Maya van Rossum, National Leader of Green Amendments for the Generations, is Coming to New Haven!
by Kimberly Stoner, CT Climate Crisis Mobilization
As readers of the PAR newsletter know, C3M (the CT Climate Crisis Mobilization) and CT NOFA (the Northeast Organic Farming Association of CT) have been working hard to get HJ 37, the resolution proposing the CT Environmental Rights Amendment to the state constitution passed in the legislature, so that it can come to a referendum of the people.
We are excited to announce that Maya van Rossum will be coming to Connecticut April 19 to April 22 to inspire us to action in honor of Earth Day. Maya van Rossum is the founder of Green Amendments For The Generations, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring passage of Green Amendments in every state constitution across our nation. Van Rossum was also a lead petitioner in the landmark case decided by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2013, that revived the state’s long-ignored Constitutional Environmental Rights Amendment, empowering it to protect the people’s right to pure water, clean air, and a healthy environment. This victory inspired her to write the book, The Green Amendment: Securing Our Right to a Healthy Environment, now in its second edition. Planning for her visit is still in process, but the following events are confirmed:
- Wednesday, April 19: Environmental Justice and Environmental Rights, 7 p.m. United Church on the Green, 270 Temple St., New Haven. Leaders in the Environmental Justice movement from around CT will be invited to join Maya van Rossum.
- Friday, April 21: Conference on The Green Consumer and the Future: From Today’s Fast Fashion to the Law of Tomorrow. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. University of Connecticut School of Law. 55 Elizabeth St., Hartford. Maya van Rossum will be speaking in the afternoon panel. Event website: https://law.uconn.edu/about/events.
- Also Friday, April 21: The Green Amendment, talk and book signing. Possible Futures Books. 318 Edgewood Ave., New Haven. For time, go to https://possiblefuturesbooks.com.
- Saturday, April 22: Middletown Earth Day Extravaganza. Noon-3 p.m. Harbor Park, Middletown. Event website: https://www.rebooteco.com/events/earth-day-extravaganza-in-middletown-ct.
Thanks go to donations from the GNH Green Fund to CT, NOFA and a donor to C3M for making these events possible!