Representing Westfield Concerned Citizens at the Local Environmental Action Conference 2014: Anastasiya Stebenkova, Gail Bean, Alina Davledzarova, Ross Davledzarov, and Mary Ann Babinski (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – On March 2, 2014, members of the Westfield Concerned Citizens (WCC) attended the Local Environmental Action 2014 Conference at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Representing WCC at the Conference were Anastasiya Stebenkova, Gail Bean, Alina Davledzarova, Ross Davledzarov, and Mary Ann Babinski. At the afternoon ceremony, WCC was presented with the Outstanding Activism Award given in recognition of their ongoing efforts to protect the environment and public health. Claire Miller from Toxics Action Center (TAC), one of the conference sponsors along with Mass Climate Action Network (MCAN), and Staci Rubin from Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE) made the presentation to WCC. TAC and ACE partnered with WCC in their campaign to stop an environmentally unjust gas & oil fired power plant from being built in their community. Mary Ann Babinski, spokesperson for the group, later stated, “WCC was honored to receive this award and to have our work recognized by organizations who have spent years working to empower residents to take action against environmental injustices that effect their health, safety and well-being. This award recognizes the efforts of all residents who participated in WCC’s campaigns over the years. We were pleased to accept this award for them. They should be proud to be a Westfield Concerned Citizen.”
Over the years several WCC members have participated in conferences, seminars, panel discussions and community organizing workshops. Babinski stated, “Through networking with other grassroots organizations across the state and New England we have gained a greater awareness of climate and environmental justice issues. We intend to continue working closely with these groups going forward, collaborating with them on common issues and concerns related to community building, sustainability and climate & environmental justice.”
This is not the first time WCC has been recognized for its efforts. In 2013, their 100 Mile Walk the Talk for Clean Renewable Energy, which was successfully completed in October 2012, was nominated for the 2013 Path to Victory Award given by the Business Ethics Network (BEN). WCC was one of twenty-four groups across the country to be nominated for this award. “We were pleased to have this successful effort recognized by BEN.”, commented Babinski. In 2013, the group completed a more than 120 mile walk from Westfield to the Connecting for Change conference in New Bedford, MA. Enriched and exhilarated by these experiences, WCC plans to continue its work going forward with the hope of engaging more residents across the city in their work.
Anyone interested in learning more about WCC, can contact us at [email protected]
