East Palo Alto Shows Up to Speak Up
East Palo Alto faces a quintessentially Bay Arean constellation of challenges: escalating housing prices and declining affordability; gentrification associated with the displacement of longtime residents by well-paid tech workers; and a rising bay encroaching upon the densely populated, low-lying city near the foot of the Dumbarton Bridge.
Throw in a proposed new mixed-use development abutting vital marshlands already vulnerable to flooding and the stakes get even higher, says Roxana Franco, programs manager for Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto. That’s why the nearly 20-year-old nonprofit is now working closely with current and longtime residents, many of them lower-income people of color, to give local context to climate change and sea-level rise, disaster preparedness, and — perhaps most importantly — civic engagement.
Through a 12-week program called the Environmental Justice Parent Academy, Nuestra Casa (“Our House”) is leading in-depth discussions about these and related issues among cohorts of African American, Pacific Islander, Latinx, and youth residents of East Palo Alto. All 85 participants, 75 of whom are parents, receive a stipend for their time and are encouraged to continue their work outside of the group.
“We have facilitators that reflect the community, and they’re also community elders here in East Palo Alto,” Franco says. “We try to make it about building communities and empowering our participants to sit at city council meetings and speak up … We encourage them to show up to these meetings, and they feel more comfortable to be involved or at least show up.”
Four major development projects have been proposed for the end of Bay Road, just south of the Dumbarton Bridge and hugging the edge of the marshes close to sea level.
Other Recent Posts
ReaderBoard
Once a month we share reader announcements: jobs, events, reports, and more.
Staying Wise About Fire – 5 Years Post-CZU
As insurance companies pull out and wildfire seasons intensify, Santa Cruz County residents navigate the complexities of staying fire-ready.
Artist Christa Grenawalt Paints with Rain
Snippet of insight from the artist about her work.
High-Concept Plans for a High-Risk Shoreline
OneShoreline’s effort to shield the Millbrae-Burlingame shoreline from flooding has to balance cost, habitat, and airport safety.
In a Climate Disaster, Your Car Won’t Save You
Fleeing wildfires without a car might seem scary, but so is being trapped in evacuation gridlock — and the hellscape of car-dependency.
On Napa’s Milton Road, No Resident Is an Island
On Edgerly Island, homes sit behind a sinking, century-old levee. The community is at risk from sea level rise – unless they can agree to pay the cost of resilience.
What Exactly Is a “Supercharged Wind Event?”
In headlines about wildfire, a new supervillain emerges: wind. In January, it became the LA fire’s manic henchman. But what, exactly, is a “supercharged wind event”?
Converting Communities Into Watershed Champions
Everyday Climate Champions Podcast
UC Berkeley’s Brilliant Breakthrough in Carbon Capture
Researchers have developed COF-999, a new material that absorbs CO₂ directly from the air without rapidly degrading — a game-changer for carbon capture.
Coho Salmon Remain Afloat Four Years After CZU Fire
At the southern end of their range, coho salmon in Scott Creek are adapting to wildfire and warming.
