Gulf South for a Green New Deal(GS4GND) is a regional formation of over 360 organizations in Puerto Rico, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Taproot Earth has been proud to anchor institution GS4GND since 2019.
Building Regional Power
Taproot coordinates Gulf South for Green New Deal’s regional efforts and provides frontline communities with the training and tools to fight for climate justice and democracy. We do this through leadership development, facilitating collective decision-making processes, and moving resources to the ground.
Developing Southern Climate Leadership
The hundreds of Gulf South for a Green New Deal members represent Gulf South organizations moving collectively to advance a regional strategy for climate solutions. Through the work of GS4GND Hubs and Tables, leaders from the climate frontlines build the skills, strengths, and strategies for self-governance, collective leadership, and participatory budgeting.
Policy Platform
In 2019 Gulf South for a Green New Deal developed a Policy Platform to assert that the Gulf South must be included in the development of national policy. Rather than a comprehensive policy vision, the platform is a starting point and living tool of regional alignment and broad organizing in the Gulf South. The principles, goals, and strategies are offered to address what a Green New Deal must look like to be successful in the Gulf South. GS4GND offers this as a step towards climate justice, self-determination, and dignity for all people everywhere. As goes the South, so goes the nation.
To join the formation, organizations must endorse and sign on to the platform.
Frontline Climate Governance
Taproot coordinates this six-Hub regional effort by facilitating monthly, regional, and annual convenings of Gulf South for a Green New Deal members and Leads. Together, we are building a multi-racial, multi-generational movement for climate justice in the Gulf South.
Monthly Regional Call
Each month, over 100 people gather to hear important updates about what’s moving on the ground across each GS4GND Hub and at the national level that impacts our work in the Gulf. These calls are open to residents of the Gulf South (TX, LA, MS, AL, FL) and Puerto Rico, and invited partners. Media, funders, or national organizations can contact info@gulfsouth4gnd.org about how to plug in.
Gulf Gathering
First organized in 1998 by Healthy Gulf, Gulf Gathering is an annual convening of frontline climate leaders across the Gulf. Each fall, the region convenes climate justice leaders from across the region to strengthen the network, share knowledge, identify regional priorities and budget for the following year, and build a regional action strategy as a climate solution formation.
Climate Justice & Joy
In June 2022, hundreds of Gulf South climate advocates gathered in Baton Rouge, Lousiana for the Gulf Gathering for Climate Justice & Joy. Through a People’s Movement Assembly and a community festival, GS4GND grew the movement by bringing more than a thousand people to celebrate everything we love about the Gulf South. This photo gallery highlights the many people organizing and building the powerful community that we’ll need to protect the places we call home.
Funding the Frontlines
In 2021, Taproot raised over $15 million for GS4GND Hubs to support durable movement building in the Gulf South over the next three years. Most of those funds moved through the GS4GND Community-Controlled Fund housed at Project South.
