Affected Peoples from Ecuador and Richmond To Confront Chevron Management at Annual Shareholder Meeting

On May 24th, at the headquarters of the Amazon Watch, representatives of communities affected by Chevron environmental destruction and disregard for human rights will announce plans to return to Chevron's Annual Shareholders Meeting the following morning in San Ramon, CA. Speakers are from a growing network of organizations confronting Chevron on its corporate misdeeds and disregard for the environment and human rights. Two speakers come directly from communities suffering negative health impacts from Chevron's pollution. Other organizations will speak in support of multiple shareholder resolutions regarding the environment, climate change and corporate accountability.

Chevron's corporate actions are contrary to a healthy planet, healthy communities and a just world. We stand opposed to Chevron's choices to pollute our communities, our land, and our water, to use their toxic influence to buy political power, fuel climate disruption, abuse the justice system and attack its critics and victims of its contamination. We support shareholders calling for a change in Chevron's culture of deception, corruption and destruction.

Demonstrations at the Chevron Annual Shareholder Meeting will begin on Wednesday, May 25th at 7 am outside the company's headquarters at 6001 Bollinger Canyon Rd, San Ramon, California.

WHAT: A growing coalition of communities affected by Chevron's operations and environmental organizations will announce plans to return to Chevron's Annual Shareholders Meeting to denounce the company's pattern of human rights abuses, environmental destruction, and attacks on democracy. Hundreds of thousands of signatures will be delivered to Chevron's doorstep at the Wednesday meeting demanding change in the company's policies and practices around world.

WHO:
Humberto Piaguaje, Secoya Indigenous Leader, Ecuador
Lipo Chanthanasak, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Richmond
Andres Soto, Communities for a Better Environment, Richmond
Deborah Moore, Union of Concerned Scientists
Paul Paz y Mino, Amazon Watch

True Cost of Chevron Network: Amazon Watch, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Communities for a Better Environment, Community Science Institute, Greenpeace USA, Idle No More SF Bay, Movement Rights, Pachamama Alliance, Rainforest Action Network, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Sunflower Alliance, and Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)

WHERE: Amazon Watch office, 2201 Broadway, Ste 508, Oakland, CA

WHEN:Tuesday, May 24th at 11:00 am PDT

CONFERENCE CALL:+1-515-739-1010 code: 171929#

SPEAKER BIOS:

Humberto Piaguaje, Secoya Indigenous Leader

Humberto Piaguaje is a historic leader of the Secoya people of Ecuador's northern Amazon rainforest. Prior to Texaco's arrival in the region, the Secoya people numbered in the thousands. But the Secoya ancestral land surrounds the Aguarico River, one of Texaco's prime dumping grounds. Billions of gallons of a toxic brew of produced waters, drilling muds, and pure crude were dumped into the Aguarico and its tributaries. Because of this contamination and resulting forest loss, displacement, and culture degradation, the total Secoya population is now approximately 350. Piaguaje is the Coordinator and official spokesperson of the Union of Affected Communities (Union de Afectados por la Petrolera Texaco-UDAPT), the organization that represents the 30,000 affected people who brought the Aguinda v. Chevron litigation. He is a teacher by profession, and lives in Lago Agrio, Ecuador.

Lipo Chanthanasak, Asian Pacific Environmental Network

Lipo Chanthanasak, from Northern Laos, has proudly served as a leader with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) for over a decade, working to reduce carbon pollution and ensure environmental justice. He has received the White House Champions of Change award for environmental justice. At sixteen years old, Lipo left school to support his family by farming, hunting, and fishing. The Vietnam War led him to join a Guerrilla Unit of American forces. After fighting alongside Americans, Lipo and his family immigrated to Richmond, California. Fleeing persecution, Lipo came here as a refugee and was greeted with opportunity but also faced some challenges. His community was exposed to high levels of pollution and many suffer respiratory illnesses. Lipo led advocacy efforts to curb this pollution. He joined APEN to champion local renewable energy and good paying clean energy jobs.

Andres Soto, Communities for a Better Environment

Andres Soto is a lifelong resident of the Bay Area having spent most of his life in Richmond. Andres was educated in local public schools, including Richmond High School, and is a graduate of UC Berkeley where he majored in Political Science. After graduating from Cal, Andres dedicated his life to advocating for social justice. He served as a parent advocate for fifteen years in the West County Unified School District where he served as Chair of several district advisory committees. Andres has advocated for educational equity, immigrant rights, youth violence prevention, gun control, police accountability and environmental justice. He is currently the Richmond Organizer for Communities for a Better Environment.

Deborah Moore, Union of Concerned Scientists

Deborah Moore is the Western States Senior Campaign Manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists, overseeing regional campaigns on climate, renewable energy, clean vehicles, and climate corporate accountability. UCS works to ensure that the best available science is used to make decisions that will ensure a healthy planet and a safer world. In 2015, UCS published the Climate Deception Dossiers document evidence of fossil fuel companies' climate science misinformation. Moore is currently advancing the California Climate Science Truth & Accountability Act (SB 1161, Allen), which would hold companies accountable for fraudulent business practices related to climate science. Deborah has an M.S. in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in physics from Reed College. Prior to UCS she directed the Green Schools Initiative and was senior scientist at Environmental Defense Fund.

Paul Paz y Mino, Amazon Watch

Paul Paz y Mino is Associate Director of Amazon Watch. Amazon Watch protects the rainforest and the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin, partnering with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability, and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems. Amazon Watch has led campaigns to hold Chevron accountable for its toxic legacy in Ecuador and other frontline communities. Paul also served as Amnesty International USA's Colombia Country Specialist and was the Guatemala/Chiapas Program Director at the Seva Foundation. Paul has lived in Chiapas, Mexico, and Quito, Ecuador, promoting human rights, environmental protection, and community development and working directly with indigenous communities. Paul is also an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and served on the board of Peace Brigades International USA.

For more information, visit truecostofchevron.com and chevrontoxico.com.