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Community Strategies for Sustainability
and Justice
The Community Strategies for Sustainability and Justice (CSSJ) Program advances environmental health, justice, and sustainability in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in California through research and action with community-based organizations and coalitions.
We believe that communities have the right to excellent research support and that a participatory research process can support many aspects of community organizing and advocacy campaigns to win healthy neighborhood environments, a thriving economy, and social justice.
In September 2009 the CSSJ program launched a new three-year strategic plan, with three major initiatives:
- Research for Environmental Justice, an initiative to build research capacity and conduct participatory research in partnership with California-based organizations;
- Sustainable Economic Development, which advocates for the sustainable redevelopment of the Oakland Army Base and expands our successful Bay Area freight transportation justice work to other California communities; and
- Movement-Building for Sustainability, which develops and shares our successful and time-tested methods for advancing environmental, economic, and social justice by cultivating powerful leaders, organizations, and coalitions.
Launched in 1995, the CSSJ Program has completed seven major research projects with publications that have led to and supported numerous community environmental health and justice victories, including the creation of a truck route to get cargo trucks off residential streets in West Oakland (Paying With Our Health); the closure of Red Star Yeast, a manufacturing facility in West Oakland that was among the Bay Area's top polluters (Neighborhood Knowledge for Change); and the stalling of high-end development plans for the Breuner Marsh in Richmond, California (North Richmond’s Wetlands Threatened by Development).
CSSJ works with community-based organizations and coalitions in long-term strategic partnerships and shorter tactical alliances. It also provides consulting on projects that fit with its mission. If you are interested in contracting with the program to conduct a small-scale research project; to deliver targeted training focused on research, advocacy and/or environmental justice; or to adapt our movement-building tools to meet your organization’s specific needs, please contact Eli Moore or Catalina Garzón.
Current projects:
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