This past Wednesday, Voces Verdes- Latino Leadership in Action hosted a forum in Falls Church entitled, “The Impact of Climate Change on the Health of the Latino Community.” Speakers included Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Alexandria/Arlington), Vanessa Cardenas (Latino Outreach Director of World Wildlife Fund), Lisa Garcia (Earthjustice’s VP of Litigation for Healthy Communities), Hareth Andrade (DREAMer & Arlington activist). I wasn’t able to make the forum, unfortunately, but Del. Lopez (moderator of the forum) was kind enough to forward me his opening and closing remarks, which I include below (after the “flip”). Also check out the tweets (in English and Spanish) and photos courtesy of Voces Verdes Twitter feed. Finally, check out this recent poll, which found that “Latinos have an intense commitment to action on climate change, carbon pollution standards, development of renewable energy sources, and strong policies to clean up our waterways and air.”

@VocesVerdes “Me interesa este tema del #cambioclimatico porque tiene que ver con nuestra salud y los trabajos.”

‏@VocesVerdes “Let’s make sure that #climatechange is not a soap opera. We don’t want a tragic ending. It affects us daily.”

‏@VocesVerdes “Flooding like in #hamptonroads directly affects #jobs & quality of life.” – @Lopez4VA #voces4climate #climatechange #cleanenergy

@VocesVerdes  “Tenemos que conectar nuestra vida cotidiana con el #medioambiente.” -Lisa Garcia, @Earthjustice #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes “Cómo vamos a crear un movimiento tan fuerte como lo de #inmigración?” – Gaston Araoz #voces4climate #virginia

@VocesVerdes “If thousands of #scientists say #climatechange is real, we can’t give weight to the oil & gas industry.” @Lopez4VA

‏@VocesVerdes  “El impacto que estamos teniendo en el #planeta está impactando más a los pobres.” -@vcardenasDC #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes  “Cuál es el rol del @Pontifex en este movimiento de #accionclimatica?” – Federico Cura #virginia #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes  Quien dijo que no nos importa nuestro medio ambiente!? Estamos aquí y de aquí no nos vamos #AccionClimatica

@VocesVerdes  “Tenemos que hablar con nuestras familias. Necesitamos un movimiento fuerte.” – Hareth Andrade, Dreamers of #Virginia

@VocesVerdes “We need to call upon our #electedofficials to talk to us about #climatechange. Queremos acción.” – @vcardenasDC, @WWF #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes “We have to show that we as #Latinos are united & care about nuestra #madretierra.” – Lisa Garcia, @Earthjustice

‏@VocesVerdes  “No hay cuestión que nos importa #inmigración. Es que también nos importa el cuidado del #medioambiente.” – Lisa Garcia #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes “#Latinos are more likely to live near polluting facilities.”-Lisa Garcia, @Earthjustice #voces4climate #ActOnClimate

‏@VocesVerdes  Our amazing panel today. Lisa Garcia from Earthjustice taking the mic right now en español! #ActOnClimate

@VocesVerdes “Tenemos que cuidar a nuestra creación.” -@vcardenasDC #voces4climate #CambioClimatico #accionclimatica #actonclimate

@VocesVerdes Thank you to our panelists for speaking to #Virginia community members about the #CleanPowerPlan! #voces4climate

@VocesVerdes  Voces Verdes is so proud of Falls Church’s Latinos for the amazing outcome today

@VocesVerdes  “El #cambioclimatico es real y nos esta afectando donde vivimos y trabajamos.”

Here are Del. Alfonso Lopez’s opening remarks:

Welcome to our program today – entitled “The Impact of Climate Change on the Health of Latino Communities.” I will be your moderator for the event. My name is Alfonso López and I am a Virginia State Delegate, proudly representing the 49th District.

As the founder and Chair of the Virginia Environment and Renewable Energy Caucus, it is a great honor to be here today to talk about the impact of climate change on the health of Hispanic families in Arlington and Fairfax and throughout the country.

Today’s panel is hosted by Voces Verdes, a non-partisan network of Latino leaders and organizations in the business, public health, academic, faith, and civic engagement sectors advocating for sound environmental policy to combat climate change.

I would like to thank Voces Verdes and their project coordinator Analisa Freitas for hosting this important forum.

Today we will discuss the effects of climate change on the health of Latino children and families.

The panelists will also discuss how the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan will help improve the quality of the air we breathe, benefitting the health of the Latino community in Virginia and across the country.

Joining us today are local DREAMer and social justice activist Hareth Andrade. Hareth is a founder of Dreamers of Virginia and co-founder of The Dream Project, through which she has pioneered the fight for in-state tuition and financial scholarship support in the Commonwealth. Thank you, Hareth, for being here today.

We also have Vanessa Cárdenas, Latino Outreach Director for the World Wildlife Fund. Through the WWF’s ¡Climático! Vanessa seeks to create and energize a space for dialogue and action on climate change between the growing U.S. Latino community and communities throughout the Americas. Thank you, Vanessa.

And, last but not least, we welcome Lisa García, Vice President of Litigation for Healthy Communities at Earthjustice. In her role, Lisa handles groundbreaking and high-impact litigation that protect communities and families from a wide range of pollution issues that impact them on a daily basis. Prior to Earthjustice, Lisa served in the Obama Administration as Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Environmental Justice at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Thanks Lisa for being here.

The format for today’s event is as follows. Each speaker will have five minutes to speak, and then we will open it up to questions and answers. Please feel free to ask questions either in English or Spanish.

Del. Lopez’s closing remarks:

Climate change is not something that will affect us later or tomorrow. It’s happening now and if we don’t take immediate action, our health will continue to be affected, especially the health of children and families.

El cambio climático no es algo que nos afectará mañana o en el futuro. Nos afecta ya y si no tomamos acción inmediata, nuestra salud seguirá sufriendo, al igual que la de nuestros niños y familias.  

The EPA’s Clean Power Plan will help reduce the amount of air pollution Latinos breathe, which is why our community should support it.

El Plan de Energía del EPA (Agencia de Protección Ambiental) ayudará a reducer la cantidad de contaminación ambiental que respiramos los latinos por lo que debemos apoyarlo.  

Let’s use our growing voice to let Congress and our elected representatives know that we care about climate change as a community and that we want them to take action to make our air cleaner and healthier to breathe.

Usemos nuestra voz colectiva para decirle al Congreso y a nuestros representantes que nos importa el cambio climático como comunidad; y que queremos que tomen acción climática para que nuestro aire sea más limpio y sano para respirar.

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, August 30.

*Iowa poll: Trump, Carson lead GOP race

*Democrats worry about autumn after Clinton’s summer of stumbling

*Trump to decide ‘very soon’ on whether to rule out independent bid

*Sanders Within Striking Distance of Clinton in Iowa

*Top Jeb fundraisers leave campaign amid troubling signs (“The move comes amid weak poll numbers and concerns that Bush’s torrid fundraising pace has slowed.”)

*Dems say party chair blocked Iran resolution at DNC meeting (Not cool at all.)

*Chris Christie: As president I would hire FedEx CEO to teach us how to track immigrants like packages (Sounds just like Barbara Comstock, and that’s not a good thing.)

*Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Visits Albemarle on Campaign Trail

*Commentary: Solar can help Virginia meet clean-energy goals (” For the sake of our environment, economy, and future generations, we can’t afford to wait to tackle global warming.”)

*Schapiro: In Va. politics, sometimes there’s less than meets the eye (“Don’t rule out another push for a Medicaid-financed expansion of Obamacare. A seemingly unlikely endorsement for Northam. Gillespie eyes Senate – again. And Supreme Court pick could survive.”)

*Casey: Gun control efforts are unwelcome in Richmond (“…it’s going to be even harder to win approval from a gang of lawmakers who are so reflexively pro-gun that they would reject firearms restrictions on 4-year-olds.”)

*Gilmore campaigns in Petersburg, says Trump has yet to accept challenge for one-on-one debate

*Terry McAuliffe: Reconsidering parole in Virginia

*Virginia relaxes restrictions on death row inmates

*University, college presidents move up state compensation list

*Offshore wind could be a windfall for Hampton Roads

*Editorial: Being No. 1 in congestion takes a heavy toll on region

*Millennials have transformed Arlington, but will they stay?

*Zimmermann stifles Marlins, Nats gain a game on Mets (That’s what the Nats need, a pitching staff that “stifles” opponents day after day for the next month.)

*D.C. area forecast: Sunday starts a several-day stretch of highs near or past 90

How can this lunacy happen in the United States of America in 2015? I agree 100% with Del. Marcus Simon: “This makes me incredibly sad and angry at the same time,” and we “need to get serious about fixing our broken mental health system in Virginia before more people die!” I’d add that nobody – let alone someone with severe mental illness – should be in jail for stealing a Snickers bar and a 2-liter Mountain Dew – let alone for months “while awaiting trial on the charges.” Add this one to the outrageous case of Natasha McKenna, and yes Virginia, we’ve got a major problem here that needs to be addressed ASAP!

P.S. Virginia ACLU Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastanaga writes: “This is outrageous. Deinstitutionalization has resulted in reinstitutionalization in jails because community programs non-existent. And, no bail?”

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, August 29. Also see President Obama’s weekly address, this time on “his upcoming trip to Alaska, during which he will view the effects of climate change firsthand. Alaskans are already living with the impact of climate change, with glaciers melting faster, and temperatures projected to rise between six and twelve degrees by the end of the century.” Given this and other environmental threats, I urge President Obama to announce his absolute opposition to oil and/or gas drilling in the Arctic. And no, I don’t buy President Obama’s argument that “high standards” are sufficient; the fact is, an oil spill in the Arctic would be a catastrophe, not in any way/shape/form worth the risk.

*Paul Krugman: Crash-Test Dummies as Republican Candidates for President (“The point is that one side of the political aisle has been utterly determined to learn nothing from the economic experiences of recent years. If one of these candidates ends up in the hot seat the next time crisis strikes, we should be very, very afraid.”)

*Underdogs blast Democratic leaders, Hillary Clinton (I definitely agree that there should be more debates, probably twice as many…)

*As GOP outsiders surge, insiders favor Jeb Bush (Not surprising.)

*Don Lemon slams CNN for homophobic coverage of shootings of Virginia journalists

*Donald Trump plays a dangerous game: The dark side of making America great again (“Fascists always masquerade as patriots — but their sinister motives are never far beneath the surface”)

*Sarah Palin Lobs Softballs at Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush (What a pathetic oke.)

*Senator powerfully indicts colleagues for gun control cowardice: “We are essentially sending a message of quiet endorsement of these murders”

*Jeb Bush’s foot-in-mouth problem (“When Jeb Bush opens his mouth, danger occurs.”)

*GOP group to pump $100K into Va. races in bid to draw women, minorities (This is what Republicans have been doing for a long time at the state and local level, while Democrats have mostly allowed them to run roughshod and demolish our “farm team.” When are Democrats going to wake up and fight this battle to win?)

*Jim Webb Snubs DNC Summer Meeting Over Clinton Favoritism

*Jim Webb Campaign: Reaching Out to DNC ‘About As Useful as Sticking One’s Hand Into a Wood Chipper’

*Gilmore challenges Trump to ‘mano a mano’ debate on birthright citizenship

*Alison Parker’s parents call for reform; McAuliffe offers support to WDBJ family

*Court moves toward special master to redraw 3rd Congressional District

*Va. Supreme Court secretary responds to FOIA lawsuit

*Jailed over $5 theft, inmate found dead in cell at regional jail (Absolutely inexcusable on almost every level.)

*Public’s business should be public

*Officials say WDBJ attack was ‘well-planned,’ ‘premeditated’

*WDBJ reporter’s father criticizes senators for not calling family

*Northern Virginia teen sentenced to 11 years for aiding Islamic State

*Virginia Shooter’s Ex-Boss Tells of His ‘Abrasive’ Behavior (Sounds like a nightmare employee.)

*Marlins handle Scherzer and hold off the Nationals, 4-3 (This season is very close to being over.)

*D.C. area forecast: Summertime heat and humidity build back in

According to the Roanoke Times, Democratic State Senate candidate Mike Hamlar cancelled a fundraiser last night so he could attend the “Stop the Violence vigil” outside WDBJ’s station. Attorney General Mark Herring (D) also attended the vigil last night, as did State Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke). In contrast, Edwards’ Republican challenger, Nancy Dye, along with State Senator Mark Obenshain, were busy doing what they do best: fundraising. Which would normally be fine, except that Republicans have been incessantly lecturing Democrats about how it’s wrong to talk politics during a period of mourning. Hypocrisy much? Meanwhile, what we need is action to strengthen laws in a way that protects all of us against rampant gun violence. Which means, in turn, that we need to start by booting Republicans – and really anyone of either party in the pocket of the NRA – out of office (or at least pressuring them to change their ways).

P.S. I can just hear the pushback now: “but Lowell, you’re politicizing the politicizing of the politicians attending a political event.” LOL

P.P.S. By the way, former Rep. Eric Can’tor and “JEB” Bush were busy fundraising last night as well…

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, August 28. Also check out President Obama’s speech in New Orleans marking the 10-year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

*Boat sinks off the coast of Libya, killing as many as 200; death toll up from abandoned truck in Austria (What a nightmare.)

*Key ruling gives workers more power to unionize (Nice!)

*Tech nerds are smart. But they can’t seem to get their heads around politics.

*Dow Jones Industrial Average Rallies After US Economic Growth Surges In Second Quarter (Demonstrating that this was possibly the stupidest stock market “correction” ever.)

*Trump and the Dangers of Passionate Politics (Excellent analysis by Mike Signer.)

*The GOP’s denial won’t defeat Trump

*The Hillary Clinton e-mail ‘scandal’ that isn’t (Wildly overblown by an irresponsible corporate media that despises the Clintons.)

*New poll showing Clinton beating everyone is reported as bad news for Hillary (Perfect example of how biased the corporate media is.)

*Breitbart Defends Homophobic, Race Bait-y Virginia Shooting Coverage (Breitbart is truly the dregs of the dregs…)

*Virginia Shooting Spotlights Riddle of Workplace Safety

*Eric Cantor endorsing Jeb Bush (Hahahaha.)

*Digging into big coal’s climate connections (“Now, the bankruptcy filings of Alpha Natural Resources, a large Virginia-based coal company, provide a rare window into the list of political and advocacy organizations the company has funded. E&E Legal (formerly known as the American Tradition Institute) is one of them. Other recipients include the Heartland Institute, which compared climate scientists to the Unabomber, the American Legislative Exchange Council and numerous others.”)

*Jindal Writes Letter To Obama Telling Him Not To Talk About Climate During Katrina Anniversary Visit (Jindal’s at 1% or less in polls, and rightly so…the guy epitomizes what he called the “stupid party.”)

*Jeb Bush is losing, and the GOP establishment has no one to blame but itself (“Elites are indicting Jeb Bush for Donald Trump’s success. But if they want culprits, they should look in a mirror”)

*McDonnell’s lawyers tell Supreme Court he was victim of ‘high-profile political prosecution’ (Actually, he was the “victim” of his own actions.)

*Virginia Democrats Push Gun Reforms After News Crew Is Killed (Del. Patrick Hope: “Yes, I’m taking advantage of a situation where it’s really raw for people right now, but people are frustrated and we’ve got to quit hiding behind this do-nothing attitude.”)

*As partisan fight simmers, optimist-in-chief McAuliffe brushes concerns away

*McAuliffe on guns, and the pro-gun outrage loop (The vast majority of Virginians are on Terry McAuliffe’s side on this one.)

*McAuliffe’s call for tighter gun controls upsets Republicans (Whatever.)

*McAuliffe promises more money for education in spending plan

*Swecker: Leaving us behind – The Republican problem with women in Virginia (“Everywhere you look in Virginia, Republicans are torpedoing their relationship with women. Let me assure you – it’s going to be an issue in November. From the backward policies discussed in the GOP debate to political temper tantrums here in Virginia, the GOP is burning any bridge it might have to women voters.”)

*Hamlar camp nixes fundraiser with attorney general in light of WDBJ tragedy

*WDBJ staffers pull together after attack on ‘our family’

*Politicians speak at vigil for WDBJ shooting victims

*Nationals hold off Padres, but win comes with more injuries (“Michael A. Taylor and Yunel Escobar leave the game with injuries and Denard Span returns to the disabled list to overshadow a sterling start from Joe Ross as Washington wins at home.”)

*D.C. area forecast: Warm but tolerable today, with bigger heat on the way