FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2025
NEW YORK CITY – Today, leading activists from the Gulf South and New York City immigrant and climate justice organizations are leading a “Toxic Billionaires Tour” of midtown Manhattan. Beginning at 9 AM from Central Park’s Grand Army Plaza, they will march to the headquarters of leading financiers and insurers of fossil fuel projects, including AIG, one of the largest insurers of fossil fuels and Blackrock, the largest global investor in fossil fuels.
Today’s “Toxic Billionaires Tour” is part of a week of action to confront the billionaires who finance environmental racism in the Gulf South and the Global South and line their pockets from climate destruction. It comes just days after Venture Global announced that it had reached a final investment decision for the massive, destructive CP2 Liqueified “Natural” Gas (LNG). Activists, including those from Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, will rally outside J.P.Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and other major lenders to Venture Global, the company behind CP2.
“Until you’ve seen the devastation these facilities have caused, it may be easy to overlook our region and the reason we’re bringing our communities to New York for this week of action,” says Autumn Hensiek of Texas Campaign for the Environment. “We are tired of people treating our communities as if we’re voiceless. We are here to use our exhausted but strong and loud voices to demand dirty banks stop funding dirty projects threatening the livelihood of the people and places we love.”
Other events in the “Gulf South to Global South Week of Action” include:
- Thursday, July 31, 9:30 AM: CEO wake-up calls, beginning at Central Park’s Strawberry Fields Monument.
- Friday, August 1 at 11:30 AM: Protest at Citibank, Pier 25 Marina, the biggest funder of methane gas projects and fossil fuel expansion.
Quotes:
“We are in New York to inform financial institutions that they hold the power to shape a sustainable future; by redirecting their investments away from environmental racism and towards renewable energy and community-led initiatives. By doing this they can foster equity, heal our planet, and empower marginalized voices for a brighter tomorrow. Our communities are in desperate need of a transition because the alternative is death.” – Roishetta Ozane, Vessel Project of Louisiana and Gulf South Fossil Finance Hub
“Young people across the Gulf South see through the lies of fossil fuel financiers and war profiteers. In my home city of Houston, students are already pledging not to work for Citi, the bank pouring billions into oil and gas projects that threaten Gulf Coast communities and shamelessly propping up apartheid Israel. The occupation of Palestine exposed fossil imperialism to students worldwide- now we’re bringing the frontlines straight to Wall Street’s doorstep.” – Felipe Woods, Ignition Front Houston
“As a veteran, I saw many atrocities in areas across the world. We tried to help, but were limited in our capacity. Never in my dreams did I think that I would come home, build a life and a family, and see the same political and corporate corruption and pillage in my own backyard. I have a voice here. I am making sure that it is heard, so that my children can grow up in this wonderful place that needs to be saved.” – Arielle Dougherty, Ingleside Texas Community Organizer