The Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment

05/28/2026

Oakland resident and ACCE member Shekinah Samaya-Thomas joined the Affordable Energy Campaign in Oakland to speak out about rising PG&E bills forcing families to make impossible financial choices every month.

“It is a constant struggle to decide every month as the PG&E bills go up what’s going to get sacrificed this month when there’s already not much left.”

California families need a break from skyrocketing bills – CA leaders have to take action to rein in massive utility profits and overspending.

05/27/2026

After 19 years working for PG&E, Brenda Pierre joined the Affordable Energy Campaign to call out rising utility bills that are eroding her retirement security and impacting her family. PG&E is making it harder for both retirees and working families to get by. We need to cut massive utility profits and lower bills for California residents.

05/08/2026

Yesterday’s rally made one thing clear: California residents are done paying steep bills while PG&E and other investor-owned utilities make record profits.

Energy rates have surged, household debt is rising, and over a million customers are behind on their bills. We joined community members, faith leaders, and consumer advocates to urge the CPUC to protect ratepayers by rejecting billions in proposed rate hikes.

We cannot afford business as usual.

04/20/2026

EJ communities throughout California are working extensively to ensure their communities see real emissions reductions. Now its our turn to help! Call your legislator and ask them to support SB 1075, today!

04/17/2026

SB 1075 ensures that the state’s promise of emissions reductions in EJ communities becomes a reality. Contact your California assembly members and ask them to support SB 1075, today!

03/19/2026

03/18/2026

“Eliminating or severely curtailing review strips communities like ours of opportunities to challenge polluting projects proposed for our neighborhoods.” Community leaders in call on Newsom and legislative leaders to .

12/19/2025

Today, we are excited to share the official premiere of our final full-length video for Forgotten Voices, one of CRPE’s core campaigns.

This video is part of our Voices of the Valley storytelling series, where we uplift the community leaders and CRPE staff who make this work possible, including Estela Escoto, president of Committee for a Better Arvin, and Diana Mireles, an organizer with CRPE. Estela’s years of leadership have strengthened community-driven advocacy across Arvin and the Central Valley, while Diana’s journey from volunteer with Comité Progreso de Lamont to CRPE staff reflects the community-rooted leadership pipeline at the heart of this campaign.

Give today to help uplift community voices and strengthen local leadership across the Central Valley. CRPE also accepts stock donations; contact us to learn more.

Thank you for being a part of this work.

Version en Espanol a continuación

Hoy nos emociona compartir el estreno oficial del último video de nuestra campaña Voces Olvidadas, una de las campañas principales de CRPE.

Este video forma parte de nuestra serie de narrativas Voices of the Valley, donde destacamos los líderes comunitarios y personal de CRPE que hacen posible este trabajo, incluyendo a Estela Escoto, presidenta del Comité por un Arvin Mejor, y a Diana Mireles, organizadora de CRPE. Los años de liderazgo de Estela han fortalecido la defensa comunitaria en Arvin y en todo el Valle Central, mientras que el recorrido de Diana, desde voluntaria en el Comité Progreso de Lamont hasta formar parte del equipo de CRPE, refleja el liderazgo comunitario y la fuerza colectiva que están en el centro de esta campaña.

Done hoy para ayudar a elevar las voces de la comunidad y fortalecer el liderazgo local en todo el Valle Central. CRPE también acepta donaciones en acciones; contáctenos para más información.

Gracias por ser parte de este trabajo.

12/12/2025

Today, we are excited to share the premiere of our Toxic Free Communities campaign video as part of our Voices of the Valley storytelling series.

This video uplifts the community leaders and CRPE staff who make this work possible, including Anabel Marquez, president of Committee for a Better Shafter, and Byanka Santoyo, CRPE’s Toxic Free Communities Organizer. Anabel’s 11 years of leadership have supported Shafter families organizing for clean air and safe neighborhoods, while Byanka’s journey from volunteering with Committee for a Better Arvin to organizing alongside residents across the Central Valley reflects how community-rooted leadership grows and sustains this work.

Give today to help protect public health and hold polluters accountable across the Central Valley. CRPE also accepts stock donations; contact us to learn more.

Thank you for being a part of this work.

Version En Espanol a continuación:

Hoy nos emociona compartir el estreno oficial del video de nuestra campaña Comunidades Libres de Tóxicos como parte de nuestra serie de narrativas Voices of the Valley.

Este video destaca a las y los líderes comunitarios y al personal de CRPE que hacen posible este trabajo, incluyendo a Anabel Marquez, presidenta del Comité por un Mejor Shafter, y a Byanka Santoyo, organizadora de Comunidades Libres de Tóxicos en CRPE. Los 11 años de liderazgo de Anabel han fortalecido la organización de familias en Shafter por aire limpio y vecindarios seguros, mientras que el camino de Byanka, desde voluntaria en el Comité por un Mejor Arvin hasta organizar junto a residentes en todo el Valle Central, refleja cómo el liderazgo comunitario crece y sostiene este trabajo.

Done hoy para ayudar a proteger la salud pública y asegurarnos de que los contaminadores se responsabilicen por el daño que causan en comunidades de todo el Valle Central. CRPE también acepta donaciones en acciones; contáctenos para más información.

Gracias por ser parte de este trabajo.

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday, and we're excited to share the official premiere of our Climate Justice video, one of CRPE’s first campaigns.

This is the first video in our Voices of the Valley storytelling campaign, where we are uplifting the community leaders and CRPE staff who make this work possible, such as Gustavo Aguirre, CRPE’s Associate Director and our longest-serving staff member. His decades of organizing have helped shape generations of community leaders like Gloria Herrera, a founding member of the Delano Guardians who has spent 13 years advocating for community health, civic participation, and environmental justice in
Delano, CA.

Give today and help strengthen community power, protect public health, and advance environmental justice across the Central Valley. CRPE also accepts stock donations, contact us to learn more.

Thank you for being a part of this work.

Version en Español a continuación:

Hoy es el Día de Dar, y estamos muy emocionados de compartir el estreno oficial de nuestro video de Justicia Climática, una de las primeras campañas de CRPE.

Este es el primer video de nuestra campaña de narrativas Voces del Valle, donde elevamos a las y los líderes comunitarios y al personal de CRPE que hacen posible este trabajo, como Gustavo Aguirre, Subdirector de CRPE y nuestro miembro de personal con más años de servicio. Sus décadas de organización han ayudado a formar a generaciones de líderes
comunitarios como Gloria Herrera, miembro fundadora de los Guardianes de Delano, quien ha pasado 13 años abogando por la salud comunitaria, la participación cívica y la justicia ambiental en Delano,CA.

Su apoyo hoy ayuda a CRPE a seguir construyendo poder comunitario, protegiendo la salud pública y avanzando la justicia ambiental en el Valle Central. CRPE también acepta donaciones en acciones, comuníquese con nosotros para obtener más información.

Gracias por ser parte de este trabajo.