Community activist Peggy Shepard was recently named recipient of the 2008 Jane Jacobs Medal from the Rockefeller Foundation. The group awarded her its Lifetime Leadership medal for her service on the forefront of the environmental justice movement and for pioneering a model of grassroots engagement that has been replicated by communities across the country.
Ms. Shepard co-founded West Harlem Environmental Action Inc. (WE ACT) in 1988, and serves as its executive director. She successfully organized residents in her Harlem neighborhood to combat a city sewage treatment plant that was emitting noxious fumes and gained reforms in that and other environmental concerns. The group's work continues and has expanded to help communities throughout the nation wage similar battles and raise awareness. She will receive the award and a $100,000 gift at a ceremony in September.
These efforts also earned Ms. Shepard, 10th Environment Heinz Award, recognition by New York Gov. David Paterson. She was among a distinguished group of individuals to receive the 2008 New York State Women of Excellence Award. She was honored at a ceremony this spring in conjunction with Women's History Month. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions to communities in a wide range of disciplines.
