the Story based project

The Power of Our Stories…

As a coalition of 300+ organizations and groups across the state, our vision is to build a world in which all New Yorkers live a dignified, joyful life ― where no one is poisoned, harmed, falls ill, or dies prematurely because where we live, the color of our skin, our religious affiliation, or how little money we have.

In 2020, New Yorkers were faced with much clearer realities and consequences of white supremacy, colonialism, militarism and subsequent forms of oppression. We have been facing one of the most widespread and devastating crises in generations, as thousands have died, millions fall ill, and even more continue to lose their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sparked by the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many more Black siblings, the nation rose to take action against police brutality and anti-Black racism, which are results of and linked to the foundation of the U.S. as we know it.

Now, in 2021 we rise as a coalition and movement to put forth the nation’s next climate-leading legislation in New York State ― the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA), following our historic victory of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) passage in 2019. We are doing this intentionally, building relationships across movements to transform into a New York that believes in, envisions and implements equitable climate justice across the state and country. We must document our existence and our path to transformation as we are shaping the new world we deserve to live in.

The NY Renews Story-Based Project intends to connect the deep inequalities embedded in society to how people are continuing to experience the Covid-19 crisis, the ongoing fight against white supremacy and anti-Blackness, and therein the climate crisis. Through story videos of people across New York State, this project focuses on real peoples’ stories and truths; connecting lived experiences to how we individually and collectively fight for liberation through environmental, health, racial, economic, and educational justice! 

Our stories need to be told and heard; what we do now determines our present and future. We are shaping his/her/their-story, and it is with duty that we shift the narrative of who, how, when, where, and why we fight for collective healing and liberation. 

Capitalism, classism, and environmental racism cause BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and poor communities to become targeted zones for dirty fossil fuel infrastructure and therefore brunt the deepest impacts from an unstable climate. A short few of the physical impacts are weakened immune systems, respiratory diseases, rising sea levels, more extreme weather events (droughts, heatwaves, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc) that destroy communities, and food scarcity. 

Through the collective work of our coalition and allies, we continue to build a more just, and radically healing movement for the liberation of all people and species, and build our future with people and the planet first in vision. The only way to create the societal transformation we need and deserve is through an intersectional vision of justice, which weaves together solutions to all forms of oppression at once.

Achieving a “Just Transition” means stopping those who have wealth power from exploiting low-income and BIPOC communities, so that as a people and planet, we’re able to thrive. It is our, and that of many movements, belief that with these different forms of oppression lifted, what were once marginalized communities can and will create more sustainable and regenerative ways of living. And one way to amplify this vision is by empowering people to reclaim our voices ― sharing our truths of pain, joy, revelation, and resilience ― transforming that into love, healing, people power and liberation.

Sign to share your story, now! Share your truths so we can change the narrative, and build a better world together.

Check out our coalition statement as an additional resource for understanding the arc of historical, systemic inequalities that have brought us to today.