Hot Mamas Conversations with working moms trying to keep their cool on a heating planet

In this episode, host Sarah Spengeman talks with two EcoMadres, Lucy Molina and Shaina Oliver. EcoMadres is bringing Indigenous and Latina moms together to address issues of clean air, climate, and toxics that affect the health of children and families. 

Both Lucy and Shaina and their families live in the shadow of the Suncor Refinery located in Commerce City, Colorado.  For decades, the refinery has spewed toxic pollution that has severely impacted the predominantly Latino neighborhoods. Lucy and Shaina have spent years organizing the members of their community and standing up to Suncor on behalf of their children's right to breathe clean air and drink clean water.

In this episode, they share how they won a critical bill that will finally monitor three specific toxics from the refinery and how they're fighting for other climate justice policies in Colorado. They share what they have learned as they have fought alongside other mothers, what a just transition looks like, and what is giving them hope to keep at it.

For anyone who has wondered what environmental racism looks like from a first-hand perspective, this is a must-listen episode. 

Recommended Resources:

Take action here:
Thank the EPA for objecting to CO's permit for Suncor Refinery

About Shaina
https://www.momscleanairforce.org/team/shaina-oliver/

About Lucy
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/commerce-city-mother-polluted-neighborhood/73-a77532fc-9c67-4f6e-a1d9-0184ee45f91c

About EcoMadres
https://www.momscleanairforce.org/ecomadres/

About Cultivando
https://www.cultivando.org/

About the Suncor settlement
https://www.cpr.org/2021/04/21/commerce-city-nonprofit-wins-suncor-energy-fine-money-will-use-it-to-monitor-suncor-energy/

Lucy and Shaina's join op-ed calling for EPA to object to the Suncor permit
https://www.denverpost.com/2022/03/21/suncor-pollution-epa-cdphe-plant-2-permit/

Contact Sarah
sspengem@alumni.nd.edu

Harriet Shugarman is one of the leading voices in the parent climate movement, the founder of Climate Mama, and the award-winning author of the book How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action. Harriet joins host Sarah Spengeman to share her story--how, even though she had worked on climate change, she woke up to the climate emergency after she had her children. She talks about why she launched Climate Mama as a community to connect parents concerned about climate change and how she's seen the parent climate movement grow over the past decade.

Harriet and Sarah chat about what it means to be hopeful in the midst of a climate crisis, what women and mothers bring to the climate movement, and why centering indigenous voices and frontline communities is essential to solving climate change.

You won't want to miss Harriet sharing essential wisdom from her own book, along with her top children and adult book recommendations!

Recommended Resources:

Climate Mama
https://www.climatemama.com/

How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change: Turning Angst into Action
https://newsociety.com/books/h/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-climate-change

Climate Reality Project
https://www.climaterealityproject.org/

What the World Needs Now book series
https://www.cherylrosebush.com/kids-books

This hopeful conversation with Hot Mama Jennifer Rennicks - clean energy policy wonk and mother of two grown daughters - is the best way to start your new year! Jennifer spends her days working to keep our children safe from the toxic pollution generated by our country's fleet of dirty diesel school buses. Did you know children riding a fossil fuel-powered school bus are exposed to 12x the pollution compared to outdoor levels? Jennifer talks all about the exciting trend toward electrification of school buses, the federal and state leadership that is accelerating this trend, and how any parent can advocate for all-electric buses in their school district.

Jennifer also shares her story with us - how an unplanned study abroad trip to Costa Rica changed the trajectory of her life, how having two asthmatic daughters fueled her advocacy, and the lessons she's gained from two decades championing cleaner energy in the Southeastern United States.

You'll also hear why Jennifer says our clean energy transformation is unstoppable! This inspiring conversation will feed you soul for the year ahead!

Recommended Resources:

League of Conservation Voters’ Chispa program: Clean Buses for Healthy Niños
https://www.lcv.org/chispa/clean-buses-healthy-ninos/
E School Bus 4 Kids!
https://www.eschoolbus4kids.org/

WRI's Electric School Bus Initiative
https://www.wri.org/initiatives/electric-school-bus-initiative

Mothers Out Front Toolkit
https://nation.mothersoutfront.org/electric_school_bus_campaign

ALA's Electric School Bus Solution
https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/healthy-air-campaign/electric-school-bus-solution

Follow Jennifer on Twitter!
https://twitter.com/JenRennicks

Xoli Fuyani is a powerful voice for climate justice and a leader in the global parent climate movement. She is a mother of two children and the founder of Black Girls Rising in Cape Town, South Africa, which provides "Brave space for Girls where they are taught  personal growth and development." This multi-year program mentors and trains the next generation of climate and social justice leaders, providing them the skills they need to find their own voice and claim their power. In this podcast, she shares how Black Girls Rising is transforming the lives of girls to transform the world.

Xoli has been an environmental activist her entire life and recently traveled to COP26 to deliver a message from 500 parent groups around the world who are demanding an end to all fossil fuel investments to protect our children. Tune in to hear why she traveled from South Africa to urge climate action, her concerns about climate finance, and why indigenous knowledge must not be ignored. Xoli also talks navigating her busy life as a working mom and how she finds and spreads healing through her dance practice. 

Parent letter to COP26 delegates:

https://parentsforfuture.org/nonewfossilfuels

Follow Xoli and Black Girls Rising on social media:

https://twitter.com/xolif

https://www.instagram.com/black.girls.rising/

To donate, contact Xoli:

XoliFuyani@gmail.com

Music courtesy of Doubletron

In this episode of Hot Mamas, I talk to Shannon Brescher Shea, working mom, environmental activist, and author of Growing Sustainable Together, an incredibly well-researched guide to raising environmentally-conscious kids in ways that foster compassion, resilience, and radical kindness for the Earth and all beings. Shannon shares her own struggles as a mom, trying to navigate both "mom guilt" and "green guilt," and how her own personal journey led her to researching and then writing this book.

We discuss hot button issues like individual action vs. systemic change, wealth and privilege, and managing climate anxiety. Shannon makes the case for expanding the concept of sustainability to include social and personal sustainability and explains how not to give into the corporate bunk that tells us its all our fault or that we can buy our way out of the mess.
 
You won't want to miss her insights into how living our values can help us live healthier, more meaningful family lives.

Recommended Resources:

Growing Sustainable Together by Shannon Brescher Shea
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/625190/growing-sustainable-together-by-shannon-brescher-shea/

Climate Justice Family Toolkit
http://bit.ly/2Pzw5lF
Green and Sustainable Parents Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/131462194117227
Follow Shannon on social media
https://www.facebook.com/welleatyouupweloveyouso
https://twitter.com/storiteller

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
https://mattdelapena.com/books/last-stop-on-market-street/

On this episode of Hot Mamas, I talk to Nicole Sitaraman, a hot mama of a six-year-old son, and a leading voice for climate resilience, clean energy and environmental justice.

She shares her journey,  from growing up in Philly, the daughter of a strong mother who made sure Nicole had the opportunities she needed to succeed, to starting out in her career as a civil rights attorney, and how that led her to work creating more just and sustainable communities with Sustainable Capital Advisors.

NIcole and I talk about the importance of raising kids in community, how becoming a mom has shifted her worldview, and why it's critical we have honest conversations with our children about race.

We also get to hear her expert perspective on the reconciliation bill now in Congress and the policies we need to kick our fossil fuel habit. Tune in for this inspiring and informative conversation with Nicole!

Recommended resources:

Sustainable Capital Advisors
https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org

Solar United Neighbors
https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org

Black Owners of Solar Services
https://www.blacksolar.org

"Clean Energy Sector Must Expand Hiring Beyond White Men"
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-clean-energy-sector-must-expand-hiring-beyond-white-men-report-2021-09-09/