Color Rochester Green Team to Focus on Prioritizing Climate Action in BIPOC Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROCHESTER, NY (January 18, 2023) - On January 23, Color Your Community Green, an initiative of Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region, will launch a new volunteer climate action team in the City of Rochester. The event will take place on Monday, January 23 at the Central Library on 115 South Avenue in Downtown Rochester and is open to the public.

Color Rochester Green will prioritize climate action in BIPOC communities in the City of Rochester to determine the best path forward to advance municipal and neighborhood climate solutions. The Color Rochester Green team will focus on prioritizing these populations and incorporating their lived experiences in the strategies developed to take coordinated, collaborative action at the local level.

Andrea McLean, Public Engagement Coordinator of the Climate Solutions Accelerator said, “The Accelerator is thrilled to launch the Color Rochester Green team, an initiative that provides a necessary platform for individuals to convene, discuss, and collaborate on meaningful climate solutions. Color Rochester Green provides an opportunity to identify locally relevant issues around Rochester, brainstorm, and implement solutions. Whatever your skills or interests may be, there's a place for you on this team.”

Color Your Community Green connects and organizes concerned individuals, by municipality or neighborhood, to form a network of climate-focused citizen action teams. Currently, there are 10 active teams in communities across the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region, along with several others in development, including Color Rochester Green. 

“Color Your Community Green is a great way both to bring a local focus to the climate crisis and to engage our communities on environmental issues directly affecting them,” said Allen Blair of Color Brighton Green. “Not only that, but the cross-fertilization CYCG fosters has dramatically increased the impact our organizations have made, both singly and in concert.”

“I love being a part of Color Your Community Green because I get to be part of an amazing network of people who bring their special skills and talents, interests and passions to the work of sustainability. I have met so many really inspiring people who have dedicated their time and effort to make the world a better place and together, we shift from eco-anxiety to empowerment,” adds Katie Rygg of Color Penfield Green. 

“Color Irondequoit Green provides the opportunity to get together to discuss environmental community issues and to provide input to our town elected leaders and to even assist them in making changes that make our town greener and safer - and a better place to live and raise our families,” said Jim Tappon of Color Irondequoit Green.

For more information and to register for the launch, visit climategfl.org/events/crg-launch

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Media inquiries: Andrea McLean, Public Engagement Coordinator, andrea@climategfl.org or (585) 957-3204