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WEC is pleased and honored to recognize eight outstanding leaders at our 2017 Awards Dinner. Valorie Caffee, Executive Committee, NJ Environmental Justice Alliance Valorie Caffee worked as WEC’s director of organizing for 13 years, ending her service with the organization in 2009. While employed by WEC, she launched WEC’s Environmental Justice program. Along with WEC colleague Theodore Carrington, she helped raise awareness about and support for this critical issue by making presentations at community and union meetings, meetings of other environmental organizations, faith-based organizations, conferences schools, and workshops around the state and in other states as well. This work led to Valorie being appointed as chair of the Environmental Justice Advisory Council to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, a position she held from 2002 to 2016, and her co-founding of the NJ Environmental Justice Alliance, NJEJA. She was also appointed as co-chair of Gov-elect Corzine’s Environmental Policy Transition Team. During her tenure with WEC, significant strides were made for environmental justice, including the issuance of New Jersey’s first environmental justice executive order, passage of legislation to reduce the emission of diesel exhaust from school buses and other public buses to decrease the incidence of asthma and other pollution-related ailments; support by WEC for local EJ [...]

Today is the last day to reserve a ticket to the WEC Annual Awards Dinner & 30th Anniversary Celebration, which will be held this Friday, November 18 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Please purchase tickets today We're looking forward to some companionship with friends and allies. We are very excited to recognize the good work of heroes like Jeanne Otersen, Kelly Francis and Jim Young. We're also looking forward to hearing from the two recipients of our new Rising Star Award, Nicole Scott-Harris and Reynalda Cruz. Please help us honor them by attending the event. Buy tickets online now After an intense few days, we are more resolute than ever. Regardless of who holds political office, we remain committed to our mission: safe, secure jobs and a healthy sustainable environment. With the incoming administration, we must be vigilant; we will likely need to mobilize support to protect our existing safeguards and there will be an even greater need for state-based approaches. We'll need your support; whether you choose to join as a member, attend the Awards Dinner, or make a donation, WEC relies upon your generosity to continue our work. join [...]

WEC is pleased and honored to recognize five outstanding leaders at our 2016 Awards Dinner, which will also serve as our 30th Anniversary Celebration. Colandus “Kelly” Francis, President, Camden County Branch of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Colandus "Kelly" Francis is President of the Camden County Branch of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Kelly was born in Enfield, North Carolina, and lived in Newport News, Virginia until his family moved to Camden, NJ in 1949. He continues to reside in the Parkside areas where his family members have lived for the past 45 years. Kelly is a graduate of Hatch Jr. High and Camden High schools and attended Salem County Community College, Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University. He worked for 34 years for the U.S. Postal Service and retired as an electronic technician in the field of automation and computer technology in 1989. While with the postal service, he served as a union officer for the American Postal Workers Union, holding various offices including general president. He is currently serving in several volunteer capacities as president of the Camden County NAACP, vice president [...]