Anderson+Describing+Events


 * Van Jones Talk April 7, 2011 at Siena College **

Students in RPI’s EcoLogic club organized a [|group] that went over to Siena College to hear [|Van Jones] speak on environmental and social justice. They met in a central location and got into cars to drive over.

Students and community members from around surrounding areas were at the lecture. Van Jones spoke powerfully about growing up in a racially unjust society. For example, the white kids would just get a warning if they were caught with drugs—the black kids would go to jail. Van Jones also spoke about toxins and NIMBY (not in my backyard). He made the point that the United States still has a long way to go in terms of racial justice. Justice and environmentalism go together.

Van Jones’ solution, which is one that he has worked on through the organization he founded, Green For All, is to give “green” jobs to minorities and the poor. During his speech, Van Jones talked passionately about his organization the necessity of social, economic, and environmental justice.

After the speech, the EcoLogic members walked around the large room where the event was held. On the walls were pictures drawn by children. These pictures represented unfairness and hope for change. Some members met and talked to people who had also gone to the Van Jones talk.

Events like these tend to be educational, but in a way that is completely outside of most students’ academics. What Van Jones discussed, though, could be applied to any major. The environmental students knew this and felt it would be both interesting and informative to go to.