Maria De Jesus - Member Highlight Interview

Recorded on February 14th, 2023, Renée Mazurek, Resilient Communities Manager for River Network and team member of the Urban Waters Learning Network, interviews Maria De Jesus, the Housing Justice Organizer for Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), and a member of the Urban Waters Learning Network Equitable Development and Anti-Displacement Collaborative.

Maria works directly with community members in Newark, NJ, facing rent increases and evictions. At ICC, Housing Justice is an integral part of the Environmental Justice programming in a community that faces cumulative impacts from both water and air pollution. Her main role is to connect tenants with programs and legal services, using her personal experiences to connect with each community member and give them strength to always fight for their rights. In this conversation, Renée talks with Maria about her work, including the ties she sees between environmental issues and housing issues and the role that housing justice organizers play in keeping communities in place.

Look for more urban waters resources at www.urbanwaterslearningnetwork.org.

We are the initiative funded by EPA's Urban Waters Program and co-coordinated by Groundwork USA and River Network. Thanks so much for listening.