Neighborhood FORWARD Joins National EV Charging Initiative

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to hold federal lawmakers accountable for the disproportionate impact of air pollution from cars on communities of color, Neighborhood FORWARD is joining the National EV Charging Initiative, an expansive coalition of industry partners, public interest groups, and environmental leaders, all of which share a vision of a national electric vehicle charging network.

For decades, Black and Brown communities have bore the brunt of automobile-based air pollution. Recent studies have concluded that not only are majority-minority areas exposed to dangerous airborne particles more often than white ones, but that such exposure cascades into worse financial and actual wellbeing. Such particles agitate our cardiac and respiratory systems, leading to days off work, emergency room visits, and chronic health issues. This disparity further plunges Black and Brown families into intergenerational poverty without providing a safety net – a reality we've seen exacerbated by the pandemic.

"In cities across the country, we see that communities of color are subject to unhealthy chemicals by virtue of where they live, which is largely a result of systemic negligence and underdevelopment," observed Neighborhood FORWARD advisor Reverend K.W. Tulloss. "We're proud to join an effort that not only recognizes our current state of affairs, but also has a plan to address it. Organizing based on common interests and an innate desire to remedy injustice is our best tool in crafting effective public policy."

Neighborhood FORWARD is committed to combatting a primary culprit of these disparities, redlining, by ensuring geographical equity in building electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

"We're happy to welcome Neighborhood FORWARD into the National EV Charging Initiative. We see the voice of our environmental and social justice members as absolutely critical to ensuring that this transition to electric transportation is a just one," said eMobility Advisors partner Nancy Ryan.

Neighborhood FORWARD is proud to enlist in this nationwide effort to rectify the effects of institutional racism, as subtle as they may be, and looks forward to working with public and private stakeholders to activate grassroots support, spur federal investment, and create partnerships that will bring about substantive change.

ABOUT:
Neighborhood FORWARD is a national movement built by concerned citizens, faith leaders, civil rights activists, elected officials, business partners, and non-profit organizations throughout the country. Join the movement: https://neighborhoodforward.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Neighborhood FORWARD
314-440-3605
[email protected]

SOURCE Neighborhood FORWARD

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https://neighborhoodforward.org