
Environmental Justice Organizing Academy

Mission
Our academy has trained youth of color in our Community Science Organizing Model. Through eight modules on topics such as Indigenous Sovereignty, Climate and Environmental Justice, and Policy Advocacy, we prepared them to mobilize in their cities as OCEJEF members to investigate environmental injustices, hold elected officials accountable, and implement Just Transition policy changes.
Our mission is to expand our organizing efforts by engaging our member base and new contacts in our ongoing projects. Through our partnerships with Orange County’s low-income communities of color, academic institutions, and local stakeholders, we will build resident power to influence decisions in a region with low support from public officials on environmental justice issues, and to take on the multiple, decentralized agencies with discrepant degrees of jurisdiction over environmental, climate, and health issues.
Who can participate in the academy?
Anyone between the ages of 16-26 years old residing in Orange County can apply. Due to COVID-19, applicants are not required to be in Orange County to participate as our academy will be held mostly online, unless otherwise stated.
What is the timeline ?
EJOA is a 8 week course and class meets on Saturday & Sunday 10am-1pm. Start date varies and is TBD for 2022.


How to Apply
To apply, please click the button below. Please make sure to revise qualifications. If you have a question or would like to discuss any other information, please contact our Lead organizer: keila@ocej.org
We hope you apply, but if you have any concerns or questions, please reach out to us- we'd be happy to help :)
Previous EJOA Classrooms
2021 EJOA
This year we had 2 separate tracks.
Track I: Grassroot Organizing & Track II: Electoral Organizing
Curriculum for Track I & II
Week 0: Welcome Session
Week 1: Indigenous Sovereignty
Week 2: Political Education
Track I Curriculum:
Week 3: Community organizing
Week 4: Water Contamination
Week 5: Environmental Toxins
Week 6: Environmental Justice
Week 7: Climate Justice
Week 8: Policy Advocacy
Graduates
Marissa Kassieh Miriam Montano Samantha Becaria
Matt Yepez Gilberto Cabrera Nio Gonzalez
Sandra Salazar Gabriela Olmedo Memoona Syed
Andrea Morales Ariana Cabello Nicole Green Jeremy Santos Katie Tadique
Track II Curriculum:
Week 3: EJ in Politics
Week 4: EJ in Plans and Budgets
Week 5: Green New Deal
Week 6: Telling your Story
Week 7: Campaign
Week 8: Community Accountability &
Constructive Electoral Practices


2020 EJOA
Curriculum
Week 0: Welcome Session
Week 1: Political Education
Week 2: Decolonization
Week 3: Community Organizing
Week 4: Water
Week 5: Environmental Toxins
Week 6: Environmental Justice
Week 7: Climate Justice
Week 8: Electoral Organizing
Graduates
Katie Tadique
Keila Villegas
Nathalie Carillo Munoz
Kayla Asato
Marymar Vacio
Kathleen Johnson
Ness Rodriguez