OVEC ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

by Dani Parent, OVEC

OVEC and our coalitions have been busy the last month, and, rather than regale you with our stories, we wanted to give you a chance to see them yourselves. So pop some popcorn and put on your cozies, it’s time to binge watch some environmental justice work!

First up is organizer Alex Cole, who shows up around 22:30 in this Natural Resources Committee Appalachia Environmental Justice Virtual Forum. The whole video lasts about an hour but is definitely worth watching. (Content warning, you will hear Appalachia pronounced App-uh-LAY-shuh, so proceed accordingly).

Next on the binge list is OVEC comms specialist Sarah Carballo, who was a speaker at the 5th Anniversary of the Paris Agreement: A WV Celebration alongside the national organization Corazón Latino. This spectacular event with musical guests also features a number of friendly faces known throughout the E-Council. 

Next up is one of the coalitions OVEC helps lead, West Virginia Citizens for Clean Elections. They, along with a number of coalition partners, put on the We Demand Democracy Virtual Town Hall, a short but moving event is centered around HR1 and the John R Lewis Voting Rights Act, two pieces of legislation expected to be voted on at the federal level next week. The panelists particularly explored how the bill would affect West Virginia’s marginalized and disenfranchised. Give this one a watch if you want to feel the fire.

And last but certainly not least is OVEC’s Remembering the WV Water Crisis panel event, commemorating the anniversary of the 2014 MCHM spill in the Elk River that left so many without access to clean water. Hear testimony from those affected and reflections on the work ahead.

We hope you enjoyed this binge of OVEC’s work over the last month. If you crave even more content, check us out on social media or at our website: ohvec.org, where you can sign up for our action alerts and join some of the upcoming events in real time. Keep up the good fight!