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| Protect our Children’s Health! Relocate Pure Casting! Build Affordable Housing! The Pure Casting facility (2110 E. 4th Street) is a polluter of heavy metals and uses hazardous chemicals in our East Austin neighborhood. Pure Casting is located right next to Zavala Elementary School and surrounded by homes. East Austin needs your support in protecting the health of our children and the residents that live in the area. It is crucial that we let the City Council and Pure Casting know that we will not allow children to be exposed to hazardous chemicals! The Pure Casting facility is an ideal location to build affordable housing. It is 30,152 sq. ft. of land. The City Council should use the Affordable Housing Bond money ($55 million) to purchase the site. This site abuts to the property owned by the City of Austin (the Brown Building on Chicon & E. 4th Street). Call you Mayor Will Wynn Council members at 974-2250. Let’s keep our children safe from harmful chemicals. Download this letter that PODER sent to the Mayor and City Council Members. Please send a letter from your group, neighborhood association or you as an individual to your city council members. Help us to protect the health of our children. Also, please join PODER and area residents at the Bond Oversight Committee Meeting on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 at 8:00 am at City Hall. PODER is recommending that some of the $10.9 million Affordable Housing Bond money be used to purchase the current Pure Casting site and to build the needed affordable housing. |
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| Oak Springs Trail Building Thanks Austin Bible! |
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| PODER's Young Scholars for Justice 2009 |
| PODER's Young Scholars for Justice (YSJ) held a protest at the Pure Casting Facility, located at 2110 E. 4th Street on June 10th, 2009. Afterwards the YSJ went door-to-door distributing information to area residents on how to file a complaint with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) if area residents are exposed to odor, dust, and/or noise pollution from the Pure Casting Facility. |
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| 7th Annual Festival de las Plantas Traditional healing and practical uses of medicinal plants |
| Download PODER's Newsletter: Xinachtli Fall 2009 (pdf format) |
| Patagonia in Austin held their “Vote Your Choice” Environmental Campaign in October and PODER competed with 2 other local environmental organizations for the chance to win $2,500! PODER won the second prize of $1,500 from Patagonia. PODER thanks all of you for your vote and support. |
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| PODER is now accepting digital donations through secure PayPal! |
| Cesar E. Chavez "Si Se Puede!" March |
| Saturday March 27th, 2010 |
| Cesar E. Chavez is one of the most important leader of the 20th century. His legacy of workers rights, civil rights, environmental justice, equality for all, peace, non-violence, children and women's rights, deserves national recognition. Cesar Chavez inspired millions of people across the country of all races and nationalities to engage in social & economic justice for farm workers. |
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| Tanks But No Tanks |
| The 1992 campaign to close the fuel storage facilities in East Austin, known as the “Tank Farm,” was an issue that brought grassroots empowerment and bridged east and west Austin environmentalists. PODER would like to thank all our supporters for attending our 18th Anniversary of the Tank Farm Closure. We would also like to send an extra special thank you to our volunteers! |
| Photo Credit - Rene Renteria |
| Mother Earth Day Celebration Thursday April 22, 2010 PODER — 2604 E. Cesar Chavez St. |
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| Box Gardens In search for community sustainability, PODER is empowering community members with Box Garden Demonstrations. Box Gardens are simple, unique and versatile system that adapt to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographic location. Residents will have the option to fill their box garden with beautiful/medicinal flowers, herbs and/or luscious vegetables. |
| Property Tax Protest Community Workshops |
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| Thursday, May 20th, 2010 Metz Recreation Center 2407 Canterbury Street |
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| PODER’s YSJ Gabriel Padilla Wins EPA Video Contest Gabriel Padilla, one of PODER’s Young Scholars for Justice, was recently awarded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s, “Faces of the Grassroots” video contest. This contest challenged amateur and professional filmmakers to create videos that capture the faces of the environmental justice movement. The “Faces of the Grassroots” contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity with environmental justice stories and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement. Gabriel’s video focused on PODER’s success in shutting down the Holly Street Power Plant in 2007, and the importance of grassroots organizing through health surveys, protests, and leadership development. PODER would like to thank Gabriel Padilla for his dedication in capturing PODER’s history and for submitting his creative video to the EPA. We are very proud and grateful! Gabriel’s video can be seen on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWIIVhrS664 |
| On Saturday, August 21st the Austin History Center honored PODER's Susana Almanza, Gilbert Rivera, Raul Salinas & many other outstanding individuals who have been slelected for recognition as Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin & Travis County. Check out the article in the Daily Texan. The Austin History Center will also have an exhibit on display of the Trailblazers from now until January. Find out more by visiting the History Center site here. |
| Austin History Center - Mexican American Trailblazers |
| Photo by Erika Rich - The Daily Texan |
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| People in Defense of the Earth & her Resources (PODER) presents 30 Days to Save 300 Acres: A presentation on reclaiming indigenous ancestral land in Ecuador with special guest Flavio Santi, Shuar/Quichua healer and leader of the Amazanga people. 7pm Thursday Sept. 9, 2010 Resistenica Bookstore 1801-A South First St., Austin, Texas 512-416-8885 |
Flavio Santi is a Shaman of the Amazanga community from the central
Amazonian jungle in Ecuador. He has worked to protect over 300 acres of
sacred indigenous lands and has opened the School of Guayusa. Flavio
is part of a group of indigenous healers and Forest protectors from northen
Amazon who work to share their connection with the magic of the forest, the
earth, and all its natural healing wisdom. He has dedicated his life to
working on cultural and spiritual conservation as well as the protection of
nature's sacred places. website: 300acres.com
Amazonian jungle in Ecuador. He has worked to protect over 300 acres of
sacred indigenous lands and has opened the School of Guayusa. Flavio
is part of a group of indigenous healers and Forest protectors from northen
Amazon who work to share their connection with the magic of the forest, the
earth, and all its natural healing wisdom. He has dedicated his life to
working on cultural and spiritual conservation as well as the protection of
nature's sacred places. website: 300acres.com
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The National Work Group on Environmental
Justice Policy (NWGEJP) is a coalition of diverse
groups that are united by their common concern
on toxic chemical in our homes, places of work,
and products we use every day. NWGEJP is
working to create a sound and comprehensive
chemical policy that protects public health and the
environment by updating the Toxic Substance
Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 and other chemical
policies.
TSCA Reform Bill (.pdf)
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families H.R. 5820(.pdf)
Justice Policy (NWGEJP) is a coalition of diverse
groups that are united by their common concern
on toxic chemical in our homes, places of work,
and products we use every day. NWGEJP is
working to create a sound and comprehensive
chemical policy that protects public health and the
environment by updating the Toxic Substance
Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 and other chemical
policies.
TSCA Reform Bill (.pdf)
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families H.R. 5820(.pdf)
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| PODER invites you to a Celebration Honoring Three East Austin Activist Trailblazers: raul salinas, Gilbert Rivera & Susana Almanza Tuesday, September 21, 2010 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Dinner @ 6 pm) Conley-Guerrero Senior Activity Center 808 Nile Street (Intersection of Pleasant Valley & Webberville) This celebration will recognize the lives of three extraordinary individuals who have lived in Austin and Travis County and blazed a trail within their respective communities. There will be a Premier Screening of: “raulrsalinas and the Poetry of Liberation” by Laura Varela “We Will Always Be Here” by Gilbert Rivera “PODER-Defining Power” by Axel Gerdau Donations will be appreciated! |
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