Who We Are
We are a multi-generational and multi-cultural cohort of youth, volunteers, supporters, environmental educators, habitat restoration specialists, community organizers and social justice advocates dedicated to connecting people to local urban open spaces to restore ecology, improve environmental health and strengthen community.
We are completing this phase of the Healthy Habitats and Lifestyles project, including an expansion of the Native Plant Nursery. Our partnership with California State Parks, offers a significant opportunity for our organization to continue to advance environmental health, ecological stewardship, and community development in Southeast San Francisco as part of the restoration of California’s first urban state park, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area (CPSRA).
Key Achievements
- Ethnocentric curriculum development that includes indigenous knowledge, Ethnobotany, the history of Bayview Hunter’s Point and Environmental Justice.
- Partnering with community based organizations and SFUSD to provide paid internships to high school and young adults in pursuit of urban greening careers or environmental education.
- Increased opportunities for community engagement in stewardship, restoration and the building of healthy ecosystems in the Southeast sector of San Francisco with native plants that address climate change and sea level rise.
Our History
Since 1998, LEJ has engaged thousands of volunteers in community action projects that benefit Southeast San Francisco. From local and state level advocacy, to hands on restoration at Heron’s Head and CPSRA, to environmental justice programming in schools, LEJ has consistently engaged residents of all backgrounds in relevant programming that promotes environmental justice and ecological health.
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Learn More About Our Work
Native Plant Nursery
A program of Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), the Candlestick Point Native Plant Nursery is a vibrant community hub that is at once a living classroom for our educational programming, a center for green workforce development, and a premier source for hyper-local Native plants for habitat restoration in San Francisco.
Eco-Apprentices
Part of LEJ’s mission is to empower young people who envisioned a healthier future for their community. By tackling local environmental issues, LEJ enables local youth to enhance their well-being and in the process build a deeper connection to gardens, parks, and open spaces.