When discussing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s (MLK) legacy, many gloss over his final act as an anti-poverty crusader. In the weeks leading to his assassination, King was organizing a march on Washington to highlight the reality of joblessness and poverty by bringing those oppressed by the economy to the doorstep of the nation’s leaders. His goal was to establish a guaranteed income to raise each American to the middle class. He died before he could see the effort through.
As we celebrate MLK Week at NYU, the Office of Sustainability and the NYU chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), brings you four ways to get involved with social justice (both racial and economic) sustainability initiatives at NYU:
Two Birds One Stone is a student-run club that takes the leftover food from NYU dining halls and transports it to the NYC Rescue Mission and the Bowery Mission. They are dedicated to feeding the hungry and houseless population in NYC while reducing the amount of food wasted in NYU dining halls. It is one of the largest clubs at NYU, with a listserv of over 1,000 students. To join the club and help in their mission to make NYU more sustainable and more connected with the community, email tbosatnyu@gmail.com.
Share Meals is another student-run club dedicated to alleviating food insecurity and social isolation at NYU. They do this through their popular “Swipe it Forward” program, which is starting Monday, February 21! People with extra meal swipes can donate them to specific dining halls around NYU and others who need a free meal swipe can receive them from the dining hall cashiers. To join the club and help in this mission, message @nyusharemeals on Instagram.
The Environmental and Racial Justice Network (ERJN) provides seed funding for projects that address issues at the intersection of environmental and racial justice. Funding of up to $2,000 is available for qualifying projects led by NYU undergraduate or graduate students planning to graduate in May 2023 or later. For more information, visit the Environmental and Racial Justice Network website.
AABE is an NYU club with a goal to ensure the input of African Americans and other minorities is included in the discussions and development of energy policies and regulations, research & development, technologies, and environmental issues. To join or get involved, email tandon-aabe@nyu.edu or visit their NYU Engage page. You can also follow them on Instagram (@aabe_nyu) to stay updated on events and initiatives.
AABE is looking for students to join their executive board! Applications will be accepted throughout the semester but apply ASAP to give yourself the best chance. They are also hosting the AABE NYMAC 2022 Energy Summit on February 16–17, 2022 at 11:00 am. The summit will include a collection of talks and panel discussions surrounding the theme of “Energy in the 21st Century: Progress, Policy, Equality” and will highlight the importance of developing sustainable energy practices in New York City and how all members of the community can be a part of the innovation.
This NYU Liberal Studies community aims to help all interested NYU students, faculty, staff, and community members connect and navigate these disorienting, rapidly evolving, and significant times together by sharing information including news, events, and recommendations. They focus on the complex interactions where environmental and social justice overlap, such as exploring public health threats and protests in the context of environmental justice and effects on vulnerable communities. To join, email enmaciel@nyu.edu and follow them on Currents, Facebook, or Instagram (@nyualliance).