Uptown Chats

Ever wonder why your utility bill is higher in the summer? Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn how peak demand and peaker plants affect both the cost of electricity and the air quality in NYC communities. Our special guest this week is WE ACT’s Senior Policy Advisor, Yuwa Vosper. Check out one of our previous episodes to learn more about energy justice and how our electricity grid works  Episode 4: Energy Democracy – Power to the People Extra Resources: What is Peak Demand? (Energy Sage) You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Email us at [email protected]  Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Summer is here and it is HOT! Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn about a new project to measure the impact of extreme heat inside the homes of everyday New Yorkers led by WE ACT’s Environmental Health Manager, Valentina Rojas. Relevant Resources: Read the NYC DOHMH 2026 Heat Mortality Report to learn more about the impact of extreme heat in NYC. Check out one of our previous episodes featuring Valentina, where we talked about her work measuring outdoor air quality in Northern Manhattan: Episode 53: Air Quality Monitoring: Congesting Pricing & Other Sources of Air Pollution You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Email us at [email protected]  Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Have you ever seen or heard a reference to climate or environmental justice in mainstream movies, TV, or novels? Join Jaron and Lonnie as they continue their conversation with Kiana Michaan, long-time WE ACT member and host of Climate with Kiana, where they discuss how climate and environmental justice show up through storytelling in all kinds of media. Make sure to check out the first part of our conversation with Kiana: Episode 69: Solar and Storytelling (Part 1) You can also hear more of Kiana on her podcast, Climate with Kiana!  You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Email us at [email protected]  Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Have you ever seen or heard a reference to climate or environmental justice in movies, TV, or novels? Join Jaron and Lonnie for their first podcast collaboration with Kiana Michaan, long-time WE ACT member and host of Climate with Kiana, where they discuss the state of the solar industry and then explore how climate and environmental justice show up through storytelling in media. Stay tuned for part two! Check out one of our previous episodes to learn more about the legacy of Cecil Corbin-Mark and his contributions to WE ACT! Episode 19: Honoring Cecil Corbin-Mark You can also hear more of Kiana on her podcast, Climate with Kiana! You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Email us at [email protected]  Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice

Summer is almost here and that means more expensive energy bills for many people. Join Jaron and Lonnie to learn more about energy justice and how it is being impacted by climate change with help from WE ACT’s Senior Policy Manager for Energy Justice, Eric Walker. Make sure to check out the first part of this conversation if you haven’t already: Episode 65: Energy Justice in New York You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Call our Uptown Chats Hotline at 877-UPTOWN6! You can also email us at [email protected]. Make sure to subscribe to the WE ACT newsletter for updates, upcoming events and actions you can take! Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice 

Our health, environments, and climate action are under attack! Join Jaron and Lonnie to continue our conversation about the recent rollback of over 30 Federal EPA regulations protecting us from dangerous vehicle and climate pollution, including the Endangerment Finding. These hard-earned protections are at risk of being undone, despite being vital in protecting our health, neighborhoods, and in fighting climate fueled extreme weather, especially for environmental justice communities. Special guests include Byron Ramos Gudiel, Executive Director of Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED) (convener of the Platform for a Just Climate), and Manuel Salgado, Federal Research Manager for WE ACT's Federal Policy Office.  Make sure to check out the first part of this conversation if you haven’t already: Episode 67: EPA Rollbacks Part 1 - The Endangerment Finding You can also listen to this episode on YouTube. Got questions? Call our Uptown Chats Hotline at 877-UPTOWN6! You can also email us at [email protected]. Make sure to subscribe to the WE ACT newsletter for updates, upcoming events and actions you can take! Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Donate to WE ACT for Environmental Justice