Romero Institute

ADDRESS SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIROMENTAL PROBLEMS. APPLICATION OF RESEARCH, INVESTIGATION, LAW, AND EDUCATION TO DEVELOP PROJECTS THAT EDUCATE AND ACTIVATE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY TO SOLVE HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIROMENTAL PROBLEMS.

THE LAKOTA PEOPLE'S LAW PROJECT CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LAKOTA SIOUX PEOPLE. OUR FIVE RESPECTED LAKOTA LEADERS SET PRIORITIES AND WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR CALIFORNIA TEAM. IN THE FIRST QUARTER WE COMPLETED THE STANDING ROCK GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGN AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE HISTORIC GEORGIA TURNOUT IN JANUARY. THE CUT TO THE CHASE WEEKLY MEDIA SHOW CONTINUED TO AIR, AND 31 SHOWS REACHED 100,000 VIEWERS WITH INFORMED AND EMPOWERED NATIVE VOICES. WE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR DEB HAALAND'S SELECTION AS THE FIRST NATIVE CABINET SECRETARY IN U.S. HISTORY WHEN 13,000 OF OUR SUPPORTERS SENT EMAILS URGING PRESIDENT BIDEN TO MAKE HER APPOINTMENT. 31,200 OF OUR ACTIVISTS SENT EMAILS DEMANDING NO VOTES ON HR1374, A LAW THAT WOULD GIVE POLICE CARTE BLANCHE TO KILL WATER PROTECTORS. 4000 PEOPLE SIGNED OUR PETITION FOR A U.S. TRUTH AND HEALING COMMISSION CONCERNING AMERICAN INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS. WE URGED PRESIDENT BIDEN TO END THE DAKOTA ACCESS, KEYSTONE XL AND LINE 3 PIPELINES; HE SHUT DOWN KXL IN JUNE. WE RELEASED VIDEOS ON THE DANGERS OF THE PIPELINES AND SENT FIVE DELEGATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LINE E PIPELINE PROTESTS WHERE WE CREATED TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. WE RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT THE LEGAL ATTACK ON THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT, WHICH IS NOW HEADED TO THE SUPREME COURT. WE CONTINUED OUR FOSTER HOME AT STANDING ROCK AND ASSISTED A FORMER FOSTER STUDENT TO TRANSITION TO COLLEGE. WE INCUBATED A TEEN CENTER FOR LAKOTA KIDS AT STANDING ROCK TO HAVE SAFE ACTIVITIES AFTER SCHOOL. WE HELD OUR FIRST ONLINE ANNUAL WOPILA GATHERING WHICH HAD 20 NATIVE NATIONS PARTICIPATING, AND WE MADE 58 VIDEOS AMPLIFYING NATIVE VOICES DURING THE YEAR. OUR WORK WAS COVERED WIDELY IN THE PRESS, INCLUDING THE NEW YORK TIMES.

IN 2021 THE GREENPOWER PROGRAM BECAME LET'S GREEN CALIFORNIA AND DEVELOPED PLANS AND POLICIES FOR CALIFORNIA ACHIEVING CLOSE TO ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS IN 10 YEARS. WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO END THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND ALL CITIZENS MUST BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, SO WE PARTNERED WITH THE DOLORES HUERTA FOUNDATION, AND WITH VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND WORKING FAMILIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA TO BUILD BOTTOM-UP SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS, PUTTING EQUITY, JOBS AND WORKERS, AND FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES FIRST. AS THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AND A HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER, CALIFORNIA IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO CREATE A MODEL OF EQUITABLE CLIMATE ACTION THAT CAN BE REPLICATED WORLDWIDE. THE TEAM CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND AUTHORED A POLICY FRAMEWORK TO ELECTRIFY CALIFORNIA, CREATE GOOD-PAYING GREEN JOBS, AND GET THE GOLDEN STATE BACK ON TRACK TO ACHIEVING ITS 2030 CLIMATE GOALS. OUR FRAMEWORK WILL BECOME THE BASIS OF STATE LEGISLATION THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED IN 2022. WE HOSTED AN ONLINE SUMMIT ON A SUSTAINABLE CENTRAL COAST FOR ELECTED LEADERS, THEIR STAFF, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO HELP BUILD THEIR CITY AND COUNTY CLIMATE ACTION PLANS. WE COCREATED AN ALLIANCE THAT SPONSORED THREE CLIMATE SUMMITS, INCLUDING ONE FOR ACADEMIA. WE BEGAN WORKING WITH THE SLO CLIMATE COALITION TO ENSURE THAT RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS WORKING FAMILIES, TREATS WORKERS WITH DIGNITY, AND RESPECTS THE RIGHTS OF FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES. IN ANOTHER COALITION WE WORKED TO CODIFY LABOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STANDARDS IN COMMUNITY OWNED ENERGY AGENCIES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE. WE PARTNERED WITH SEIU 521 ON CLIMATE ACTION. WE PRODUCED A VIDEO AND CONTRIBUTED TO A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO HELP RESIDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STATE INCENTIVES TO PURCHASE CLEAN CARS. TRANSPORTATION PRODUCES 40% OF OUR CALIFORNIA CARBON EMISSIONS. BY THE END OF 2021 WE WERE HARD AT WORK ON A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR 80% OF THE CALIFORNIA POPULATION TO BEGIN PARTICIPATING IN "GOING ELECTRIC" IN THEIR HOMES, CARS, AND TRUCKS.

THE SPECIAL MEDIA PROJECT IS A RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATIVE PROJECT THAT IS PREPARING TO PRODUCE A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ARCHIVE, A PODCAST SERIES, A DOCUMENTARY SERIES, AND A CABLE SERIES ABOUT THE LEGAL, INVESTIGATIVE, AND ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES OF THE CHRISTIC INSTITUTE AND THE ROMERO INSTITUTE. THE RESEARCH COVERS 50 YEARS OF PUBLIC INTEREST WORK AND REVEALS IMPORTANT HISTORICAL INFORMATION THAT IS RELEVANT TODAY REGARDING SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE IN CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION, HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS, DRUG SMUGGLING, AND ILLEGAL WAR MAKING. THE ROMERO INSTITUTE ARCHIVAL PROJECT SEEKS TO CORRECT THE HISTORICAL RECORD AND LAY OUT THE FACTS IN SEVERAL MEDIA FORMATS. THE GOAL IS TO SHARE TRUE FACTS THAT BEG FOR NEW LAWS AND POLICIES NEEDED TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE, GREEN, AND THRIVING FUTURE FOR THE U.S. AND THE WORLD.

THE RICO PROJECT BEGAN THE LEGAL RESEARCH TO PRODUCE A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE SIX MAJOR OIL AND GAS CORPORATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. BOTH THE FEDERAL CONGRESS AND THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE HAVE CRIMINALIZED THE JOINING TOGETHER OF A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS IN A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT TWO OR MORE OF ANY OF A LIST OF 32 SPECIFIC CRIMES. THESE SPECIFIC CRIMES INCLUDE: MURDER; MURDER-FOR-HIRE; KIDNAPPING; BRIBERY; WITNESS INTIMIDATION; WITNESS TAMPERING; EMBEZZLEMENT; WIRE FRAUD; ARSON; EXTORTION; ROBBERY; THEFT; OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE; MONEY LAUNDERING; TERRORISM AND SEVERAL OTHER SERIOUS FELONY CRIMES. THE RESEARCH REVEALS THAT EACH OF THESE CORPORATIONS' OFFICERS AND MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, DURING THIS PAST 47 YEAR PERIOD, HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING, DIRECTING, AND/OR EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSION OF TWO OR MORE OF THESE SPECIFIC STATE AND FEDERAL PREDICATE CRIMINAL ACTS OF THE FEDERAL CRIMINAL RACKETEERING ACT OF 1970. THE ROMERO LEGAL TEAM WILL PREPARE A FEDERAL AND A STATE COMPLAINT UNDER THE FEDERAL CRIMINAL RACKETEERING ACT AND PRESENT IT TO THE LEGAL BODIES WHO CAN ASSEMBLE A GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE THE CRIMES.