International Women's Day is March 8, and this year the theme is "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow." This 2022 theme recognizes the contribution of women and girls around the world who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response to build a more sustainable future for all.
We don't have to look far for some remarkable women leaders right here in our county! There are MANY women doing inspiring work in Contra Costa, but here are just a few that we would like to celebrate:
Marti Roach
Marti is a climate activist working diligently with the Citizens Climate Lobby and serves on the Board of 350 Bay Area Action. She helped launch and work in the Building Electrification Campaign. She also co-leads the 350 Contra Costa Local Policy Action group.
Marti brings her facilitation, strategic and systems thinking skills to organizing in our local community, building political will for swift and effective actions that are needed to transition, in a just way, to a new energy economy and a more healthy living environment.
Shoshana Wechsler
Shoshana received our 2020 Leadership in Sustainability award for her key leadership in Contra Costa County over the last decade. As a founding member of the Sunflower Alliance, she has been a leader in numerous efforts to protect the public from health-harming pollution, especially in frontline communities, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to promote clean energy. Most recently she is providing key support to residents of Brentwood who are fighting a proposed new oil well in their neighborhood.
Shoshana also serves on the Contra Costa Sustainability Commission, where her leadership led to a unanimous recommendation for a moratorium on fossil fuel extraction in the county. Shoshana frequently speaks at meetings of community organizations and local government bodies. She has helped organize public town hall meetings on a number of topics.
Jackie Mann
Jackie is a co-founder of 350 Contra Costa and is active with the Interfaith Climate Action Network and the Environmental Action Team at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. Her work focuses on local issues of injustice such as air and water pollution from oil, tar sands, and coal refineries in the low-income areas of our county, legislation and lobbying at the state level, and community education. Jackie says, "Working together gives us hope and strength to confront the greatest moral issue of our time and speak truth to power, ignorance, and indifference."
Cindy Gershen
Cindy is the founder of Sunrise Bistro in Walnut Creek and the founder of the non-profit Wellness City Challenge, but many know her as a chef and teacher at Mt. Diablo High School in Concord. Her Sustainable Hospitality Program, which focuses on culinary, hydroponics, and nutrition education, has become an integral part of the curriculum at Mt. Diablo High and can be replicated throughout the district and state. Cindy’s senior class focuses on farm-to-table and farm-to-cafeteria practices and provides experiences in planting, growing, and harvesting produce as well as catering. Her students promote health and wellness through a district-wide “Water Drinking Campaign.” In her latest project she has launched “Educatering,” which supports healthy food through student driven recipes and reducing waste with non-packaged and non-processed healthy food. Cindy’s work aligns with the One Planet Living principles of Local & Sustainable Food, Health & Happiness, and Culture & Community.
Hats off to all these inspiring acitvists and ALL the women working for a better world!
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