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Key Resources

The Front and Centered coalition represents diverse and powerful communities of color-led groups across Washington State who come together to advance equity, environmental and climate justice.

Frontline communities are experts in the impacts we face from the climate and ecological crisis as well as in the solutions we need to transition to a healthy, resilient, and sustainable future. We share our expertise and engage broad audiences to influence policy via earned media, social media, email, events, briefings, video, podcasts, research and reports, and other digital and in-person strategies.

Here you can find recent media releases, media coverage, profiles of our coalition speakers who are available to interview with media and share their expertise speaking at events or panels, and other key resources.

To connect with any of our speakers, contact Charlie McAteer at [email protected]. Members of the media can stay updated by signing up to our media list (please check the box that says, “I am a member of the media”):

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Media Coverage

Washington voters stand up for climate action

Natalia Mesa, High Country News | 11/13/2024

CCA; State Election Initiatives; I-2117

Davin Diaz, the Environmental Justice Program manager for Front and Centered, a nonprofit that advocates for overburdened populations, said that repealing the Climate Commitment Act would have had “huge ramifications across the state,” and negatively impacted frontline communities who have only just started to reap its benefits.

However, a recent analysis by Front and Centered looked at the specific language in the state’s 2024 budget and estimated that just 14.6% of the climate act funds released this year have been explicitly earmarked for frontline populations. Although state agencies in charge of doling out the funds could choose to fund more projects benefiting frontline communities, the state itself has yet to release detailed data on how the money is being spent.

Regardless, there’s clearly room for more. Looking forward, Diaz said that he’d like to see more examples of co-governance, wherein frontline communities work with state agencies to develop just and equitable solutions. “These are new ideas for state agencies,” he said. “There’s this cultural shift, where they’re recognizing and understanding the power of the community.”…

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The Year’s Weirdest Ballot Battle: Corporations vs. a Rich Libertarian

Kate Aronoff, The New Republic | 11/4/2024

CCA; State Election Initiatives; I-2117; I-2066

Despite environmentalists’ reservations about the Climate Commitment Act, they’re strongly opposed to Let’s Go Washington’s efforts to repeal it, via I-2117. Many resent a right-wing millionaire’s effort to warp state politics and also note that the the cap-and-invest program has already invested nearly $2 billion in projects ranging from free bus transit for Washingtonians under 19 to floodplain conservation, ferries, and solar resilience hubs. If I-2117 prevails at the ballot box, there’ll be no alternative funding source for those initiatives. Among those is Front and Centered, a coalition of climate and environmental justice groups that opposed the Climate Commitment Act in 2021.

“2117 is moving a lot of money around, and 2066 is not,” says Front and Centered co-executive director Deric Gruen. The latter, he adds, is “fundamentally about the guaranteed use of fossil fuels, and those are different fights. They attract different things for different reasons.”…

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Charge up, Washington! State launches rebate program for electric vehicles

Diana Opong, KUOW | 8/1/2024

State Policy; Budget; Electric Vehicles

Industry professionals and advocates, including Cameron Steinback, climate justice program manager at Front and Centered, emphasized the program’s significance for climate justice and equity.

“Electrifying our transportation would benefit frontline communities who are disproportionately exposed to air pollution from diesel exhaust and oil extraction, which can lead to increased risk of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer,” Steinback said.

Front and Centered is made up of communities of color, Indigenous peoples, and low-income individuals on the frontlines of climate and environmental change.

The rebate program is set to transform EV adoption in Washington, backed by the installation of 5,000 new EV chargers statewide. Inslee noted that as EV prices continue to drop, the transition will become increasingly feasible for all residents…

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Washington’s controversial cap-and-trade program, explained. Really.

Natalia Mesa, High Country News | 3/20/2024

Cap and Trade; False Solutions; Linkage

Here’s where there’s a bit of friction. In October, the Environmental Justice Council, a body of 16 appointees whose job it is to advocate for communities overburdened by pollution, signed a letter to the Washington Department of Ecology recommending against linkage. […] In its letter, the council wrote that the department had not done enough to guarantee that [frontline] communities would indeed benefit from Washington joining markets with California and Quebec in its initial assessment of the consequences of linkage.

If allowance prices go down, the council wrote, polluters might not be motivated to actually cut emissions, and less revenue in the program could make it harder to find sufficient funding for decarbonization initiatives. Polluters might also be more likely to hoard allowances, so the council suggested putting an expiration date on them. “We still haven’t seen a good answer for how linkage would actually lead to reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Nico Wedekind, a public interest environmental attorney at the nonprofit Front and Centered…

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WA lawmakers rush to show climate act’s value before it goes to ballot

Isabella Breda, The Seattle Times | 3/11/2024

Cap and Trade; False Solutions; Budget; Legislative Session

Front and Centered, an environmental justice group representing communities of color and people with lower incomes, says the state is still falling short of its obligations to communities saddled with a disproportionate amount of health, social and environmental inequities.

The Climate Commitment Act explicitly outlines that at least 35% of the revenue from the auctions should be used “in ways that benefit vulnerable populations in overburdened communities.” Another 10% is required to fund projects led by tribal nations.

The group’s preliminary analysis shows that only 21% of qualifying funds in the supplemental budget will directly benefit overburdened communities…

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Could WA lawmakers end developments like this one: a massive warehouse project in South Tacoma?

Isabella Breda, The Seattle Times | 2/24/2024

Pollution; Health Disparities; Legislative Session

WA Rep. Sharlett Mena, fueled by her experiences in her hometown and her current community, knew she wanted to take on legislation that would ensure neighborhoods that have borne the brunt of big polluting industries would have a say. Front and Centered, a nonprofit advocacy group representing communities of color, Indigenous peoples and people with lower incomes on the front lines of climate change, approached Mena with a similar ask.

She and the coalition drafted the bill that would require the agencies that oversee project review under the State Environmental Policy Act to conduct an environmental justice impact statement in communities that rank a seven or higher on the state’s Environmental Health Disparities map…

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Environmental justice groups voice concerns as WA carbon market linkage bill advances

Bellamy Pailthorp, KNKX | 2/14/2024

Cap and Trade; False Solutions; Legislative Session

But the environmental justice group Front and Centered, which represents communities that have been overburdened by climate pollution, said the linkage bill lacks important guarantees.

“We haven’t really seen a compelling argument for how linkage would actually lead to the reduction of emissions,” said Nico Wedekind, the group’s policy counsel.

“And similarly, we are concerned with the effects of linkage on local communities across the state, particularly those who have already been facing the most direct effects of climate change and fossil fuel pollution,” he said…

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Laws are trying to move beyond an environmental justice checklist

Ashli Blow, Prism | 1/23/2024

Pollution; Health Disparities; Legislative Session

The bill also builds on Washington state’s three-year-old Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, which aims to address environmental justice by incorporating health and equity considerations into decision-making processes. The CURB Act fills a gap in the HEAL Act, as South Tacoma had recently experienced with industrial permitting.

”HEAL is a lot of information gathering, which can help an agency better think about what the consequences of their actions may be,” said Nico Wedekind, policy counsel for Front and Centered. “But it doesn’t attach at the permit level—the permits are not explicitly called out, and so that’s what we’re trying to get at here…”

Read More

Washington sets out to merge its carbon market with California and Québec

Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard | 11/2/2023

Cap and Trade; False Solutions

Front and Centered, a nonprofit coalition of equity, environmental and climate justice organizations, has been a vocal critic.

“Linking carbon markets will only exacerbate the game of trading pollution in markets for the financial benefit of polluters, rather than focusing on the need to make tangible changes here in Washington State that address the harm continued pollution inflicts on our frontline communities,” Nico Wedekind wrote in a post on the group’s website last week…

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Are ‘overburdened’ communities getting fair share of WA climate funds?

Conrad Swanson, The Seattle Times | 10/16/2023

Cap and Trade; False Solutions; Legislative Session

But an analysis published last month by the environmental justice group Front and Centered is far less generous.

Up to 10.6% of the money budgeted (about $221 million) is allocated specifically or loosely to overburdened communities and 6.2% is allocated to the tribes, the nonprofit’s analysis indicates.

One of the reasons for the more than $700 million discrepancy is the way the budget lines are phrased, said Davin Diaz, policy coordinator for Front and Centered. Line items not specifically designated for overburdened communities or tribes were not counted. Other budget items merely indicate that 40% of the funds will be “assumed” to benefit overburdened communities, he noted. “Based on historic injustices, it’s hard for us to assume those monies would flow,” Diaz said.

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How climate change drives hotter, more frequent heat waves

Joseph Winters, Grist | 7/11/2023

Heat; Clean Energy; Health Disparities

As heat waves worsen, so too does the sense of dread they bring to vulnerable populations. “Even before it happens, there’s a lot of anxiety,” said Esther Min, director of environmental health research partnerships for the nonprofit Front and Centered, a coalition of Washington state-based organizations led by communities of color. “It’s already brutal on the physical body when it is hot, but if you know it’s going to be difficult and you might not be able to escape it? … There’s that mental health aspect that I hear people these days talking about a lot more — that anxiety, that grief, that frustration.”

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WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: President Biden Takes Action to Build Healthy Communities and Advance Environmental Justice

Briefing Room, The White House | 4/22/2023

Earth Day; Events

Rosalinda Guillen, Co-Chair, Front and Centered Community Council in Seattle, Washington: “Decades of community organizing in environmental justice communities have resulted in the progress we see today as evidenced by this executive order. Ultimately, it is frontline communities who will hold state policymakers and agencies accountable.”

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Celebrate Earth Day with these local environmental orgs

Noel Gasca, KUOW’s Soundside | 4/18/2023

Earth Day; Events

Maybe you’re looking to use more than just one day to volunteer or learn more about the environmental issues local communities are trying to address.

In that case, check out Front and Centered’s “Earth Deserves More Than Just A Day” event lineup.

Read More

Here’s how Washington senators want to use climate dollars

Isabella Breda, The Seattle Times | 3/24/2023

Cap and Trade, Legislative Session

“Communities overburdened by pollution have been promised investments as a result of the Climate Commitment Act, but the Senate’s initial proposal has our frontline communities asking: where did those commitments go?” Deric Gruen, Front and Centered co-executive director of programs and policy said in a statement.

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View Past Coverage (Prior to 2023)

Media Releases

Legislature Short on Climate Commitments in State Budget, Agencies Must Pick Up Slack

8/21/2024 | In the 2024 Supplemental Budget that the state Legislature passed this year, $1.3 billion came from additional CCA revenue generated through cap-and-trade auctions. In our second year of budget analysis and using updated methodology that better distinguishes the intent behind budget provisos, we found that only 14.6% of the additional CCA revenue is directed to Vulnerable Populations within Overburdened Communities. This falls well short of the 35% requirement and 40% goal established in the CCA. The responsibility now falls on state agencies to rectify the legislature’s shortcomings and prioritize the allocation of benefits to Overburdened Communities.

Today, our coalition is launching the 2024 Frontline Report on HEAL Progress, which assesses agency implementation of the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act, a landmark bill that defines “environmental justice” in state law and expands opportunities for community collaborative governance (co-governance)….

Read More

Did Legislature Live Up to Environmental Justice Promise in State Budget?

3/7/2024 | “Over the last 60 days, the Front and Centered Coalition provided budget writers in the legislature with priorities that help boost environmental and climate justice investments. While we see important wins for our community in this budget, we remain concerned that the legislature is not meeting its obligations to overburdened communities,” said Legislative and Government Relations Advocate Guillermo Rogel Jr.

“Front and Centered—along with our partners at the People’s Economy Lab, Statewide Poverty Action Network, and the Department of Social and Health Services—secured $2,000,000 in funding for Community Assemblies. These assemblies will amplify community expertise and solutions for budget and policy makers, focusing on sustainable investments aimed at fostering a more climate-resilient Washington…

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Advocating for Environmental Justice in the State Budget

12/13/2023 | “We are encouraged to see some advances on environmental justice priorities included in Governor Inslee’s proposed budget — at the same time these advances raise further questions for our frontline community coalition,” said Guillermo Rogel Jr., Legislative and Government Relations Advocate with Front and Centered.

“For example, funds being allocated toward community-led projects are promising, and we need to see that the details of such programs actually reflect community needs and priorities, including funds for community stewardship of the land and property for climate resilience. And while a one-time bill for energy assistance payments that will provide funds to the tune of $200 million is much needed relief for low-income families, we need permanent, consistent energy assistance that ensures no one is paying a disproportionate share of their income on energy bills, no matter their utility…

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Washington’s Largest Environmental and Climate Justice Coalition Gathers in Ellensburg for Annual Summit November 3-5

10/26/2023 | Front and Centered is bringing together its members plus partners, advocates, and academics to Central Washington University (CWU) for its largest ever membership summit to discuss critical challenges and solutions related to climate justice, environmental justice, and building power toward a Just Transition with an eye toward the 2024 Legislative Session.

The Front and Centered 2023 Members’ Summit: Soulful Solidarity will be hosted on the CWU campus in Ellensburg, WA, and aims to foster connections between diverse organizations and communities and ignite discussions and collaboration around solutions that pave the way for a more just and sustainable world…

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Community-based Organizations and Scientists Collaborate on Solutions to Health Disparities

7/20/2023 | Researchers from academic institutions, WE ACT, and the Front and Centered coalition in Washington have published their latest findings on environmental health disparities in the July 21 issue of the premier research journal Science. Titled “Air Quality Policy Should Quantify Effects on Disparities,” the paper verifies concerns that the Biden Administration’s Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool, or CEJST, does not sufficiently address racial disparities in exposure to air pollution. The paper reveals that if past trends in emission reductions were to continue into the future, racial-ethnic disparities in exposure would persist even as air pollution concentrations decrease…

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WA’s leadership echoes in D.C., but state budget and Gov.’s fulfillment of HEAL Act will be the measures of state progress toward environmental justice

4/21/2023 | On the eve of Earth Day 2023, President Biden signed a new Executive Order today, Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, aiming to strengthen and expand interagency coordination around environmental justice.

In response, Front and Centered Community Council Co-Chair Rosalinda Guillen said the following: “Decades of community organizing in environmental justice communities have resulted in the progress we see today as evidenced by this executive order…

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Legislative Session Scorecard: Climate Funding Includes Important Investments in Environmental Justice, But Opportunities Remain Unfulfilled

3/23/2023 | Today the Washington State Legislature voted on its final 2023-2024 budget that includes important investments in frontline communities that experience the climate crisis first and worst. After years of advocacy and working to get legislators to understand the burden that communities of color and low income communities face, the legislature committed to 35% set aside benefiting frontline communities and 10% to tribal approval projects in previous sessions…

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View All Releases (2023 Onward)

Coalition Speakers Bureau

Are you looking for community and movement leaders who represent frontline communities in Washington State? Experts from our coordination team, Community Council, and membership are available for media interviews and speaking engagements, including panels, briefings, podcasts, videos, and more. See below for a selection of speakers who are building power and expertise rooted in solidarity and working together to advance a Just Transition.

To connect with any of our speakers, contact Charlie McAteer at [email protected].

Choose a Speaker by Topic:

Key Resources

Membership

Community Leadership

Just Transition

Exposing False Solutions

Health Disparities Map

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Communities of color, Indigenous peoples, and people with lower incomes are on the frontlines of climate and environmental change.

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EIN: 84-3336800 

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Isabel Carrera Zamanillo

Team, Community Education Coordinator
she/her/ella

Isabel is a Mexican biologist supporting community education efforts at Front and Centered. She has supported various climate justice projects in Mexico and the United States, incorporating ethnobiology and community-based participatory research methods. Isabel has also collaborated with a wide range of organizations in the design and management of STEM outreach programs and independent social justice projects, incorporating community and culturally responsive models. After completing her environmental science doctoral degree, Isabel worked on institutional change within higher education institutions through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In her free time, she loves cooking, listening to music, and playing board games.

Languages: English, Spanish

Davin Diaz

Team, Policy Coordinator
he/him/his

Davin works with a collaborative cross-sector team and our statewide membership to advance the development and implementation of Front and Centered’s agenda for climate and environmental justice. He brings transportation, land use, and environmental justice policy experience to the team. Davin also has experience working with arts and culture organizations and is interested in the intersection of art and social justice. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking with his family and working with artists in his community.

Languages: English

James Lee

Team, Communications Lead
he/him/his

James is a communications specialist and marine ecologist dedicated to supporting community priorities through storytelling that challenges dominant narratives and advances the perspectives of those on the frontlines of environmental change. His research has been published in The American Naturalist and Frontiers in Marine Science.

James is from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he spent years organizing in support of shoreline restoration, eviction defense, and equitable access to green spaces. He is available to speak to classrooms and other audiences about Front and Centered and how the Just Transition framework underpins our work, what communications means to frontline communities beyond press releases and media relations, and the intersections of ecosystem restoration and community healing.

Languages: English, Korean (conversational), Japanese (conversational)

Aurora Martin

Team, Co-Executive Director, Capacity Building
she/her/hers

Aurora shares the leadership of Front and Centered, with a focus on supporting the team’s capacity building and community engagement efforts. She has been involved in social justice work as a nonprofit lawyer, community organization leader, and creative producer. Aurora brings an eclectic spirit to the Front and Centered team, and looks forward to advancing equity, environmental, and climate justice with our community coalition.

Languages: English, Tagalog

Esther Min

Team, Director of Environmental Health Research Partnerships
she/her/hers

Esther leads research and development and supports evidenced-based and data-driven work across Front and Centered programs. She brings experience developing environmental justice maps, facilitating community-government-academic partnerships, and supporting community-driven research and tool development. Her expertise is in applying environmental and climate justice principles in environmental public health research and practice including topics of cumulative impacts and pollution burden (such as air or water) and health equity. In her free time, Esther enjoys exploring tide pools (carefully) and harvesting chestnuts with her family.

Languages: English, Korean

Guillermo Rogel Jr.

Team, Legislative and Government Relations Advocate
he/him/his

Meet Guillermo, a dedicated member of the policy team at Front and Centered, working to advance the coalitions’s legislative priorities. With a passion for education and advocacy, Guillermo has spent the past seven years collaborating with multiple statewide coalitions and organizations to lobby for causes rooted in social and racial justice.

As the lobbyist representing Front and Centered, Guillermo plays a pivotal role in educating lawmakers in Olympia about the urgent need to address climate change and invest in the well-being of those most affected by its impacts.

Outside of the legislative world, Guillermo finds joy in going to concerts, playing tennis, and rooting for the OL Reign, FC Ballard, and Manchester United.

Languages: English, Spanish, Sindarin

Nico Wedekind

Team, Policy Counsel
he/him

Nico is a public interest environmental attorney with a background in regulatory and legislative affairs. Following the completion of his law degree, he served as the inaugural Diehl Clinical Fellow for the University of Washington Regulatory Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, where he focused on providing legal assistance to historically underrepresented communities in Washington State. Now, as a Front and Centered team member, Nico works on energy justice regulation, local pollution prevention, and the implementation of the expanding list of environmental justice laws in Washington State.

Languages: English, Spanish