Wayari Member Bilqis Benu Leads Opening Ceremony at a Gathering of 100 Environmental Justice Advocates
In February 2024, members of the Borikua Taino Foundation joined our friends The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy at the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) Symposium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Organized by the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) in partnership with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), this impactful event highlighted collaborative efforts toward clean energy and environmental justice.
The 2024 EJ TCTAC Symposium, in San Juan, brought over 100 environmental justice advocates together to foster collaboration. With the theme “Bridging the Gap to Create Thriving Communities,” sessions included peer learning on environmental law, data equity, and networking through cultural exchanges. Highlights included a cultural grounding by Bilqis Benu (Yucayeke Toa) and a visit to Caño Martín Peña, showcasing Puerto Rican community resilience against gentrification. The event emphasized the role of collaboration in empowering grassroots environmental justice efforts.
The beautiful land acknowledgment led by Bilqis opened the event with a Borikua song and prayer, encouraging attendees to foster sacred reciprocity with the land in Boriken. Her words urged everyone to approach with respect, reminding us of our role as stewards rather than conquerors. The message resonated powerfully, with guests, including the hotel manager, moved to express their appreciation through embrace. With every shared moment, our commitment to self-determination in Boriken grows stronger, fueled by collaborative support and a shared vision for honoring and protecting our heritage. In gratitude, Bilqis shared a heartfelt note to the Foundation, expressing she valued this collective effort toward sustainable futures:
"Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude for the profound connection we share and for the unwavering belief you all have in me. It warms my heart to feel so welcomed and valued beyond measure. The opportunity to learn and contribute to our collective endeavors fills me with indescribable joy and inspiration. I am wholeheartedly committed to the noble cause of nation-building, and I am filled with excitement at the prospect of our shared growth and expansion. The guidance and support mean the world to me, and I cherish every moment of our collaboration."
Our Foundation’s participation was supported by a network of dedicated collaborators. Special thanks to The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy for connecting us with the event organizer and President of the Institute for Sustainable Communities Rebecca (Jackson) Kaduru and to the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for covering lodging and per diem costs. Additionally, Sierra Flanigan, Director of Organizational Development and Capacity Building from Tribal Clean Energy facilitated a meaningful cultural gift exchange, reinforcing the event’s spirit of mutual respect and connection. You can read more about the symposium here.
The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Native American tribes with the knowledge, resources, and capacity to pursue sustainable, clean energy solutions. Through technical assistance, project financing, policy advocacy, and workforce development, the Alliance supports tribes in achieving energy sovereignty. Their work aims to reduce poverty, protect natural resources, and foster resilient economies that honor Indigenous values. The Alliance provides these services at no cost, relying on philanthropic support to advance its mission.
In 2023, the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) was named one of three national Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs), a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE). The EPA also designated 13 regional EJ TCTACs for a total of 16 centers nationwide. EJ TCTACs connect disinvested and overburdened communities with federal resources and support the creation of partnerships with philanthropic and private sector entities to expand the reach and impact of federal funds. As one of three national EJ TCTACs, ISC works to remove barriers and improve accessibility to federal funding for underserved communities with environmental justice concerns.
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