In celebration of HARLEM WEEK 50th Anniversary, The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Columbia University.
In addition, to the West Harlem Development Corporation, presented “Climate & Environment Justice in Harlem: A Discussion of New York City’s Plan.” With severe storms, hotter temperatures creating havoc around the globe, the timely talk brought a panel of experts together to review strategies that tackle the health and environmental consequences while offering solutions on how Harlem and the Harlems of the world can sustain and survive global warming.
“If you watch the news and read the headlines you know that the weather, and climate change is in it all the time,” shared host Kendall Green, Fox 5 New York General Assignment Reporter. “We are seeing flooding put New Yorkers in low-lying areas in a bad situation. Many living in basement apartments get flooded out. Recent heat waves are putting many New Yorkers in danger and quite often without relief.”
Moderated by Dr. Daniel Zarrilli, Columbia University’s Chief Climate & Sustainability Officer, panelists included Professor Sheila Foster, Columbia Climate School; Curtis Archer, President, Harlem Community Development Corporation; Michael Sutton, CEO, Infrastructure Engineering Incorporated; and Elijah Hutchinson, NYC Mayor ‘s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice.
According to Hutchinson, we should stray away from measuring each year as the hottest day because days in the near future are going to get even hotter. As reported in his agency’s Environmental Justice NYC report, on average 350 New Yorkers suffer heat related death each year. That’s more then all our climate hazards combined. The majority of those who die usually suffered from pre-existing conditions exacerbated by the heat.
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“In Central Harlem 1 out of every 5 household lacks air conditioning,” stated Hutchinson. “Over 15% households in East Harlem do not have air conditioning. Times have changed, but our buildings, and our environments haven’t changed to keep up with how fast the climate is changing.”
Opening keynote address was given by Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President, Medgar Evers College, and a closing keynote remark was given by Dr. Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director, WE ACT for Environment Justice, New York City’s first environmental justice organization and the first to be run by people of color.
“Climate change has been an issue for all of us and a major focus for the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce for the past 5 years,” shared Dr. Michael Flannigan, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Board member and one of the organizers of the event. “The purpose of the program is to provide education and awareness about the issue of climate change.”
In celebration of HARLEM WEEK 50th Anniversary, nearly 50 different events, and activities took place. If you missed any of them, or want to relieve the experience, many are available on demand via http://harlemweek.com/replay-2024/
HARLEM WEEK vintage footage and promotions from the past decades are also available via https://harlemweek.com/flashback/ and a book capturing Harlem’s historic past is available via https://harlemweek.com/foreverharlem/
Photo credit: 1) 2) Dr. Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder & Executive Director, WE-ACT for Environmental Justice. 2) Host & Co-Moderator -Kendall Green, General Assignment Desk Editor, FOX 5 News. 3) Climate Change Panelists left to right – Moderator Dr. Daniel Zarrilli; Elijah Hutichinson, NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice; Sheila Foster, Columbia Climate School; Curtis Archer, President, Harlem Community Development Corporation; Michael Sutton, CEO, Infrastructure Engineering Incorporated. 4) Picture left to right – Dr. Daniel A. Zarrilli; Baron Carr; Dr. Michael Flannigan; Dr. Patricia Ramsey; Skip Dillard; Dr. Peggy Shepard; Elijah Hutchinson; Sheila Foster; Michael Sutton; Charles Powell; Curtis Archer; Kendall Green; & Keith Forest.
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