Announcement: OHEJ to go Formal!

Dear OHEJ Allies Across Ohio:

Because you’ve been part of this story of Ohio citizens working for fairness and equality, WE HAVE NEWS we want to share with you about OHEJ’s future!!!! Read on…

Since 2007, you have been a part of building Ohioans for Health, Environment and Justice.

You have helped OHEJ grow as a statewide association of local community groups and statewide organizations working to make fairness a priority in the State of Ohio.

Again and again, in the six (6) forums we held in six communities in 2007, and at the five (5) Town Hall Meetings we held this year, you have been clear:

Citizens want a fair and equal chance to protect our communities from environmental threats, and we want a fair and equal chance to create the safe, healthy, just and economically sound communities we all want to live in.

As a result of your voice, in 2008 we secured a bill sponsor – Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard from Columbus – and proposed legislation was drafted.

With this as our story so far, we want OHEJ to be positioned to be able to keep moving forward toward the goals we all share. So HERE’S THE NEWS about OHEJ’s FUTURE:

OHEJ has operated informally up to now. We are a group of people with common goals, but haven’t needed to formalize or create an official decision-making structure. Now we want to do MORE. Yes, we want to continue to push for introduction and passage of our EJ bill, that’s important, and we will keep inviting you to fight for an Ohio EJ law. But there’s MORE we want to do.

So it’s time we set ourselves up for the long haul, with a BOARD that will represent local communities across Ohio, FUNDING to do the work that’s needed, and GOALS to chart our course.

On October 3rd and 4th, OHEJ leaders met and took big steps toward this end. After months of work, we approved a set of BY-LAWS, which includes guidelines for establishing an elected BOARD representative of the seven (7) OHEJ regions.

We also finalized a VISION STATEMENT, a MISSION STATEMENT, and a set of GOALS:

OHEJ VISION
“We envision Ohio as a place where people have the right to decide the destiny of their own communities, and where the environment and the economy are healthy, and support the health, safety and well-being of all citizens.”

OHEJ MISSION
“OHEJ is a statewide, grass-roots alliance of diverse allies working to empower
the people of Ohio through education and citizen action to create environmental,
economic and social justice for their communities.”

OHEJ GOALS
Guiding principle for all goals:

OHEJ will offer whatever resources we have only if/when communities have these goals for themselves and WANT/ASK FOR the resources to achieve these goals.

We may become aware first of threats, opportunities, needs or resources. We can provide this info to communities, and support them to decide what they want to do.

GOAL 1. Assess needs of local communities that a statewide organization like OHEJ might meet (for example, by conducting a statewide survey).

GOAL 2. Support the right of local communities facing environmental threats to protect themselves.

Priority placed on providing assistance and support to communities affected by environmental injustice, but assistance available to all as resources are available.

GOAL 3. Support the right of local communities facing environmental threats to create the community they want. (Priority placed on providing assistance and support to communities affected by environmental injustice, but assistance available to all as resources are available.)

So, look to hear more in the coming weeks and months. We’d love to have you, and your neighbors, friends and associates, move forward with OHEJ toward a more FAIR, healthy, and safe Ohio.

Thank you, and Stay Tuned!

The OHEJ Steering Committee

Southwest (Dayton and north):
Kathleen Boutis (Yellow Springs)
Mary Johnson (Dayton)

Southwest (Cincinnati):
Marilyn Evans (Cincinnati)
Mary Clare Rietz (Cincinnati)

Northwest:
Sherry Fleming (Williams County)
Dr. Morris Jenkins (Toledo)

Central:
Teresa Mills (Columbus)

Northeast (western half):
Mark McClain (Cleveland)
Elvin Vauss (Cleveland)

Northeast (eastern half):
Jim Pirko (Youngstown)
Virgil Reynolds (East Liverpool)
Alonzo Spencer (East Liverpool)

Southeast:
Michelle Decker (Athens)
Mara Giglio (Athens)