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1. Since the EHC’s inception, they have been involved in numerous health studies documenting environmental pollution’s impacts on public health. These studies have provided essential data supporting the organization's advocacy efforts and bringing awareness to ecological justice's needs.

2. Environmental disasters have occurred in the San Dego region, including toxic spills, wildfires, and natural gas leaks. These events highlighted the urgency of addressing ecological hazards near residential communities and spurred the EHC to develop new campaigns and strategies to advocate for environmental justice.

Riding the wave of Environmental legislation and activism movements taking off in the 1970s, there was a growing awareness of low-income communities of color being disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards such as toxic waste sites, air pollution, and pesticide drift. The EHC organizes a predominantly Latino community with the necessary resource and training to fight for environmental justice. The organization has mobilized to prevent new polluters from taking hold in their community and hold current polluters accountable for their industrial waste that harms the residents.

The Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) was founded in 1980 and served low-income communities in the San Diego/Tijuana region. Their founding purpose was centralized around all people, and all communities should have the right to live, work and play in a clean and safe environment regardless of their ZIP code. In the early 1980s, their early structure included organizing around cancer and calling to action against San Diego being a toxic waste dump. Early on, their work revolved around community education of critical policy, permits, and other political events around San Diego.

1. What are PODER’s primary goals and objectives regarding environmental justice and social sustainability? 

2. Could you describe the organization’s stance on current political and social issues?

By working closely with the communities it seeks to support, PODER advances justice and good governance by emphasizing the voices of stakeholders in the affected neighborhoods. Doing so is challenging the systemic inequalities and promoting environmental and social sustainability; these practices are significant because they would benefit all communities regardless of race, ethnicity, or income level.

In the media, PODER is generally recognized as one of the leading environmental justice organizations advocating for social and environmental justice in the Bay Area. It has been praised for its work in promoting environmental justice and initiatives that support affordable housing. Still, it has also faced criticism from some groups who disagree with its political positions and tactics.

PODER functions within the environmental justice sector, advocating for equitable and sustainable solutions to ecological problems in low-income communities of color in the San Francisco Mission District. 

1. PODER collaborates with other community-based organizations and other parties that can advance its goals. Their list of collaborative organizations includes and is not limited to; the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, the Bayview Hunters Point Mothers and Fathers Committee, and the San Francisco Rising Alliance. 

Changes in government policies and regulations can impact the organization's ability to achieve its goals, requiring innovative and creative solutions to continue developing new opportunities for organizing and advocacy. Shifting public opinion and media coverage can also affect how the public and policymakers perceive the organization.

1.  Given the nature of PODER's work, environmental racism, injustice, and compounding effects of intersectionality are challenges present within this organization and relate to their modes of advocacy. Keeping the community engaged and participating in efforts is challenging because stakeholders often require volunteer time and effort to participate in different activities and advocacy efforts. This in itself is an issue all organizations can struggle with.