2020

Year in Review Report

• Canvassed and surveyed 4,000 people living in the Orange County communities that are most vulnerable to pollution and negative environmental impacts. Our results show 

• Produced an analysis of the most pressing environmental justice issues in our region as identified by these residents

• Organized a committee of resident leaders who want to get involved in environmental justice issues

• Launched "Let's Talk EJ", a series of education and outreach events bringing together a broad community of activists and leaders who are concerned about environmental justice in Orange County​​

2019

Year in Review Report

• Conducted canvassing with 481 individuals throughout Orange County passionate about environmental justice

• Received major media attention on our soil lead contamination campaign: PloNo Santa Ana. 

• Developed the capacity of an outreach coordinator and five community outreach workers to communicate findings of our soil lead testing. 

• Launched our Communities Organizing for Better Water: PhotoVoice research strategy.

2015-2018

Years in Review 

2015

• Initial dialogues around environmental justice in OC. OCEJ is formed.

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2016

• OCEJ launches countywide needs assessment of Disadvantaged Communities.

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2017

• OCEJ partners with local organizations to launch the "Let's Talk EJ" forums

• OCEJ contributes to the report "Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Investments in and around Orange County" published by UC Irvine Community Resilience Projects.

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• Yvette Cabrera, a reporter with ThinkProgress, publishes an investigative report showing high lead exposures and connections to the school-to prison-to deportation pipeline.

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• OCEJ develops the Anti-Soil Lead Project (ASLP) collaborative to build on initial findings of toxic lead exposures in Santa Ana and lay the foundation for an organizing campaign.

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2018

• The ASLP collaborative collects over 1500 soil samples from homes, community gardens, major roads and parks in Santa Ana.

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• OCEJ joins the Orange County Civic Engagement Table with the goal of building integrated voter engagement capacity to impact policies in Orange County.