Centering Justice Public Events

In addition to organizing the annual Centering Justice symposia, we host public events to further discussion, exchange and learning on the topics at the core of Centering Justice: building equitable, just partnerships between university-based institutions, frontlines organizations and other actors; promoting strong accountability systems for institutions and funders who work with environmental justice communities, and sharing best practices for academic-community and other multi-stakeholder partnerships. We invite you to watch the recordings of past events here, and to find upcoming events below.

Past Public Events

Centering Justice: A Conversation with Environmental Justice Leaders

January 2024

As part of the 2024 Centering Justice Symposium, the Tishman Environment and Design Center hosted the public keynote session “Centering Justice: A Conversation with Environmental Justice Leaders.” Keynote speaker Dr. Beverly Wright is the Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, the first-ever environmental justice center in the United States. Dr. Wright also served as a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Following the keynote, Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome joined Dr. Wright for an empowering conversation moderated by Dr. Ana Baptista. Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome joined the Biden-Harris Administration in June 2022 as the Senior Director for Environmental Justice at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and became the first-ever Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer in 2023. The high-energy opening performance was by Batalá New York, the premier All-Women, Black-led Afro-Brazilian percussion ensemble.

CEEJH Symposium — Centering Environmental Justice: A Follow Up to the 2024 New School Symposium

September 2024

As part of the 10th Annual Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium hosted by the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland, this panel built upon themes coming out of the 2024 Centering Justice Symposium, diving deep into justice-centered approaches which enable lasting partnerships between university centers and community partners and prioritize the needs of environmental and climate justice movements. Panelists Dr. Mike Menser and Dr. Karletta Chief, leaders within university centers, and Dana Johnson and Darryl Molina Sarmiento, leaders within environmental and climate justice organizations, offered experience and insights about reforming harmful practices, engaging in community engaged research and training the next generation of activists and scholars. This event was moderated by Dr. Ana Baptista, Director of the Tishman Environment and Design Center.

Building Climate Justice Leadership: A Centering Justice Webinar

September 2024

While the world is experiencing increased political and ecological disruption, educators, knowledge keepers and life-long learners are seeking innovative solutions that both dismantle the structural inequities of the past and build an equitable climate future. Higher education can play a pivotal role in bringing together community-based knowledge and solutions. As part of the Centering Justice Webinar Series, the Building Climate Justice Leadership panel addressed critical questions, aiming to advance thinking and action related to the growing and supporting the future of climate justice leadership. Moderated by Michelle Martinez, Director of the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment at the University of Michigan, this panel featured the following speakers: Dr. Ana Baptista, Director of the Tishman Environment and Design Center and Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Sustainability; Dr. Karletta Chief, Director of the Indigenous Resilience Center and Professor & Extension Specialist at the Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona; and Dr. Ami Zota, ScD, Community Engagement Core Co-Director of the Columbia Center for Environmental Health and Justice in Northern Manhattan and Associate Professor of Environmental Health.

Columbia Climate School: How Can Universities Accelerate Environmental and Climate Justice?

October 2024

This panel explored how universities can play a critical role in accelerating environmental and climate justice at this critical historical juncture. Building on the inaugural Centering Justice Symposium at the New School and drawing on the experiences of leaders in this critical work at universities in the region, this panel focused on what we have learned in terms of concrete and actionable steps, practices, curriculum development, research, and activities and explore how we can ramp this work up and work more closely together. The discussion explored the multiple facets of a University in advancing ECJ, from the co-production of knowledge and incorporating ECJ into curricula, to monetarily supporting CBOs and ECJ activists. Panelists included Ana Baptista (The New School), Kendra Sullivan (CUNY Graduate Center) and Liz Sevcenko (Rutgers University-Newark). The panel was moderated by Climate School Professor Sheila Foster.

Upcoming Public Events

Coming Soon…