Duwamish River Cleanupcoalition-Technical Advisory Group

DUWAMISH RIVER COMMUNITY COALITION WORKS TO ELEVATE THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE CLEANUP OF THE DUWAMISH SUPERFUND SITE, HUMAN AND WILDLIFE HEALTH, AND OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY.

SUPERFUND - THE DUWAMISH RIVER CLEANUP COALITION IS INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE DUWAMISH RIVER CLEANUP, SEATTLES ONE AND ONLY RIVER WHICH WAS FEDERALLY DESIGNATED A TOXIC SUPERFUND SITE IN 2001. WE ARE WORKING TO ENSURE THE CLEANUP MEETS COMMUNITY STANDARDS BY RESTORING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND PROTECTING THE FISHERS AND FAMILIES WHO USE THE RIVER, AS WELL AS REFLECTING THE PRIORITIES, VALUES AND WILL OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THE REGION. DRCC TAKES A LEAD ROLE IN HELPING TO ORGANIZE THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ROUNDTABLE AND IN USING CULTURALLY RELEVANT METHODS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION.

DUWAMISH VALLEY YOUTH CORPS DVYC IS A YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND JOB SKILLS. MOST OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE LOW-INCOME YOUTH OF COLOR. MANY ARE ALSO IMMIGRANTS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. THROUGH LESSONS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY ISSUES AND HANDS-ON PROJECTS, DVYC PROVIDES A CRITICAL PATHWAY TOWARDS EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT GOALS, PARTICULARLY GREEN JOBS, FOR PARTICIPANTS. BY PROVIDING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE UNAVAILABLE TO OUR YOUTH AT HOME OR SCHOOL, DVYC ENRICHES AND BUILDS UPON THEIR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCES, WHILE ADDRESSING HEALTH OUTCOMES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES.

ADVOCACY STEWARDSHIP - THE DRCC RECOGNIZES THAT COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY SUPERFUND CLEANUPS ARE UNIQUELY EQUIPPED TO ADDRESS HEALTH AND HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES. WE PROMOTE EDUCATION SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN ADVOCATE AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT SUIT THEM. WE WORK AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF SUPERFUND CLEANUP AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES IN A CULTURALLY RELEVANT WAY. WE SEEK TO STREAMLINE THE MANY SMALL LOCAL INTEREST GROUPS AND BRING THEM TOGETHER TO INTEGRATE THEIR MISSIONS. WE SUPPORT VOICES THAT ARE COMMONLY OVERLOOKED OR NOT HEARD WITHIN COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING DECISIONS DIRECTLY IMPACTING THEM. WE WISH TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF OUR LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORS, IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. IN THE DUWAMISH VALLEY, MOST OF THESE VOICES BELONG TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS, NATIVE AMERICANS, KHMER/CAMBODIAN, LATINX, VIETNAMESE AND SOMALI IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES. WE ENVISION A COALITION-TYPE BODY AS OUR GOAL IS COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT WHILE ENSURING THAT THESE VOICES ARE GIVEN EQUITABLE AIRTIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND ORGANIZE AS A DECISION-MAKING BODY.