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TOPICAdvancing Racial, Social, and Environmental Equality IN THIS EPISODE[01:23] Introduction of Robert Garcia. [02:30] Robert explains when he realized fighting for civil rights would be his life’s work. [04:00] Robert describes the victory of the Bus Riders Union versus the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority. [06:15] Robert shares why Title VI of the Civil Rights Act is an important tool in the battle for environmental justice. [10:47] If those who receive federal funding violate the agreement of Title VI, what can the federal government do? [14:43] Robert explains why The City Project is focused on equal access to natural resources. [19:23] Robert discusses his efforts to restore the Los Angeles River. [23:30] Robert shares what it was like for The City Project to be involved in creating new national monuments. [27:10] How will the communities with newly restored natural areas benefit from the investment and the restoration and not become displaced? [31:56] Robert shares one change that would lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable communities. [32:23] Robert describes the action listeners can take to help build a more equitable and sustainable future. [32:42] Robert explains what California, our national parks, and our natural resources and monuments look like 30 years from now. GUEST Robert García is a civil rights attorney who engages, educates, and empowers communities to seek equal access to public and natural resources. He is the Founding Director and Counsel of The City Project, a non-profit legal and policy advocacy organization in Los Angeles, California. Robert graduated from Stanford University and Stanford Law School and is an Assistant Professor at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. Robert has extensive experience in public policy, legal advocacy, mediation, and litigation involving complex social justice, civil rights, human health, environmental, education, and criminal justice matters. He has influenced the investment of over $43 billion in underserved communities, working at the intersection of equal justice, public health, and the built environment. He served as chairman of the Citizens’ School Bond Oversight Committee for five years, helping raise over $27 billion to build new, and modernize existing, public schools as centers of their communities in Los Angeles. He has helped communities create and preserve great urban parks and preserve access to beaches and trails. He has helped diversify support for and access to state resource bonds, with unprecedented levels of support among communities of color and low-income communities, and billions of dollars for urban parks. He served on the Development Team for the National Park Service Healthy Parks, Healthy People Community Engagement eGuide. Robert served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense a Education Fund. He received the President’s Award from the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice for helping release Geronimo Pratt, the former Black Panther leader, from prison after 27 years for a crime he did not commit. He represented people on Death Row in Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi. Stanford Law School called him a “civil rights giant” and Stanford Magazine “an inspiration.” Robert served on the Justice and Peace Commission for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles under Cardinal Roger Mahony. He is an immigrant who came to the U.S. from Guatemala at age four. http://www.cityprojectca.org/senior-staff (Mr. Garcia’s Publications) http://www.cityprojectca.org/major-cases (Mr. Garcia’s Major Cases) ORGANIZATIONThe City Project, a non-profit legal and policy advocacy team in Los Angeles, California. The City Project works with diverse allies on equal access to (1) healthy green land use through community planning; (2) climate justice; (3) quality education including physical education; (4) health equity;...