b'Sophie SarkarMaking the environment healthier for everyoneSophie Sarkar worksStarting in 2018, Ms. Sarkar had a one-year fel-on social justice lowship in Philadelphias Office of Sustainability. issues related to theAs part of a city Beat the Heat effort, she led a environment. Sheproject that helped residents of the Hunting Park wants to make sureneighborhood work together to create a heatall people get therelief plan. help they need to Some parts of the city are hotter than others,live safely through she says, because they have fewer parks and a changing climate. trees, more surfaces covered with asphalt, more She helped start industrial buildings, and more buildings with black an organization thatroofs that absorb more heat. Hunting Park is one hosts a national con- of the citys hottest neighborhoods, she says.ference for people of color who work in connectionThe heat relief plan includes strategies to helpwith the environment. The group is called Peopleresidents cope with temperatures above 95 degrees. of the Global Majority in the Outdoors, Nature, It also lists things that can be done to reduce heat and Environment (PGM ONE). in the future.People of color will be the most impacted byMs. Sarkar worked with more than 30 government climate change, she says. She would like to seedepartments, community organizations, and others many regional conferences similar to the nationalto create the heat relief plan. Over eight months, PGM ONE Summit launched by 2035.they gathered information through surveys, held Ms. Sarkar also has another job, leading trainingcommunity workshops, ran leadership training sessions for environmental organizations acrosssessions, and organized other events. About 600 the United States. The workshops focus on socialresidents were involved.justice and equity issues related to climate change.The strategies the community members cameBasically, this is about creating a culture andup with included planting more trees and gardens, movement defined by those who are most impact- creating more green spaces, and painting theed to make sure everyone in our community hasrooftops of homes and industrial buildings whiteaccess to what they need to thrive, no matter whoto absorb less heat. they are, she says.24'