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Hearing from those most at risk from extreme weather is critical to developing effective local climate change policies.
Maria Turvin | Yanawana Herbolarios
On Monday, August 9, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared a “code red” for humanity due to worsening global warming conditions, as captured in the most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Across the United States, we are witnessing unprecedented heatwaves, droughts, extreme storms, and winter events. On the frontlines of the onslaught of climate change impacts are communities in historically under-served areas with outdated infrastructure and limited access to critical services—disproportionately poor and working-class communities of color.
Our response team saw firsthand during Winter Storm Uri that these communities suffered first and worst during extreme weather events. As our street medics and disaster response team worked quickly to get houseless relatives into shelter before the impending storm, we became increasingly aware of the extreme danger our relatives were in. And in the weeks that followed our fears for their health and safety were confirmed as we saw a number of extreme weather-related health injuries. Through partnership with other mutual-aid organizations, we scrambled to help housed relatives as well, who found themselves in incredibly vulnerable situations due to the failure of outdated infrastructure ill-suited to the ever-increasing challenges of climate change events.
Though Uri was an unprecedented event, it is one that will become increasingly commonplace as extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity. Whatever our neighborhood or background, then, we are in a state of climate emergency as a community. Likewise, it is critical that we come together as a community—on an individual, neighborhood, city, state, and national level—to share our experiences, ideas, and resources as we work together to implement desperately needed change before we are past the point of no return.
Take the SA Climate Ready Survey HERE.
SA Climate Ready aims to prioritize the climate change-related needs of San Antonio residents, in particular those in historically underserved areas and communities.
To accomplish this, the San Antonio Office of Sustainability and Texas Creative ad agency have partnered with local grassroots groups serving target communities in the effort to gather critical data that will inform the City of San Antonio’s efforts.
As one of the organizations selected, Yanawana Herbolarios will be hosting a series of educational data-collecting events in addition to the release of an online survey. These community events will offer our neighborhoods the chance to gain ancestral knowledge and skills, to take the survey, and to participate in discussions that will ensure that COSA’s climate action priorities are grounded in the lived experience of residents. The survey will be available at all events and is also available online.
Those who participate in the survey will receive an email with the following downloads and other incentives:
- Fortify Immune Support Syrup Recipe Digital Book;
- Post-Disaster Preparedness Checklist for home and work;
- How to build a customizable Post-Disaster First Aid Kit guide (for work and home);
- How to build a Post-Disaster Preparedness kit for any scenario guide;
- 25% coupon for any Fortify Commemorative products.
To learn more about the events, follow Yanawana Herbolarios on Facebook and Instagram. Also add the following dates to your calendar!
Coming Events
Sept 25, 2-6pm; Oct 9, 11am-3pm; Oct 23, 11am-3pm; Nov 20, 11am-3pm
@ Yanawana Herbolarios Headquarters (1003 Creekview Dr 78219)
Traditional healthcare, resilience skills, ancestral knowledge, local goods – a special SA Climate Change Sowing La Futura (garden/food security centered) interactive class will run 2x during the fair on the dates listed, children’s garden centered activities will also be available during the interactive class so that parents may freely participate
- Interactive garden activity and climate change discussion
Oct 13, 11am-1pm
@ Our Lady of the Lady University (411 SW 24th St 78207), in the university gardens
- Traditional Indigenous clay oven build; interactive climate change discussion
Oct 16 & 17, 11am-3pm
@ Yanawana Herbolarios Headquarters (1003 Creekview Dr 78219)
- Rainwater catchment and filtration build; interactive climate change discussion
Nov 13 & 14, 11am-3pm
@ Yanawana Herbolarios Headquarters (1003 Creekview Dr 78219)
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Maria C Turvin is the Founder and Operations Director of Yanawana Herbolarios, an Indigenous and woman founded and led organization established in January 2016 to meet unaddressed needs in the areas of healthcare and preparedness amongst vulnerable communities of San Antonio TX, with a special focus on Indigenous, Black, Racialized, LGBTQ2s, working-class, and houseless communities.
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