This week, while gubernatorial candidates took the stage up in San Francisco, we marked Earth Day here in Santa Monica with an environmentally focused April membership meeting.
After electing the 2026 SMDC Executive Board, we hosted a panel of environmental experts on the state of climate justice, moderated by Councilmember Ellis Raskin. We were also joined by CA-32 congressional candidate Jake Levine, who most recently served as Senior Director for Climate and Energy on the National Security Council in the Biden Administration.
Because parts of the climate discussion touched on ongoing legal strategy and potential litigation involving the federal government, one of our panelists requested that those portions not be recorded. We honored that request so the conversation could remain candid and substantive.
That said, most of the meeting was recorded, including the Executive Board elections and the full conversation with Jake Levine.
In Case You Missed It , you can watch the available portions here:
Since part of the panel wasn’t recorded, our speakers also shared a set of resources for members who want to go deeper on the ideas discussed:
Local Action & Policy
- Sustainable City Plan: https://www.santamonica.gov/sustainable-city-plan
- Climate Action & Adaptation Plan: https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Contact_-_Find_Us/Climate_Action_Adaptation_Plan.aspx
- Santa Monica Community Gardens: https://www.santamonica.gov/topic-explainers/community-gardens
- Climate Action Santa Monica: https://climateactionsantamonica.org/
- Clean Power Alliance: https://cleanpoweralliance.org/
Reading & Listening
- The Water Remembers — Amy Bowers Cordalis
- The Gabrielino — Bruce W. Miller
- The Open Space of Democracy — Terry Tempest Williams
- Is a River Alive? — Robert Macfarlane
- “Two Stories that Prove Change is Possible” (Climate One Podcast, 4/17/26): https://www.climateone.org/
- “First Time in 100 Years, Young Kayakers in a Ride for the Ages” (New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/us/klamath-river-kayak-indigenous-tribes.html
Our next monthly membership meeting will be held on May 27 at Church in Ocean Park and on Zoom. We’ll be focusing on the impact of recent federal immigration enforcement actions in cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Portland, and how local organizers are responding to defend their communities. We will also be considering whether to endorse Los Angeles County’s Measure ER.
Given the nature of that conversation, portions of the May meeting may also be off the record. If you want the full discussion, be sure to join us live.
Congratulations to the 2026 SMDC Executive Board!