partnerships.

The symposium led to public webinars and events exploring topics including cultivating climate and environmental justice leadership, the role of universities in accelerating climate and environmental justice and the importance of lasting relationships. 

Also coming out of this first symposium was a burgeoning Community of Practice, consisting of eight academic centers committed to upholding and advancing the aims of Centering Justice, both in their own EJ and CJ work and collectively. These trusted centers, leading impactful work, seek to champion and model academic-community partnerships that center trust and accountability to communities and movements.

Centering Justice Symposium 2025

The second Centering Justice Symposium was held in March 2025, in partnership with the Indigenous Resilience Center at the University of Arizona. With a special focus on the needs of tribal communities and shifting political conditions, the overall aims and spirit remained aligned with objectives from the first symposium. While centering the perspectives and needs of tribal communities, this second symposium drove home the importance of solidarity and collective action in changing political contexts, calling on academics and intermediaries to be able to quickly mobilize in service to their community partners.

In addition to our annual symposium, the Tishman Center also convenes public events including webinars, panels and other spaces to exchange best practices, lessons learned, and promote dialogue on just, equitable partnership-building.

Finally, we are committed to sharing resources which provide practical guidance and tools for how to build and uphold equitable partnerships, in line with environmental justice principles. See the Resource Toolkit here.

Centering Justice Symposium 2026

The next symposium will be held in Los Angeles in March 2026. The Tishman Center is thrilled to be partnering with the University of Southern California’s Equity Research Institute and Occidental College’s Urban & Environmental Policy Institute to bring you the next Centering Justice Symposium. 

More details on the event will be released in November. Stay tuned.