11/19/2021
Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Mindful Thanksgiving
Since it’s the last Notes before Thanksgiving, the Bay Area Monitor wishes you a very happy Thanksgiving, and wants to remind you that part of a healthy, mindful celebration of the holiday is a reflection on the people who originally walked the land upon which we now celebrate. Depending on where in the Bay Area you are, that could mean Ohlone, Miwok, Pomo, Wintu, and many more. This resource here is helpful to find out upon what native land you plan to celebrate this year, and here is a valuable guide on how to offer a land acknowledgement. Narratives can be harmful when not carefully considered, and here is an old-but-golden guide on how to reshape the narratives that harm the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Have a happy, and mindful, Thanksgiving!
Disclaimer from the makers of the map linked above: “This map does not represent or intend to represent official or legal boundaries of any Indigenous nations. To learn about definitive boundaries, contact the nations in question.
Also, this map is not perfect — it is a work in progress with tons of contributions from the community. Please send us [the mapmakers] fixes if you find errors.”
Community Discussion
The League of Women Voters of the Bay Area is holding a community discussion on Environmental Justice from 12-1pm on Tuesday, November 30th. At this “brownbag lunch” meeting over Zoom, the League is hosting Vivian Huang, Executive Director of Asian Pacific Environmental Network, and Melissa Jones, Exective Director of Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, to examine the unjust and unavoidable disparities that impact communities of color, the elderly, children, and those unable to afford food, quality shelter, fuels for cooling and transportation, or alternatives to contaminated drinking water. Sign up here.
Resilience Playbook
Another indispensable resource is on the way from Greenbelt Alliance. This one, titled “The Resilience Playbook,” will offer straightforward breakdowns of notable climate and social issues, a collection of landmark policy decisions to guide local decision making, framework for centering equity in general planning efforts, and more. On December 7th, Greenbelt Alliance will be offering a first look to the public at their new Resilience Playbook digital platform. Register for the event here, and in the meantime, watch this short video introducing the project.
Seizing the Drought
In Case You Missed It: The Public Policy Institute of California held their 3-day virtual conference, “Seizing the Drought: Water Priorities for our Changing Climate.” The diverse group of experts convened to discuss the resilience of California’s water delivery systems in the context of climate change-induced disruptions and immediate actions that can be taken to improve it. The sessions have been made available for viewing online and can be found here.
Opt Outside
Instead of spending the Friday following Thanksgiving slogging through everyone’s (least?) favorite online retailer’s website, or through traffic to a mall several miles away, choose instead to opt outside and hike it off with the East Bay Regional Parks District. Head down to Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park’s Trudeau Conference Center at 9:00am Friday for a hilly challenge to burn calories and feed the soul. No registration is required, simply show up prepared for a 3 hour hike down to the creek and back.
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