Duwamish River Community Coalition

CLIMATE RESILIENCE The Duwamish Valley is vulnerable to to sea level rise, increasing temperatures and air pollution mean that climate change events will have a great impact on this community compared to wealthier and healthier areas in Seattle. DRCC is growing collaborative work to advance climate justice and increase resiliency in the face of impending climate disasters. Our Clean Air Program seeks to bring together the wide range of private and public agencies with vested interests in air quality and the impact of industry or business in the Duwamish Valley. We identify the root causes of asthma rates in the Duwamish Valley and created an action plan, paired with strong performance measures which will be developed to hold actors accountable and turn the curve on asthma rates in the Duwamish Valley.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DRCC supports youth internship programs including the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, DVYC. DVYC is a youth engagement program focusing on environmental, climate justice and green job skills. Through lessions about environmental justice, community issues, and hands-on service projects, DVYC provides a critical pathway towards education and employment goals, particularly green jobs, for participants. By providing experiences that are limited to our youth at home or school, DVYC enriches and builds upon their own lived experiences, while addressing health outcomes and environmental justice issues. Last year, over 500 youth participated and graduated from our seasonal cohort youth program. Majority of our youth are local from the community and represent the Black, Indigenous, Inmigrant and Refugees communities

ADVOCACY STEWARDSHIP We seek to streamline the many small local interest groups and bring them together to integrate their missions and uplift their voice. We strive to amplify the voices of our low-income neighbors, immigrants/refugees, and people of color. In the Duwamish Valley, most of these voices belong to Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Vietnamese, Somali, and Khmer folks. We envision a coalition-type body as our goal is communication and support while ensuring that these voices are given equitable airtime and opportunity to organize as a decision-making body. Our advocacy arm touches on anti-displacement efforts to environmental education and restoration projects along the Duwamish River. DRCC recognizes that communities affected by Superfund cleanups are uniquely equipped to address health and health-related issues and intersections. We promote education and evidence-based research so that the community can advocate for themselves and find solitions that suit them.