Back

Director's Picks

Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Summary

The theme of our 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast is The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice. This event will gather various community residents, leaders, and agencies to join in fellowship through a dialogue on environmental justice in Iowa. We are honored to have our keynote delivered by Dr. Robert D. Bullard, a distinguished professor and award-winning author known as “The Father of Environmental Justice”. Following Dr. Bullard's keynote address, we will present the Make A Difference awards to the following 2023 honorees:

  • Dr. Mary Chapman, Vice President Emeritus, Des Moines Area Community College
  • Sgt. Bernell Edwards, a 31-year veteran of the Des Moines Police Department
  • Ania Ewing, a 5th grader at Samuelson Elementary School and member of Girl Scout Troop #30078

Immediately following the breakfast, the Iowa Environmental Council and community partners will sponsor a Dialogue on Environmental Justice in Iowa, providing an opportunity for participants to discuss how race, equity and justice intersect with environmental issues in the state.

Join us as we promote Dr. King's message for peace, justice, and righteousness.

Dr. Bullard, who earned his Ph.D. at Iowa State University, is the former Dean of
   the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern
   University. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and
   Environmental Policy and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and
   Climate Justice.  He is an award-winning author of eighteen books that address
   sustainable development, environmental racism, urban land use, industrial facility
   siting, community reinvestment, housing, transportation, climate justice,
   disasters, emergency response, community resilience, smart growth,
   and regional equity.

discover more

November 15, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Activists from 40 countries gathered in Oaxaca, Mexico, for the Global Meeting for Climate and Life, or "anti-COP," as an alternative to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Frustrated with

November 14, 2024

At COP29, the Biden administration announced plans to triple U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050, aiming to add 200 gigawatts through large reactors and smaller modular facilities

November 13, 2024

Rice University's EcoStudio and R-STEM program received a $500,000 grant from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to expand its environmental justice edu

November 13, 2024
Human Health
Human Health

Betsy McCaughey outlines a five-point health policy agenda for President-elect Donald Trump. Key items include promoting healthy eating to combat chronic diseases, addressing inef

November 12, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, nations face challenges in meeting the $1 trillion annual climate finance needed for low-income countries to address climate change. Donald Trump’s

November 12, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are projected to rise by 0.8% in 2024, reaching 41.2 billion tons, according to the Global Carbon Project. This increase exacerba

November 12, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Lee Zeldin, former Republican congressman from New York, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Known for his loyalty

November 12, 2024

Federal hydrogen hubs funded under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aim to decarbonize heavy industries, but communities near proposed sites criticize the Department of Ener

November 10, 2024

Orphan oil and gas wells, often abandoned without a responsible owner, pose environmental and health risks, particularly in communities historically impacted by fossil fuel produc

November 8, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

As COP29 highlights the need for climate finance, experts emphasize a shift toward evidence-based metrics to maximize the impact of climate funding. A recent Environmental Defense

November 8, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Key utility commission elections in Arizona, Montana, and Louisiana saw Republican victories, which could influence each state's approach to clean energy. In Arizona, a Republican

November 8, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, faces major challenges with the recent U.S. election of Donald Trump and global economic strain. Key issues include setting a new climate aid goal, as d

November 7, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice

Despite Donald Trump’s plans to re-exit the Paris Climate Accord, the renewable energy movement appears resilient. Wind and solar power, now the cheapest energy sources worldwide,

November 7, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

In the recent U.S. elections, voters in five states passed significant environmental ballot initiatives, allocating billions for climate resilience and conservation. Minnesota vot

November 7, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

A recent analysis reveals that emissions from private jet travel rose 50% from 2019 to 2023, driven by increased use of jets for short trips, some under 50 kilometers. Tracking