Friends of the Earth Action Endorses Imani Oakley for Congress

Montclair, NJ — Friends of the Earth Action, a political action committee that supports legislation and campaigns on environmental issues, including climate change, pollution, deforestation, and pesticides, has endorsed Imani Oakley, who is running a progressive challenge in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District.

Oakley — a political organizer who has worked hard to combat systemic injustice in all its forms — is running for Congress in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District on a platform that includes support for the Green New Deal and environmental justice. Her policies include ensuring a just green transition, rapid decarbonization of the economy, and massive federal investment in green unionized jobs for all.

“Environmental issues and racial justice issues are inextricable, especially here in a primarily-urban district like NJ-10,” says Oakley. “Our Black and Brown neighborhoods see higher rates of childhood asthma and adult cancers. We have fewer trees, dirtier soil, more polluting industry and traffic, higher concentrations of heavy metals, fewer places to safely grow a garden, more blighted industrial buildings – the list goes on and on. I could not be more honored that Friends of the Earth Action recognizes this and affirms that I am ready to fight like hell for this community, my lifelong home. We deserve a clean and healthy place to live and we deserve a Congressperson who is accountable to us, not to fossil fuel and military-industrial complex interests.”

The incumbent, Rep. Payne Jr., has drawn criticism for taking money from some of the worst polluters in the fossil fuel industry such as ExxonMobil, Plains All American Pipeline, and Enbridge — despite currently sitting as the Chair of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Hazardous Materials, and Pipelines — and for having one of the highest absentee rates of any Congressperson.

Oakley is one of eleven candidates endorsed in this round of support from Friends of the Earth Action, a cohort which also includes NJ-08 progressive primary challenger David Ocampo Grajales, as well as sitting Congressional Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17) and Marie Newman (IL-03).

Ariel Moger, Government and Political Affairs Manager for Friends of the Earth Action, issued the following statement: “We are thrilled to endorse these progressive champions for Congress. This election season, our environment, public health and democracy are on the line. We need to elect leaders who will put communities over corporate profits, and these candidates will undoubtedly do just that. We strongly urge voters to support these progressives who will fight for people and the planet in Washington.”

This endorsement comes on the heels of another set of ecologically-focused endorsements from four local Sunrise Movement hubs: Sunrise Hunterdon, Sunrise Montclair, Sunrise Morris County, and Sunrise Union, and adds to the progressive coalition growing around Oakley’s campaign, including from Brand New Congress, Catch Fire, West Orange Young Democrats, Building Bridges For America, Roadmap for Progress, FutureGen PAC, Black Lives Matter activist Zellie Imani, Mt. Rainier Vice Mayor Scott Cecil, Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis, Muslim community leader and civil rights advocate Selaedin Maksut, and former progressive presidential candidate Marianne Williamson.

“We are building a progressive movement aimed at the forces hurting our communities,” Oakley said. “As Congresswoman, I will work tirelessly to win a future for our children and our planet.”

Friends of the Earth Action joins a growing progressive coalition supporting Oakley’s campaign, which includes the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, Brand New Congress, 4 Northern New Jersey Sunrise Movement Hubs, Elect Black Women PAC, Black Lives Matter PAC, Americans for Justice in Palestine PAC, American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee, Harvard College Dems, Catch Fire, Roadmap for Progress, Building Bridges for America, Future Generations PAC, Peace Action, and many more.

Imani Oakley is a long-time political organizer and pro-democracy activist running for Congress in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. The seat covers parts of Essex, Union, and Hudson counties. Her time working in New Jersey political spaces has made one thing clear: our state suffers from rabid corruption. Her campaign is dedicated to ending this system and lifting up working-class communities. Look for her in Ballot Siberia (the area of your New Jersey ballot where primary challengers are found) in the New Jersey primary election on June 7.

For more information about Imani, please visit: Oakleyforcongress.com