Green and Just Economic Development (GJED):

Eliminiating the Roots of Poverty

The campaign for Green and Just Economic Development (GJED) works with grassroots groups in the San Joaquin Valley to eliminate the roots of poverty by establishing community/economic development programs that embrace principles of social, economic, and environmental justice. Building on the legacy of CRPE's successful Power to the People campaign, GJED assists communities in implementing their visions for local economies that respect the dignity of workers, provide environmental stewardship, and address systemic inequalities for rural communities of color.

BACKGROUND: The San Joaquin Valley produces one quarter of the nation's food, generating $32 billion in annual revenue for California and 11.2% of total U.S. agricultural revenue. However, industrial-scale agricultural production and profit are inextricably tied to, and dependent upon, cheap immigrant labor and unsustainable resource extraction and disposal. Extreme levels of human and environmental exploitation enable this wealth creation.

The Valley counties of Kern, Kings, and Fresno rank last in the nation on income, education, and health outcomes, and in 2005, the Congressional Research Service designated the San Joaquin Valley as the nation's poorest region, outpacing Greater Appalachia for extreme poverty, poor health, and wealth inequality. With poverty rates hovering at 21–30 percent and unemployment rates that vary from 27-60 percent, Valley communities are forced to subsidize the Valley's dirty and dangerous industrial agricultural economy by paying the social costs of industrial pollution. At the same time, these same Valley communities lack access to basic infrastructure (water, sewage, roads), affordable and healthy food, safe and reliable jobs, and health and human services.

In 2009, CRPE's Organizing Department developed and delivered a groundbreaking leadership development campaign, Power to the People, which trained nearly 100 EJ leaders across the southern San Joaquin Valley. In each impacted community, these leaders engaged in a yearlong visioning process to articulate their vision for a safe, sustainable, and socially just local economy. Building upon Power to the People's success, the campaign for Green and Just Economic Development partners with those same community leaders and organizations to implement their vision.

Method. The campaign for Green and Just Economic Development places power back in the hands of community members to build sustainable, just economies and to transform their neighborhoods. It accomplishes its goals through interlocking strategies:

1. Establishing worker-owned cooperative projects (e.g., sustainable agriculture, green cleaning) and community-owned economic development projects and providing technical support to base-building community organizations;
2. Creating and delivering a comprehensive curriculum in business management, finance, and industry-specific skills to build community capacity;
3. Improving access to political systems through voter education, registration, and mobilization; and
4. Advocating for policy changes at the local, regional, state, and federal levels to promote community-driven, environmentally just economic development.

Primary Contact:
Camille Pannu (Legal): This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Juan Flores (Organizing): This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
1012 Jefferson Street, Delano, CA 93215