ROMERO INSTITUTE

THE LAKOTA PEOPLE'S LAW PROJECT CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS AND SOVEREIGNTY OF THE LAKOTA SIOUX PEOPLE. OUR FIVE RESPECTED LAKOTA LEADERS SET PRIORITIES AND WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR CALIFORNIA TEAM. OUR DOMINANT PROJECT IN 2023 WAS OUR WORK ON BEHALF OF THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE, FOR WHOM WE PROVIDED TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN RELATION TO ITS ONGOING EFFORT TO RESIST THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE. WE MANAGED THE TRIBE'S COMMUNICATION FLOW, INCLUDING THEIR E-BLASTS, VIDEO PRODUCTION, FUNDRAISING, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, AND PRESS RELEASES. AT STANDING ROCK WE ALSO OPERATED OUR KINSHIP CARE HOME, WHERE 3 CHILDREN WERE HOUSED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND WE MADE STRIDES IN DEVELOPING OUR "NODAPL" ARCHIVE WHICH, WHEN EVENTUALLY LAUNCHED IN COLLABORATION WITH SITTING BULL COLLEGE AND LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, WILL PROVIDE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF FREE MEDIA ABOUT TRIBALLY-LED OIL PIPELINE FIGHTS TO EDUCATORS, JOURNALISTS, LAWYERS, AND OTHERS ACROSS THE WORLD. WE ALSO WORKED DURING 2023 CLOSELY WITH STANDING ROCK AND THE 8 OTHER SIOUX TRIBES IN SOUTH DAKOTA TO PURSUE "SOLAR FOR ALL" FUNDING, I.E. MONIES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE IN UNDER-DEVELOPED REGIONS. WE COORDINATED NEARLY ALL OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA TRIBES INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH OWEESTA, A NATIVE-LED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (CDFI), TO $150 MILLION IN FUNDING, A PORTION OF WHICH WAS TO BE DIRECTED TO SIOUX COMMUNITIES. LASTLY, WE PURSUED SEPARATE FUNDING THROUGH ANOTHER SECTION OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA LAW SCHOOL WITH THE GOAL OF DEVELOPING A ROVING WATER STANDARDS LAW GROUP TO ADVISE TRIBES ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER CODES THAT SYNC WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY POLICY.

LET'S GREEN CALIFORNIA - IN 2021 THE GREENPOWER PROGRAM BECAME LET'S GREEN CALIFORNIA AND DEVELOPED PLANS AND POLICIES FOR CALIFORNIA TO ACHIEVE CLOSE TO ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS IN 10 YEARS. AS THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AND A HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER, CALIFORNIA IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO CREATE A MODEL OF EQUITABLE CLIMATE ACTION THAT CAN BE REPLICATED WORLDWIDE. IN 2023 THE LGCA TEAM AND OUR ALLIES FOCUSED ON PROMOTING OUR SECOND LEGISLATIVE BILL IN THE SACRAMENTO ASSEMBLY SESSION. THE BILL WAS DESIGNED TO PUT ELECTRIC CHARGERS INTO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME COMMUNITIES. WE WORKED WITH LABOR LEADERS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LEADERS, AND PRESSED FOR THE PASSAGE OF LABOR STANDARDS IN THE COMMUNITY CHOICE ENERGY AGENCIES. IN PARISHES IN THE MONTEREY DIOCESE WE HELD EDUCATIONAL EVENTS ON WHY ELECTRIC KITCHENS AND CARS ARE MORE HEALTHY FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.