Migrant Justice is Climate Justice: A Series on the Green New Deal

Around the world, as migrants face exploitation and growing racist attacks, they’re also among the most vulnerable to climate disruption. Meanwhile, these communities already do some of the most important climate work in our societies: migrants rebuild homes and neighborhoods after disasters, and take on the everyday, low-carbon labor of child and elder care, among many other critical roles.

In other words, migrant justice can’t be separated from climate justice. How can the Green New Deal advance both? Join Naomi Klein, Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies, as she moderates a discussion with four leaders whose work sits at the crucial intersection of these struggles.

Maxine Burkett is a Professor of Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai‘i and a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  She is also Co-Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Institute for Climate and Peace. Maxine is an expert in the law and policy of climate change, with a specific focus on climate justice, climate-induced migration, and climate change, peace, and conflict.

Patrice Lawrence is the recently appointed Co-Director for the UndocuBlack Network. She served prior as the network’s National Policy & Advocacy Director, leading the network’s advocacy efforts on immigrants’ rights and racial justice. Patrice works with the goal of transforming the realities of Black undocumented people so they live their fullest lives.

Maria Alegria Rodriguez is the first Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, a bold and dynamic social movement organization that seeks the fair and equal treatment of all people, including immigrants. It builds and aggregates the connection, consciousness and capacity of its diverse membership across 10 counties in Florida.

Saket Soni is founder and director of Resilience Force, a national initiative to transform America’s response to natural disasters by strengthening and securing America’s resilience workforce. Saket previously co-founded and led the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice, fighting for both U.S.-born and immigrant workers engaged in the reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, as well as the National Guestworker Alliance, an organization focused on defending the human rights and dignity of guestworkers in America.

This event is sponsored by the School of Communication and Information, the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in the School of Arts and Sciences, The Leap, and the Institute for Women's Leadership.

PARKING

Guest parking will be available in Lots 11, 26, 30, and the College Avenue Parking Deck. Visitors must register for parking using this link and enter their vehicle information to finalize event parking arrangements. Rutgers faculty, staff, and students with Rutgers parking permissions must park in the lots designated by their parking permissions. Please note: guest vehicles that are not registered may receive a citation.

LOCATION INFORMATION

Room 2400 is located on the second floor of the Rutgers Academic Building — East. There are elevators available on each floor of the building. We will not have CART or an ASL translator available at this time.

Rutgers University strives for our campus experiences to be universally designed and useable by all people to the extent possible. If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the event organizer Kylie Davidson at kylie.davidson@rutgers.edu. If you need an accommodation for this event, please provide the name of the event; the date; and the accommodation required in your correspondence to the event organizer.

Rutgers University complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination, equal opportunity, affirmative action, and providing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.

QUESTIONS?

Please contact Kylie Davidson at kylie.davidson@rutgers.edu with any questions.