GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG Your Financial Goals Personalized Socially Responsible

SPRING 2017 ISSUE 108

LIVE BETTER. SAVE MORE. INVEST WISELY. GREEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AMERICAN GreenAmerica.org INSIDE 4 NEW STRATEGIES Economic Action TO STOP THE DAPL AND KXL Against Hate PIPELINES

REAL GREEN INVESTING

6 SRI PIONEER AMY DOMINI ON INVESTING POWER

17 MUSLIM CLIMATE ACTIVISTS BUILD BRIDGES

20 ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY

4 ECO ACTIONS 10 ACROSS GREEN AMERICA John Storms 29 GREEN ECONOMY NEWS Pramila Jayapal, a longtime immigrant advocate and the first Indian-American woman 30 LETTERS & ADVICE elected to the House of Representatives, talks to Green America about why immigrants are a key part of the US economy and need to be protected [page 23].

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2 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR, CLEAN ELECTRONICS DIVISION DIRECTOR Dennis Greenia PRODUCTION NETWORK Moving Forward with EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sarah O’Brien Tracy Fernandez Rysavy ASSOCIATE MANAGER, CLEAN ASSOCIATE EDITOR Eleanor Greene ELECTRONICS PRODUCTION PROOFREADER Rob Hanson NETWORK Jennifer Foster Strength and Love TEMPLATE DESIGN DIRECTOR, SUSTAINABLE FOOD Tracy Loeffelholz Dunn SUPPLY CHAINS Ed Barker GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER, CENTRAL STATES DAIRY Dennis Greenia, Tracy Fernandez Rysavy INITIATIVE Sarah Andrysiak s we’ve talked with so many Green Amer- ADDITIONAL DESIGN MANAGER, NON-GMO WORKING Tania Kac, Designarchy GROUP & MIDWEST GRAIN ica members around the country since the ILLUSTRATOR Jem Sullivan INITIATIVE Jessica Hulse Dillon ADVERTISING MANAGER MANAGER, NORTHEAST & election, you’ve told us about your shock, Rachel Feldman NORTHWEST DAIRY INITIATIVES A fear, and despair. It’s a tribute to Green Ameri- EXECUTIVE TEAM Sue Ellen Johnson, Ph.D. CEO/PRESIDENT Alisa Gravitz SENIOR FELLOW, STRATEGIC cans that while we don’t always vote the same, EXECUTIVE CO-DIRECTOR: DESIGN & FACILITATION Russ Gaskin Business, Investing, & Policy COORDINATOR, CENTER FOR we do all care about the same enormous problems Fran Teplitz SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS facing our society. EXECUTIVE CO-DIRECTOR: Charis Smith Consumer & Corporate Engagement RESEARCH ASSOCIATE You’ve told us how, post-election, you are most Todd Larsen Michael Weingartner concerned about the issues that bring us together ALISA EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT GREEN CONSUMER Davina Etwaroo MOBILIZATION & TECHNOLOGY in Green America—climate and the environment, GRAVITZ GREEN BUSINESS NETWORK® IT/SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR GREEN BUSINESS NETWORK Pat Keyes food and sustainable agriculture, fair labor and OPERATIONS DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL PRODUCTS Dennis Greenia Monica Flores safe workplaces, responsible finance, and protecting the most vulner- BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS able communities. And you’ve spoken about how the climate of hate MANAGER Rachel Feldman DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING Kathy Harget that permeates the post-election world is breaking your heart. MANAGER Scott Kitson BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS That’s why we’re bringing you this issue about solutions and love COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER Rachel Feldman CONSULTANT Misha Deborah Clive DEVELOPMENT MANAGER —taking economic action against hate (p. 12). GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION Kristin Brower MANAGER Abigail Rome MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER At Green America, we focus on economic actions: marketplace solu- GREEN BUSINESS INTERN Christy Schwengel Sajid Chowdhury tions to move a more just and sustainable world forward. Economic MEMBERSHIP MARKETING CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS activism is a shining jewel in the crown of solutions we can all take to- MARKETING Dana Christianson DIVISION & CLIMATE SOLUTIONS MEMBERSHIP MARKETING gether, without Washington, to build a better future. Immediately after DIRECTOR Todd Larsen MANAGER Rob Hanson BETTER PAPER PROJECT DIRECTOR the election, our staff met to set our economic activism priorities in light MEMBERSHIP SERVICES ASSISTANT Beth Porter Felicia Feingersch BETTER PAPER PROJECT FELLOW of the new reality. Here’s our focus: SENIOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS Kat Battaglia ANALYST/OPERATIONS MANAGER 1. Climate and energy: We’re making climate our top priority. All FOOD CAMPAIGNS MANAGER Bernadette Morales Gaskin Anna Meyer other battles for justice and sustainability depend on it. We’ll win FOOD CAMPAIGNS FELLOW ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS Jamie Landa DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Bob Bulik without Washington by accelerating 100 percent renewables com- ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR MANAGER Shireen Karimi Dennis Greenia mitments from more companies and communities. We’ll hold the ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS DATA ENTRY SPECIALIST fossil-fuel companies accountable, including banks (p. 4). ASSOCIATE Alec Badalov Deanna Tilden SOCIAL JUSTICE CAMPAIGNS 2. Agriculture and climate: Farming practices that sequester carbon MANAGER Caroline Chen FOUNDER/PRESIDENT EMERITUS Paul Freundlich and improve soil health can reverse the climate crisis and feed the GREEN AMERICA CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS BOARD OF DIRECTORS world. This gives me deep, abiding hope, especially since we can make CENTER DIRECTOR Dave Feldman Danielle Burns, Dana Christianson, DIRECTOR, INNOVATION NETWORK it happen with consumers, farmers, and companies working together . Joanne Dowdell, Paul Freundlich, DEVELOPMENT Krista Kurth, Ph.D. Reena Gordon, Alisa Gravitz, Scott Kitson, DIRECTOR, CARBON FARMING 3. Fair labor for all: We’ll advance our work to fight for fair labor Julie Lineberger, Jeff Marcous, INNOVATION NETWORK Deborah Momsen-Hudson, Ted Ning, here and around the world. We’re organizing workers, consumers, and Mary Johnson Adam Ortiz, Catherine Plume, Tracy Fernandez Rysavy companies to make electronics factories safe. We’re mobilizing our green businesses to fight for the $15 minimum wage at the local level. Copyright 2017 Green America 4. #HateHasNoBusinessHere: We’ll celebrate the victories of grow- 1612 K St. NW, #600, Washington, DC 20006 ing good green jobs, healthy food, and thriving communities across 800/58-GREEN fax 202/331-8166 GREENAMERICA.ORG America. We’ll work more intensely with our allies protecting people The Green American magazine (ISSN: 0885-9930) is free with most threatened by hate in communities of color, in Muslim faith Green America Individual Membership (starting at $20/year) or Green Business Network® Membership (starting at $130/year). communities, in LGBTQ communities. We’ll develop green infrastruc- For address changes or individual membership information, call 202/872-5307 ture plans for rural and coal communities still suffering from the Great or e-mail [email protected]. For Green Business Network information, Recession. And we’re bringing our green business members together call 202/872-5357, e-mail [email protected], or visit greenbusinessnetwork.org. to proudly declare #HateHasNoBusinessHere. For article reprints, call 202/872-5307 or e-mail [email protected]. We’ll be tough. We’ll stand strong. AND we’re going to do it with love. As Martin Luthur King Jr. said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, Pinterest.com/greenamerica Instagram.com/ only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” IAmAGreenAmerican Together, we are powerful, Facebook.com/GreenAmerica Twitter.com/GreenAmerica

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THE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF OUR TIME

Bad-Apple.org + BetterPaper.org BreakUpWithYourMegaBank.org CleanEnergyVictoryBonds.org + ClimateAction.org FairTradeAction.org + GMOInside.org Strategies Underway to Sweatshops.org + TakeChargeofYourCard.org Stop the DAPL and KXL Pipelines

administration,” said Archambault. The DAPL would stretch 1,172 miles from the Bakken oilfields in North Dakota, through South Dakota and Iowa, to Patoka, Illinois, carrying 570,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Trump’s executive order also paved the way for new discussions on KXL. Proposed in 2008, the 1,700-mile-long KXL pipeline was to bring 800,000 barrels per day of crude oil from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada, to the Texas coast. In 2015, after sustained protests against KXL led by North American Tribal Nations, President Obama rejected the KXL pipeline proposal, citing its negative environmental repercussions. While Trump’s executive order seems to have resurrected KXL, Jane Kleeb, Alex Hamer president of the nonprofit Bold Alliance, The sun sets over Standing Rock Sioux traditional territory, proposed site of the Dakota says she’s confident that it won’t come Access oil pipeline (DAPL). back from the dead. She notes that Trans-Canada, the company behind KXL, cannot build the pipeline f Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), Two weeks later, the US Army Corps without using eminent domain to take the company behind the Dakota of Engineers indicated it would grant an over land (with compensation)—including Access Pipeline (DAPL) is successful in I easement that ETP needs to run the pipe- several stretches of farm and ranch land constructing and operating the pipeline, line under Lake Oahe. This announcement in Nebraska that sit in KXL’s proposed the Standing Rock Sioux “will seek to reverses a decision from last fall, when pathway. shut pipeline operations down,” said the Army Corps said it would conduct an “Because they messed up the process so Tribal chairman Dave Archambault II in environmental impact assessment before badly last time around, Trans-Canada can’t a statement. Archambault also said the moving forward. The Standing Rock Sioux even use eminent domain in Nebraska, Tribe would sue ETP and the federal Tribe says they will challenge any easement according to our state law, until at the government for failing to uphold the decision in court on the grounds that earliest Sept. 2017,” says Kleeb. “Once they Sioux’s treaty rights by allowing the DAPL the environmental impact statement was try to use that, we will then be headed to to cross their traditional lands and imperil wrongfully terminated. the courts to challenge the right to use their drinking water supplies. “The drinking water of millions of eminent domain for private gains, since In late January, President Trump signed Americans is now at risk. We are a sov- eminent domain was put in place for an executive order greenlighting two ereign nation, and we will fight to protect government and public-purpose projects. “ controversial cross-country oil pipelines our water and sacred places from the Tim Gray of Environmental Defense that had been halted under the Obama brazen private interests trying to push this Canada adds that since 2015, the econom- administration: the DAPL and the previ- pipeline through to benefit a few wealthy ic case for KXL has weakened consider- ously halted Keystone XL pipeline (KXL). Americans with financial ties to the Trump ably. The Canadian government has signed

4 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG the Paris Agreement on climate and has have divested $57 million from banks tied They’re saying, ‘Make this shirt for this set emissions goals, and constructing KXL to the DAPL. amount,’ but it’s the workers at the end would put it above its emissions limit. Shareholder proxy season is from March of the chain that are getting screwed,” Plus, notes Gray, “on the economic side, to July, and Adamson notes that “the next Rosalez told the LA Times. low oil prices are driving investment out six months will be crucial.” If you are an DoL officials told Southern California of the tar sands. Companies are putting asset owner or asset manager, join the Public Radio that most workers in the pipeline projects on hold. We need to move Investors and Indigenous Peoples Working state’s garment industry are “immigrants toward complete carbon reduction post- Group to find out how you can leverage with limited English skills who often 2030 in Alberta and Canada, and KXL would your investments against the DAPL and don’t know their rights and are afraid to exceed [agreed-upon limits]. KXL doesn’t on behalf of Indigenous peoples: contact speak up,” making them prime candidates make sense in the world that we’re facing.” Steven Heim at Boston Common Asset for abuse. The massive anti-DAPL protests in Management m for more details: SHeim@ DoL officials met with some of the North Dakota are only a beginning if BostonCommon.com. clothing retailers tied to the sweatshop construction on the DAPL or KXL moves abuses, urging them to increase factory forward, says Dallas Goldtooth, Keep It In To keep up with happenings at Standing Rock and monitoring and pay manufacturing facilities the Ground organizer for the Indigenous the Native Nations March, visit the Standing Rock more to avoid worker abuse. Environmental Network. Sioux’s website at standingrock.org. Forever 21 and Ross issued statements “Our resistance is stronger than ever dodging responsibility. before, and we are prepared to push back “Forever 21 takes these issues very on any reckless decision made by this seriously, and requires all of its vendors to administration,” says Goldtooth. “If Trump Sweatshop Conditions Found in comply with these laws,” the company said does not pull back from implementing in its statement. “Forever 21 does not own these orders, it will only result in more 85% of SoCal Garment Factories or operate any of the third-party vendors massive mobilization and civil disobedience The US Department of Labor (DoL) or contractors involved. These entities are on a scale never seen by a newly seated conducted 77 investigations at randomly completely independent of Forever 21 and president of the United States.” selected Southern California garment make independent business decisions.” On March 10th, Tribes will converge on factories throughout 2016 and found that Ross made a similar statement: “Ross Washington, DC, for the Native Nations 85 percent violated federal labor laws. Stores takes labor issues very seriously, March. The Sioux and other Tribes invite all The factories implicated make clothes for and we require our suppliers to uphold allies to join the march. several US retailers, including Forever 21, TJ our ethical standards.” In addition, the Sioux and others are Maxx, Ross Dress for Less, and others. Caroline Chen, Green America’s social asking people to use their economic pow- The biggest violations centered around justice campaigns manager, stresses that er to help stop the DAPL. Green America wage laws, with factories refusing to pay the companies should take responsibility is part of a coalition of organizations overtime and paying workers as little as $4 for the workers across their supply chains, opposing bank investment in the DAPL to $7 an hour. California’s minimum wage because they have the power to quickly (DivestInvest.org), as part of our larger is $10.50 an hour. change things. Break Up With Your Mega-Bank campaign In a rather sinister turn of events, the “Fast fashion comes at a cost, and it (BreakUpWithYourMegaBank.org). Read report and a DoL press release announc- usually is at the expense of those who our article, “Investing to Support Standing ing it disappeared from the DoL website are most vulnerable in the supply chain,” Rock,” to find out which banks support after the Trump administration took office, says Chen. “We must continue to demand the DAPL and how your banking and though Green America was able to view accountability from retailers when it investments can fight it instead: greenam. the report before it was taken down. comes to worker safety—both abroad and org/DAPLinvest. California Apparel News reports that at home—and continue to make thought- Rebecca Adamson, executive director of workplaces were “often infested with ful purchases as consumers.” m First Peoples Worldwide , says that the cockroaches and rats” with little to no For the latest labor news, sign up for movement to stop the DAPL “is wreaking ventilation and no first-aid kits. Green America’s e-mail newsletter: financial havoc on the companies and The DoL ordered the garment factories greenamerica.org/signup/. banks involved.” and the intermediaries between the In August 2016, Energy Transfer Partners factories and the retailers to pay $1.3 reported “it could lose $1.4 billion in a year million in lost wages and damages to if delays continue…Even a temporary delay workers. Clothing retailers did not receive would mean losses of over $430 million.” penalties, since the DoL can only penalize “ETP is attempting to raise new debt,” companies that directly hire the workers. Sustainable Investment says Adamson. “This could mean that Ruben Rosalez, a DoL regional admin- Solutions the banks are ramping up pressure on istrator, expressed frustration over the the company to repay their loans out of retailers’ role in the workers’ exploitation concern DAPL will never be finished.” when he talked with the Los Angeles Times: In addition, on Feb. 7th, the city of “This business model has shielded [the Seattle cut $3 billion worth of banking ties retailers] from any legal responsibility,” he with Wells Fargo over the mega-bank’s said, noting that they bear moral responsi- www.firstaffirmative.com • 800.422.7284 financing of the DAPL. And Indian Country bility because they have not increased the First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC Media Network reports that individuals rates they pay the factories in years. 5475 Mark Dabling Boulevard, Suite 108, Colorado Springs, CO 80918 Registered Investment Advisor (SEC File #801-56587) controlling more than 1,800 bank accounts “The retailers are setting the prices. m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 5

REAL GREEN investing

Amy Domini: The current political situation underscores very dramatically the importance of the work we do, to be able to work outside of government. You can get a lot done without legislation. [Social investors] get at the issues through a means that is not dependent on legislation, not dependent on an executive branch seeing merit in what you want. Investors have a very exciting opportunity to be the most helpful voice in this “new” America over the next four years. I don’t see [change] coming through any legislation or the executive branch or the federal court system. So we’ve got to get back to what individuals can do. Even if you’re shy of being in a crowd and don’t like marching, you can still be part of the answer through your investments.

Green American/Tracy: Let’s go back to the beginning. You’re well-known as a social-investing pioneer. How did the idea of investing with your values first courtesy of Amy Domini come to you? Amy Domini, founder and CEO of Domini Impact Investments.

Amy Domini: I was, at that time, a stock broker. The job title has now become an anachronism. Now it’s “financial advisor.” An Interview with SRI A stock broker did not sell mutual funds or financial plans; we sold stocks. I worked for a company that had a Pioneer Amy Domini “squawk box.” Every morning, some voice from New York would come on and say, “There will be this news event, and it will my Domini is the founder and CEO of Ethical Investing (Addison-Wesley), help this company. It’d be a great time for Domini Impact Investments m (formerly which helped pioneer the three-pronged A our clients to buy this company.” Domini Social Investments), a socially respon- approach to SRI that educational outlets like If you thought it was a smart piece of sible investment (SRI) company that was one Green America continue to use to this day: advice, you’d call your clients, give them of the first to offer SRI mutual funds in the screening, shareholder advocacy/activism, the information, and see if they were in- US. With her partners Peter Kinder and Steve and community investing. terested in buying. Lydenberg, Amy Domini also launched the Green America editor-in-chief Tracy I began to notice, every so often, when Domini 400 Social Index, now known as the Fernandez Rysavy talked with Amy Domini I would call, many of my clients [would MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, the first socially about the early days of SRI and where SRI react in a certain way]. I would say responsible stock index in the world. Similar to is headed today, particularly in the current something like, “Thursday’s announce- the S&P 500, the MSCI KLD 400 selects large- political climate. ment was about the military budget the cap companies. However, unlike the S&P, it Department of Defense has released, and bases its selections on good environmental, Green American/Tracy: So here’s the we think this, this, and this.” And some social, and governance criteria, and excludes million-dollar question for many Green clients would say, “I’m not interested in companies with poor records. Americans: Can investors still move buying that company, because we’re going Ms. Domini also serves as a private trustee/ the market in a more socially and to build more bombs.” portfolio manager with the Boston-based environmentally sustainable direction I thought, “It’s hard enough to get a firm of Loring, Wolcott & Coolidge. with so much opposition coming from client. I don’t want to seem like a bozo. In 1986, she published her seminal book, Washington right now? When I’m getting to know new clients,

6 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG I’m going to ask questions on this issue.” report. That never would have happened When I asked in a vacuum—“Is there had only straight Wall Street been their something you’d draw the line at in shareholders. That never would have investing?”—people really thought about happened without this strategy. it. Most said, “Yes, I’d rather not invest in such and such, as a matter of fact.” Green American/Tracy: When was the I was completely surprised by this. I first time you saw your work in the SRI didn’t think it would be the case. field actually affect company policy? I had been teaching a class on the ABCs Invest in a mutual of investing through the Cambridge [MA] Amy Domini: In the very beginning, Center for Adult Education. There was the dialogues responsible shareholders fund aligned with enough interest in this [kind of investing] were having with companies centered on Inveysotu irn v aa lmueustual that I felt I could teach a course. So I the system of slavery called apartheid in fund aligned with designed a class called “Ethical Invest- South Africa. We had a very clearcut goal: At Domini, we help investors ing.” Lo and behold, lots of people were get rid of this system. your values interested. Shareholders did help end apartheid, seek financial returns while The Center published the course primarily through divestment, so that aAlts Do oremflienci,t iwnge thheelpir icnovnecsetornrss description in their catalogue, and the was in the background going on. But the seefokr f hinuamncaina ld riegtnuirtnys a wndh ile very next day, I got a call from a publisher impact I had was of a much more personal environmental sustainability. asking if I wanted to write a book. nature. I often wanted to know whether also reflecting their concerns When it comes to social investing or this company that I thought might be a Tfohre hseu minavens dtoigrns iatyre a tnhde impact investing or whatever you call it, I good investment was also a good citizen. cehnavnirgoen-meanketarsl stuhsatta minoavbeil itthye. learned from my clients and students. I remember telephoning a company dTiahleosgeu ien vfreosmto “rsM aarkee t hmee called Commerce Clearinghouse, which is Green American/Tracy: You’ve long no longer publicly traded. It made books cmhaongeey-”m toa k“Meras kteh amt em movoen tehye, said, “The way you invest shapes the about how to fill out tax returns, and sold dbiuatl ongout ea tfr tohme c“oMsat koef tmhe world.” Can you explain why? those books to businesses and doctor’s mopnleayn”e tto a “nMda iktse p meeo pmleo.”n ey, offices. I called up and said, “I’m looking Amy Domini: The first thing to under- for companies that have more diversity, but not at the cost of the stand is that Wall Street is a very influen- on their boards, in upper management.” Inpvlaensett i nan tdh iets D poeompilne.i” tial voice in Corporate America. Compa- Investor relations at that time had no Impact Equity Fund nies get phone calls from shareholders all clue. Then I got a phone call from the the time saying, “When the hell are you treasurer of the company or the lawyer. Invest in the Domini going to expand profit margins? Why can’t So right away, I was kicked upstairs to Impact Equity Fund you be more profitable?” one of the top three or four people in the So there’s a necessity of having an firm. I would always ask “Do you have investor voice that says, “Don’t be making any women management or women on domini.com profits at the cost of people and the the board?” Very rarely did they. But 1-800-762-6814 planet.” It is an extremely important voice what I realized was that I was conducting for the world to have. a seminar for one. I was teaching this domini.com Before investing, consider the Fund’s In terms of screening—or buying a master of industry what it was that I cared investm1-e8nt0 o0bj-e7ct6iv2es-,6 ri8sk1s,4 charges portfolio that’s more consistent with about and wanted to hear about and see. and expenses. Contact us for a goals of universal human dignity and That was pretty powerful for me. Bpreofospree cintuves sctoinngta, cinoinsgi dtheirs t he Fund’s ecological sustainability—that in and of invfoersmtmaetinotn o. Rbejeacdti vite csa, reisfkusl,l yc.h arges itself changes the conversation. It expands Green American/Tracy: The question and expenses. Contact us for a the mission of companies. of whether SRI would have a negative The Domini Impact Equity Fund is nproots ipnescutruesd c aonndta iisn sinugb jtehcist to market Had there never been a shareholder impact on one’s investments was a information. Read it carefully. resolution filed or community investing, big one in the early days, which led risks such as sector concentration aTnhde Dstoymle irnisi kIm. Ypoauc mt Eaqyu liotys eF umnodn iesy . screening alone has changed the world. you to create the Domini 400 Social not insured and is subject to market You now have over 6,000 companies filing Index. Since it launched in 1990, what DSIL Investment Services LLC, Drisisktsr isbuuctho ra. s1 /s1e7ctor concentration corporate responsibility reports. You now have you seen in terms of whether or and style risk. You may lose money. have around 17 countries that will not not investing with one’s values affects DSIL Investment Services LLC, performance? allow a company to trade stock unless Distributor. 1/17 they file a corporate social responsibility m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 7 Amy Domini: That became obvious statistical basis, it has outperformed get the attention of management is to be when I was going through conversations the S&P. more than one shareholder. Go in with a on South Africa. In 1986, every library and labor union, a state pension fund. None of university wanted somebody to come talk Green American/Tracy: What kind us attempt to do something by ourselves. about what position they should take on of impact has Domini’s shareholder Domini is very committed to [working divestment from South Africa. activism had over the years, and how against] sweatshops. Together with four I had just written the book, so I was has Domini changed the way corpora- ICCR [Interfaith Center on Corporate thrown into a bajillion meetings. That tions do business? Responsibility] m member groups, our question came up in every meeting: firm participated in private meetings with Amy Domini: We’ve filed over 250 What’s it going to cost us? several companies, which included visit to resolutions. God knows how many We didn’t know if it would be worth it, the factory sites and ongoing, long-term we’ve co-filed or been part of a dialogue financially. It didn’t seem to make sense dialogues about what worked and didn’t that never got to a vote. We’ve always that avoiding trouble would cost money. work, what was a living wage. That led to taken shareholder advocacy as an At the time, we were using the S&P 500 some real outcomes. exciting opportunity that we’re not as our benchmark. Such companies [with That dialogue expanded beyond vendor going to ignore. dealings in South Africa] represented over codes of conduct. It went to things like The democratic aspect of the US system, half the value of the S&P 500 index. When fair trade sourcing with Procter & Gamble, which allows an investor who has only we divested from South Africa, we lost spread into Starbucks. $2,000 worth of the company to force 57 percent of our market capitalization. Domini also filed the first resolution dialogue [through a shareholder resolu- Divestment had a big impact in terms of requesting transparency on political tion] if the corporation chooses to ignore trying to meet our benchmark. donations. It was a brave step to take, to run a their concerns, is phenomenal. It means portfolio that did not invest in that nation. you get an opportunity to have a unique Green American/Tracy: And Domini By 1988, I was pretty set on the idea that kind of access to corporate management. was the first mutual fund company to we needed an index of our own. And the Shareholder dialogue is a very powerful publicly disclose its shareholder proxy Domini 400 Social Index was created in tool. The US has the most access of any votes. A bit later, the SEC [US Securi- the kitchen of my home with Peter Kinder country in the world. ties & Exchange Commission] issued a and Steve Lydenberg, who came in to join My early phone call to Commerce rule requiring all mutual funds to dis- this project. Clearinghouse today could be answered by close proxy votes and voting guidelines. It’s now called the MSCI KLD ESG 400 the Investor Relations people. Companies What kind of role did Domini play in and has been running since 1990. On a have learned to answer questions about the SEC rule and what kind of effect pure performance return, the MSCI KLD their diversity profile. has this disclosure had overall? 400 has outperformed the S&P 500. On Today, most behind-the-scenes a risk-adjusted basis, it’s more than dialogues and shareholder resolutions are Amy Domini: I wrote to the SEC asking outperformed the S&P. And on a all done in a team format. The best way to for the rule on disclosure, and I was joined

This chart shows the growth of $10,000 invested in May 1990 through November 2015. “S&P 500” utilizes monthly price data from the S&P 500 Index, sourced from Yahoo Finance. “KLD 400” utilizes monthly price data for the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index (formerly known as the Domini 400 Social Index), sourced from MSCI. This is index data that does not represent investible securities.

Chart provided courtesy of Hedgeable.com.

8 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG THE ACTIVISM OF SOCIAL INVESTING by the Teamsters. We did get that rule passed, which was great. Socially responsible investors have a powerful role to play in pressing for change It’s had a tremendous impact in letting on some of the most important social and environmental issues of our time— the world see what’s going on. I just read which is doubly important when Washington is taking the country backwards. an article from Bloomberg about State The DivestInvest campaign is making big strides in getting investors to divest Street Corporation sending a letter to from the top 200 fossil-fuel companies. Divestment sends a powerful message all the companies in which it invests, that consumer will is with renewables, for a clean environment, a cool climate, pressing those companies to disclose how and justice for all. As of mid-February, more than 58,000 individuals and 696 insti- they’re dealing with the impact of climate tutions, as well as the entire country of Ireland, had divested $5.44 trillion from change on their businesses. State Street fossil fuels. For a guide on getting started, visit greenamerica.org/fossilfree/. oversees $2.47 trillion. Shareholder activists are gearing up for the 2017 proxy season. These activ- The article goes on to say that ists put environmental and social shareholder proposals on the proxy ballots State Street supported 46 percent of of the companies in which they hold stock. Proposals go to a vote before all climate-related proposals at shareholder shareholders—and have the attention of the board of directors. Shareholder meetings last year, compared to zero at proposals continue to result in powerful corporate-accountability action on BlackRock Inc., Vanguard Group, and climate change, environmental protection, corporate lobbying, ingredient disclo- Fidelity Investments. Where do you think sure, LGBTQ equality, board diversity, and more. Our 2017 Shareholder Focus List Bloomberg got that information from? will be posted this spring at greenam.org/ShareholderFocusList. That’s the kind of [disclosure] that puts pressure on companies to act. Finally, mega-banks like Wells Fargo have been tied to predatory practices and problematic projects—such as the Dakota Access Pipeline (see p. 4). For a guide Green American/Tracy: What is some- to breaking up with your mega-bank and turning to community investing thing that might surprise people about banks and credit unions instead, visit our BreakUpWithYourMegaBank.org. the Domini funds? “Now, more than ever, we need everyone who uses a bank, or who invests, to fully apply their values to their financial life,” says Fran Teplitz, Green America’s Amy Domini: The bond portfolio is executive co-director. “Let’s choose banks that support local communities, and underappreciated as a social-change tool. investments in socially and environmentally responsible companies. We can In the stock world, you either buy a share divest from fossil fuels and help move our nation to a clean-energy future. These of Coke or you don’t buy a share of Coke. steps can strengthen any portfolio and support the common good.” In the bond world, you can buy a piece of Stay tuned: Our guide to economic activism through your investments will be Coca-Cola’s project to—I’m making this coming to Green America member mailboxes later this spring. up—drill wells for a village whose prior wells were contaminated. Your investment can subsidize a project Coke is doing. Green American/Tracy: Are there There are all kinds of green bonds out in direct venture capital [community] upcoming trends in SRI that you’re there. St. Regis Hospital is building a investments, which fund some pretty excited about? LEED-certified wing. If you buy a bond neat projects—like solar panels in investment in that project, you’re not Nigeria—that wouldn’t be financed Amy Domini: This is not exciting, backing the whole hospital. You’re necessarily if there weren’t investors of but we’re very concerned about [the backing the LEED-certified wing. You goodwill in the US. human-rights situation] in South Sudan. have really high, specific social impact. As for exciting, I do think the vocabulary It’s Darfur all over again. We’re avoiding Domini is fortunate in that we have $130 in terms of impact has expanded, which investments in companies in South Sudan million dollars [invested in bonds]. When has helped bridge some chasms that exist unless they’re tied to humanitarian relief. you have a portfolio of that size, you have between traditional SRI and investors who [Editor’s note: In December, a special United a lot of choices. were of goodwill but didn’t buy the entire Nations (UN) commission to South Sudan Also, you have to have a certain scale argument. It allows them to do a piece reported to the UN Human Rights Council that to be able to move quickly [in the bond of SRI, to pick and choose from a menu. the country “stands on the brink of an all-out market]. An investor can put off a decision They can decide their impact is going to be ethnic civil war” between the Dinka, the Nuer, to buy stock in Coca-Cola until next week, through voting their proxy, for example. and other ethnic groups, with ethnic-based and it’ll still be there. The bond to help Doing so gets the camel’s nose under killings on all sides, and that “a steady process build the LEED-certified wing of a hospital the tent. Once you start down this path of of ethnic cleansing is already underway in will be available to investors for two hours, trying to use your money more creatively some parts of the country.”] and then it will be sold out. to achieve one end, you are more open to Where there’s more “excitement” is the next idea.

Investors have a very exciting opportunity to be the most helpful voice in this “new” America over the next four years. m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 9 ACROSS GREEN AMERICA

NEWS FROM OUR PROGRAMS AND MEMBERS GreenAmerica.org

Save the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau!

the CFPB has had great success. It handled over a million complaints and won compensation of nearly $12 billion for people who were deceived by unfair financial practices. The CFPB addresses a wide range of issues that affect Americans every day: mortgages, credit cards, college loans, payday lenders, auto loans, debt collection, credit reporting, forced arbitration demanded by the financial industry, and more. The CFPB was conceived by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and passed under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Financial Protection Act, signed by President Obama in 2010. “The CFPB is profoundly threatened by the new administration. Green America and our allies will do all we can to uphold the integrity of the CFPB so it can continue to Reuters / Alamy successfully protect the American people President Obama announces the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from fraudulent and deceptive financial in 2011. Pictured from left to right: Then-Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (then special advisor to the President and CFPB architect), and CFPB director practices,” says Teplitz. Richard Cordray, former Ohio Attorney General. Visit our action page at greenam.org/SavetheCFPB to e-mail your Congressional representatives and demand that they protect the CFPB from attack. n the wake of the 2008 financial crisis that The Trump administration has its eye on Iobliterated people’s savings, cost people former Rep. Randy Neugeberger (R-TX) for jobs and homes, and caused the nation to Cordray’s seat. Neugeberger once pro- lose trillions of dollars, the federal gov- posed legislation that would have gutted the Green America Targets ernment created the Consumer Financial agency, according to CNBC. Darden Restaurants Protection Bureau (CFPB) to help promote Green America urges policymakers fairness and transparency for customers in to protect and strengthen the Bureau— Darden—the parent company of Olive mortgages, credit cards, and other products which plays a critical role in safeguarding Garden, Yard House, LongHorn Steakhouse, and services. Green America campaigned Americans from predatory financial prac- and other franchises—has over 1,500 fran- for the creation of the CFPB to prevent tices—to oppose any legislative steps to chise locations, employs 150,000 people, another financial crisis from happening again weaken the Bureau, and to support Richard and serves more than 320 million meals and has supported the Bureau since its Cordray, director of the CFPB, in his role. per year. It’s the largest sit-down restaurant launch in 2011. If he’s replaced by someone who seeks to company in the world. With incredible The Trump administration has made it enrich Wall Street, the CFPB can’t work to brand recognition comes incredible power: clear it has the CFPB in its crosshairs, so protect everyday Americans from under- The company can move the restaurant Green America is now calling on the House handed financial practices. industry in a more sustainable direction by and Senate to save the CFPB. “It’s important to keep the CFPB alive improving the way it treats workers and CNBC reported in February that the and fulfilling its mission to protect people procures food. White House is lining up a replacement for from predatory financial products and That’s why Green America, in coalition Bureau director Richard Cordray, whose services,” says Fran Teplitz, Green America’s with 15 allied organizations, has launched authority is currently being challenged in executive co-director. “It’s crucial to have an the Good Food Now campaign, to demand federal court by PHH Corp., a mortgage organization that holds banks accountable that Darden adopt better practices. company that the agency fined $109 million for the way they treat their customers and The Good Food Now campaign calls for in 2015 for illegally referring customers to communities.” Darden to improve its labor practices and insurers in exchange for kickbacks. In the six years it has been operational, source 20 percent of its purchases under

10 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG Sign Green America’s petition to the US retailers listed above, demanding they pressure supplier factories to withdraw charges and pay higher wages: greenam.org/FreeJailedActivists. Adam Ortiz Joins Green America Board

Green America welcomes Adam Ortiz to our board of directors. Adam was elected by and will represent our individual Green America members for a three-year term. courtesy of ILRF Adam Ortiz has a nationally recognized At least 24 Bangladeshi garment workers making clothes for US retailers have been arrested for peacefully demonstrating for higher wages. record of turning idealism into results. As director for the Department of the Environment of Prince George’s County, environmental, health, labor, and ani- MD, he heads a 400-person agency dedi- mal-welfare criteria aligned with the Good Justice for Bangladeshi cated to recycling, composting, clean water, Food Purchasing Policy created by the Los Garment Workers renewable energy, and humane animal care. Angeles Food Policy Council. During his tenure, the county moved For example, the campaign asks Darden Green America and the International from 11th to 1st in Maryland for waste to build its menus around local and regional Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) are calling diversion, including an award-winning food food. At present, the chain does not have for the release of 24 garment workers in compost system. He launched an innovative a local food policy. Consequently, since 70 Bangladesh, who were arrested for staging stormwater program that is restoring local percent of America’s fruit and nuts and peaceful demonstrations asking for higher streams while creating green jobs and sus- 55 percent of its vegetables come from wages. Over 1,500 workers have also lost tainable businesses. His achievements have California, the almonds that top a salad at their jobs over the demonstrations, and been recognized by the Aspen Institute, The an Olive Garden in New York may have Green America and ILRF demand their Washington Post, and the White House. traveled 3,000 miles to end up on that plate. immediate reinstatement. “As a longtime supporter, partner, and “By purchasing food that’s traveled across On December 28, tens of thousands member, I deeply believe in Green America of workers walked out of their garment the continent, restaurants are increasing the and its critical perspective,” he says. factory jobs in Ashulia, Bangladesh. The food’s environmental and climate impact,” “Personally and professionally, I share the says Anna Meyer, food campaigns manager at workers were protesting the poor conditions and low wages they face as makers of same principles of social change: ensuring Green America. “If Darden committed to local economic systems are just, taking personal and organic purchasing, it could decrease its clothes for big brands popular in the West, including H&M, Gap, Zara, and Jansport. and collective action, and empowering carbon footprint and boost local economies.” The workers had been facing poor con- others in a common spirit of transformation. Darden also needs to improve its treat- ditions for years in the factories, including Thank you for this opportunity to serve!” ment of workers. The federal minimum being paid only US $67 a month. The We also welcome Scott Kitson and wage for tipped employees is $2.13 an workers had been asking for their salary to Tracy Fernandez Rysavy to the board, for a hour. Though Darden restaurants meet be tripled to $200 per month. one-year and a two-year term respectively, the federal minimum, that doesn’t mean its Green America and ILRF launched a representing our staff worker-members. workers earn enough to make ends meet. petition in support of the arrested workers Kitson is the membership & marketing Nationally, the median annual income for and activists, targeting five companies that manager for our Green Business Network®, tipped workers is under $15,000, which primarily source from the factories. and Fernandez Rysavy is our editor-in-chief. puts them just above the federal poverty The petition demands that H&M, Gap, line and below what a person making the Inditex (parent owner of Zara), VF (parent $7.25 federal minimum wage for hourly company of Jansport, The North Face, work would earn. Vans, and others), and C&A (a UK clothing Plus, some 60 percent of Darden’s employ- brand) leverage their influence with the fac- ees are part-time. Chain restaurants often tories behind the complaints to help release aim to keep their staff at part-time to avoid the jailed workers and activists and drop charges, as well as to urge them to rehire a legal obligation to provide health insurance, the fired workers. sick leave, and other essential benefits. “It is discouraging to see the fate of “It’s time for Darden restaurants and these 24 workers and activists who were other big chains to step it up,” says Meyer. demonstrating for better conditions,” says “They have the power to effect change Green America social justice campaigns through buying local and organic food and manager Caroline Chen. “As consumers, ending worker exploitation.” it is important for us to demand accountability from these companies, and push for Tell Darden to be more accountable to workers better working conditions for all workers courtesy of Adam Ortiz and the planet: Visit good-food-now.com and click worldwide.” “Take Action.” New Green America board member Adam Ortiz. m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 11 Green for all

T h e G r e e n A m e r i c a n F e at u r e

Ken Cedeno / Zuma Wire / Alamy ECONOMIC Action Against Hate

A burst of over 1,000 hate crimes and incidents have occurred since Election Day, and the President’s words and actions are only making perpetrators bolder. With White supremacists in the cabinet and anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric coming out of the White House, we need green, people-centered solutions that bring people together—and don’t depend on Washington.

12 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG BLACK LIVES FOR e believe in using the power of our wallets to create change in the world. And ECONOMIC JUSTICE Wwith the White House either unleashing hateful policies or hateful speech, it’s While the Black Lives Matter clear that government isn’t going to be leading the way on solutions for equality any movement originally started working time soon. against racial profiling and police Hate has no place in the world Green Americans are working for: a world where brutality, in August, a coalition of everyone has enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the organizations supporting its mission abundance of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come. released an economic justice plat- At a time when political leadership sets a tone of hate and division, we need solu- form. The Movement for Black Lives tions that don’t rely on Washington to create the world we want to see. So we invite in calls for “economic justice for all the light through our economic activism—hitting hate with our wallets. Together, we and a recontruction of the economy can use our economic power against hate and work to build bridges across the divides to ensure Black communities that split our country. have collective ownership, not • Push for corporate responsibility—through your purchasing and banking choic- merely access.” es, your investor voice, and direct communication with companies. Demand that The Movement for Black Lives corporate leaders stand against hate and use their power to push Washington in platform includes the following spe- a better direction (p. 14). Encourage market forces to keep going and do more. cific proposals (Green America is an • Stand against hate though your workplace. Businesses are making a point to endorsing organization): welcome immigrants, people of color, and the LBGTQ community into their • A restructuring of the tax code stores and onto their employee rosters (see p. 20). Local businesses have a huge so communities of color don’t pay voice—use it! proportionately more than other • Break down stereotypes. Reach out to communities that are outside your normal communities. path, particularly groups that are common targets of hate. For example, Muslim • The creation of federal and state groups are collaborating with other faith groups on climate solutions (see p. 17). job programs targeting marginal- • Stand up for Black and Brown lives. A truly sustainable economy and ized Black communities. movement is inclusive and diverse, makes space for all—and makes room for • Environmental justice—a right to exploring how class, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation restored land, air, water, and housing. affect our interactions. • The right of all workers to organize. • Be creative. Check out our “30 Ways to Say No to Hate” (p. 26). • A restoration of federal legislation that breaks up mega-banks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends federal programs to boost commu- toward justice.” We’re at a challenging time in our history where we may just have to nity development credit unions and reach up together and bend it a bit ourselves. We’ve done it before. Black banks. —Tracy Fernandez Rysavy, editor-in-chief • A renegotiation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other trade agree- ments to prioritize the interests of workers and communities. • Tax incentives and other government support for cooperative networks across local Black communities. • Financial support of Black development institutions. • Protections for workers in indus- tries that are often subjected to exploitation and abuse, including farmworkers, domestic workers, tipped workers, and others, which often include Black women and other people of color. • Divestment in fossil fuels and reinvestment in community-based clean-energy solutions. Jerry Holsopple Visit policy.m4bl.org for more Members of the Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA, put signs in front of their information. church and homes to welcome immigrants. “There has been so much hatred and distrust of folks who are perceived to be different or perceived to be not valuable enough...,” says church pastor Matthew Bucher. “So it’s important to make a statement ... that this is how we seek to be in our community. “ For the full story, see our e-exclusive at greenam.org/ChurchSigns. m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 13 Hate Has No Business Here Green and mainstream businesses across the US are standing up to the rise in hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment since Election Day—proving once again the power of the market as a force for change.

first time in its history, the number of customers downloading the Lyft app beat Uber the day after the strike. With all of this consumer pressure bearing down on him, Kalanick quickly buckled. Just a day later, he publicly condemned the “wrong and unjust immigration ban” and pledged a $3 million fund for Uber drivers affected by the ban. By February 2nd, Kalanick had quit Trump’s advisory council. “The Uber-Lyft incident illustrates just how much power individuals have when we band together to demand corporate accountability,” says Todd Larsen, Green America’s executive co-director. “We can demand that companies stand up to hate, and they have to listen, because we’re their

courtesy of Community Forklift customers.” Whether driven by their CEO’s moral The Main Street Alliance is urging businesses nationwide to print out and display its anti-hate compass or an eye for their bottom posters in their offices and shop-fronts. Community Forkllift turned theirs into a huge banner, seen here hanging in front of their Maryland warehouse store with several employees. lines, corporations are standing up for immigrants, Muslims, and other targeted populations. Green businesses n January 28th, the New York ing like wildfire. Further exacerbating are also leading the way, without any Taxi Workers Alliance declared Uber’s poor optics was the fact that prompting from outraged customers. Oa one-hour strike: From six to CEO Travis Kalanick was a member of seven p.m., they would not pick up or Trump’s economic advisory group. Standing Up to the White House drop off passengers at JFK Airport, to Meanwhile, Lyft, Uber’s chief Lyft isn’t the only representative from protest a Trump executive order ban- competitor, swooped in to pick up the Corporate America speaking out against ning refugees, as well as travelers from pieces—in the form of disgruntled for- Trump’s Muslim and refugee ban. seven predominantly Muslim countries, mer Uber users. Lyft executives remain In the aftermath of the ban, Airbnb from entering the US (see p. 24). mum on whether or not their drivers CEO Brian Chesky released a statement “We stand in solidarity with all of our picked up passengers from JFK or not on Twitter, stressing that “not allowing peace-loving neighbors against this during the taxi strike, and though its countries [sic] or refugees into Ameri- inhumane, cruel, and unconstitutional executives may not regularly break ca is not right.” The company pledged pure act of bigotry,” the union declared bread with the president, Trump advi- to match donations up to $100,000 to in a statement. sor Carl Icahn did make a $100 million the National Immigration Law Center, Uber, the popular ride-sharing investment in Lyft in 2015, according to the International Refugee Assistance service, crossed the virtual picket line, Fortune. But when Lyft quickly released Project, and the International Res- drawing fire from angry users. Though a statement condemning the Muslim cue Committee (IRC). Furthermore, it the company disabled “surge” pricing, and refugee ban and promised a $1 offered free housing to refugees and or a rise in rates during busy periods, million donation to the American Civil others who were left stranded by the for that hour, critics still perceived that Liberties Union (ACLU) as #DeleteUber travel bans, asking Airbnb hosts to Uber was profiting from the strike. The swept across the nation, ride-sharers volunteer their home or apartment and hashtag #DeleteUber started trend- across the country swooned. For the subsidizing other host facilities.

14 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg publicly shared the story of his wife Priscilla’s parents, who were refugees from China and Vietnam. “Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla’s family wouldn’t be here today,” he wrote. Google created a $4 million crisis fund to support four immigrant rights organizations, the ACLU, the Immi- grant Legal Resource Center, the IRC, and the UN Refugee Agency. Starbucks pledged to hire 10,000 refugees in 75 countries over the next five years. Instacart donated $100,000 to the ACLU and announced the creation of courtesy of Nando’s Peri-Peri office hours with immigration attor- South African chain Nando’s Peri-Peri has been displaying its own signs in its neys for employees. restaurants’ windows to underscore that immigrants, people of color, the LBGTQ LinkedIn pledged to expand its community, and Muslims are welcome in its restaurants. existing Welcome Talent program, in partnership with the IRC, “to help Lyft drama took place. And, unlike the ity of refugees are working and pay- newly settled refugees more quickly corporations mentioned above, they ing taxes within a few short months. find jobs that leverage the skills they take great care to ensure sustainabili- Refugees start businesses, create jobs, are bringing into the US economy.” ty throughout their supply chains and buy homes and cars, and renew neigh- Even the billionaire Koch broth- across their entire business models, so borhoods. That means a stronger, more ers, who have provided millions in you can feel good all around about being inclusive and thriving Main Street. ... campaign funds for many Republican their customer. Together, [our members] celebrate politicians and for vice-president Mike Troubled by the rise in hate crimes, diversity, create safe spaces, and send a Pence, announced that they would fight particularly against the US Muslim and clear message of inclusion and opposi- Trump’s refugee and Muslim ban. Arab communities, the Main Street tion to this xenophobic policy.” Late in February, 97 companies, Alliance launched its Hate Has No The Alliance also launched a petition including Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Business Here campaign in 2015. The in late January against Trump’s execu- Levi Strauss, and others, filed an Alliance is an organization of indepen- tive actions. The petition had received amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court dent companies advocating for public 1,200 signatures as of mid-February. stressing the importance of immigrants policies that promote vibrant small In a similar action, Green America’s to the economy and society. businesses, healthy communities, and Green Business Network® (GBN) and “Immigrants or their children founded social responsibility. the American Sustainable Business more than 200 of the companies on the The Alliance created a “Hate Has (ASBC) Council are working with our Fortune 500 list, including Apple, Kraft, No Business Here” poster and put a green business members to sign on to a Ford, General Electric, AT&T, Google, high-resolution PDF on its website for letter against the executive orders. McDonald’s, Boeing, and Disney,” the businesses to download for free and brief read. “... Long-term, this instabil- post in their stores and offices. The ity [caused by the executive order] will poster, pictured on p. 16, makes a point make it far more difficult and expensive to emphasize that Black lives matter for US companies to hire the world’s and to welcome women, the LGBTQ best talent—and impede them from community, immigrants, refugees, and competing in the global marketplace.” people of all faiths. After Trump signed his Muslim and Inclusive Before Inclusive Was Cool refugee bans, the Alliance’s national Green businesses have a long histo- director, Amanda Ballantyne, came out ry of taking risks in the name of doing swinging: “Today’s executive orders

RTIFIE E D what’s right. Many were standing up for will not make America safer, stronger, C V E G A N marginalized communities and saying or more prosperous. ... Research and no to hate long before the Uber- experience show that the vast major- m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 15 HATE HAS NO BUSINESS HERE. #HATEHASNOBIZHERE We respect WOMEN. We value BLACK LIVES. nity Forklift’s director of proceeds from inauguration weekend to We stand with our LGBT COMMUNITY MEMBERS. outreach and education. its “long-standing partner” DC Central “One year later, and Kitchen, which addresses hunger in the We stand with IMMIGRANTS and REFUGEES hate crimes are on the District of Columbia. and . PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS rise—the polarization “Even if you’ve never sat at one of our has only gotten worse. In tables, you’re welcome to stand with us,” We stand with . OUR COMMUNITY response, we decided to said Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando’s PERi- turn the little sign into a PERi, in a statement. “This is a statement HUGE banner and now, of who we are, and the values that our All are no one can miss it! When company and employees hold dear.” you come to the ware- Wildlife photographer Steve Kaye, WELCOME HERE. house, you’ll know that owner of Steve Kaye Photo m in Placentia, we aim to treat everyone CA, doesn’t have a sign in front of his with respect and expect business. In fact, he barely has a sign at others to do the same.” all, since he largely works outdoors. But אין פה מקום לשנאה Peb tos txais txhua tus 欢迎各界人士 Tous sont les bienvenus ici The sign meant so what he does have is a statement on his Waan soo dhaweyneynaa dadka oo dhan much to the Community website supporting the Charter for Com- Forklift team, in part, passion (charterforcompassion.org). 모두 여기에 오신 것을 환영합니다 because the warehouse The Charter, the flagship document Todos son bienvenidos boasts a culturally of the nonprofit Charter for Compas- diverse clientele and Mọi người đều được chào đón ở đây. sion International, affirms the need “to staff, which Mundell make compassion a clear, luminous, and stresses is “not just a bit.ly/HateHasNoBizHere dynamic force in our polarized world. courtesy of the Main Street Alliance feel-good thing.” Rooted in a principled determination to “It gives us an advan- transcend selfishness, compassion can “As American business leaders and tage,” she says. “It has helped us break down political, dogmatic, ideolog- employers, we stand in opposition to survive serious challenges and eco- ical and religious boundaries. ... It is the the recent Executive Order on immigra- nomic downturns, take advantage of path to enlightenment, and indispens- tion,” the letter reads. “We believe the opportunities, and grow to a 40-person able to the creation of a just economy climate of fear and uncertainty that it operation. Because it is so important to and a peaceful global community.” our success, every new employee learns fosters in our customers, our employees, “There’s a concept here [with the that it is part of their job to create a and our communities will be damaging Charter] that I really like, and that’s welcoming environment at Community the concept of cooperative partner- to business. The ban undermines the in- Forklift. This is a very strong part of the ships,” says Kaye. “We’re working in terconnections and workforce mobility Community Forklift ethos: we lift and harmony toward something in com- upon which we depend. The Executive build people and communities.” mon. We need more of this type of Order also runs counter to basic consti- South-African-owned restaurant activity, because through combined tutional due process, which is essential chain Nando’s PERi-PERi celebrated efforts, we become stronger.” to a well-functioning economy.” inauguration week by displaying its Last July, Steve Kaye Photo officially Less than a week after the letter was own inclusivity signs in its DC became a partner of the Charter. Part- launched, more than 300 businesses restaurants. ners pledge to “bring an awareness of had signed on. The signs read: “Nando’s PERi- compassion and compassionate action PERi is an Immigrant Employing, Gay to everything we do.” Power in Compassion Loving, Muslim Respecting, Racism “If someone can scare you with lies Individual businesses are also taking Opposing, Equal Paying, Multi Cultural and make you hate, they own you,” says steps to address hate. Community chicken restaurant where #Everyone Kaye. “If the whole progressive, green m Forklift , a building-materials reuse Is Welcome.” community tries to make a run as indi- warehouse in Edmonston, MD, put up Nando’s distributed 60,000 free post- viduals, we’ll be decimated, because in- the Main Street Alliance’s poster back ers in Washington, DC, and it printed dividuals are easy to pick off. If everyone in December 2015—and took things a the poster in the free Express newspa- shows up en masse as a unified effort, step farther. pers distributed at Metro stations across then it’s overwhelming. There needs to “It fit our ethos, and our staff loved DC. Individuals can also download the be a unified effort of kindness.” it, so we put the sign on our door right poster at everyoneiswelcome.us. —Tracy Fernandez Rysavy away,” says Ruthie Mundell, Commu- The company donated half of its DC

16 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG Muslim Climate Activists Build Bridges

Muslim environmental activists are organizing the Islamic world to lead the global transition from a fossil-fuel economy to one powered by renewables. Their work with interfaith partners on climate is making a difference—and breaking the stereotypes that lead to hate.

he Muslim world, representing one-fifth of the world’s popula- Ttion, is also among the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change. A March 2016 NASA study, for example, found that a drought hitting the eastern Mediterranean countries of Cyprus, Isra- el, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey since 1998 was likely the worst to hit the region in the past 900 years. The NASA team behind the study found that the drought was caused, at least in part, by climate change. Many Muslim countries also rely on their rich oil reserves to propel their economies, and all, like the US, burn climate-warming fossil fuels for energy. But if a growing movement of green-minded Muslims around the world has anything to say about it, that reliance on fossil fuels in the Muslim courtesy of the Reverend Fletcher Harper world could be in for a major shift. GreenFaith representatives from many different faith traditions gather in Rome in June 2015 to show support for Pope Francis’s encyclical on caring for “our In 2015, leading Muslim scholars common home” and to demonstrate a united front against the climate crisis. from around the globe gathered at the International Islamic Climate Change Symposium to hammer out the Islamic where they also announced the launch licizing its program, launched in 2014, to Declaration on Global Climate Change of the Global Muslim Climate Network retrofit all of the 15,000 mosques it owns (IslamicClimateDeclaration.org). (GMCN). GMCN is a coalition of scholars, across the country—some nearly 900 “We call on Muslims, wherever they philanthropists, experts, and Muslim years old—with solar panels and ener- may be … to tackle habits, mindsets, non-governmental organizations, in- gy-efficient technologies. and the root causes of climate change, cluding Islamic Relief Worldwide and the As Muslim activists spread their environmental degradation, and the loss interfaith organization GreenFaith, who ecological message across the Islamic of biodiversity in their particular sphere are working across the Muslim world on world, they’re also joining together with of influence, following the example of solutions to curb the climate crisis. environmentalists from other faiths, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and At GMCN’s launch, the group called finding common ground and forming blessings be upon him), and bring about for all Muslim nations to increase the cross-cultural bonds that are helping a resolution to the challenges that now amount of renewable energy to 20 per- to break the stereotypes that lead to face us,” the declaration states. cent or more of their total energy mix. hate—all while caring for the Earth. In April 2016—on the same day The group also called for Muslim inves- representatives from more than 150 tors to employ environmental, social, and Connecting the Qur’an and Climate nations signed the Paris Agreement governance criteria in their investment Nana Firman is one of the leaders on climate change—the Declaration portfolios. behind the Islamic Declaration and a authors presented their document to Meaningful action has already begun. co-founder of the GMCN. Today, she the United Nations General Assembly, The Moroccan government has been pub- hopes the Muslim world can lead the m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 17 transition from fossil fuels to clean ener- Muslim and deeply religious, and they then people started to get involved in gy, spurred on by teachings in the Qur’an. suggested using religion as a way to my programs. From then on, whether I She first started noticing the inter- find common ground. Firman ended up worked on sustainable cities or cli- connections between religion and envi- going back to her own Islamic faith to mate-change issues, I tried to incorpo- ronmentalism while working abroad for look for environmental messages. rate my own faith also.” the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). After She found plenty. For example, the When Firman moved to the US in the 2004 tsunami, which caused mass Qur’an states: “Eat and drink from 2012, she found that American Muslims destruction in countries bordering the the provision of Allah, and do not she met “didn’t have the connection Indian Ocean, Firman joined WWF’s commit abuse on the Earth, spreading between the Islamic teaching and the rebuilding efforts in Indonesia with corruption.” protection of the environment. Some- her background in urban and industrial So she started connecting the dots how, they thought those were two dif- design. But she found herself having a between the environmental steward- ferent things, like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s cool to tough time persuading local people to ship she wanted to catalyze and the be a green activist, but I’m a Muslim.’” take sustainability into consideration in faith she shared with the community. When she visited a mosque in South- ern California in 2013 for the breaking their rebuilding efforts. “The people understood better when of that year’s Ramadan fast, she was Some colleagues noted that the area I actually used religious teachings to surprised at the waste she saw there. where she worked, the Indonesian emphasize my points,” she says. “I got After the prayer service, Firman province of Aceh, was predominantly involved with the religious leader, and spoke to the Imam, the mosque’s leader, about how to reduce waste— and what doing so had to do with the teachings of the Qur’an. He was so impressed, he welcomed her to speak to worshipers on the issue. That speaking engagement led to many others, and today, Firman often travels nationally and abroad to talk to Muslims about sustainability practices. In 2015, she was named a White House Champion of Change. “As Muslims, we have a responsibility to take care of our world and this planet as the khalifa [steward] of this Earth,” she said in an interview at the 2016 UN climate conference in Marrakesh, which she attended on behalf of GCMN.

A Common Care for People Muslim environmentalists like Firman are also reaching out to people from other faith traditions—and vice versa—to join together in spreading their message of caring for Creation. In 2013, Firman joined GreenFaith, where she now works part-time as the Muslim outreach director. GreenFaith (greenfaith.org) is an interfaith organization that has organizers from many religions reach out to worshippers around the country. It provides educational resources linking religion and environment, and it brings people of different beliefs together for environmental stew- This panel is taken from the “Greening Islam” comic strip, by Audrey Quinn and Lucy ardship events. The organization is one Bellwood. For the full comic, visit greenmuslims.org > Web Comic > Greening Islam. of several behind the GMCN.

18 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG The Reverend Fletcher Harper

Founded in 1992 in New Jersey, GreenFaith is an interfaith environmental organization that works with a diverse range of faith groups globally. With Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, courtesy of Nana Firman and Buddhist partners, in the last four 2015 Obama White House Champion of Change Nana Firman. years alone, GreenFaith has helped lead the faith-based fossil-fuel divestment movement; led organizing that brought Indeed, Harper, Firman, and others, the Muslim communities where she over 15,000 people of faith to the 2014 including Pope Francis, see pollution lives, support people in those groups People’s Climate March in New York; mitigation as part of their respective didn’t know existed before. coordinated an international, multi- religious mandates to care for the poor. She also is quick to acknowledge her faith campaign in support of the Paris “A theme that is really powerful and identity is not the only one that has Climate Agreement; and led a march shared among religions is the priori- come under fire; she talks about into St. Peter’s Square in Rome to ty we need to place on looking out for her mosques making new ties to celebrate the release of Pope Francis’s those who are the most vulnerable,” other minority groups. In 2015, she environmental encyclical. The orga- Harper says. “While it’s very clear the connected with a group called Islam in nization has trained hundreds of faith pollution hurts everybody, it hurts the Spanish, which has been trying to build leaders for environmental action and poor the worst, and it hurts racial mi- bridges between Muslims and Span- facilitated financing for over a norities the worst. And that’s wrong.” ish speakers. In at least a few cities megawatt of solar installations on Harper stresses that particularly in where there are large communities of faith facilities. today’s divisive political climate, “it’s both groups, including Los Angeles, The Reverend Fletcher Harper is beyond vital that people of faith regis- Houston, and New York, hate speech an Episcopal priest and the executive ter their belief, publicly, that we must and governmental threats directed at director of GreenFaith. Harper says protect the environment and act on Latin-Americans and Muslims have what brought him to GreenFaith was climate change.” inspired both communities to reach out a recognition that he had many of his He suggests finding members of your to each other in solidarity. connections with God while outdoors congregation who are interested in sus- Firman says that the two commu- in nature, which he thinks is common tainability and environmental topics with people across religions. nities have found things in common and meeting regularly, as well as going “There are real, legitimate, and when discussing the environment, to faith leaders with a request for a genuine differences between religions, due to both having strong agriculture sermon on the topic. culturally and theologically. Within that background and a culture of sharing diversity though, there’s a clear sense, Growing Solidarity communal goods. She says these few with religious groups, that we have a Divisive language ignited voters last cultural nuances connect many. responsibility to care for the Earth, that year—Trump’s election was a clear “Even though a lot of us are not hap- the Earth is a remarkable gift for which loss for environmentalists, and also py with the [political] situation, groups we are to be grateful,” Harper says. “It for Muslims, as peaceful people were that did not even have any communi- doesn’t mean that we worship the Earth. lumped in with terrorist groups. But cation before are starting to communi- It does mean that there is a belief that we Nana Firman is full of hope as she talks cate because of it,” she says. “There’s have a moral accountability for the way in about the months and years to come. been this outpouring of support that we which we treat the Earth, along with how She says since the election, there has didn’t even think about before.” we treat other people.” been a huge outpouring of support for —Eleanor Greene m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 19 Economic Justice for Trans Workers Trans workers are more likely to be fired, denied a promotion, or not hired at all due to their gender identity or expression. Some forward-thinking programs are leveling the playing field.

higher than the general population. With poverty and suicide rates significantly higher for trans people than for the general population, it’s especially important for them to find meaningful work. Therefore, the trans community and allies are calling for economic justice: hiring practices that fairly reflect ability and potential instead of fear or stereotypes.

The Journey to a Job Back in Texas, Hoole had been pres- sured by employers not to express her gender identity, or had been denied jobs outright because she was trans. She had heard good things about California’s treatment of trans people—it’s one of only 19 states that has legal protections courtesy of Michaela Mendelsohn based on gender identity. But even once Michaela Mendelsohn launched the California Transgender Workplace Project to help she arrived in her new state, she still move unemployed trans people move into well-paying jobs in the restaurant industry. had a hard time moving from applying The project also trains employers to create sensitive workplaces. for jobs to being hired. “I have a strong resume, and I’m an arie Angel Hoole moved to Cal- been fired, denied a promotion, or not educated person. And yet, that didn’t seem enough,” she says. “I came to ifornia happily in 2015. Her fi- hired because of their gender identity know that Texas wasn’t the only place ancée was about to start school or expression. M that needed help in getting the popula- in Los Angeles. Hoole had a bachelor’s As the Green American goes to print, tion to understand what the issues are. degree and years of experience in the there are rumblings out of Washington Laws are not going to change people restaurant business, from service to that the President may soon sign an alone. We have to change our hearts.” management, and good references. She executive order on “religious liber- Years before, in the Los Angeles area, felt confident she would find a job and ty,” which could allow companies to Michaela Mendelsohn was having simi- the couple’s new life in California would fire employees for not adhering to the lar thoughts. Mendelsohn is a franchise be better than it was in Texas. boss’s interpretation of religion. That owner of six locations of the fast food She didn’t find work easily. As a could mean that some LGBTQ peo- chain El Pollo Loco in Southern Califor- transgender woman, Hoole had dealt ple will be out of work because their nia. She’s also the first trans woman to with discrimination before, and she very existence is “against” someone’s serve on the board of The Trevor Proj- was not the only one to face that strug- religion. Such an executive order would ect, a suicide prevention organization gle. The US unemployment rate is three likely make it even more difficult for for LGBTQ youth. She was volunteering times for trans people what it is for transgender people to find good jobs. for the Project’s crisis hotline when she the rest of the population—four times Businesses and programs are step- had an idea. for trans women of color. The 2015 US ping up to close this gap. Advocates see “As I was taking calls and helping Transgender Survey from the Center the trans community as a huge un- youth in desperate need, I realized for Transgender Equality reported that tapped and highly educated workforce, we’re giving them tremendous help. 27 percent of trans people who had in part since trans people are twice as We’re de-escalating the suicidal risk applied to or worked at a job in 2015 had likely to hold a bachelor’s degree or behavior at that moment, and we’re

20 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG giving them safety plans and resources Mendelsohn says that since the pro- percent of her trans employees move to to improve their lives, and we’re there gram has been testing at El Pollo Loco management positions, which is a much for follow-up calls,” she says. “But to for four years, the next step has been higher rate than standard in the indus- truly improve their lives on a more per- placing transgender job-seekers with a try or in her stores in general. manent basis, there have to be employ- “close-knit” community of employers, Because of the program, customers ment opportunities. And here I was, an including several Dunkin’ Donuts loca- are meeting trans people in friendly in- employer with a possibility to do that in tions in the L.A. area. The next phase, teractions in their communities, which my businesses.” which she says will launch in April, will is “opening people’s hearts,” Mendel- offer the program in a “much broader sohn says. “They may never have met Opportunities for Open Hearts range” of restaurants. or realized they had met a transgender Though she bought her first fran- person before. The customers are really chise in 1988, Mendelsohn didn’t hire Good for Employees & Customers loving it. And making our customers her first trans employee until 2012 Mendelsohn’s claim that Fortune 500 happy is, of course, one of the most after her “a-ha” moment at the Trevor companies are recognizing the value of important things.” Project. She was pleased by the perfor- diversity may be true. Every year the The most direct benefit, however, is mance of the employee and the positive Human Rights Campaign publishes to the employees. response from customers. She kept the Corporate Equality Index, to see In 2016, Mendelsohn hired Ma- hiring trans people, and the positive how well Fortune 500 and other large rie Hoole as a cashier at El Pollo Loco impact grew for her business. US companies translate that value into through CTWP. And because of her nat- In 2016, Mendelsohn started the Cal- LGBTQ-inclusive policies, benefits, and ural leadership tendencies, Mendelsohn ifornia Transgender Workplace Project practices. Its 2017 edition rated 1,043 also hired Hoole last fall to be a paid (CTWP), which creates trans-positive companies, and 49 percent of compa- trans-visibility advocate with CTWP. As restaurant-industry workplaces in nies earned a perfect score. In 2002, the such, Hoole talks to restaurant owners California by training management first year the index was published, only who might be interested in adopting the and mentoring trans employees. The 4 percent had earned a perfect score. program about its positive impacts. program was modeled on the success of [Editor’s note: Thanks to the pressure “The work that CTWP does has the employees in her own restaurants. socially responsible investors regularly put changed my life tremendously,” says “This is a huge pool of employees on large corporations, 89 percent of Fortune Hoole. “It has provided me with a that we can’t afford to not consider,” 500 companies now prohibit discrimination leveled playing field, where I got the says Mendelsohn. According to a 2016 based on sexual orientation, and 66 percent chance to show my skills and be appre- survey from the Williams Institute at based on gender identity as well. For more on ciated for my hard work. The opportuni- UCLA, 218,000 transgender adults live using your investments as activism, see p. 9.] ties [have been] life-changing, and they in California, or 15 percent of the US Recruiting and hiring trans employ- have made of me a happier Marie. The trans population. ees may also be good for a company’s organization gave me something I really “And diversity is just good for busi- bottom line. Mendelsohn says she hears never had, and that is simply to succeed ness,” she adds. “I think almost all of more compliments on her employees in my own true identity—and so it has the Fortune 500 companies have real- who are part of the program than on for so many others. This is a reality I ized that and are on board as well.” ones outside of it. She also notes that 30 want the world to know and share.”

m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 21 RESOURCES

• The California Transgender Workplace Project, TransCanWork.org. • The CTWP offers a free trans- inclusivity training video for employers interested in hiring transgender employees. Visit TransCanWork.org > CRA Program > Video. • Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, a documentary film featuring Marie Hoole and Michaela Mendelsohn. http://on.natgeo. com/2kDd8Kz. • The Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index rates Building Economic Justice ficiency is key to getting folks out of op- companies on LGBTQ policies and The restaurant industry isn’t the only pression and advocating for themselves practices. hrc.org/campaigns/ industry in California that’s recruit- and growing their support systems.” corporate-equality-index/. ing transgender employees. As the Farley says that the work is not done director of economic development at by getting individuals into jobs, though • The Model Transgender the San Francisco LGBT Center, Clair it is a start. The Center’s economic Employment Policy, from the Farley works on the Center’s Trans- development department is also Transgender Law Center and the gender Employment Program, which working with potential employees on San Francisco LGBT Center, is one was the first of its kind when it was job skills training and asset manage- that welcomes trans and gender founded in 2007. The program provides ment, and working with employers to non-conforming workers. job training and placement services to add diversity and inclusion to hiring transgenderlawcenter.org/ trans people in the Bay Area, as well as practices. resources/employment/ connections for businesses looking to modelpolicy. hire from that diverse pool. It also is a A Green Economy is Inclusive • The National Center for resource for other organizations that A green economy means one in which Transgender Equality, want to set up similar programs. all people have equal opportunity to do 202/642-4542, transequality.org. Unlike the CTWP, the Trans Employ- meaningful work for a living wage, in • The Trans Employment ment Program is not affiliated with safety and without exploitation. Going Program of the San Francisco one industry. The website boasts job the extra mile to lift up trans workers LGBT Center, 415/865-5614, placement successes in fields from helps level the playing field. TransEmploymentProgram.org. health care to nonprofit leadership and “Many gender non-conforming • The Trevor Project, : 310/271- the tech industry. The Transgender people are out there right now looking 8845, TheTrevorProject.org. Employment Program works in an ad- a for a job and are facing discrimination visory role to the CTWP, and Farley says and/or are victims of unfair and unsafe she hopes it can help connect the CTWP treatment in their workplace, because with hospitality-sector businesses and of their gender identity—especially people as the program grows. among people of color. This needs to Because of her role at the LGBT stop,” says Marie Hoole. “Trans-visi- Center, Farley has been approached by bility can change cultural barriers and organizers trying to set up hiring pro- misconceptions in the workplace about grams in other cities in California, and transgender employees. The proactive places as far away as Hawaii and DC. change we encourage employers to take “We’re looking at how we can contin- advantage of creates opportunity and ue to support this kind of work across begins with education. There is such a the country, because we feel, a lot of the lovely feeling to finally enter the doors

RTIFIE E D time, LGBT funding in general ignores of my workplace as Marie, and that’s a C V E G A N economic development or economic title I am most proud of.” justice,” Farley says. “Building self-suf- —Eleanor Greene

22 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG An Organizer in the House An Interview with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

While Green Americans work on green-economy solutions that don’t require political support, hope is also rising inside the system.

n November, Pramila Jayapal won her Congressional election bid and became Ithe first Indian-American woman in the House of Representatives. Jayapal (D-WA) is also an immigrant: Her parents sent her from her home in India to the US to attend college when she was 16 years old. She stayed, got an MBA from Northwestern University, and launched a more than 20-year career in community organizing, working for fair treatment for immigrants and for humane immigration reform. In 2013, President Obama named her a White House Champion of Change. Prior to entering the House of Represen- tatives, Jayapal served in the Washington State Senate from 2015 to January 2017. Before that, she founded the Hate-Free Zone Campaign of Washington to counter- act the rise in hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians in the aftermath of 9/11. Under her leadership, the campaign developed into OneAmerica, a national immigrant-advocacy organization. Green America editor-in-chief Tracy Fernandez Rysavy talked with Rep. Jayapal about her history-making election win, the powerful positive impact immigrants have on America’s economy, and her recent actions fighting President Trump’s anti-immigrant executive actions, as well as her plans for moving forward.

Jack Storms

Green American/Tracy Fernandez Rep. Pramila Jayapal: Those are very pressed against the glass, waiting for Rysavy: Thank you for your work on strong words, and I want people to their parents to come home and not sure President Trump’s recent anti-Muslim understand the degree to which these they will. We’re leaving family members and anti-refugee executive orders [see executive orders are not just a piece of sobbing in airports, because the person sidebar, next page]. You’ve called them they thought they were going to hug legal paper but are tearing at people’s “inhumane and barbaric.” Would you after three years apart is on a plane humanity. When you say “inhumane mind elaborating on your powerful being deported somewhere else. and barbaric,” they hopefully pay statement? It signals intentionality from the attention and recognize and think president. You can do unfair and unjust about what’s inhumane and barbaric. things, but if you do inhumane and bar- We’re leaving kids with their faces baric things, it signals intentionality. m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 23 JAYAPAL AND OTHERS FIGHT ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND ANTI- Green American/Tracy: After director of the CBP came. We also got MUSLIM EXECUTIVE ORDER Homeland Security started enforcing the governor [Jay Inslee] and [Senator] Trump’s executive orders banning Patty Murray [D-WA] on the phone and In his first week in office, President refugees and Muslims from seven demanded that these people be allowed Trump signed an executive order that countries, refugees who had just to get attorneys. CBP was telling us many interpreted as anti-Muslim and arrived in the US thinking they’d been they weren’t going to have attorneys. anti-immigrant. The order banned all granted asylum were sent back to We did finally get the two off the refugees from entering the US for their home countries, some perhaps plane, got them attorneys, and got four months, and instituted an indefi- to dangerous situations. Before a them released. nite ban on refugees from Syria. federal court blocked the executive We are still hearing so many trou- It also instituted a 90-day travel ban orders from further enforcement, you bling stories. Not only Muslims from from seven predominantly Muslim were at the forefront of stopping at those seven countries are being barred countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, least one plane about to deport refu- from entering the US, but a Kashmiri Somalia, and Yemen. At first, the De- gees from taking off at SeaTac Airport. Muslim Olympian in India who was partment of Homeland Security said Can you tell us what happened? coming to the US to compete was told the ban included both travelers with he couldn’t have a visa because of Rep. Jayapal: I want to give credit to current US visas and US permanent Trump’s immigration order. Courtney Gregoire at the Seattle Port residents, or those with green cards, There’s so much fear and so much in Authority, Rep. Suzan DelBene [D-WA], but after widespread protest, Home- limbo. Legal permanent residents still Jorge Barón and the Northwest Immi- land Security backtracked and allowed being stopped, even though Secretary grant Rights Project, and the ACLU. permanent residents to re-enter the Kelly [of Homeland Security] said it’s The ACLU filed a temporary restrain- country if they were abroad. in the interest of national security that ing order [on behalf of two individuals Late on January 28th, a federal they be allowed in the country. But who were on a plane and about to be judge temporarily blocked the im- there are reports of them being strip- deported under the executive order]. plementation of the bans as protests searched or subjected to additional I’ve been in this situation before [as an erupted at airports across the US. searching sometimes for hours. It’s immigrant advocate]. They asked me to Before that decision, immigration demeaning and totally outrageous. sign a brief on it, and I signed. lawyers, lawyers from the ACLU, con- [Editor’s note: See box, this page, for Within four or five hours, we got cerned politicians, and others were more information on the executive orders the judge to grant a TRO [temporary scrambling at airports across the and their status as the Green American restraining order]. We had to get to country, trying to keep planes ready went to press. the plane, which was ready to take off, to deport recently arrived refugees In addition, Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Kamala to get the two people on it. We liter- from departing. Harris (D-CA) have introduced legislation ally had to get it to come back to the Rep. Jayapal spent eight hours at that would guarantee access to legal counsel gateway. Jorge Barón was holding the SeaTac Airport in Seattle, WA, work- for anyone detained while attempting to phone [at the end of the jetway] saying, ing to halt planes about to deport enter the US. Hundreds were detained by “This plane cannot depart,” while we three recently arrived refugees. While, Homeland Security at US airports immedi- were showing [gate agents] the TRO to sadly, one was successfully deported ately following Trump’s order. Many were get the plane to come back. They had to back to Somalia, Jayapal and others held for more than ten hours without access re-attach the bridgeway, so the plane successfully got the plane carrying to phones or the flood of lawyers who joined would not leave. two others to return to the terminal, protesters at airports attempting to help Suzan DelBene and I were trying to and they were also released. them, according to the Los Angeles Times.] CNN reports that before the push this to Customs and Border Pro- temporary ruling, Homeland Security tection. They would not talk to us. So I Green American/Tracy: You’ve also detained hundreds of travelers, and said, “Either they come here, or I will co-sponsored legislation that would denied entry to 109 travelers who go to them.” protect the DREAM Act, [keeping coming to the US. 173 travelers were They were in a secured area, so [the children who were brought into the told not to board planes to the US. gate agents] said, “You can’t go to US through no fault of their own from As the Green American went to them.” But I said I was going to go being deported]. This gets at my heart, press, the Ninth Circuit Court of Ap- through, and if that shut down the air- as a mother. How hopeful are you that peals upheld a lower court ruling that port, that wasn’t my intent, but that’s this legislation will get passed? declared the travel bans unconstitu- what I would do. Rep. Jayapal: tional. The Trump administration says So they got a bus and took us through I really think there are it may appeal to the Supreme Court the back recesses of the airport to the a lot of representatives who believe we or rewrite the executive order. CBP area. We started banging on their have to welcome these young people door, because it was locked, until the into the country. There’s bipartisan

24 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG sponsorship for this bill in the House and in the Senate. I wasn’t an original sponsor of the bill. A Democrat now has to bring a Republican to co-sponsor with you if you want to be on the bill. I was able to work with Dave Reichert [R] in Bellev- ue, and we signed on together. Con- gressman Newhouse [R] from Yakima also signed on. I think the bill does have a real shot. There are the optics [to consider] for Republicans in deporting a bunch of kids who have never been to the country they may be sent to, many who are valedictorians. The thing is, the bill is only temporary, only for three years—a first step. What we need to do is to fight for comprehensive immigration that keeps parents here, reform that keeps families together. courtesy of OneAmerica In 2013, as a WA State Senator, Pramila Jayapal spoke at a OneAmerica Green American/Tracy: There’s rally to protest Congressional inaction on fair immigration reform. also these arguments that allowing Muslims and refugees into the US has never been right—including during challenging. A big challenge is, why makes the country less safe, or that WWII, with the Japanese internment— are we only having it now? But it’s they’re taking away jobs. How do we to pit security against liberty. Benjamin great to be one of only 11,000 who have respond to that, in a way that opens Franklin said you can’t sacrifice tem- served, to be the first, and to bring the minds and hearts? porary security for liberty; otherwise perspective that we bring. It’s not just you’ll have neither. about what we look like and checking Rep. Jayapal: All research shows that a box. But how do we share hearings, Green American/Tracy: You’ve had immigrants don’t take American jobs. how do we look at legislation, how do quite a history of working on behalf They fill voids that American workers we interact with our constituents? of immigrants in the nonprofit sector. don’t want to fill, particularly in low- It’s great to see people around the Why leave that and get into politics? wage jobs. If we were to raise wages, country, young and old, who are inspired we would find more people wanting to see someone they feel understands Rep. Jayapal: [laughs] I never thought those jobs. We need to level the playing their perspective. It energizes them to I’d go into politics, but after 15 years of field so no one is being exploited, and see someone they can relate to. I get so working to get the things done we need everyone has a fair shot. much love from Indian-American to do, I realized it’s important to have As for security, this has been a red women—and their husbands and fa- people from the movement, people herring for a long time. The current ban thers, too—who just see a different path who can help organize in politics, and doesn’t make us safer; it makes us less for themselves. I take that really seri- to get immigrants, women, and people safe. I was talking to some very high ously. Every step I move forward, I want of color in politics—people whom you people in the Iraqi government, and to make sure I bring people with me. don’t have to explain everything to. there’s tremendous fear that we are What’s challenging: I wish there It’s just another platform for or- playing right into the hands of people were more of us. We need more of us. I ganizing. And it’s important to have wishing to do us harm, who one official also think that it’s challenging because organizers in these platforms. said were “clapping and gleeful” be- it’s very, very personal. cause [Trump’s executive order] helps Green American/Tracy: What is em- to drive a wedge between the people powering and what is challenging about Green American/Tracy: I know you’ve they are trying to recruit and the US. being the first Indian-American woman gotten death threats for your pro- We’re locking out Iraqi translators in the House of Representatives? immigrant activism in the past. Does who worked with American forces. We that kind of thing still happen? need them! Rep. Jayapal: It’s amazing to be the Here’s a more general comment: It first, always. It’s empowering and continued on p. 28 m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 25 More Ways to Say No to Hate

From simple to more advanced, here are ways Green Americans can use your voice and your economic power to work against BCFC / iStockPhoto hate and for a better world.

Gather a group of Sign a petition. Do not debate 1 friends—online or in 2 Visit greenamerica.org/ 3 hate-mongers. person—and pledge to call takeaction to sign our They feed on attention. your members of Congress economic-action petitions Online, it’s best to ignore on a regular basis together to speak for social justice, for the environment, them. In person, the Southern Poverty out on issues you care about. Find Law Center (SPLC) suggests drawing and against hate. their contact info at House.gov and attention away with alternate Senate.gov. conversations.

If your community Declare a “Hate-Free Zone” Write a supportive 4 experiences 5 in your neighborhood, or 6 message to an organization hate-induced vandalism, push local politicians to have or individual who has grab your cleaning your town or city declared a been the target of hate supplies and pressure washers, Hate-Free Zone. speech or action. Let them know you and help clean it up. support and appreciate them.

Fight polarization by Find creative ways to inspire The Black Lives Matter 7 convening a gathering in 8 young people to join the 9 (BLM) movement endures a your community focused on conversation. For example, lot of scorn and civilized conversations about Atlanta’s Museum of Design misinformation. Do your important issues. is conducting The Lemonade Project, “a part to spread their message of equality, Consult our interview with James 12-month series of conversations not hate. If BLM holds a march or vigil Hoggan, author of I’m Right and You’re an centered around Beyonce’s visual album, in your area, support it by inviting Idiot (New Society Publishersm , 2016) Lemonade, and the themes of race, friends and attending. for a good initial conversation-starter. gender, and class it addresses.” BlackLivesMatter.org. greenam.org/HogganCivility.

Boycott businesses that Hold a gathering to Browse the Not in Our Town 10 support Donald Trump and 11 watch the PBS short film, 12 website to find over 100 his divisive rhetoric and Not in Our Town, films to spark dialogue, 50 xenophobic policies. There’s recommended by the school films with an app for Android and iPhone called SPLC as a good starting point for accompanying lesson plans and activity Boycott Trump that can help you avoid groups wanting to combat hate. guides, sample materials from towns supporting him day-to-day. You can also Available in DVD format and free that have stood up to hate, tips for find a full list at GrabYourWallet.org. on YouTube. pbs.org/program/not- addressing hate on college campuses, Instead, support independent, local, and in-our-town/ and youtube.com/ and resources for starting a school green businesses. watch?v=Z5yaMhcTCdw/. anti-bullying campaign or community group to combat hate. niot.org.

26 SPRING 2017 GREEN AMERICAN GREENAMERICA.ORG Suggest your house of Donate your time and If you’re a business owner, 13 worship take action against 14 volunteer with a relevant 15 hang a “Hate Has No hate. Together, your faith organization. Find volunteer Business Here” poster in community might come up positions at volunteermatch. your store or office to show with some wonderful ideas to spread a org. You can search by sector, including that everyone is welcome. Download message of tolerance and love. human rights, environment, community, free at the Main Street Alliance website: immigrants/refugees, etc. MainStreetAlliance.org.

Display a “Hate Has No Move your investments out If you’re an employer, reach 16 Home Here” poster in your 17 of companies that do not 18 out to a diverse pool of yard or inside your home. have diverse management, an applicants for your next job The Hollywood-North Park LGBTQ inclusivity policy, or opening. Foster a Community Association developed the that are participating in projects that multicultural, inclusive workplace by now-famous blue posters that are harm communities or aren’t in line with posting on job boards at different local gracing homes and buildings across your values. Our Guide to Socially organizations that cater to people of the country. Responsible Investing & Better Banking color, LGBTQ folks, and differently can help. The 2017 guide will be abled people. Make sure your job Download the artwork for free at coming to Green American mailboxes listings and website explicitly welcome hnpca.org. Or make your own! this spring! diverse applicants.

Write letters to the editor The Anti-Defamation League Many mega-banks are 19 of local newspapers in 20 urges people to learn 21 involved with projects and support of targeted common hate-group practices that may not communities in your area, or symbols and slogans, so you support your values. If against legislation that promotes hate can recognize them and offer support you’ve already broken up with your and divisiveness. If your neighborhood to communities and people who are mega-bank and gotten rid of your mega- is the victim of a hate crime, speak to targeted. The ADL’s Hate on Display bank credit cards, share Green the press to shine a light on the database includes many: adl.org/ America’s resources with others and incident and allow your community to combating-hate/hate-on-display/. encourage them to do the same: come to your aid. BreakUpWithYourMegaBank.org and TakeChargeofYourCard.org.

For example, several US immigrants, documented If you’re a parent, a teacher, 22 mega-banks are funding the 23 and undocumented, are the 24 or otherwise work with Dakota Access Pipeline, biggest targets of children or teens, download which is tearing up unscrupulous employers who the SPLC’s free quarterly traditional lands of the Standing Rock subject them to sweatshop conditions. magazine, Teaching Tolerance. (Consider Sioux and threatening their tribal water These employers prey on immigrants’ donating if you find it useful.) Every supply. The pipeline also threatens fear of deportation or their emerging issue is packed with information, ideas, sacred Sioux burial sites. See Green grasp of English to exploit them. Read and lesson plans to help you teach America’s “Investing to Support Green America’s article “Fair Labor at compassion, understanding, and Standing Rock” for information on Home” to find out more about inclusivity to the young people in your divesting from the DAPL-finding banks sweatshop and slavery conditions here in life. The organization offers free print and using your investor power to the US. Then, reach out to immigrants in issues, resources, and kits to teachers protest the DAPL. your city whom you think may need help. and others who work with children greenam.org/DAPLinvest. greenam.org/LaboratHome. professionally. Tolerance.org.

Form a diversity book club If a hate group plans a rally Fight the root causes of 25 and pick reads by authors 26 in your city, hold a unity 27 hate and inequality: work for with diverse perspectives. rally to take the spotlight environmental and climate Local librarians and from it. The SPLC suggests justice; affordable housing, literature instructors are great holding your rally some distance away healthy food and food access, safe resources for help with picking from the hate group, to literally draw communities, an end to discrimination, selections or leading discussions. people away. and more.

Join your local chapter of Ask others in your Need more? Check out our 28 the NAACP and fight for 29 community to put out signs 30 “30 Days of Action” blog, racial equality. to signal that hate isn’t which features 30 simple welcome in your city. action steps you can take to Membership is open to all, create a month’s worth of change: regardless of race. naacp.org. Don’t underestimate their power! greenam.org/30DaysAction.

m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 27 IMMIGRANTS & THE ECONOMY resoundingly rejected by so many peo- a place. I felt it was critical that I was Immigrant workers, documented and ple—at protests, thousands of people with them physically on that day that undocumented, make up a vibrant, key at airports, on Twitter and social media. was bringing so much despair to many part of the US economy. According Trump has his base. Our base never of my constituents. to the Center for American Progress showed up in the streets after 9/11 the I did a round table, and it was emo- (americanprogress.org): way they are now. Communities do un- tional. It was difficult but also uplifting. derstand what the stakes are in a way I just felt I could not stand there with • If all undocumented immigrants in the that I haven’t seen for a long time. a man who has been so divisive. We country were deported, the cumula- kept waiting for him to go from being tive US GDP would lose $2.6 trillion Green American/Tracy: OneAmerica the divisive candidate to being the uni- over ten years. was originally called Hate-Free Zone, fying president, but he didn’t—which • As Baby Boomers retire, 58.6 new and you helped cities and towns was incredibly disappointing. Maybe workers will be needed to fill those declare themselves Hate-Free Zones not surprising on some level. jobs over the next 20 years. But only after 9/11. That particular campaign I wasn’t going to stand on a stage 51.3 million native-born people will seemed to taper off as, perhaps, post- with someone who has put a Breitbart be available to do so—meaning we’ll 9/11 hate crimes died down. Is it time News editor in his cabinet, along with need immigrants to make up the gap. to bring that back? putting in someone who has joked about the KKK and used the N-word as • Undocumented immigrants pay $10.6 Rep. Jayapal: That’s one of the things Attorney General. I couldn’t see stand- billion in state and local taxes each year. I want to do. We did a Hate-Free Zone ing there and allowing my presence to press conference in December [declaring • Protecting DREAMers (children of be taken as condoning that president. Washington a Hate-Free State]. We had undocumented immigrants) would It wasn’t meant to be a boycott, just my some amazing signs we’d love to have inject $329 billion and 1.4 million jobs decision, but Trump turned it into a boycott people all across the country adopt. into the US economy. when he Tweeted insults at [Congressman Councils across the country have and Civil Rights activist] John Lewis. been passing legislation declaring continued from p. 25 themselves sanctuary cities or hate- Green American/Tracy: What else can free zones. It is coming back again. people do, to combat hate? Rep. Jayapal: Not death threats, We’re better, in part, because we’ve Rep. Jayapal: First of all, we can’t but I get nasty hate stuff. I try not to gone through it already, and we have this have people getting tired or think- read comments at the end of articles; example of how we can win. We sued the ing their voice doesn’t matter. Stay they’re just so horrible. Bush administration, and we stopped engaged. Do what you need to do to You have to be strong. You have to registration of Muslims and Arabs. sustain yourself, but stay engaged. pull yourself together because so many [Editor’s note: The Bush-era the National There are a lot of us who have friends people are depending on you. Security Entry-Exit Registration System, or or family members—I have them—who NSEERS, required men from 25 so-called voted for Trump and live in battleground Green American/Tracy: You founded “higher-risk” countries—all predominantly states that are important. We have to the nonprofit OneAmerica after 9/11 Muslim countries except North Korea—to have conversations with people we in response to a wave of hate crimes undergo interrogation and fingerprinting know and love. Many of us don’t want to against the US Sikh and Muslim before they could enter the US. In addition, up bring that to the dining-room table with population. Do you feel we’ve gone until 2003, they had to report to government family. We don’t want to drive a wedge. backwards as a country in terms of offices after 30 days in the US and on a reg- But this is personal and political. Talk prejudice since then? ular basis for additional screening. NSEERS about how you get beyond this hate. was suspended in 2011 largely due to the Rep. Jayapal: In some ways we’ve gone Engage with people: “I love you, I controversy surrounding it, and the Obama backwards, in that the legislation and EOs know you love me, but what you’re administration shut down the database at are horrific and in some ways worse than doing and saying and the person you the end of 2016. Not a single person was ever what happened after 9/11. Maybe not as voted for is so deeply hurtful to me. If charged with terrorism under NSEERS.] bad as 1942—it’s hard to know. 9/11 was a we love each other, we have to have that massive wedge in this country’s histo- Green American/Tracy: You were one conversation. I’m asking that you please ry, and in the name of security, we’ve of the first in Congress to boycott open your ears, and I will do the same.” allowed a lot of things to happen. Trump’s inauguration. Why did you Also, we don’t want to be like the However, I was just saying in a feel that was important to do? other side, who hates government and speech this morning that after 9/11, we wants to dismantle it. Government didn’t have a lot of people standing up Rep. Jayapal: We were getting so works. We need to build our govern- for Muslims. It’s interesting to me now many calls from people who were ment properly. We need to have people that the Muslim ban, more so than the terrified about what their place was in who care in government. We need to orders on immigration, has been so the country, whether they’d even have support and amplify each other.

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to us that we continue to support the small Mountain Rose Herbs Helps 60+ Farms in family farmers who have grown high-quality herbs for us over the years. Rather than India Obtain Fair Trade Certification abandon our existing farmers and find new ones, we decided to invest in their certification process.” Mountain Rose help their small farms by paying for the certification fees and for the fair trade premiums for workers to improve their communities, mandated by Fair for Life. Those premium funds have helped farmers to rebuild worker homes, repair a precarious footbridge, renovate a school’s kitchen, and provided children in an orphanage with school uniforms and books. Thanks to Mountain Rose’s commitment, more than 60 herb and spice farms in India to date have been certified Fair for Life, many of them small farms of one to eight acres. Fair for Life certifiers audit the farms and Mountain Rose to ensure adherence to fair trade standards, and Gerrity says the process has changed the farms for the better. “I think some of the changes we’re seeing courtesy of Mountain Rose Herbs at the farm level, with [certification-man- Mountain Rose Herbs executive director of operations Jennifer Garrity (center, looking dated] equal pay for men and women directly at the camera) visits the company’s fair trade herb supplier farms in India. particularly, I don’t see any way those changes would happen without the Fair for Life involvement,” she says. “I didn’t realize that going into it, but then when I visited hanks to a deep commitment to fair trade, Fair for Life doesn’t just certify products the farm, it’s like ‘wow.’” T60 small, family farms in India that grow but ensures a commitment to human rights, Mountain Rose Herbs also helps growers organic and sustainably harvested herbs and healthy and safe working conditions, and fair employ organic and sustainable farming spices for Mountain Rose Herbs m now have wages through the supply chain of agricul- methods. Last year, it donated organic fair trade certification. tural, artisan, or cosmetic companies—and nutmeg and mace plant starts for test In 2013, Mountain Rose management decided now, thanks to Mountain Rose, herb com- crops, funded farmer trainings for new to take their commitment to fair trade to the panies, too. sustainable methods, and provided compost next level. Their product catalog contained For Mountain Rose Herbs to be certified, bins for farmers who had not previously some fair trade herbs and spices, but they the company had to make sure its supplier composted. knew that companies that sold coffee, tea, farms earned Fair for Life certification, too. “It’s important for us to have ultimate and other commodities can be themselves But doing so isn’t a top priority for small transparency in our supply chain, to know be certified fair trade—from top to bottom, farms with limited resources. So Mountain where our goods are coming from, who in all aspects of their supply chain. However, Rose decided to help the family farms they they’re coming from, and that everything such certification wasn’t available for an herb work with in India to meet the standards. is as healthy as possible with how they’re and spice company. “Becoming a Fair for Life certified farm is being produced and the people that are So Mountain Rose set out to change that. an expensive proposition for each farmer,” producing them,” says Gerrity. The company began working with the says Jennifer Gerrity, executive director of Institute for Marketecology’s (IMO) Fair for operations at Mountain Rose Herbs. “While Contact: Mountain Rose Herbs, 800/879-3337, Life Programme, a fair trade certifier that it’s increasingly critical for us to ensure our mountainroseherbs.com. is among the most stringent in the world. products are fair trade, it’s also important m Designates a certified member of Green America’s Green Business Network® 29

LETTERS & ADVICE

Fair Labor, No Hate Breaking Up is Easy he President’s plans for the US-Mexico border wall and his I love your magazine so much Tanti-immigrant policies are spurred on by the idea that that I plan to share it with the immigrants and people of color are “stealing” taxpayer dollars Earthwise group at the United by crossing borders, taking health care and welfare and other Church of Christ in Sahuarita, benefits without contributing—an erroneous stereotype that Arizona. has led to hate and misunderstanding. The entire magazine is great, but I think the banking articles Here’s the problem with this stance: As the Los Angeles Times (“Standing Rock: What You notes, most undocumented immigrants cross the border “to TRACY Need to Know” and “Investing take jobs that are eagerly offered to them.” Jobs that US citizens FERNANDEZ to Support Standing Rock,” don’t want—migrant field work, sub-par factory work, domestic RYSAVY Winter 2016) are superb. worker positions for bosses who demand round-the-clock service. We are quitting our credit Jobs that secretly pay below the minimum wage and put workers cards associated with Bank of into sweatshop-like conditions. (See p. 5 for just one example.) America and Chase. (Incidentally, research shows they complement, not compete with, Lois and Mike Rose US workers.) They’re often lured and exploited by unscrupulous Vail, AZ American bosses, and somehow, they’re the ones who are vilified. If they’re abused on the job, or raped in the fields, or stolen TRACY: We all get very excited in the Green America offices from, or beaten, the threat of deportation often makes them too when people tell us they’re afraid to report it. (See our Green American article “Fair Labor at breaking up with their me- Home” for more: greenam.org/LaboratHome.) ga-banks and mega-bank cards. Sanctuary cities, or cities that refuse to arrest undocumented Thank you, Lois and Mike! immigrants and turn them over to the federal government, provide Also, thank you for sharing a path around some of that fear, so immigrants can’t be as easily might add a can of black beans the magazine with your group. harmed or exploited. Trump recently signed an executive order to that smidgen of leftover soup Note to anyone who would that would punish sanctuary cities by depriving them of funding. to stretch it out, or daringly combine last Monday’s rice like to share our articles: Our That’s wrong. member-services department and chicken with Wednesday’s Immigrants pay billions in taxes, according to the Center for is always happy to fulfill orders Mexican casserole so that it is American Progress (CAP). “Households headed by undocumented for Green American copies now enough to feed two more. at a bulk-rate discount. Call immigrants paid $10.6 billion in state and local taxes in 2010. We might just stand around in 202/872-5328 or e-mail info@ Immigrants—even legal immigrants—are barred from most the kitchen or eat in shifts on a greenamerica.org. You are also social services, meaning that they pay to support benefits they busy night. free to make your own copies cannot even receive,” states the CAP. These nights are a more of any articles you wish to Also, the CAP stresses, a path to citizenship for hardworking relaxed mealtime experience, share at no charge. immigrants would provide a boost to the economy: “If undocu- but they have helped us have mented immigrants acquired legal status today and citizenship greater respect for food, those in five years, the economy would add an average of 159,000 who grow it, and compassion for Use Up That Food those who do not have enough. new jobs per year, and formerly unauthorized workers would I like to believe, in a simple way, I gobbled up every crumb of pay an additional $144 billion in federal, state, and local taxes it grounds us and connects us to the Winter 2016 Green Ameri- over a ten-year period.” can on food waste. each other and the world. No hate. No fear. Immigrants should be welcome here. I am a mom of four young Christy Hoekzema Banke —Tracy Fernandez Rysavy, editor-in-chief citizens, trying to grow them Cinncinnati, OH into budding activists. I learn TRACY: I love that you’re mixing from each issue how our world encourage families to take meat, veggies, and starch. My up those leftovers at mealtime. can be more just for all and food waste seriously but not favorite nights are when I emp- As a parent myself, I know we all what first steps I can take right ourselves so much. ty out the fridge and serve up need reminders to relax—and now in my home today. Food A proper dinnertime doesn’t a creative variety of the odds doing so in a way that minimizes and food waste are in my have to be limited to a sit- and ends. Each kid is served waste makes your suggestions mom wheelhouse. I want to down around a table with a up something different so we even better. plate set clockwork-style with do not waste a morsel. We

Please send your letters to: Editors, Green America, 1612 K St. NW, Ste. 600, Washington, DC 20006. Or e-mail [email protected]. Letters used in this column may be edited for length and clarity. Interact with our editors and staff at our blog: blog.greenamerica.org

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